Category Archives: Film

Coming to PBS’s America ReFramed series as part of Asian American Heritage month tomorrow, Tuesday, May 5: 9-MAN

Ursula Liang’s look at a unique intersection of sports and culture debuted at IFF Boston last year. It also screened at DOC NYC, Stranger Than Fiction, Hawaii, and at scores of Asian American fests in Toronto, Philadelphia, Seattle, Austin, Los Angeles, Boston, and San Francisco, among others.

I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC’s program, saying:
Played since the 1930s, 9-Man, a variant of volleyball, was developed by Chinese immigrants to America as both an athletic pastime and a social outlet in a time of widespread anti-Chinese sentiment, discrimination, and segregation. Ursula Liang’s film traces the game’s fascinating history as a backdrop to the present-day national championship, in which Asian-American players, now fully integrated into mainstream North American culture, defy stereotypes about Asian masculinity and athleticism even as they connect to their heritage.

Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, May 5 and to theatres this Wednesday, May 6: I AM BIG BIRD

Dave LaMattina and Chad Walker’s portrait of the man behind beloved children’s television characters debuted at Hot Docs last year. It went on to screen at DOC NYC, AFI Docs, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Seattle, Montclair, and Melbourne, among others.

I previously wrote about the film for DOC NYC’s program, saying:
SESAME STREET’s Big Bird may be one of the world’s most recognizable characters, but far less familiar is Caroll Spinney, the man who has brought to life the yellow- feathered Muppet – as well as the irascible Oscar the Grouch – since 1969. Through Spinney’s rich personal archive and behind-the-scenes show footage, this endearing film celebrates a career spanning nearly a half century, which includes a memorable adventure in China, a near-trip to outer space and, most importantly, an indelible impact on generations of kids.

Coming to PBS’s Independent Lens tonight, Monday, May 4: KUMU HINA

Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson’s look at the lessons of a transgender Hawaiian teacher premiered at the Hawaii International Film Festival in Honolulu last year. It has since screened extensively at LGBT and Asian fests including Frameline, QDoc, Beijing, Chicago, Jakarta, Austin, Hong Kong, Auckland, Wellington, Dallas, and NYC as well as at Docutah, Maui, and Rhode Island, among others.

I previously wrote about the film here.

Coming to PBS’s Voces series tonight, Friday, May 1: EL POETA

Kelly Duane de la Vega and Katie Galloway’s look at the consequences of Mexico’s War on Drugs makes its debut nationwide as part of Latino Public Broadcasting’s series.

In 2011, five years into Mexico’s US-backed War on Drugs, which critics charge with exacerbating violence and resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of innocents, Juan, the 24-year-old son of acclaimed national poet Javier Sicilia, was found murdered, together with six of his friends, the victims of cartels. While his story sadly was not unique, his status as the son of a beloved author captured the attention of the media and the general public. Where, previously, victims were tacitly assumed to be somehow responsible for their own deaths, criminals or otherwise implicated in illicit activities, Javier’s son Juan emerged as an innocent, becoming a flashpoint for others who lost loved ones to speak out and be counted, gaining confidence, power, and protection en masse. Duane de la Vega and Galloway focus on this incident, and Javier’s response, to explore the devastation wrought by an ill-thought out drug policy and the grassroots efforts to finally call for its end. Javier, who declares he will no longer write poetry, assumes a quiet dignity as he emerges as an unlikely activist, mobilizing thousands to stand with him, even if his actions come up short against entrenched governments on both sides of the border unwilling to admit culpability.

Coming to theatres today, Wednesday, April 29: IRIS

The late Al Maysles’ portrait of a NYC style maven made its debut at the New York Film Festival last Fall. It has since screened at the Hamptons, San Francisco, Tallinn Black Nights, Palm Springs, Portland, Miami, Ashland, Full Frame, Sarasota, Belfast, and IFF Boston, among others.

Documentary legend Maysles crafts a buoyant celebration of individuality and inspiration in his portrait of flamboyant nonagenarian fashion doyenne Iris Apfel. Together with her husband Carl, Iris ran the artisanal textile company Old World Weavers from 1950 until 1992, which established her as a mainstay within New York’s fashion industry. Known for her personal style, as reflected by her trademark oversized glasses, bold prints, and chunky costume jewelry, she became an unlikely senior fashion sensation when she was recognized by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute with an unexpectedly popular exhibition in 2005. Maysles charming film is less concerned with her past, however, and instead follows the charismatic woman as she attends to her surprisingly active public schedule and hunt for inspiration, with quieter moments revealing a warm companionship with Carl, who becomes a centenarian during the course of the shoot.