3 in 10 Americans Have Witnessed COVID-19 Bias Against Asians

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America



More than 30 Percent of Americans Have Witnessed COVID-19 Bias Against Asians
More than 30 percent of Americans have witnessed someone blaming Asian people for the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey conducted for the Center for Public Integrity. Sixty percent of Asian Americans, who made up about 6 percent of the survey's respondents, said they’ve seen the same behavior.

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U.S. Senator Wants to Restrict Chinese Students From Studying Science
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) suggested that Chinese students should not be allowed to live in the U.S. for the purpose of obtaining science-related degrees from American universities. In an interview with Fox News, Cotton said that Chinese students seeking to study at U.S. schools should be limited to studying courses in the Humanities. "If Chinese students want to come here and study Shakespeare and the Federalist Papers, that's what they need to learn from America," Cotton said. "They don't need to learn quantum computing."

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Nurse Who Fought for More PPE Dies of Coronavirus Days Before Retirement
A nurse who fought for more personal protective equipment (amid the coronavirus epidemic allegedly died of COVID-19 last week, days before her union says she was scheduled to retire. Celia Yap Banago contracted the disease while caring for an infected patient at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri, where she worked for 40 years.

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The Goonies Reunited!
This week, the cast of the beloved 1985 movie The Goonies held an epic online reunion -- including Ke Huy Quan, who played the intrepid, inventive Data. He was 14 when The Goonies was released, but has been fairly inactive as an actor in his adult years. However, he shares that thanks to movies like Crazy Rich Asians, there's been recent surge of interest in roles for Asian American actors. Now at age 50, he's gotten back into acting and has roles in the upcoming films Everything Everywhere All at Once and Finding Ohana.

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Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival Virtual Showcase
As we head into May, we should have been gearing up for this year's edition of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, presented by Visual Communications. It was slated to kick off this week. But given the state of the world, that's obviously not happening. But festival's organizers, undeterred by this set back, have announced the LAAPFF Virtual Showcase, a free digital showcase of films and panels to unite with audiences during this unprecedented time. The online showcase will highlight artists whose stories are critical at this moment in dealing with the COVID-19 Pandemic. This first time event begins May 1st and will run through May 28 as part of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. For further information, and to see the full lineup, go here.

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 44: They Call Us Crazy Rich Asians

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. 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, recorded live last May at C3: Conference for Creative Content at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, we moderate a panel discussion with director Jon M. Chu, screenwriter Adele Lim, and cast members Nico Santos and Chris Pang of Crazy Rich Asians.

See you at the 33rd Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival

Presented by Visual Communications, April 27 - May 4



Los Angeles film fans, it's on. Make some plans and get down with community for the 33rd Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, running April 27 to May 4. Presented by Visual Communications, with eight days of screenings, panels and events, LAAPFF is the largest festival of its kind in Southern California and the premier showcase for the best and brightest of Asian Pacific American and international cinema.

This year's festival kicks off with the Opening Night intro/retrospective 15th anniversary screening of Justin Lin's landmark film Better Luck Tomorrow. Justin Chon's Sundance award-winning feature Gook serves as LAAPFF's Centerpiece highlight as part of the festival's 25th anniversary commemoration of the Los Angles Uprising. The festival rounds with the Closing Night Gala presentation of Kogonada's debut feature Columbus, starring leading man John Cho.

Here are some the festival's highlights:

Submit your film to LAAPFF 2017

The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival is now officially an Oscar-qualifying festival.



Hey filmmakers! Share your film with one of best fests around. This is your last-minute reminder that the final deadline is quickly approaching to submit your film to the 2017 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

Presented by Visual Communications, LAAPFF is the leading showcase for new Asian Pacific American and Asian international cinema, providing a crucial launching point for the discovery and sustained support of Asian Pacific independent filmmakers and media artists from around the globe.

All films -- feature-length, shorts, narrative, documentary, animation, experimental -- need to be submitted and received through Withoutabox or Filmfreeway by Monday, January 2 at 5:00 PM PST.

Visual Communications presents Uprooted From The Scenes

Thursday, July 28 at the Tateuchi Democracy Forum in Little Tokyo



If you're in Los Angeles, here's a cool screening event happening this week... Our friends at Visual Communications invite you to Uprooted From The Scenes, the latest installment for the Summer Intern Screening Exhibit. Curated by VC's summer interns, the screening event showcases works by Asian American and Pacific Islander filmmakers that were part of the 32nd Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

It's happening Thursday, July 28 in the Tateuchi Democracy Forum at the Japanese American National Museum. in Little Tokyo. Here are some more details about the screening:

C3: The Conference for Creative Content

Saturday, April 23 & Sunday, April 24 at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival



Hey, content creators! Visual Communications invites you to the sixth edition of C3: Conference for Creative Content, happening as part of opening weekend of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. It's this Saturday, April 23 and Sunday, April 24 at the Japanese American National Museum in historic Little Tokyo.

