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Combatting stereotypes: The sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Chinese American Film Festival tells stories of the minority group on screen
It鈥檚 taken decades for Chinese Americans to be seen within cinema.
While there is much work still to do, the strides that have been made are being celebrated by The sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Chinese American Film Festival.
Festival director Paul Jew and his team work year round to put together a festival that represents the Chinese American dream in America.
Combatting stereotypes: The sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Chinese American Film Festival tells stories of the minority group on screen
鈥淟ike any other minority group in America, Chinese Americans want to see their stories on the screen,鈥� Jew said. 鈥淭his is our way to help that cause and showcase the plight of this group.鈥�
The two-day festival kicks off at 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18, at the University of New Mexico Student Union Building, where the festival will host Chinese American filmmakers. The event is free to attend.
Kenneth Eng, graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York City and director, editor and producer of 鈥淓mpowering a Community: The Story of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance,鈥� will be part of the panel.
Eng received a Guggenheim Fellowship for 鈥淢y Life In China,鈥� which premiered nationally on the public TV series, 鈥淎merica Reframed鈥� on World Channel.
Marc Anthony Liu is an Asian American K-pop recording artist, actor and founder of the Asian American company, AbnorMAL Verse ENT, which involves film, television, music, video games, festivals and live concerts. Liu has created a distribution Netflix streaming service, as well as 鈥淢alventures: Little Explorers,鈥� a streaming series that teaches about Asian cultures and languages.
鈥淧hotographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story,鈥� documents how Lee used his camera to highlight social injustice.
Jew said several of the creative talents behind the film will be appearing, including: Jennifer Takaki, director and producer; Linda Lew Woo, producer and community activist; and Linda Hattendorf, editor.
He said that CBS News correspondent, Adam Yamaguchi, will talk about his film, 鈥淏eing Different in the Delta,鈥� which documents how a new generation confronts anti-Asian racism in the Mississippi Delta.
Jew said Eng has been working on a documentary about the Chinese American Citizens Alliance 鈥� which is one of the oldest civil rights organizations.
鈥淭he alliance was formed over 100 years ago and there were several chapters formed throughout the country,鈥� Jew said. 鈥淥ne of the chapters was formed in the late-1950s or early-1960s. I remember my father participating in the event. It鈥檚 an organization that I grew up in and we will be showing the film at the festival.鈥�
Jew said that two UNM students will show their films.
Other feature films to be shown are 鈥淧hotographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story,鈥� 鈥淏eing Different in the Delta,鈥� 鈥淪ight,鈥� 鈥淟ittle Explorers鈥� and 鈥淭he Tiger鈥檚 Apprentice.鈥�
The feature films will be screened beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the South Broadway Cultural Center.
The events are free and open to the public. Registration is recommended at
The festival is in its eighth iteration, and Jew said it鈥檚 important to keep the Chinese American story out there.
鈥淏eing able to showcase the stories that Chinese Americans are no different than any other group of people,鈥� Jew said. 鈥淭he festival got started to combat the negative stereotypes of Hollywood. We want to make sure that our stories are told accurately. There is always going to be racism and I can say from my own experience, I鈥檝e experienced less racism now that I鈥檓 older.鈥�
