SILICON VALLEY FILMS IN THE NEWS
Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest Marks 10th Year
By Gerrye Wong October 8, 2024
Film Festivals are always long awaited occasions so this year’s Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest will be a popular one, especially because it celebrates its 10th year of spotlighting Asian American films. “This year,” according to Leianne Lamb, president of CATS, the producers of this FilmFest, “is very significant as with pride we have grown the film festival into a beloved event that brings together the local community, showcasing established and aspiring filmmakers while amplifying AANHPI stories and voices.” The main festival opens Friday, October 18 to Sunday October 20 at the AMC Dine-In Sunnyvale 12 movie theater in Sunnyvale, CA.
This year’s milestone festival’s theme is “Celebrating AAPI Voices,” reflecting its commitment to showcasing the diverse cultural and distinctive stories of the AAMHPI community. Opening night for the Festival is truly a festive occasion as movie goers are treated with a bento dinner and greeted in the lobby by the enthusiastic welcoming CATS group who work hard to produce this festival each year. Opening is the feature film, “HOME COURT,” about a Cambodian American basketball prodigy that follows her immigrant family life mixed with racial and class differences and the support structure that enables her team to succeed. Following the screening is a filmmaker Q&A with Director Erica Tanamachi and Producer Jenn Lee Smith, moderated by NBC Bay Area Reporter Robert Handa.
Day Two offers a diverse array of films exploring the Asian American experience. From our own area, “Builders of the Silicon Dream” highlights early Asian immigrants’ contributions to Silicon Valley’s growth and the global tech community. Directed by Tony Shyu and Produced by our own Diana Ding, this film follows the careers and life stories of Chinese prominent entrepreneurs David Tsang, Kenneth Fong, Ta-Lin Hsu and Hsing Kung, who immigrated to America as students and paved an important path to make Silicon Valley a world known place for technical and engineering innovation with their respective companies. Following the film will be a Q&A with Shyu and Ding which I have the privilege of being moderator.
Another film, “Above the Clouds” follows two Asian American strangers on a day they’ll never forget. The “Never Too Late” Shorts program showcases resilience and identity and is moderated by David Louie, a Bay Area broadcast legend and retired tech reporter at KGO-TV. The in-person festival concludes with the documentary feature film “Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement,” a documentary about 84 year old artist, activist and storyteller Nobuko Miyamoto. The audience will have a chance following the film to a special live performance by Nobuko and a Q&A with Co-Director Tadashi Nakamura. As you can see, this festival shows off films directed and acted by Asian Americans, which are not often enough seen by the general theater going public.
The CONTEMPORARY ASIAN THEATER SCENE (CATS) should be commended for bringing and having brought Asian American films to Silicon Valley and Greater Bay Area audiences for the past ten years. Founded in 1995 by the late Dr. Jerry Huira, the late Steve Yamaguma and Miki Hirabayashi, CATS has been a beacon for Asian American native Hawaiian pacific Islander film makers and film goers, AANHPI) artists, providing a platform for their voices and talents for the past decade. For a non-profit volunteer group, it is amazing the accomplishments CATS has done in the last ten years. I note with admiration the fine work they have brought to our community our community.
Notable Highlights of SVAPFF at 10 Years
- Voted one of Silicon Valley’s top film festivals by Metro Silicon Valley readers for three years
in a row.
- Over 1,000 tickets sold for the 2023 in-person and online film festival.
- The volunteer-driven effort invested over 1,300 hours.
- Supported over 70 filmmakers in 2023.
- A unique program that provides complimentary tickets for educators and students.
- A commitment to showcasing local South Bay filmmakers, this year’s festival includes more
than ten works by Santa Clara Valley filmmakers.
The 2024 film festival boasts over 80 films, highlighting the creativity and diversity of AANHPI
filmmakers and AAPI stories. To view the entire film lineup and purchase tickets for the special film
screening of Dìdi (弟弟), the in-person and online film festival, please visit the festival website at
ANOTHER ASIAN AMERICAN THEMED MOVIE
Especially enjoyed seeing Lucia Wu as a spunky grandmother meeting a disillusioned young man at a wedding and giving him words of wisdom . The film short is only 20 minutes long, as written and directed by Stanford alumnus Eugene Ko and Christina Shen. Met both of them at the showing held at Osher Hall in Stanford campus where many of the actors and extras saw the finished product for the first time. Eugene, a Korean-American filmmaker with 10 years experience in film told his previous works include “Ramen” and “Pastor”. Stars of the film are Edric Young as the young man attending his brother’s ex wedding as a last minute photographer who meets Lucia Wu as “Nai Nai” the bride’s grandmother. Young Edric feels ill at ease at the wedding until he sits next to Nai Nai and she kiddingly tells him to exchange swear words in their native language – his Korean and hers Chinese.
Fans congratulating Little Chicken movie stars Edric Young and Lucia Wu along with Directors Eugene Ko and Christina Shen
Asking what the theme message of the film he wanted to show, Eugene replied, “As writers in our twenties who are new college graduates, we have had to confront the reality that relationships we’ve built over the past decade will inevitably change as life paths accordingly diverge. This recognition of uncertainty created a backdrop or our film, which aims to acknowledge the anxiety of navigating an unformed future while also encouraging ways to dwell in the tenderness of interpersonal relationships. Our movie is set at an event where people celebrate romance and reminisce on the past while a clumsy adult and spunky grandma can bond over swear words. “
Right now the directors are prioritizing the presentation of their film at various film festivals that spotlight Asian American filmmakers. Eugene added, “After the film’s festival run, it will be submitted to esteemed online curation platforms such as Nowness Asia, Ineletto and Short of the Week in order to increase its visibility and accessibility to the broader public.” Look for it as it is a delightful movie with our local By Area as backdrop and excellent performances by Edric and Lucia .
SYMPHONY SAN JOSE OPENS WITH JON NAKAMATSU AND THE JAZZ AGE
Symphony San Jose kicked off its new season with a journey back to the “Roaring 20’s” when they greeted guests to walk the red carpet, celebrate with champagne in the lobby while discovering why classical music was at the center of the jazz age. Guest performer of the opening night performance was Jon Nakamatsu, a hometown legend since gaining international attention in 1997 as the Gold medalist of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Centerpiece of the concert was his accompanying the SSJ orchestra in George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, which coincidentally celebrates its 100th anniversary this year in 2024. Staged in the California Theatre in downtown San Jose, the opening certainly added to the excitement I saw among the First Street crowds last Saturday night.
Besides guest soloing for over 150 orchestras worldwide, Nakamatsu is known for a multi-faceted career that encompasses recording, education, arts-administration and public speaking in addition to his vast concert schedule. He was once heard at the Theater of the Forbidden City, the Great Hall of the People, China Conservatory and the National Centre for the Performing Arts.
