Join us in reflecting on the past through these contemplative short films. Here, filmmakers explore experiences in retrospect through thoughtful narrative and documentary film making.&nbsp;&nbsp;This screening features 10 films. Toggle between film descriptions by scrolling and clicking on the buttons on the top right.

A short film set in 1960s Los Angeles, follow Stella, a young woman aspiring to Hollywood stardom. She spends her mornings visiting celebrity homes with her Map of the Stars guidebook. When she secretly writes to director Cecil B. DeMille, her journey blurs the line between reality and fantasy as she chases her dream of becoming an actress, confronting whether her ambitions will be realized or remain elusive. Director Biography -&nbsp;Joyce Lee<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/835/484/original/3f15ca5621-headshot.jpg?1728695060" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/835/484/thumb/3f15ca5621-headshot.jpg?1728695060" width="150" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative; float: left;"></a>Joyce Lee is a photographer and director based in Los Angeles. She received her B.F.A. in Photography from the School of Visual Arts in NYC. Shortly after graduating, Joyce was chosen as a finalist at the prestigious Hyères Festival of Fashion &amp; Photography, a competition held annually in the South of France recognizing new voices in contemporary photography. Since then, she has continued to develop her dynamic use of color, light, and thoughtful composition. With her focus on realism in still life photography, Joyce is adept at blurring the line between found and created moments.

Map of the Stars

A miscommunication between a Filipina immigrant mother and daughter is scrutinzed through film re-enactment in the pursuit of love, acceptance, and rewriting the past.&nbsp; Director Biography -&nbsp;Minerva Marie Navasca<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/deaf9fd79cb4b308d9dcb6b647e22619.jpg" width="195" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px;">Minerva Navasca (she/her), the director of Desync, is a Filipina immigrant director and producer, entering her final year of the Bachelors of Film and Television program at Sheridan College. She is best known for her short documentaries “Guardians” (2021), and “Kamayan” (2020), which has been showcased in local and international festivals such as the 2022 TIFF Next Wave, the 2021 Regent Park Film Festival, and the 2022 CineYouth Film Festival.In all avenues of her work, she aims to explore hyper-personal stories of cultural dysphoria and girlhood with intimate specificity. She grounds her films in her own experiences, stating “I want to make films about subjects that make me uncomfortable”. And so, Minerva delves into perspectives steeped in anxiety and internalised shame, stemming from her cultural background, queerness, and other aspects of her identity. Minerva aims to re-frame disregarded narratives by prioritising Asian voices both in front and behind the camera. Through embracing the fearful challenge of vulnerability, Minerva hopes to spark conversations that alleviate audiences of the same shame she endured growing up. She continues to push for authentic BIPOC representation in media, and supports equal artistic opportunity, regardless of class and economic background, in Toronto’s schools and film industry. Director StatementDue to the impoverished backgrounds of the majority of Filipino people, hard work has been the answer to living a better life. This mindset infects generations into believing that grit and resilience is necessary in order to get the work done, while repressing uncomfortable emotions to do so. This mindset carries over into immigrant and first generational families. Even though their new lifestyles have more opportunity for improvement, these families have not harnessed the tools necessary to communicate the need for support. Even after achieving the "American dream", immigrant communities are more isolated than ever; and so, the cycle continues. In Desync, we see our protagonists believe that the way to earn love is to try harder, and end up destroying their relationship in the attempt to do so. Showcasing mental health conflicts within immigrant families is not only necessary in terms of establishing representation in media, but necessary to spark up a conversation about why immigrant families cannot showcase their love towards one another, even if they care for each other so much. We preserve the authenticity of the film by establishing a BIPOC-led team, with the creative leads being majority BIPOC and women-led.

Desync

Follow an elderly Japanese American man, born in an internment camp, as he searches for his cultural identity and reconnects with his heritage. Director Biography -&nbsp;Jason Okamoto<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/d000d1fb6a9b701630fdd5cc2b5d52a4.jpg" width="200" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px;">I am a filmmaker and composer from Portland, Oregon. Director Statement﻿My intention was to tell a story of cultural identity through the juxtaposition of imagery and narration.

