They Call Us Andrew Ahn

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.

What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

In this episode, we welcome back their old friend Andrew Ahn, writer/director of The Wedding Banquet, a reimagining of Ang Lee's beloved classic. They discuss Andrew's journey as a filmmaker; assembling an all-star team -- including Youn Yuh-jung, Joan Chen, Kelly Marie Tran, Lily Gladstone and Bowen Yang -- for the project; navigating the complexities and subtleties of contemporary queer representation; being a part of the legacy of Asian American cinema; and of course, The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of remaking The Wedding Banquet.

All The Asians On Star Trek 27: Away Mission with Andrew Ahn

The Podcast In Which We Interview All The Asians On Star Trek.



All The Asians On Star Trek is the podcast in which we interview all the Asians on Star Trek. In Episode 27, we embark on another Away Mission, in which we invite fellow Asian American fans of Star Trek to do a deep dive into an episode of their choosing. For this edition of the Away Mission, we welcome filmmaker Andrew Ahn (Fire Island, Driveways, Spa Night) to discuss "Timeless" from season five of Star Trek: Voyager -- a perennial series favorite. We discuss, among other things, why Deanna Troi is a gay icon, how survivor's guilt over faulty phase variance data can really age you, and Andrew's big ol' crush on Ensign Harry Kim.

Three Teens Arrested in Attack on Asian Woman in St. Paul

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



Three Arrested in St. Paul LRT Station Attack
Police have arrested three teenagers following an attack on an Asian woman on a train platform in St. Paul. Video of the assault, which was shared widely across social media, shows one of the teens kicking the victim in the head. The attack was never reported, but transit authorities were able to identify the assailants using surveillance footage. They're still reportedly trying to identify the victim.

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Asian American Woman Harassed by Self-Identified Trump Supporter
A San Francisco resident who faced anti-Asian harassment while walking her dogs is speaking out, urging those who witness such xenophobia to step in to help. Amanda Law said she was near the Great Highway last month when a woman approached her to ask why she wasn't staying home. In video of the incident, recorded by Law, the woman can be seen walking toward the camera, asking why Law "doesn't go back to where she came from," as passersby stepped in and told the woman not to harass her. The video shows the woman continuing to walk toward the camera. "Americans said we don't want you here," the woman said later in the video. "That's why we elected President Trump." Yup, that's why.

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Family of 5 Doctors Loses Both Father and Daughter to Coronavirus
A father and a daughter, both of whom were doctors, died from COVID-19 and were honored by New Jersey governor Phil Murphy at Thursday's daily briefing for their contributions. Dr. Satyender Dev Khanna and his daughter Dr. Priya Khanna were remembered by Murphy at the daily briefing as selfless healthcare heroes, who dedicated their lives to helping others. They leave behind the elder Khanna's wife and two daughters. All three are also physicians.

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Helpers in the Time of Coronavirus< The latest episode of the podcast Asian Americana explores the stories of Asian Americans working to defend our communities from attacks, the volunteers organizing direct aid to vulnerable populations, the people translating information into terms and languages so more can understand, and the local businesses helping each other and their communities survive during Covid-19.

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Driveways
The indie drama Driveways, directed by Andrew Ahn, is now available to download and stream. Hong Chau stars as Kathy, an acerbic, world-weary woman who travels with her young son to her deceased sister’s house to take care of her affairs. While there, her son strikes up a friendship with Del (the late Brian Dennehy, in one of his final lead roles), a gruff retiree who lives next door, who is estranged from his queer daughter. The film talks about loss in an open and frank way and shows that kindness and community are integral to moving on.

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 97: They Call Us Andrew Ahn

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.



What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

On this episode, we welcome Andrew Ahn, director of the feature drama Driveways, starring Hong Chau. He talks about making a movie to come out to his parents, getting accepted to the "Harvard" of film festivals, and working with the late Brian Dennehy on one of his last roles.

