published by ANBM on Sun, 12/11/2011 - 14:20
By David K. Yoo
More Asian Pacific Americans hold public office in the United States than at any other time in U.S. history, a sign of the community's growing engagement with the political process, according to a newly released political almanac published by UCLA's Asian American Studies Center.
The 14th edition of the National Asian Pacific American Political Almanac, first published in 1976, contains information on all 3,000 current elected and appointed officials. It also analyzes political trends and makes electoral projections of the nation's 17 million Asian Pacific Americans.
"The National Asian Pacific American Political Almanac is an invaluable guide to the historically large and diverse number of Asian American and Pacific Islander politicians and voters influencing the nation's political landscape," said David K. Yoo, director of the Asian American Studies Center and a professor of Asian American studies at UCLA.
Written by UCLA professor emeritus Don Nakanishi and Santa Clara University professor James Lai, two leading political scientists who specialize in Asian American politics, the almanac spotlights individuals who hold municipal, state and national office.
published by ANBM on Mon, 10/24/2011 - 20:06
Quentin Lee's "Today Has Been Weird"
World Premieres on Friday 11/4/2011 @ 9:15PM
At Vancouver Asian Film Festival and on Youtube worldwide!
Vanouver/Los Angeles - In May 2005, a young Xanga blogger Simon Sek Man Ng's final blog entry shocked the internet community and helped the New York police solve his own murder. As a fellow Xanga blogger and filmmaker at that time, Quentin Lee was simultaneously shocked, saddened and moved by his murder.
When offered to do a CAN$500 commissioned short for the Vancouver Asian Film Festival, Quentin decided to adapt Simon's story into a short as an ironic love story to the collection of "Love Letters to Vancouver" celebrating the 15th anniversary of Vancouver Asian Film Festival, the oldest North American Asian festival in Canada, that screened Quentin Lee and Justin Lin's first feature Shopping for Fangs as their closing night feature in VAFF's very first edition in 1997.
Inspired by a true story, "Today Has Been Weird" chronicles an unexpected day of a vlogger. It's a mystery that portrays a truly mysterious true crime in memoriam of Sek Man Ng, a young Chinese immigrant teenager whose unexpected death has faded in our memory.
published by ANBM on Thu, 08/11/2011 - 19:25
Be sure to check this film out! the film Wedding Palace wins Best Feature & Best Cinematography at Cine Gear Expo! Written by Christine Yoon.
Starring Jean Yoon and Stephen Park, Charles Kim plays the "Professor Uncle"
Reviews by Scott Eriksson
"Christine Yoo has written and directed a film that is masterful in the way it moves from comedy to romance by blending the two seamlessly. That's the good news...the bad news is that by virtue of the fact that it is a film with an Asian cast and a few subtitles thrown in, it will probably not receive the wide release and the sold out American audiences it deserves. Although it is a film about Korean culture and traditions of parents whose son is a Korean-American raised in a very different world than his immigrant parents, the comedy is ultimately about generational differences among family members, something everyone can understand. While every good film starts with a great script, without the right director and cast it can't succeed.
published by ANBM on Tue, 08/09/2011 - 20:44
FINAL DESTINATION 5 FEATURES THRILLING VISUAL EFFECTS
BY ACADEMY AWARD®-NOMINATED FILIPINO AMERICAN FX MASTER
Sequel marks Visual Effects Supervisor Ariel Velasco Shaw’s return to
the Final Destination series and his first foray into 3D filmmaking
published by ANBM on Sun, 03/27/2011 - 17:07
Leading Community and Japanese Lifestyle Site to Develop Free Phone Application, Onsite Mobile Scavenger Hunt, Photo Studio and Convention Livecast for AM2 LOS ANGELES, Calif. (March 25, 2011) The summer¹s most anticipated Anime, Japanese music and manga event, AM2 announces a partnership with leading community and Japanese lifestyle site Ani.ME to develop a free phone application for attendees which will have voting capabilities (i.e. film festival and competition, Masquerade, World Cosplay Summit, AMV¹s), instant convention schedule updates and additional convention information on Guests and other activities.