Isao

A peasant woman, while caring for her ailing mother, recounts the harrowing tale of three men who played pivotal roles in Korea's national grief. This poignant narrative intertwines personal sacrifice with historical anguish, illuminating the enduring impact of past traumas.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Director Biography -&nbsp;Josh Park<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/861d13ccd18e478dd76e6cefac358a6d.jpg" width="210" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px;">Josh Park is a filmmaker located in the San Francisco Bay Area. He holds an MFA from San Francisco State University's School of Cinema. He works as a film educator, currently as a Teaching Artist at Youth Beat in Oakland, and previously at SFSU and SFFILM. Director Statement﻿I was not what I would call a "political filmmaker." As a Korean-American, I knew that my background was rife with violence, but the true historical context always eluded me. Call it disinterest, call it ignorance, but I was far more interested in the plights of others and the backgrounds of my peers. That all changed with two events: my exposure to the concept of "han" which lead me down a rabbit hole of historical, racial, and cultural tensions, and recent events in the Middle East and their surprising connections to the Korean War. It all ignited me to make this film, with key collaborators and talent that I was very grateful to have immediately jump on the project. I hope you find this film illuminating, or at the very least learn something new about the Korean War.

Beauty of Sorrow

An intimate glimpse into the manong generation: the first generation of Filipino migrants to arrive en masse to the U.S., as seen through the eyes of their children. Three vignettes weave together oral histories, archival images, and hand-drawn illustrations of resilience and placemaking. Director Biography -&nbsp;Sondy Lucille<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/569/885/original/8073250f32-headshot.jpg?1716175052" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/569/885/thumb/8073250f32-headshot.jpg?1716175052" width="150" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative; float: left;"></a>Sondy is a Filipina Mauritian filmmaker raised in California. Her personal work discusses mixed heritage, Asian diasporic experiences, and how globalization impacts identity. She loves to use mixed media to explore how complex memories and emotions can be communicated through film. In 2020, she was an Armed With A Camera fellow where she created Back to the Source, a film about feeling foreign in one’s home country. Most recently, Sondy was selected to be a 2023 Artist Disruptor by The Center for Cultural Power x California Arts Council. Film and video are Sondy's chosen instruments for change. She hopes her work prompts radical healing and reflection.

Dear Watsonville

Emily returns home to attend her cousin’s wedding. In this jovial setting, she struggles to confront the source of her past trauma. Director Biography -&nbsp;Jinsui Song<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/c720f74aab6142c295f2df339a78c648.jpg" width="203" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px;">Jinsui Song is a Chinese filmmaker based in Los Angeles. She recently graduated from the MFA Directing program at the University of California, Los Angeles and holds a BFA in Screenwriting from Beijing Film Academy. Her work has been featured on AMC+ and screened at the Cairo International Film Festival, First International Film Festival, among others.Growing up in Shenzhen, a metropolis in Southeastern China, she struggled between traditional Cantonese values and modern aspirations. She endeavors to create films about women, in particular Chinese women, and the many facets of their womanhood. Director Statement﻿It all began four years ago when my mother sent me a picture—a wedding photo of my cousin. Since that day, I never stopped thinking: what would’ve happened if I were there? What would I have done? What would I have said? Would he have been able to recognize me? I don’t know.Even though "Something Blue" is about my personal sexual trauma, I didn’t want to simply make an “issue film”. With the support of Panavision New Filmmaker Program, I endeavored to make a film as complex as the women around me. This film is a portrait of these women, particularly Cantonese Chinese women. I hope this film can let us all know: we are not alone.

Something Blue

A transracial adoptee confronts her childhood in her very vulnerable, poignant and insightful search for identity. Director Biography -&nbsp;Madeline Rose McSteen <a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/732/674/original/12927edba9-headshot.jpg?1713892113" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-connector.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/732/674/thumb/12927edba9-headshot.jpg?1713892113" width="184" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative; float: left;"></a>I, Maddie McSteen, am in my fifth and final year pursuing a dual degree in Moving-Image Production, with a minor in Film Studies, and Spanish at The Ohio State University. I am motivated by my passion for minority representation in media, both in front of and behind the camera. My background in fiction and experimental filmmaking constitutes an important asset in my approach to push the boundaries of form in nonfiction films. I strive to use my newfound passion for nonfiction filmmaking to connect communities of diverse backgrounds and create mutually fulfilling relationships. My goals in filmmaking are to provoke a range of complex and abstract emotional responses from the audience, to elicit important conversations, usually around social issues, and make underrepresented groups feel seen, empowered, and appreciated. I often aim to challenge the thinking of my audience through implicit themes and messages.The bulk of my work often consists of addressing intersectional diverse experiences or social justice issues of minority groups. I utilize my ability to make art as a method to process, portray, and reflect upon the deeply nuanced experiences I have lived as a bisexual transracially adopted Chinese woman and their effects on my mental health. Moreover, I find it most rewarding when I can use my filmmaking skills to collaborate with other minorities in expressing their own experiences and creating something meaningful for their communities to connect upon.My plans are to continue my work in community-based nonfiction films in the near future by continuing my search for meaningful engagement with people and cultures all over the world – primarily Central/South America and Asia, after graduation. Director StatementThis project is the culmination of being the most vulnerable I have ever been with myself &amp; those closest to me.My work often consists of narrative fiction addressing experiences or social justice issues of minority groups. I utilize my ability to make art as a method to process, portray, &amp; reflect upon the experiences I've lived as a bisexual transracially adopted Chinese woman with mental health challenges. Moreover, I find the most fulfillment in using my filmmaking skills to collaborate with other minorities in expressing their own experiences &amp; creating something meaningful for their communities.