The only event of its kind, the Conference for Creative Content brings together foremost media professionals in film, television, cable, digital, and transmedia to create a dialogue on the ever-changing media industry, share best practices, network, celebrate and build a collective vision for our community.

Whether you're a filmmaker still trying to get a studio meeting or a working actor looking to showcase your talent and boost your career to the next level, hear from influential, talented industry leaders who are changing the way we view, consume and create content.

Here a rundown of the conference schedule:

See you at the 32nd Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival

Presented by Visual Communications, April 21-28 in Little Tokyo, Koreatown and West Hollywood.



All right, Los Angeles film fans. Mark your calendars, call up some friends and make some plans. Visual Communications presents 32nd annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, the premier showcase for the best and brightest of Asian Pacific American and international cinema.

Southern California's largest festival of its kind, LAAPFF runs April 21-28 in Little Tokyo, Koreatown and West Hollywood. The festivities kick off with the world premiere of writer/director Lena Khan's dramatic comedy The Tiger Hunter, starring Danny Pudi, on Thursday, April 21 at the Aratani Theatre.

Check out the festival trailer:

2016 LAAPFF x AAM15 Festival Kickoff Party

Saturday, April 2 at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena



All right, good readers. As many of you know, last month marked the 15th anniversary of this website. Yes, I've been running this blog for fifteen years and counting. We weren't going to let the moment pass without a proper celebration, so heads up, Los Angeles: we're throwing a party!.

We're partnering with Visual Communications to present the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival Kick-Off Party, which is also doubling as the official Angry Asian Man 15th Anniversary Party. It's happening Saturday, April 2 at the USCA Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena.

Here are some more details:

Help raise up the next generation of APA media-makers

Make a donation and become a member of Visual Communications #GivingTuesday



If you haven't heard, today has been designated #GivingTuesday, a day to inspire philanthropy and charitable giving as you recover from your post-Black Friday blues. There are dozens upon dozens of Asian American causes worthy of your altruism, but today I'd like to highlight an organization I am directly involved with.

Visual Communications is the premier nonprofit organization dedicated to the honest and accurate portrayals of Asian Pacific American peoples, communities and heritage through the media arts. Full disclosure: I proudly serve as a member of Visual Communication's Board of Directors.

If you're looking for a worthy cause to support, please consider Visual Communications.

Celebrating Bruce Lee: An Intimate Evening with Shannon Lee & Diana Lee Inosanto

Sunday, November 15 at the Japanese American National Museum



Bruce Lee fans! If you are in Los Angeles, Visual Communications invites you to a unique celebration of Bruce Lee's 75th Birthday. Join us for a screening of the documentary In His Own Words, then sit in on an intimate conversation with Bruce's daughter Shannon Lee and his god-daughter Diana Lee Inosanto, followed by a celebration with live performances, special guests, a silent auction, food and beverages and more. It's happening Sunday, November 15 at the Japanese American National Museum.

Here are some more details about the event:

Grace Lee's 'Off The Menu: Asian America' - L.A. Premiere

Sunday, October 25 at the Japanese American National Museum


Grace Lee's 'Off The Menu: Asian America'
If you're in Los Angeles, Visual Communications and the Japanese American National Museum invite to the L.A. premiere of Off The Menu: Asian America. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Grace Lee, the documentary is an exploration of food in changing communities, families traditions and faiths.

The documentary follows Grace as she travels around the country, from Houston to New York's Lower East Side, and from Oak Creek, Wisconsin to Oahu, seeking stories that reflect an evolving Asian Pacific America and the role food plays in people's lives. This is not your average food travelogue.

It's happening Sunday, October 25 at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo. The evening will also feature a post-screening conversation, moderated by writer and sociologist Oliver Wang, with folks from the city's culinary scene, including Chef Minh Pham of Porridge+Puffs, food writer Christine Chiao, scholar Karen Tongson, and Youa Yang of Yang Farms.

Here are some more details about the screening:

Apply to the 2015-16 Armed With a Camera Fellowship

For emerging media artists. Application deadline: Friday, October 2



Hey filmmakers! Visual Communications, the nation's premiere media arts center dedicated to the honest and accurate portrayal of Asian Pacific Americans, is putting the final call for applications submissions for its latest cycle of the Armed With a Camera Fellowship for Emerging Media Artists.

The AWC Fellowship nurtures the next generation of APA media artists to capture their world, surroundings and outlook on life. Visual Communications works with the Fellows for seven months and provides special training, mentoring and networking opportunities, access to facilities and equipment, plus a cash stipend to create four to five-minute digital shorts that premiere at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

But heads up: the application deadline is this Friday, October 2. Here's some more information on how to apply:

Visual Communications presents VC #TBT

A Summer Screening, July 30 at the David Henry Hwang Theatre



Film fans, if you're in Los Angeles, Visual Communications invites you to VC #TBT, a special summer screening of ten short films by Asian American filmmakers, curated by VC's summer interns. If you missed out on the shorts programs at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival in April, here's your second chance. Plus free food and drinks. It's happening Thursday, July 30 at the David Henry Hwang Theatre in Little Tokyo.

