Photo: Erica Hsu
Check this. Were you pissed off by that godawful "Asian Girlz" video that circulated last year? These ladies were, and they decided to do something about it. "Carnal Orient" is a short music video project that seeks to explore and protest the objectification of Asian women as sexual objects for the male gaze. Basically, it's a big middle finger to bullshit like "Asian Girlz" and the longstanding history of sexist, racist media just like it.
Directed by Mila Zuo and Mira Lew, and produced by Camille Mana, with an original score by Angela Seo the band Xiu Xiu, the project is described "a David Lynch/Twin Peaks-inspired psychological inquiry into the nightmarish undertones of Asian fetish." Whoa. They're raising funds for the project through Kickstarter.
Watch this video for more info:
Here are some more details about "Carnal Orient":
The short music film, "Carnal Orient," will feature an exclusive, original score by Angela Seo from the band Xiu Xiu. Mila Zuo, a PhD candidate from UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television and co-founder of PublicNotice Design, and Mira Lew, film and television producer, will co-direct the film. (6/2 update): We are so excited to welcome Camille Mana as a new producer on the project! Please take a look at our updates for her bio.
THE VIDEO: "Carnal Orient" will reveal the nightmarish undertones of Asian fetish through the use of spectacular production design, special effects, performance, and music. As a psychological exploration of carnal desire and pleasure, the film will be unsettling and provocative, a visual protest against the dehumanization of Asian females.
It's sounds like a really cool, provocative project. But they'll need your help to make it. The goal is to raise $4,500 by July 15. For further information about "Carnal Orient" and its creators, and to make a pledge, head over to Kickstarter.