forgotten

Seo-won navigates a fragmented reality filled with emotional encounters and haunting memories, seeking solace and clarity in her search for home. Director Statement - al chang<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/6ca8e013d74ff6ef59e505e358f33629.jpg" width="138" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px;">Chang explores themes of memory and identity with a mystery narrative. The film’s deliberate narrative confusion leads to a powerful and moving climax, showcasing Chang’s ability to evoke deep emotions and thought-provoking insights. A distinctive feature of Chang’s work is his technical precision, evident in the visual and auditory elements of his films. Whether building tension in a suspenseful scene or capturing the subtleties of everyday interactions, Chang’s attention to detail enhances the overall viewing experience. Chang stands out with his unique style and dedication to high-quality productions.&nbsp;

HOME

Through intimate conversations, and 1930's home movies, SANSEDAI (三世代) explores themes of identity and belonging. It recalls the filmmaker’s 92-year-old grandmother’s journey during war WWII, migrating to a country that was once deemed an enemy, and what it means to be Japanese-American. Director Biography –&nbsp;Kayli Kimura. <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/ffdf3e5984b022d3aed81abb3e104a99.jpg" width="119" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px;">Kayli Kimura is a Japanese-American creative director, visual storyteller, and talent manager. Her work spans across various genres with a focus on non-fiction storytelling and musically-driven films. In addition to her directorial and cinematography work, Kayli worked in the camera department for a variety of commercials, TV shows, documentaries and music videos including projects for Netflix, Hulu, Food Network, PBS, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Telfar. Kayli is the creative director and manager for Queens, NY-born, Nigerian-American rapper, AKINYEMI. Kayli was born and raised in Boulder, CO and recently relocated to LA after living in NYC for almost 5 years. She graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine with majors in Sociology and Environmental Studies and a minor in Music.

SANSEDAI (三世代)

A famous Japanese American ballroom dance duo must choose between their passion or their lives as WWII concentration camps begin to rise in the U.S. Director Biography -&nbsp;Benjamin To<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/eventive-static/32fae6e91a0a8e6cab89c3a6798cf908.jpg" width="298" style="display: inline; float: left; margin: 0px 1em 1em 0px;">Benjamin To is an award-winning writer, director, and founder of BAND WITH NO NAME Films.He hit the ground running right out of university when his AAPI profile documentary miniseries, Life Stories, was picked up and produced by NBC News for a 20-episode run. His digital and scripted work has been featured on platforms like Activision, NBC, The Los Angeles Times, and Snapchat. His filmmaking journey has also taken him all over the United States, Europe, and most recently, Asia. Director StatementThe bones of the story for INFINITY! came to me when I was taking Asian American History courses in college. I was enthralled by the real life accounts of these WWII era, AAPI dancers who were passing for another ethnicity — when in actuality they were of Japanese descent. They ended up fleeing in order to avoid incarceration, and their dance careers were unjustly never the same since that fateful decision.I’ve always fantasized what their final performance would have looked like… Their entire lives represented in a singular, storybook-esque dance sequence: from the beginning of their love affair up until the very moment when they lost everything in the war. This is why I love art that holds a mirror up to society. I made this film because I believe in the social immediacy, emotionality, and timeliness of the story. It’s meant to be expanded into a feature where we can explore these characters’ internal turmoil and their external triumphs in a classically maximalist yet tenderly rendered way. I seek to actualize our feature goals because I loved musicals growing up, but it was often a genre where I didn't get to see many faces that looked like mine. I thought this was a way to celebrate AND reclaim this space by making something authentically Asian American.

INFINITY!

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