Hey child'n,
All this week at the Gene Siskel Film Center they're having an
Asian-American film festival, and Sunday is the last day and I will be
part of the closing performance that night along with a slew of other
really talented artists. The performance will include video, spoken
word, dance, and music. A lot of it will be political, both serious and
seriously satirical, and other pieces deal with individual and social
issues with being Asian in America. It should be cool, so you all should
come check it out! Here's some quick info, and below I've included the
brief synopsis on the show, and an article about the Showcase from
Chicago Tribune:
MARS, MARRIAGE, AND MASS DISTRACTION
Sunday, April 11 at 7pm
Gene Siskel Film Center
164 N State
(at Randolph, right above the Lake St CTA Red Line Station)
$9
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Elevator Speech:
It seems everybodys talking politics these days. Tired of being told
what you believe from political pundits and public opinion polls? Whos
being polled anyway? Nobody I know. Whether it be witty or angry,
utopian or bemused, critical or celebratory, this performance takes all
that palpable anxiety and turns it into the carnivalesque hallucination
of the past three years. Come experience our take on the current state
of affairs through a colorful interweaving of the spoken word, music,
video, movement and dance talents of the Asian American community of
Chicago. Featuring the collaborative work of:
Nilofer Ahsan
Kay Barret
Jeff Chan
Greg Grucel
Adam S. Kellman
Sharmili Majmudar
Mary Anne Mohanraj
Jon Monteverde
Vince Pham
Sarwat Rumi
Rupal Soni
Nikhil Trivedi
Kelly Tsai
Chien Yuan
Directed by Sheelah Murthy
of MRS RAOS GROWL
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>From the Chicago Tribune:
Asian films from up-and-comers at Siskel
By John Petrakis, Special to the Tribune
The Asian American Showcase is more than a film festival: It's a
full-fledged, 13-day art attack, chock full of events that complement
the carefully chosen feature-length films, documentaries and shorts
programs. All are by up-and-coming Asian-American filmmakers, many of
whom will be in town to screen and discuss their work.
Of course, the substance of the showcase consists of the films and
videos themselves. Over the years, the Asian American Showcase has
nabbed a number of films that have gone on to successful theatrical
runs, including "Charlotte Sometimes" and "Robot Stories." Promising
films this year include "Invisible Light," about two troubled women
involved with the same naive Korean man; "See You Off to the Edge of
Town," a road comedy about a Hong Kong family's disastrous visit to the
Grand Canyon; "Take Out," which looks at a bicycle deliveryman in New
York City; "American Aloha," about the rise, fall and rise again of
traditional hula dancing; and "Sumo East and West," which reveals
everything you need to know about Sumo wrestling.
One pre-screened film is Victor Vu's "First Morning"
((star)(star)(star)), a melancholy feature about the sacrifices a family
must make as they escape South Vietnam after the Vietnam War, with hopes
of finding greater opportunities in the United States. The film centers
on Linh, the family's only daughter, whose inability to cope in her new
homeland is a source of anguish for the other family members, as well as
a constant reminder of the mistakes and compromises they have made for
the sake of security and prosperity. The acting is low-key and
effective, especially that of the photogenic Kathleen Luong (Linh),
whose sad face and sagging spirits mask a family secret that has been
buried for too many years.
Here's a rundown of other festival events:
During the fest and continuing through June, the lobby of the Gene
Siskel Film Center--where the films are being screened--presents the art
exhibition "Coming Soon...," which looks at the impact Hollywood has had
on Asian-American culture.
Author Kerri Sakamoto reads from her latest book "One Hundred Million
Hearts," 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Aion Teahouse, 2135 W. Division St.
There will be a wreath-laying ceremony 10:30 a.m. April 10 at the
Bataan-Corrigedor Bridge at State Street and Wacker Drive, in observance
of the 1942 fall of Bataan during World War II.
Later that night at 10 p.m., an assortment of bands including Jenny Choi
and Mirror America, perform at the Abbey Pub, 3420 W. Grace St.
And on April 11 at the Film Center stage, the Asian American Artists'
Collective introduces a multimedia performance piece that ponders the
current political scene via language, music, dance and video.
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The 9th Asian American Showcase runs through April 14 at the Gene Siskel
Film Center, 164 N. State St. Tickets are $9. 312-846-2600.
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http://www.nikhiltrivedi.com/
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