Life & Liberty: Resilience & Righteousness
[shorts]
Saturday, October 21, 2017, 3:15 PM
Bright Family Screening Room, The Paramount Center
559 Washington Street, Boston MA
(T: Park Street, Downtown Crossing, or Boylston)
Dancing Through Life - The Dorothy Toy Story | The FBI Blew Up My Ice Skates |
The Second Province | Other | Welcome to the World | The Orange Story
Bright Family Screening Room, The Paramount Center
559 Washington Street, Boston MA
(T: Park Street, Downtown Crossing, or Boylston)
Dancing Through Life - The Dorothy Toy Story | The FBI Blew Up My Ice Skates |
The Second Province | Other | Welcome to the World | The Orange Story
Followed by Q&A with the following guests
Sara Zia Ebrahami
Director, The FBI Blew Up My Ice Skates |
Albert Chan
Director, Welcome to the World |
Peter Trinh
Director, Other |
Zorinah Juan
Director, The Second Province |
Co-presented by:
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dancing through life -
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the fbi blew up my ice skates7 mins | Narrative/Animated | Iranian-American
Directed by Sara Zia Ebrahimi and Lindsay Martin Based on a true story, the film tells a story from the Iran Hostage Crisis in 1980 from the perspective of Haleh, an eight year old who just wants to enjoy her ice skates. The film raises questions about the human cost of surveillance and the criminalization of immigrant communities, linking past policy decisions with current national discussions around security and xenophobia. |
the second province
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19 mins | Narrative | Filipino-American
Directed by Zorinah Juan Two estranged Filipino-American siblings are forced to reunite when their offbeat mother elects death with dignity. Director's Bio: Inspired by her second generation Filipino-American upbringing, Zorinah Juan’s work often explores the themes of race, belonging, and failure. Over the past 15 years, Juan has worked as a producer and script supervisor on many notable, award-winning independent films. Among her creditsare “Beasts Of No Nation,” “Martha Marcy MayMarlene,” Lynne Ramsay’s latest project, “You Were Never Really Here," and Silas Howard's, "A Kid Like Jake." Zorinah’s travel show, "Don't Be A Tourist", which she writes, directs, edits, and hosts was nominated for best lifestyle/reality show at the 2011 International Television Festival. Since then, Zorinah has gone on to shoot episodes in four other countries. Don't Be A Tourist, was distributed through TV4 and was a part of the international streaming platform Vessel's 2016 line up. In August 2017, Juan completed production for her first feature film, “When We Grow Up.” Post production is scheduled through the fall/winter of 2017. When she is not working on set, Zorinah Juan spends her time writing and cooking at her home in Brooklyn. |
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other13 mins | Documentary | Pan-Asian
Directed by Peter Trinh It has always been a challenge for Asians and Asian-Americans to be at the forefront of race .and social issues. Whether it’s the model minority myth, perpetual foreigner stereotype, or the lack of presence in media and politics, Asians have been made to feel othered. As much as Asians have fought to succeed, racism against Asians still exist, stereotypes continue, and we still are fighting to break through the bamboo ceiling. Director's Bio: Peter Trinh is a first-time filmmaker and freelance writer based in Seattle. He is a first-generation Asian-American, born to Chinese immigrants from Vietnam. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Peter is using writing and film to explore the Asian-American identity and expose racism against Asians. His article "The Asian American Identity" in Banana Magazine is being sold across the world from Seattle, to New York City, Amsterdam, and Tokyo. "Other" represents his directorial debut, carrying the same narrative, taking a dive into the Asian-American identity through interviews with influential members of the Asian community. |
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welcome to the world7 mins | Narrative | Chinese
Directed by Albert Chan and Anthony Grasso *WORLD PREMIERE* WELCOME TO THE WORLD is a daring film about a troubled man who records a video message for his pregnant sister. Taking place on the brink of a new life, this compelling film explores what it means to be human and the courage it takes to be fully alive. Drawing its power and immediacy from its first-person, confessional style, WELCOME TO THE WORLD presents, in real time, the journey of one man's awakening from isolation back to humanity. Director's Bio: Albert M. Chan is a Chinese-Canadian filmmaker and actor whose first film, Fate Scores, was recognized by the National Film Board of Canada. His follow-up film, The Commitment, screened at over 30 film festivals on four continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. Albert's third film, Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future, won a Puffin Foundation Grant and stars Golden Globe®, Emmy®, and Drama Desk nominee Tina Chen. As an actor, Albert has acted with Kevin Bacon, Helen Hunt, Liev Schreiber, Julia Stiles, Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Justin Long, Larry David, Cybill Shepherd, and Mariska Hargitay. Director's Bio: A native New Yorker, Anthony Grasso's acting, directing, and teaching career spans over 25 years. His TV credits include: Blue Bloods, Unforgettable, Law & Order, Law & Order: CI, Law & Order SVU, The Black Donnellys, and Sex & the City. Anthony studied at the legendary The Actors Studio, at The British Academy of Dramatic Arts, and at the Neighborhood Playhouse. His has been on the faculty of the Film and Television Studio at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Paper Mill Playhouse, New York Film Academy, and The New York Conservatory for The Dramatic Arts. He has also headed up his own school, Anthony Grasso Studio (AGS), formerly Breakthrough Studios. |
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the oRange story18 mins | Narrative | Japanese-American
Directed by Erika Street Koji Oshima is the proud owner of a small corner grocery store, but he must now abandon everything and report to an assembly center. His belongings, his business – everything must be sold or left behind, except what he can carry in one large duffel bag. Up against a wall, Koji receives only one low-ball offer for his store, which he has no choice but to accept. The lone bright spot during this turmoil is the friendship Koji develops with a precocious nine-year-old girl. On the day of his departure, however, Koji is saddened to learn that even this friendship has been tainted by the larger forces of fear and wartime hysteria. Director's Bio: Erika Street Hopman is a producer and director of documentaries, short films, radio programs, and educational videos. Erika began her film career at the Emmy-Award winning studio, Log In Productions, where she gained experience working on documentaries that address a need for social change. Erika’s directorial debut, "The Closure Myth", was broadcast nationally on LinkTV and internationally on AlJazeera English. Her recent short narrative film Inside took the Honorable Mention prize at the Speechless Film Festival and was nominated for a Maverick Movie Award for Best Picture. Erika has also created outreach videos for nonprofit clients such as the Boston Medical Center, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and Family Service of Greater Boston. In addition to making films, Erika produces short-form radio programs, podcasts, and public service announcements. She is co-founder of ChavoBart Digital Media (www.ChavoBart.com), a company that specializes in creating short-form content for public radio and the web. ChavoBart currently produces and distributes the syndicated series Climate Connections, an outreach initiative of theYale Center for Environmental Education, and CurrentCast, a project of the Center for Transformative Action in Ithaca, NY. Both projects use short bursts of content to engage listeners and inspire them to learn more on the web. Erika holds a BA in Biology from Cornell University and an MFA in film production from Boston University. |