In addition, the popular fan community will also have a physical convention presence with a Livecast and a onsite photo studio for cosplayers. More info and attendee registration can be found at www.am2con.org <http://www.am2con.org>
published by ANBM on Sun, 01/23/2011 - 20:49
About this project
Heartbreaking
wartime memories, family secrets, and the legacy of America’s harsh
anti-Asian immigration policies collide in EVERY DAY IS A HOLIDAY,
Theresa Loong’s spellbinding account about her father and his emotional
return to the land of his imprisonment.
To watch the special Kickstarter trailer, click on the video
above. Director's note: My father manages to embarrass me within the
first 20 seconds.
WHY PLEDGE?
EVERY DAY IS A HOLIDAY has been green-lit by the Independent Television Service (ITVS)!
We need your help to bring EVERY DAY IS A HOLIDAY to public
television! The Independent Television Service (ITVS) has green-lit our
film and will provide $79,000 towards the completion of the film if we
can raise $34,496 (part of which will come from this KICKSTARTER
campaign).
Help us meet the challenge! And score tickets to the premiere,
an exclusive interview from the director, your name in the credits, and
more!
published by ANBM on Sun, 01/23/2011 - 00:25
CHILDREN OF INVENTION
is now streaming
FREE on Hulu for the next 2 months!
Watch it now, and please spread the word by sharing this link:
http://bit.ly/if4XIi
If you live in the New York City tri-state area, you can
also catch the film FREE on Channel 13, the local PBS station
starting tonight! Air times are:
Sat, Jan 22, 10:40pm
Sun, Jan 23, 2:00am
Wed, Jan 26, 1:00am
We're also screening at the Cornell Cinema in Ithaca, NY on
February 9th, and will have a few more have university screenings
and Q&As this year, and we're gonna be back on cable VOD
soon--so check our screenings
page from time to time.
published by ANBM on Tue, 01/11/2011 - 22:57
It’s highly likely that you’ve heard of Jay Chou before—he’s the
Taiwanese singer-songwriter behind hits such as “Cute Girl (Ke Ai Nu
Ren),” “Simple Love (Jian Dan Ai),” and “Silence (An Jing).” If you
haven’t heard the original songs, you may have seen YouTube covers by
Mandarin and non-Mandarin speakers alike (our favorite: sisters Riney and Bam, who used Chou’s music to learn Chinese), or heard his catchy melodies while singing karaoke.
If you’re a fan (or if you grew up in Asia), you may have even caught
him on the big screen. He’s acted in movies such as “Initial D” and
“Curse of the Green Flower,” and even directed a movie called “Secret”
in 2007, with a sequel planned for next year.
But if you haven’t heard of Jay Chou before, get ready to get
introduced to him in January, with his first foray into Hollywood as
Kato in “The Green Hornet.”
published by ANBM on Sat, 01/08/2011 - 23:41
The man perched over the table is 103 years old and a virtual unknown
in China. In fact, Zhou Youguang should be a household name for it was
he, more than 50 years ago, who created pinyin.
To hear him talk,
lucid as ever, catch the magnificent sparkle in his eyes and follow the
track of his fascinating life it is clear this is a man who simply
loves the business of living. When you pass 100, you don't minimize
your age, you inflate it.
"I was born on January 13 1906,
so I suppose I am 103," he chuckles. "But you can call me 104 because
that's what I am in the Chinese way."
Throughout the long
interview Zhou displayed an unflagging modesty. Perhaps it is because
he is currently writing about Confucius, for whom humility was such a
key trait.