When Racist Stereotypes Spread Like the Coronavirus

Things to Know From Angry Asian America



Family Claims They Were Racially Stereotyped Over Coronavirus Concerns
With news of the recent coronavirus outbreak in China, the racist stereotyping has begun! In Washington state, an Asian American family who approached a sample table while shopping at Costco says they were asked "if they came from China" and were told to "step away" over concerns of infection.

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Illustrator LeUyen Pham Reacts to Winning the Caldecott Honor
The Newbery and the Caldecott Medals, considered the two most prestigious awards for children's literature in the United States, were announced on Monday at the annual Youth Media Awards. Among the picture book honorees for the Caldecott: Bear Came Along, illustrated by LeUyen Pham and written by Richard T. Morris. Watch this heartfelt video from LeUyen Pham with her reaction to receiving the award.

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Hong Chau Leads the Spirit Award-Nominated 'Driveways': Exclusive Trailer
Here's the official trailer for the indie drama Driveways, directed by Andrew Ahn and starring Hong Chau. Nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards, the film tells the story of a single mother, Kathy, and her young son, Cody, who find themselves cleaning out the house left behind by her dead aunt. During their stay, Cody forms an unexpected friendship with Del, a retiree who lives next door.

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Alan Kim is the Youngest Breakout Star of Sundance 2020
Alan Kim stars in the Sundance film Minari, directed by Lee Isaac Chung, which tells the story of a Korean American family's move to Arkansas in the 1980s to start a farm. And young Alan came to the premiere dressed to impress in a full-on cowboy outfit, because why the hell not?

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OCA-UPS Gold Mountain Scholarship
Hey, high school students! The OCA-UPS Gold Mountain Scholarship awards financial support to college-bound students who are the first in their family to attend an institution of higher education. The scholarship is open to Asian American and Pacific high school seniors who have been admitted to a college or university and plan to attend in Fall 2020. The deadline to apply is April 13, 2020.

Andrew Ahn gave an acceptance speech for all of us

'Spa Night' wins the John Cassavetes Award at the Independent Spirit Awards.



Forget the Academy Awards. The best acceptance speech of the weekend happened at the 32nd Independent Spirit Awards, courtesy of writer/director Andrew Ahn. His acclaimed coming-of-age drama Spa Night won the John Cassavetes Award, which is presented to a film budgeted at less than $500,000.

Stepping up to the mic, Andrew nervously admitted, "I'm gonna barf," then offered some heartfelt thanks for honoring his film about a Korean American immigrant family and queer Korean American people. He also stressed the importance of telling stories by underrepresented voices.

"Now, more than ever, it's important that we support stories told by and about communities that are marginalized; that we tell stories about immigrants, Muslims, women, people of color, trans and queer folk," Andrew said. "Film is such a power tool in humanizing these communities so that we can't be pushed aside and labeled as "other." We are a part of this great country and we are undeniable."

Here's the full video of his speech:

Q & A with SPA NIGHT Director Andrew Ahn

By tk Lê.'


Joe Seo in Spa Night
What comes to mind when you think of the spa? Luxury, relaxation, cleansing, discomfort, family, sex, adventure, the Korean death scrub? And while we're at it, is the spa a gay thing, a Korean thing, or a Korean American thing? For Andrew Ahn, the director of Spa Night, it is all of the things, all at the same time. It's a place where the main character, David Cho, bonds with his family, keeps his parents safe, and explores his sexuality.

I sat with Andrew Ahn to chat about Koreatown, queerness, and the pitfalls of authenticity. The interview has been edited for clarity. [Warning! This interview is full of spoilers.]

It Exists: Asian American Cinema

Guest Post by Andrew Ahn



I was confused for Daniel Kwan five times at Sundance. Yes, we both made features that were premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. Yes, we are both Asian. And yes, we both have facial hair. But no, I am not Daniel Kwan of the Daniels, the writing and directing duo behind Swiss Army Man. I am Andrew Ahn, writer and director of Spa Night.

