SHORTS: this is me
SATURDAY OCTOBER 20, 2018, 12pm
Finding your voice is tough whether you’re fighting for a role in a school play or being interrogated by immigration officials about your life. This is Me is a collection of short films that showcase some of the hardships that come with trying to find your place in the world, and the experiences that shape us-- for better or for worse.
Sunny | Woke | Keepsake | Joseon’s Bride | June | Discomfort Zone | Pagg
Followed by a Q&A with Sam Chung, Dir – Sunny + Hyojin Park and Christopher Suh - Sunny actress/actor, Megan Lau, Dir – Keepsake,
Jacky Jung, Actress – Joseon’s Bride
Jacky Jung, Actress – Joseon’s Bride
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SUnny2017 | USA | 12 mins | Short
Directed by Sam Chung A Korean-American boy must face his insecurities and others' doubts as he is unexpectedly thrust into a major role in his school’s play. Director's Bio: SAM CHUNG was born in Seoul and raised in Los Angeles. He studied at NYU Tisch School of the Arts and began his career as a photographer before becoming a producer at a digital studio. Sunny is his first short film. Sam lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Grace. Despite living in NY for 10 years, he is still an avid Lakers and Dodgers fan. |
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woke2017 | USA | 10 mins | Short
Directed by Venk Potula A man and a woman meet by chance on a hot day in a park in the city of Atlanta. Sunny is a Pakistani-American wannabe rapper in search of some inspiration. Rebecca is an African-American activist on the run from a rent-a-cop. He lends her a helping hand, and soon the two are caught in a furious debate about where art and identity intersect. Director's Bio: VENK POTULA is a first generation Indian American filmmaker based out of Los Angeles, CA. He is a graduate of UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television where he studied Theater and English. While in school, Venk studied filmmaking with professors James Franco, Peter Weller and Charles Haid. After graduating, Venk started a production company where he edits and directs digital branded content for various brands including Bai, Vice Golf, Fnatic, and Warner Sisters. Venk recently shadowed Peter Weller as he directed episodes of TNT's The Last Ship. He is continuing his screenwriting education and practice at UCLA's Writing for Television Professional Program. Venk's acting credits include HBO's VEEP, BET's The Comedy Get Down, and Wild N' Out with Nick Cannon. Venk's editing credits include My America (Official Selection; Los Angeles Film Festival, Hollyshorts Film Festival, New Haven International Film Fest) and Keith Broke His Leg (Winner Best Comedy, Indie Series Award 2016) starring Keith Powell (30 Rock). |
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keepsake2017 | USA | 12 mins | Documentary Short
Directed by Megan Lau A documentary following the racial stereotypes of three Asian-Europeans, and their individual struggles balancing Chinese tradition and European culture. Director's Bio: MEGAN LAU is an aspiring filmmaker from the small town of Martinez, California. She found her passion for media production in 2011 creating Public Service Announcements for the local middle school. As a recent alumni of Loyola Marymount's Film & Television Production Major, with a minor in Business Administration, Megan is working towards a career supporting the Asian American community in Los Angeles, and to eventually start her own production company with Ukkei Entertainment. |
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joseon's bride2017 | USA | 6 mins | Short
Directed by Eleanor Cho A young immigrant in search of a better life must pass the tough immigration station at Angel Island, where one simple mistake can send her back to Korea. Director's Bio: Eleanor Cho is an aspiring director from LA. As a director, she is dedicated to promoting representation on-screen and believes in being a voice for the voiceless. Her junior thesis film, Joseon’s Bride, won the Jury Award/Audience Award at the 2018 Transatlantyk Film Festival's Capturing Freedom Competition in Poland. Recently, Eleanor was one of four directors selected to direct a senior thesis film at USC and the film is currently going through the festival circuit. She is currently working as a Writers’ Production Assistant on a new HBO show. Her hope is to create films that will form a movement of empowering changemakers. |
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june2018 | USA | 13 mins | Short
Directed by Huay-Bing Law In 1955, an immigrant Chinese wife comes across segregated restrooms and isn't sure whether to use the one labeled "Colored" or "White." Director's Bio: HUAY-BING LAW is a native Texan whose narrative and documentary shorts have earned a Student Academy Award nomination, the AT&T Student Filmmaker Award at CAAMFest, and most recently a Princess Grace Award. Professionally, Huay has worked as camera assistant, digital utility technician, grip, electrician, production assistant, research intern, and post-production PA. He worked in various capacities on multiple Terrence Malick projects, including To the Wonder (2012) and Voyage of Time (2016). He was an assistant to cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, A.S.C, A.M.C on Knight of Cups (2015) and Weightless (2017). He also worked in the camera department in Robert Rodriguez's television series From Dusk Til Dawn (2014). Huay is currently pursuing an M.F.A. in Radio-Television-Film Production at the University of Texas at Austin. He is in his final year, where he is developing his thesis film JUNE for a 2018 release. |
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discomfort zone2017 | USA | 8 mins | Comedy
Directed by Phong Le Two friends from different backgrounds watch Olympic basketball while dealing with racial microaggressions – from each other. Director's Bio: PHONG LE is an American actor/filmmaker who was born and raised in Springfield, VA and a George Mason University alumni. He recently appeared in the Netflix Original, 'Dear White People' and was a recurring character on the TNT medical drama, 'Monday Mornings' from 10-time Emmy award winner, David E. Kelley. He then went on to create, produce, and star in 'The Lees of Los Angeles' that was featured in NBC News. 'Discomfort Zone' is Phong's first directorial effort. |
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pagg2017 | USA | 17 mins | Short
Directed by Nardeep Khurmi East Coast Premiere When a hate crime clouds the 4th of July, Mandeep, a Sikh-American, grapples with his fears and anxieties as he attempts to celebrate the holiday with his wife and infant son. As tensions rise through various microaggressions and racially charged encounters, Mandeep makes a tragic decision that changes his identity forever. Director's Bio: Nardeep is a Los Angeles based writer, director, and actor. Born in Switzerland and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Nardeep's eclectic childhood helped cultivate his unique vision. He trained at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and the FAMU Institute in Prague, Czech Republic. His work has screened across the globe, and most recently he completed a YouTube Vlog style adaptation of the novel Flowers for Algernon which has accumulated over 250,000 views. Nardeep currently produces content ranging from branded videos, web videos, commercials, music videos, sketch comedy, shorts, and fashion films. www.nardeepkhurmi.com Co-presented by:
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