"Yes, I visited Einstein a couple of times," he says
matter-of-factly. "But I didn't understand relativity at all so we just
chatted about everyday things."
published by ANBM on Tue, 12/21/2010 - 20:56
How do you stand out in the ensemble cast of Predators, which features actors like Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, and Topher Grace? Simple: you bring a big freakin’ samurai sword. As the Yakuza assassin Hanzo, Louis Ozawa Changchien gets what may be the Nimrod Antal-helmed reboot’s most striking scene: a “mano-a-alien” battle royale that draws on Chanchien’s years of Kendo experience. Still, while the swordfighting skill is all his, in real life, Changchien couldn’t be more different: he’s a quick-witted nice guy who’s just as excited about his considerably more down-to-earth roles coming up in Fair Game and Kathryn Bigelow’s new project.
Last week, Changchien called up Movieline to discuss those parts as well as one of his earliest roles: a Jell-O pudding commercial opposite Bill Cosby himself that left him battle-scarred in a way far worse than any swordfight gone awry.
published by ANBM on Thu, 11/25/2010 - 13:37
The 1940's period drama "Shanghai" still awaits its U.S. premiere.
Filmed in 2008, "Shanghai" was given an international release in China, India, Hong Kong and more recently Isreal, but has yet to be given a U.S. release.
The film stars several Asian stars Gong Li, Rinko Kikuchi, Chow Yun Fat and Ken Watanabe, along with American stars John Cuscak, David Morse and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. It was directed by Mikael Hafstrom from a script by Hossein Amini.
Produced by the Thai company Living Films and the Weinstein Company, it was originally intended to be shot on location in Shanghai, but, due to the controversial WWII time period the film is set in, the Weinstein Company had its permits taken away by the Chinese government one week prior to when filming was scheduled to start.
The film crew relocated to Bangkok, Thailand, where it built an elaborate two-block replica set of 1940's Shanghai.
But despite its all-star cast of Asian actors, the film, which was produced for an estimated $50 million, has earned a mere $7.5 million at the Asian box office during its limited release this year.
published by ANBM on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 22:28
Last month was exciting in terms of entertainment news. Musicians made Asian American history, San Diego hosted its annual Asian Film Festival, Jon M. Chu’s career took off, Yao Ming returned to the basketball court, and Brenda Song received an award. Let’s get started!
Making beautiful music — for the mainstream!
For the week of Oct. 30, members of Far East Movement became the first Asian Americans to hit the top of the Billboard charts. Even more exciting was the fact that the number two spot was held by singer-songwriter Bruno Mars, who is of Filipino and Puerto Rican descent.
Far East Movement is made up of Kevin Nishimura “Kev Nish,” James Roh “Prohgress,” Jae Choung “J-Splif,” and Virman Coquia “DJ Virman.”
In a New York Daily News story, Oliver Wang, an assistant professor of sociology at California State University-Long Beach, said, “Far East Movement and Bruno Mars didn’t come just out of nowhere. There’s been a slow push to make it happen through social media. It’s finally hit that tipping point.”
San Diego’s Asian Film Festival: action-packed!
published by ANBM on Tue, 07/20/2010 - 23:32
The most anticipated film of the summer had its big Hollywood premiere at Mann's Chinese Theatre on Tuesday, and fans carrying both English and Japanese-language signs stood patiently behind barricades, waiting (some since 6am) to catch a glimpse of their favorite actors. Photographers crowded each other for shots of Marion Cotillard and Ellen Page. Security guards positioned themselves on either side of Leonardo DiCaprio as he walked along the street to greet his fans and sign autographs. One of the earlier stars to arrive, Ken Watanabe gamely waved at the fans, inciting cheers as he walked down with his wife Kaho Minami.
published by ANBM on Thu, 07/01/2010 - 18:23
The Media Action Network for Asian Amerians (MANAA) will stage a protest of the new film "The Last Airbender" on Thursday July 1st at the Arclight Cinerama Dome on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood.
Guy Aoki, Founding President of MANAA, which is the only organization solely dedicated to monitoring the media and advocating balanced, sensitive, and positive portrayals and coverage of Asian Americans, has stated that "the film sends the message that Asians can’t be the heroes in their own story."
published by ANBM on Fri, 05/07/2010 - 21:47
A FURORE has erupted over a new mini-series about the deadliest sniper at Gallipoli, Chinese-Australian Billy Sing, who is played by a white.
