By Mabel Pais

SHORT FILMS FROM DIRECTORS

SHARMILA RAY: “DEVOTEE,” “URVASHI PATHANIA: “UNMOTHERED,”

NIRAV BHAKTA: “THANK YOU, COME AGAIN,” ALISHA TEJPAL: LATA,”

”APOORVA GAVARRAJU: “THE DAYS AFTER YOU,” SUSHMA KHADEPAUN: “ANITA,” “SHRUTI PAREKH: “BLOOD MOON,” RAGINI BHASIN: “HIDE AND SEEK,” AMRITA SINGH: “WINNING IN AMERICA”

Among Others

“We are all living in a time where anti-Asian hate crimes have risen. It is our hope that this year’s Festival will bring together not only our Asian & Pacific Islander communities, but all of our communities. We invite everyone to come experience art as entertainment, healing, and bridge building,” says Francis Cullado, Executive Director of Visual Communications.

The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF), presented annually by Visual Communications (VC), features its 37th edition, September 23 to October 2, 2021. The Festival screens 139 films during the 10-day Festival. This year’s productions celebrate the creative and nuanced storytelling of Asians & Pacific Islanders in America and around the globe. The largest festival of its kind in Southern California, LAAPFF is also a proud Academy Award®-qualifying film festival for the Short Film Awards. LAAPFF’s programming hopes to mobilize and engage audiences towards social activism and civic engagement, a cornerstone that is part of the Festival’s foundation. This year’s productions by Asian & Pacific Islander artists from around the world amplify themes that include race, immigration, gentrification, economic security, and more.

FEATURE FILMS

Feature film highlights include “SILENT RIVER,” “WHO IS LUN*NA MENOH,” “LIST OF A LIFETIME,” “THE BADGER,” “TIONG BAHRU SOCIAL CLUB,” “LUMPIA WITH A VENGEANCE,” “THE RESCUE,” “ASCENSION,” and “SNAKEHEAD.”

FILIPINX AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

On October 1, LAAPFF kicks off Filipinx American History Month with a curated selection of films by Filipinx filmmakers, including “THE GIRL WHO LEFT HOME,” “NO DOGS,” “FABULOUS FILIPINO BROTHERS” and “ISLANDS.”

SHORT FILMS

From the short film lineup, select highlights include “F1-100,” “HAWAIIAN SOUL,” “DEVOTEE,” “BLUSH,” “THE GIRL WHO LEFT HOME,” “NO DOGS,” “THE FABULOUS FILIPINO BROTHERS,” and “ISLANDS.” Many more short films and episodics are featured.

NARRATIVE FEATURES

Narrative Features include “A SHOT THROUGH THE WALL,” “AMERICANISH,” “DEFINITION PLEASE,” “I WAS A SIMPLE MAN,” “ISLANDS,” ”LISA MANIA,” “LIST OF A LIFETIME,” ”LUMPIA WITH A VENGEANCE,” “MARVELOUS AND THE BLACK HOLE,” “SILENT RIVER,” “SNAKEHEAD,” “THE BADGER,” “THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MRS. WU” “THE FABULOUS FILIPINO BROTHERS,” “THE GIRL WHO LEFT HOME,” “THE MONSTERS WITHOUT,” “TIONG BAHRU SOCIAL CLUB,” “WATER LIKE FIRE,”

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

Documentary features include “ACCEPTED,” “ASCENSION,” “CANE FIRE,” “FACELESS,” “FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK,” “LIKE A ROLLING STONE: THE LIFE & TIMES OF BEN FONG-TORRES,” “MANZANAR, DIVERTED: WHEN WATER BECOMES DUST,” “OPHIR,” “THE CELINE ARCHIVE,” “THE RESCUE,” “TRY HARDER!,” “WE ARE FROM THERE,” “WHO IS LUN*NA MENOH?,” and “WUHAN WUHAN.”

LAAPFF debuts the works from Visual Communications’ Digital Histories program, designed for Asian & Pacific Islander older adults to use their unique voices and perspectives to share stories with the generations to come.

Visual Communications founded the Armed With a Camera (AWC) Fellowship for Emerging Media Artists to develop the next generation of Asian & Pacific Islander artists and connect communities through the power of storytelling. This year, LAAPFF will host encore presentations of the 2020 Armed With a Camera films.

SCREENING VENUES

The Festival will screen films at

• Aratani Theatre @ Japanese American Cultural & Community Center – Little Tokyo (DTLA): 244 S San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
• Tateuchi Democracy Forum @ Japanese American National Museum: 111 N Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012
• Regal L.A. LIVE: A Barco Innovation Center: 1000 W Olympic Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90015

VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS (VC) & THE LOS ANGELES ASIAN PACIFIC FILM FESTIVAL (LAAPFF)

To learn more, visit festival.vcmedia.org

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ATLANTA’S OUT ON FILM

By Mabel Pais

‘OUT ON FILM,’ in Atlanta presented by Warner Media has the lineup of films and events for the 34th edition of the Atlanta-based LGBTQIA+ film festival. The Oscar® qualifying film festival returns to theaters this year as part of its hybrid presentation. It takes place September 23-October 3, 2021.

Out on Film once again offers a rich selection of LGBTQIA+ films curated from around the world. 43 features (25 narrative films, 18 documentaries), 17 shorts programs with 98 films and 2 web series, representing 24 countries will be available this year, as well as a world premiere art installation.

‘Out on Film’ Festival Director, Jim Farmer, said, “As one of the few film festivals that are still growing despite all of the challenges present, we are thrilled with this international lineup, including our world premieres and more films we can’t wait to introduce our audiences to.”

OPENING NIGHT, Sept 23 at Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema (931 Monroe DR NE)

DIR: Peeter Rebane l UK l 1h 47m l Southeastern Premiere

“FIREBIRD,” set during the Cold War is a British drama that follows a forbidden love triangle between a soldier, a fighter pilot and his female comrade amid the dangerous surroundings of a Soviet Air Force Base.

CLOSING NIGHT, Oct 3 at Out Front Theatre Company (999 Brady Ave NW)

DIR: William T. Horner & Stacey Woelfel l USA l 1h 38m l World Premiere

“KEEP THE CAMERAS ROLLING: THE PEDRO ZAMORA WAY” –

William T. Horner and Stacey Woelfel’s documentary film looks at the life of Pedro Zamora, who gained fame on MTV’s “The Real World,” and utilized that platform to open up his life, his joy, and his influence to the world until his death at the age of 22.

CENTERPIECE FILMS

“INVISIBLE: GAY WOMEN IN SOUTHERN MUSIC”

DIR: T.J. Parsell l USA l 1h 47m

The film explores a group of gay women songwriters who overcame more than we could imagine to write some of the most familiar and beloved “number one” hits for some of country music’s greatest stars.

“JUMP DARLING”

DIR: Phil Connell l Canada l 1h 30m

Phil Connell’s Canadian drama, features Academy Award-winning legend Chloris Leachman in her final starring role in the story of an actor turned drag queen at a crossroads in his life, who moves in with his grandmother to keep her from having to move into a nursing home.

“NO STRAIGHT LINES: THE RISE OF QUEER COMICS”   

DIR: Vivian Kleiman l USA l 1h 18m

Vivian Kleiman’s documentary looks at the life and career journeys of five scrappy queer comic book artists journey from DIY work and isolation to the cover of Time Magazine and the international stage, offering a fascinating window into everything from the AIDS crisis and workplace discrimination to the search for love and a good haircut.

For the complete film slate of Narrative & Documentary Features and Shorts, and Special Events, visit 2021ooff.eventive.org/films

 TICKETS

For information on purchasing passes, tickets, and additional details on ‘Out on Film,’ visit 2021ooff.eventive.org/films

OUT ON FILM

Since its official inception in 1987, ‘Out On Film’ has grown to become one of the major LGBTQIA+ film festivals in the country. Now an Oscar® qualifying film festival and one of USA Today’s 2020 Readers’ Choice picks as one of the top 20 film festivals in North America, ‘Out On Film’ hosts an eleven-day film festival in September as well as programming throughout the year.

WARNER MEDIA

To learn more, visit warnermedia.com/us

(Mabel Pais writes on Social Issues, The Arts and Entertainment, Spirituality, and Health & Wellness)