Heads up, film fans in Washington D.C. The 11th Annual D.C. APA Film Festival, showcasing some of the best works in contemporary Asian American cinema, starts October 7 and runs through next week in locations throughout downtown D.C. Word on the street is, it's going to be awesome.
Things kick off this Thursday with the festival's Opening Night screening of Arvin Chen's critically-acclaimed feature Au Revoir Taipei, a charming film about old loves and new loves found, set in the vibrant streets of Taipei. A Q&A and reception will follow the screening.
The festival's Centerpiece film is Fog, written, directed and edited by Kit Hui. Set during the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's reunification with China, Fog tells the story of Wai, who suffers from a rare form of amnesia that wipes his memory entirely clean, as he attempts to restart his life and embarks upon a journey of self-discovery and redemption.
The festival winds down on October 16 with the Closing Night screening of Athena and Alyssa Lobit's debut feature The Things We Carry. On her travels, thrill-seeking wanderer Emmie receives a letter informing her that her junkie mother has passed away and left her a mysterious package. Emmie goes back home to face an estranged sister and all the troubles she left behind.
And that's just a sample of all the great programming at the D.C. APA Film Festival, which spans ten days with screenings of features and shorts at the Smithsonian Institute's Freer and Sackler Galleries, the National Museum of the American Indian, the Goethe-Institute and E Street Cinema.
For more information, including the full film and event schedule, as well as ticketing and venue details, go to the 2010 D.C. APA Film Festival website here.