SAVE THE DATE: DisOrient Asian American Film Fest. Feb-17-19!!
DISORIENT ASIAN AMERICAN FILMFEST OF OREGON
THIS WEEKEND! (visit www.disorientfilm.org)
I would like to invite you to Oregon's Inaugural Asian/Asian American
film festival this weekend starting on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in
Eugene. A very dedicated group of volunteers have been planning this
festival for months.
DisOrient Filmfest is the first film festival in Oregon featuring
independent films and video by and/or about Asian Americans. The
festival opens at the Bijou Art Cinemas (492 E. 13th Ave) on Friday,
February 17th with its Opening Night Gala and continues on Saturday
and Sunday at the Asian Celebration at the Lane County Fairgrounds and
at the Downtown Initiative for the Visual Arts (DIVA) on 110 W.
Broadway near the Eugene Public Library.
We have a number of films that you will not find anywhere else...and
may never see again. We start with 'ONLY THE BRAVE' on Friday night
with Actor, Director, and Producer Lane Nishikawa doing a Q&A with a
reception at Blue Luna Club to follow. It is the tale of the
442nd/100th RCT, an all Japanese American fighting group who rescues
the "lost Texas Battalion" from the Germans during WWII. A thousand
Japanese Americans went in to save 211 Texans, but sacrificed 800
Japanese American lives to do so.
We have a number of social issue and social justice documentaries.
Check out 'GRASSROOTS RISING' about sweatshops in Los Angeles, 'NALINI
BY DAY, NANCY BY NIGHT' a documentary about the use of Indian call
centers, 'DASTAAR' a short film about Sikh life post-9-11, 'MONKEY
DANCE' about three Cambodian teenagers and their story of resisting
the genocide of their culture, amonst many. Also check out our
special program of shorts about Japanese internment with the film
'STAND UP FOR JUSTICE' on Saturday afternoon about a Mexican American
teenager during WWII who decides to go to camp with his Japanese
American friends. A panel of Chicano scholars and former local
Japanese American internees will talk about their reactions to the
films.
There are local Oregon Asian American films such as my own 'SELLING
LOUIE'S VILLAGE (Without Breaking the YOLK)', a tribute to Eugene
Activist Martha Yamasaki ('MARTHA YAMASAKI PRESENTE!), short films by
high school student and 20BELOW writer Chau Nguyen 'SMELLS LIKE FISH
SAUCE', a hilarious infomercial spoof hawking the virtues of fish
sauce.
Be entertained and moved by hilarious films such as our Closing Night
Film, 'THE GRACE LEE PROJECT' where filmmaker Grace Lee finds others
with her same name from around the world.
DisOrient is about breaking down stereotypes of Asians and Asian
Americans and creating positive images for our community to look to.
Please support us by attending this unique film festival and meet
Asian American filmmakers from around the world!
VISIT WWW.DISORIENTFILM.ORG for a complete schedule and to purchase
ticket