Here are some more details about the event:

HBO celebrates Heritage Month with 'East of Main Street: Taking the Lead'

Free screening Friday, April 24 at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival



Hey, Los Angeles film fans. Good times await you, April 23-30, at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, which I'll basically be plugging all week. Who wants to go? This website is a proud media sponsor of the festival, and I want to make sure you're aware of this free screening. Scroll down for details...

One of this year's featured LAAPFF programs, East of Main Street: Taking the Lead, is the fifth and latest season of HBO's documentary series celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month. This year's edition, directed and produced by Jonathan Yi, focuses on Asian Americans working in the film and television community, including Lucy Liu, Daniel Dae Kim, BD Wong, Aasif Mandvi and more.

Watch the trailer.

31st Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival

Presented by Visual Communications, April 23-30 in Little Tokyo, Koreatown and West Hollywood



Los Angeles film fans, it is on. Mark your calendars and make some plans. The 31st annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, presented by Visual Communications, is going down April 23-30 in Little Tokyo, Koreatown and West Hollywood. It's one of my favorite events of the year, and you should party with me.

LAAPFF is the largest festival of its kind of Southern California, and is the premier showcase for the best and brightest of Asian American and Asian international cinema. This year's festival will present 134 films from over 20 countries with 32 features and 102 short films. Angry Asian Man is a proud media sponsor of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

Here's some of the programming you can look forward to:

Big Trouble in Little Tokyo presents 'The Joy Luck Club'

New film series kicks off Wednesday, February 11 at the Japanese American National Museum



For all you movie fans in Los Angeles, join us next week for a special screening of 1993's The Joy Luck Club, kicking off a new film series called "Big Trouble in Little Tokyo," presented by the Japanese American National Museum in partnership with Angry Asian Man, First Pond Entertainment and Visual Communications.

It's happening Wednesday, January 11 at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo. The evening will begin with a light reception at 6:00pm, followed by the screening at 7:00pm, and a Q&A with director Wayne Wang and additional panelists (to be determined).

Here are some more details about the screening:

Support APA Filmmakers! Donate to Visual Communications.

All end-of-the-year donations will be matched dollar for dollar.



Hey, folks. If you're interested in donating some holiday cash to a worthy cause, how about supporting an organization that is trying to help up-and-coming Asian Pacific American filmmakers tell their stories?

Donate to Visual Communications.

Founded in 1970, Visual Communications is the first nonprofit organization in the nation dedicated to the honest and accurate portrayals of the Asian Pacific American peoples, communities and heritage through the media arts. Its mission continues today through a variety programs for APA mediamakers, including screenings, media education, the Armed With a Camera Fellowship and the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

For more information, check out this fundraising video:

C3 presents a sneak peek at 'Fresh Off the Boat'

Visual Communications presents the Conference for Creative Content, Saturday, December 6



If you're in Los Angeles, don't miss this awesome early opportunity to see the TV show everybody's talking about... Visual Communications presents 2014 edition of the Conference for Creative Content (C3).

This year, the focus is on the first Asian American network television show in twenty years, ABC's Fresh Off the Boat. They'll be screening the pilot episode, and hosting a panel discussion with the cast and crew, moderated by Amy Hill. It's happening Saturday, December 6 at the David Henry Hwang Theatre in Little Tokyo.

Here are some more details about C3:

10th Anniversary Screening of 'Saving Face'

With cast/crew in attendance, November 12 at the Tateuchi Democracy Forum



Los Angeles film fans, mark your calendars. I'm super excited about this. I am please to partner with Visual Communications and the Japanese American National Museum to present a very special 10th anniversary screening of the 2004 romantic comedy/drama Saving Face, starring Michelle Krusiec, Lynn Chen and Joan Chen. If you've never seen it before, or want to revisit this charming little gem with fellow fans and members of the cast and crew, come on out. It's happening Wednesday, November 12 at JANM.

Here are some more details about the screening:

Free sneak screening of 'Revenge of the Green Dragons'

Presented by Visual Communications, October 19 at the Downtown Independent Theatre



Hey, film fans. If you're in Los Angeles, Visual Communications invites you to a free sneak-peek screening of the crime drama Revenge of the Green Dragons, directed by Andrew Lau and Andrew Loo and executive produced by Martin Scorsese. Starring Justin Chon, Kevin Wu, Harry Shum Jr., Eugenia Yuan and Leonard Wu, it's a gritty gangster tale inspired by true events that explodes on the streets 1980s Chinatown.

The film screens on Sunday, October 19 at the Downtown Independent. Here are some more details: