By Mabel Pais

ASIAN AMERICAN CONTENDERS

Karishma Dev Dube’s ‘BITTU’

Shalini Kantayya’s ‘CODED BIAS’

Geeta Gandbhir’s ‘CALL CENTER BLUES’

 Among OSCAR Contenders

A-DOC: ASIAN AMERICAN DOCUMENTARY NETWORKAND OYEATMF

TEAM UP TO CELEBRATE A HISTORIC YEAR

FOR ASIAN AMERICAN DOCUMENTARY AWARDS CONTENDERS

OF TALKBACKS, INTERVIEWS AND CONVERSATIONS

FEATURING NON-FICTION DIRECTORS/PRODUCERS

17 FEATURES AND 5 SHORT FILMS

QUALIFIED FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE AND SHORT AWARDS

The awards season is in full swing and this year, Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) documentary filmmakers represent a record number of 17 features and 5 short films that are now recognized as documentary awards contenders.  This weekend, ‘A-DOC’: ‘Asian American Documentary Network’ – which works to increase the visibility and support of Asian Americans in the documentary field and the virtual cinema screening platform ‘Open Your Eyes & Think MF’ (OYEATMF) are teaming up to highlight some of this year’s AAPI documentary awards contenders with interviews and fireside chats online through their respective You Tube channels.

From Saturday January 30 and continuing through Monday, February 1, their respective online channels featured virtual discussions/talkbacks with this year’s impressive group of AAPI filmmakers including Hao Wu, Ramona S. Diaz, Bao Nguyen, Richard Lui, Yung Chang, Ursula Liang, S. Leo Chiang, Diane Quon, Jiayan “Jenny” Shi, Carol Nguyen, Jeff Orlowski, Yi Chen, Elizabeth Lo, Annie Katsura Rollins, Joanna Vasquez Arong and more.

Log in to their YouTube channels for these conversations and celebrate the ASIAN AMERICAN DOC FILMMAKERS CONTENDERS 2021 at youtube.com/channel/UCO5696sLJohYRwT7uPK_Cag

Watch videos about A-Doc and OYEATMF

A-DOC     bit.ly/adoc-youtube

OYEATMF bit.ly/39u0iua

ABOUT: A-DOC: ASIAN AMERICAN DOCUMENTARY NETWORK

A-Doc is a national network that works to increase the visibility and support of Asian Americans in the documentary field.  Asian American documentary filmmakers who have come together as one, multi-generational force to advocate for our vital presence in the field.  A-DOC is committed to sharing ideas and resources, providing mutual support and mentorship, and advocating for equity and diversity in the production and distribution of non-fiction storytelling.

ABOUT: OPEN YOUR EYES AND THINK MF – OYEATMF

Established in 2020 by film publicists David Magdael and Vince Johnson, OPEN YOUR EYES AND THINK MF supports films and filmmakers that may not fit within the current distribution and exhibition system. The goal is to provide access to films that are challenging and changing the landscape of truth telling and story creation. These include BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and other content creators who are on the margins.  OYEATMF provides exhibition opportunities, resources, and the creation of meaningful discussions for and by filmmakers who are challenging us to think.

2021 FEATURE DOCUMENTARIES

2021 FEATURE DOCUMENTARIES

DIRECTED AND/OR PRODUCED BY AAPI FILMMAKERS

76 DAYS

A THOUSAND CUTS

A WOMAN’S WORK: THE NFL’S CHEERLEADER PROBLEM

ASWANG

BE WATER

BELLY OF THE BEAST

CODED BIAS

THE DONUT KING

DOWN A DARK STAIRWELL

FINDING YINGYING

FIRST VOTE

KID FROM CONEY ISLAND

OUR TIME MACHINE

SKY BLOSSOM

THE SOCIAL DILEMMA

STRAY

THIS IS NOT A MOVIE

2021 SHORT DOCUMENTARIES

DIRECTED AND/OR PRODUCED BY AAPI FILMMAKERS

CALL CENTER BLUES

NO CRYING AT THE DINNER TABLE

PANDEMIC19

SING ME A LULLABY

TO CALM THE PIG INSIDE

Watch the A-DOC video: youtu.be/MpAhg6yRvIE

Best Documentary Short:

BITTU

HUNGER WARD

TO CALM THE PIG INSIDE

ASHES TO ASHES

NO CRYING AT THE DINNER TABLE

EDDY’S WORLD

PANDEMIC19

CHURCH AND THE FOURTH ESTATE

THE WAY HOME

MAKING THE CASE

Best Documentary Feature:

A THOUSAND CUTS

BEDLAM

FEELS GOOD MAN

FINDING YINGYING

HUMAN NATURE

THE MOLE AGENT

1. SOUL!

MUCHO AMOR

NASRIN

REWIND

OLIVER SACKS: HIS OWN LIFE

OUR TIME MACHINE

SKY BLOSSOM

SOFTIE

THROUGH THE NIGHT

OTHER DOCUMENTARY SHORTS CONTENDERS

(Non-Asian films/filmmakers):

 ALIVE: Dir. Jimmy Olsson

ANNA: Dir. Dekel Berenson

MOLOKA’I BOUND: Dir. Alika Maikau

CHUBBY: Dir. Madeleine Sims-Fewer

NO MORE WINGS: Dir. Abraham Adeyemi

EVERYBODY FLIES: Dir. Captain Tristan Loraine

WHITE GOLD: Dir. Luke Bradford

TURNED: Dir. Anders Walter

DA YIE: Dir. Anthony Nti

ALINA: Dir. Rami Kodeih

PROXY: Dir. Sophia Banks

WHITE EYE: Dir. Tomer Shushan

MATRIOCHKAS: Dir. Berangere McNeese

3 FEET: Dir. Giselle Geney

AFTER CLASS: Dir. Charles Xiuzhi Dong

BIRTH RIGHT: Dir. Inbar Horesh

REBEL: Dir. Pier-Phillippe Chevigny

A WHITE HORSE: Dir. Shaun O’Connor

Short List: FEATURES via DOC NYC

76 DAYS

Dir: Hao Wu, Weixi Chen, Anonymous

BOYS STATE

Dir/Prod: Jesse Moss, Amanda McBaine

COLLECTIVE

Dir/Prod: Alexander Nanau

CRIP CAMP

Dir/Prod: Nicole Newnham, Jim LeBrecht

DICK JOHNSON IS DEAD

Dir/Prod: Kirsten Johnson

THE FIGHT

Dir/Prod: Elyse Steinberg, Josh Kriegman, Eli Despres

GUNDA

Dir: Victor Kossakovsky

I AM GRETA

Dir: Nathan Grossman

MLK/FBI

Dir: Sam Pollard

ON THE RECORD

Dir/Prod: Kirby Dick, Amy Ziering

THE SOCIAL DILEMMA

Dir: Jeff Orlowski

A THOUSAND CUTS

Dir/Prod: Ramona S. Diaz

TIME

Dir/Prod: Garrett Bradley

THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS

Dir/Prod: Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw

WELCOME TO CHECHNYA

Dir/Prod: David France

 

 

Short List: SHORTS presented via DOC NYC

 

Abortion Helpline, This Is Lisa

Dir/Prod: Barbara Attie, Janet Goldwater, Mike Attie

Ashes to Ashes

Dir: Taylor Rees

Call Center Blues

Dir: Geeta Gandbhir

Do Not Split

Dir/Prod: Anders Hammer

Flower Punk

Dir/Prod: Alison Klayman

Hunger Ward

Dir/Prod: Skye Fitzgerald

A Life Too Short

Dir: Safyah Usmani

A Love Song for Latasha

Dir/Prod: Sophia Nahli Allison

 

No Crying at the Dinner Table

Dir/Prod: Carol Nguyen

Now Is the Time

Dir: Christopher Auchter

Sing Me a Lullaby

Dir/Prod: Tiffany Hsiung

Then Comes the Evening

Dir/Prod: Maja Novaković

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