This portrayal in the The Legend of Billy Sing has been attacked by Australians of Chinese ancestry as a betrayal of their heritage, robbing them of a rare historic hero.
Director Geoff Davis has cast his son Josh in the lead role, while Sing's Chinese father is played by the veteran actor Tony Bonner, who came to prominence as a blond-haired helicopter pilot in the Skippy TV series.
Sing, born in 1886 at Clermont, Queensland, to a Shanghainese father and an English mother, moved as a young man to the canefields of Proserpine, where he became a keen cricketer, kangaroo hunter and a crack member of the local rifle club.
published by ANBM on Thu, 12/03/2009 - 01:14
Passing as an Asian - an article written by an asian adoptee raised by two Russian Jewish caucasian parents, sharing her experiences while growing up in self hatred but surprisingly finds an awakening that puts her back on the road, acknowledging her asian side and forever searching for the missing pieces.
Passing as an Asian Written by Maya Fleischmann (11 January 2009)
I spent the first fifteen years of my life trying to ignore the fact that I am Asian. Ironic, considering I was born and raised on the small island of Hong Kong and its population of 6 million other Asians.
published by ANBM on Sun, 11/08/2009 - 15:39
By Craig Takeuchi
It's been a while since there's been an Asian North American box-office hit. The Joy Luck Club, The Wedding Banquet, and Snow Falling on Cedars were all from the '90s. Indie successes like Better Luck Tomorrow and Eve and the Fire Horse (by Vancouver's Julia Kwan) have been few and far between over the past decade. Other filmmakers of Asian descent (Jessica Yu, In the Realms of the Unreal; Cary Fukunaga, Sin Nombre), have established themselves by tackling subjects unrelated to their heritage.
The most consistent local source for such works remains the Vancouver Asian Film Festival, which runs from November 5 to 8 at the Cinemark Tinseltown (88 West Pender Street). Unlike other local events that showcase films from Asia, VAFF emphasizes stories by and about Asian Canadians and Americans.
published by ANBM on Sun, 09/13/2009 - 21:24
Lumina's leading actor, Michael Chan speaks to Orientelle about his experiences on the set of Lumina, his preferences in women and his advice to beautiful, career-oriented women still looking for Mr. Right out there. Check it out-
1. Tell us about your background. What projects did you do in the past and how did you get here (both in Hong Kong and on Lumina)?
I was born and raised in the province of Quebec, in Canada. Spoke French in everyday life and Cantonese at home with my family and grand parents. Since my childhood, I’ve always been the only Chinese/Asian kid in school and everyone asked me if I knew kung fu! I guess I kind of felt ashamed to answer no, so I secretly started to practice all kind of martial arts in my back yard.
published by ANBM on Sat, 09/05/2009 - 11:47
Hong Kong, SAR, China - Creating worlds is a passion and one that writer and director Jennifer Thym enjoys. When she entered the film world in July 2008, the investment banker turned filmmaker decided to take a novel approach to reaching her audience.
“With LUMINA we wanted to go beyond the conventional format of short film,” says Jennifer Thym, “and create an online fantasy series with wonderful potential for interactivity with its viewers.”
As theatrical and DVD sales fall around the world, viewers are increasingly turning to the web for entertainment.
“The online audience is already there. To me, it’s about connecting to them with an engaging and beautifully told story.”
“LUMINA will open your minds cinematically, and the story will open your hearts to the impossible,” says producer Sommer Nguyen.
published by ANBM on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 23:12
Xinhuanet - The Liberal Democrats, Japan's ruling party, conceded a crushing defeat on August 31 as voters overwhelmingly cast their ballots in favor of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). And Prime Minister Taro Aso, leader of the LDP, said he was to resign as Party leader after the election defeat.
This election outcome has given a full proof of Japan's prevailing mainstream public opinions. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has ruled Japan for more than half a century since it was formed in 1955, and so the Chinese government has been acquainted with its policies toward China. The Chinese side, nevertheless, is not so familiar with the China policies of the DPJ as well as their impact on Sino-Japanese relations.
