I have told you about this show, haven't I? It's this Sunday night, the closing performance of the Asian American Showcase in Chicago -- extensive details on the showcase (mostly film) follow. I saw some shorts last week, including a great series of 5 iPod shorts; really interesting. My favorite iPod pieces were Walking Between the Lines by Vincent Tsu, a charming 10 min. piece that any writer will love and Dream, Lover by Jeff Lee, a rather creepy 16 min. piece featuring a wall of iPods and the obsessive man who stole them from women; there are many fabulous moments in this tiny film, and if you get a chance to catch it, I whole-heartedly recommend it.
If I weren't so lazy, I'd be going to a lot more of these this week. I'm volunteering to take tickets Saturday night, so I'll probably go to that night's film.
9TH ANNUAL CHICAGO ASIAN AMERICAN SHOWCASE OPENING IN CHICAGO
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS -- March 15, 2003 -- The Foundation for Asian American Independent Media (FAAIM) is proud to present the 9th Annual Chicago Asian American Showcase at the Gene Siskel Film Center. The Showcase -- which consists of a film festival, two art shows, a closing performance, and a rock concert -- runs from April 2 through April 11.Coming up on our 9th year, the Chicago Asian American Showcase is the Midwest's main venue for Asian American film, music and visual arts. This year we are presenting 9 feature length films, over 50 short films, a rock show featuring local and nationally known bands, and 2 visual arts shows. Directors, actors and producers from across the United States and Canada will be in attendance to discuss their films with an audience. The Showcase has featured many talented and successful directors and actors and has been influential in the launching and success of films such as Better Luck Tomorrow, directed by Justin Lin; Charlotte Sometimes directed by Eric Byler; and Robot Stories directed by Greg Pak, all of which received critical acclaim and national theatrical distribution.
This year features diverse work from various directors, all of whom are Asian American. The opening feature is First Morning by Vietnamese American director Victor Vu and is a drama about the Nguyen family living in southern California. The closing feature is The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam, a documentary by Anne Marie Fleming about her grandfather, a renowned magician and acrobat who toured on the vaudeville circuit in the early part of the 20th century. Along with the film festival, the Showcase will present two art shows. Coming Soon.. explores the influences and impact of film globally, and Hollywood specifically, on Asian and Asian American culture and vice versa through the eyes of Generation X and younger. Coming Soon opens at the Richard and Ellen Sandor Family Gallery in the lobby of the Gene Siskel Film Center. The following week, on April 9 and running until May 9, 100 Cuts opens at Gallery 312. According to the show curators Laura Kina and Larry Lee, "100 Cuts features local and international artists whose work draws out the intimate connections between body and landscape, how demarcation of land creates a psychological and metaphysical abrasion in the body to address pertinent questions about the present cultural and political climate."
A rock concert featuring nationally known band Versus and local musician Jenny Choi is scheduled for the Abbey Pub on Saturday, April 10 at 10pm.
Press Contact:
Sam del Rosario
Chicago Asian American Showcase
(773)727.8520
sam@faaim.org