27th sfiaaff: saturday

Lots of fantastic films and events happening today at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. Take a look at the schedule for the rundown -- it's all great stuff. But there are three screenings in particular I wanted to highlight:

Whatever It Takes: Christopher Wong's feature documentary debut telling the story of a South Bronx high school in its dynamic first year. I've actually been looking forward to seeing this film for several years, ever since I saw some early footage of the charismatic Principal Edward Tom in action. It looks great. To learn more about the film, and watch the trailer, visit the film's website.

Children of Invention: Tze Chun's debut feature film about two children who must fend for themselves when their mother is picked up for unwittingly taking part in a pyramid scheme. I wrote about this film extensively when I saw it at the Sundance Film Festival. It's a really nicely directed film, with fantastic performances by Cindy Cheung and the two lead children.

Dirty Hands: Harry Kim's fascinating, provocative documentary on street artist/thief/porn illustrator/so-called artistic sellout David Choe. It's just an insane, frenetic portrait a guy with amazing talent, a massive rebellious streak... and a lot of personal issues. Shocking, intriguing, hilarious at time. It's a trip.