This is just a reminder for all of my people in the Washington D.C. area... the 11th annual D.C. APA Film Festival starts tonight with the Opening Night presentation of Arvin Chen's romantic caper Au Revoir Taipei. The film screens at 7:30pm at Landmark E Street Cinema, with a reception following at Asian Nine. Here's the trailer:
Au Revoir, Taipei will be preceded by the 13-minute-short film Yes, Yesterday, directed by Van Vu. I've seen this short, and it's really nicely done. So right there, you've got lots of good reasons to be part of tonight's festivities, as well as all the cool stuff happening throughout the entire festival.
Want more reasons? Here the press release announcing this year's D.C. APA Film Festival award winners, including the recipient of the George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award:
Best Narrative Feature: The Things We Carry, directed by Ian McCruddenFeatures, shorts, narratives, documentaries, workshops and parties -- they've got something for everyone. For more information, including the full schedule of films and events, go to the D.C. APA Film Festival website here.
"This is wonderful news! Thank you so much for the recognition and the award," said producer Athena Lobit. "We're all very excited about this!"
The Things We Carry also won Best Feature and Best Screenplay awards at the Wild Rose Independent Film Festival and the Audience Award at San Francisco United Film Festival.
The Things We Carry is D.C. APA Film's Closing Night Film and will screen twice on Saturday on
October 16 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. at Goethe-Institut. This highly personal debut feature film from the Lobit Sisters introduces thrill-seeking wanderer Emmie (Alyssa Lobit), her beleaguered but responsible sister Eve (Catherine Kresge), their drug-addict mother Sunny (Alexis Rhee), and a host of other colorful characters.
Best Documentary Feature: Resilience, directed by Tammy Chu
Since the 1950s, an estimated 200,000 Korean children have been placed with families all around the world. Recently, a fraction of these children's birthmothers have begun to speak out about their experiences of living without their children. Resilience follows the story of one mother's loss and search for redemption from a child she separated from decades before.
Resilience will screen on Saturday October 9th at 1 p.m. at the Freer & Sackler Galleries for FREE. A panel discussion on Korean adoption, birth search, and reunion will take place following the film at
4:45 p.m. in the Meyer Auditorium.
Best Narrative Short: Jitensha, directed by Dean Yamada
"Wow, thank you so much for this honor! I am humbled and so grateful that you like my film. I was happy to just be screening at your festival for the first time, but to win this award is amazing. Thank you very much," said director Dean Yamada.
Jitensha (Bicycle) is a story about Mamoru Amagaya, a young man struggling to find meaning in life. Mamoru has lost his job. To make matters worse, he is slowly losing his bicycle. As he works to recover pieces of his bicycle, he finds the pieces of his life.
Jitensha will screen on Sunday October 10th at 2 p.m. at Goethe-Institut, part of the Shorts Program: No Day But Today
Best Documentary Short: The Constitution Project: Yick Wo and the Equal Protection Clause, directed by Robe Imbriano
"Thank you so much for this. We are truly honored to win Best Documentary Short," said Gregory Blanc.
The documentary is about a 19th century Chinese immigrant and a Constitutional clause — it is not often that one finds oneself in front of the Supreme Court. The decision helps forever change American law.
The Constitution Project: Yick Wo and the Equal Protection Clause will screen on Sunday October 10th at 2 p.m. at Goethe-Institut, part of the Shorts Program: No Day But Today
The 2010 George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award Winner: Gerry Balasta, The Mountain Thief
D.C. APA Film and The George C. Lin Memorial Fund have chosen Gerry Balasta, director of the narrative feature, The Mountain Thief, as the recipient of the 2010 George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award. In creating a fictional film starring the actual residents of a garbage collecting town in the Philippines, Balasta has brought attention to a long-neglected community. Through his compassion for his subjects, we come to realize their essential humanity.
"Thank you so much, it is an absolute, absolute honor to receive this award and will only help us in our social cause and in the true spirit of George Lin's lifework," said Balasta.
Balasta and his film reflect the spirit of adventure and inventiveness in filmmaking that George admired so much.
The George C. Lin Emerging Filmmaker Award will be presented in person to Balasta at the screening Wednesday October 13th at 7 p.m. at Goethe Institute.