People would congratulate me on Swiss Army Man. They would ask me what it was like to work with Daniel Radcliffe. Fortunately, I think Daniel Kwan is a good looking guy, so I'm flattered as much as I am offended. However, more importantly, it's a good sign for Asian American film that there was another filmmaker at Sundance that I could be mistaken for. In fact, there were five Asian American writer directors with films within the festival's US Dramatic Competition: Meera Menon (Equity), Jason Lew (The Free World), Soyoung Kim (Lovesong), Daniel Kwan (Swiss Army Man), and myself. This is an impressive and surprisingly under-publicized statistic. At Sundance last year, Benson Lee's Seoul Searching and Jennifer Phang's Advantageous screened; at SXSW, Daniel Park's Ktown Cowboys.

The media has focused on the lack of Asian American representation in film, both in front and behind the camera. This type of reporting is important; it's galvanizing. However, it does not support, celebrate, or promote the work that is already being made. Just this summer, there are three Asian American films that have or will have opened in theaters: Seoul Searching, Ray Yeung's Front Cover, and my film Spa Night. This is encouraging, a strong indicator of our progress. However, more has been written about The Great Wall, Ghost in the Shell, and Doctor Strange than these films. This is unfortunate and a true missed opportunity, because our heroes don't look like Matt Damon. Our heroes look like Justin Chon, Rosalina Lee, Jake Choi, and Joe Seo.

Watch the trailer for the award-winning drama 'Spa NIght'

Andrew Ahn's debut feature opens August 19 in New York and August 26 in Los Angeles.



The award-winning indie coming-of-age drama Spa Night opens in limited theatrical release next month from Strand Releasing. Writer/director Andrew Ahn's debut feature tells the story of one Korean American family's dreams and realities as each struggles with the overlap of desire, disillusionment and sense of tradition.

I attended the world premiere of Spa Night at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, where it won a Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Performance for lead actor Joe Seo. The film also recently took home the U.S. Grand Jury Prize at Outfest, the Los Angeles LGBT film festival. It's an incredible, heartfelt, deeply personal film.

Here's the official Spa Night trailer, which just premiered on Vulture:

Joe Seo wins Sundance Special Jury Award for 'Spa Night'

Actor wins award for Breakthrough Performance in writer/director Andrew Ahn's feature debut.



Over the weekend, the 2016 Sundance Film Festival wrapped up ten days of premieres and deals by handing out awards for the festival's top films. Huge congratulations go to actor Joe Seo, who won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Performance in Spa Night.

Seo plays 18-year-old David Cho, the closeted son of immigrants parents living and working in Los Angeles' Koreatown. As his parents struggle to make ends meet, David grapples with his awakening independence, sexuality and Korean American identity in writer/director Andrew Ahn's quiet, confident feature film debut.

Joe wasn't even at Saturday night's Closing Awards Ceremony, but Andrew was on hand to accept the award on his behalf. Here's video of Andrew collecting the trophy:

Fund This: 'Spa Night' - A Korean American Film about coming out

A closeted teenager follows his desires and finds more than he bargains for at the Korean spa.



Here's a cool feature film project that's asking for some crowdfunding support... Writer/director Andrew Ahn's Spa Night is a indie coming-of-age drama about a closeted Korean American teenager who follows his desires and finds more than he bargains for at the Korean spa. The film's Kickstarter campaign is winding down and they're making a final push for help from the community to make it happen.

Here's a video of Andrew explaining a little background on the film:

Casting Call: 'Spa Night'

Independent feature seeks Korean actors

Recently this casting call passed along to me, and thought it might be of interest to some of you actor-ly folks.

Spa Night is an independent feature film written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Andrew Ahn. The film, which will shoot in Los Angeles, follows a Korean American teen in his last year of high school as he navigates coming-of-age against the backdrop of Koreatown.

It looks like they're still specifically looking for some Korean actors. Here's the casting call with more details:

angry reader of the week: andrew ahn

Hello. You know what time it is. Time to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Sundance-bound filmmaker Andrew Ahn.