Of course, the DPJ would surely treasure the political power it had longed for many years and eventually succeeded to win, implement its election promise in developing economy and improving the people's livelihood, so as to enhance and consolidate the basis of its power.
published by ANBM on Tue, 09/01/2009 - 22:33
Angry Asian Man - If you've been watching the tube, you probably know that there are no new ideas out there. Thus, there's a new version of Melrose Place coming to the CW this fall. Starting next week, actually. It's the return of 1990s trash TV!
It's worth noting that Stephanie Jacobsen is in the cast as "Lauren Yung," a medical student who must come up with a creative way to pay her tuition. You might recognize her from the feature-length Battlestar Galactica installment Razor or her brief stint on The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
I've seen the pilot of this new Melrose Place, and it's pretty much everything you'd expect. Hey, it's not like the old show was high quality television either. Oh, and the "creative way" Lauren comes up with to pay the med school bills? Just watch the promo above. Yup. Melrose Place.
published by ANBM on Sun, 08/09/2009 - 00:36
Ed Moy (LA Asian American Movie Examiner) Hollywood writers strike in 2007Although the topic of "white-washing" characters in the casting of movies is debatable, there is one subject that cannot be easily dismissed, which is the fact that minority writers, including women, remain underemployed and underpaid in Hollywood.
published by ANBM on Sat, 08/08/2009 - 22:12
Aceshowbiz - Hong Kong actor Stephen Chow was out from "The Green Hornet", but there will be another Asian actor filling in his shoes as Jay Chou is being recruited to star. On Friday, August 7, Sony Picturesmade the announcement that the Taiwanese singer-actor has joined the cast as martial arts master Kato, the role originally made famous by Bruce Lee in its TV series version.
"THE GREEN HORNET gets his Kato in Taiwanese Superstar Jay Chou," the studio tweeted on the casting confirmation before issuing the official statement completed with commentary from both the actor and director Michel Gondry. "It's an overwhelming experience to take on a role made famous by Bruce Lee," so claimed Jay in Sony's press release.
published by ANBM on Sat, 08/08/2009 - 21:45
Well this is no surprise since Rain is the hottest Asian in Hollywood now, we know he's Korean but to them we supposedly all look alike anyway. We can now only pray this movie isn't going to be butchered like every other Hollywood remake (especially whitewashing them).
Here is the reported story.
About two years ago this month, the trades reported that Warner Independent Pictures has set "The Shield" exec producer Kurt Sutter to write and make his feature directing debut on "Awaken the Dragon."
A noir-style remake of "Enter the Dragon," the 1973 martial arts classic that made Bruce Lee a global star, Sutter said he's writing "Awaken the Dragon" as a contemporized drama about a lone FBI agent who pursues a rogue Shaolin monk into the bloody world of underground martial arts fight clubs.
Sutter will look to discover a fight star in the role of the monk and cast an established American actor to play the FBI agent.
Well, guess what? I think they found their fight star.
published by ANBM on Wed, 07/29/2009 - 17:43
NEW YORK (26, 2009) – Asian CineVision (ACV) announced the award winners of the Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) tonight at Chelsea’s Clearview Cinemas in New York. Executive Producer Liliana Chen bestowed the honors to five filmmakers as part of the Festival’s closing ceremonies.
First announced was Iemi Hernandez-Kim, director of the short film Ayi’s Story and winner of the One to Watch award, an audience voted award that recognizes talent in filmmakers under the age of 21. Ayi’s Story follows the journey of a teenaged girl from Brooklyn to numerous destinations in China, capturing her experiences in documentary and video-journal style.
Kim Snyder, director of the short film Crossing Midnight, won the award for Excellence in Short Filmmaking. Her documentary on the efforts of health workers to treat Burmese refugees deals with the issue of human rights through the lens of medicine.
published by ANBM on Fri, 07/24/2009 - 01:22
FATE SCORES, a film by Chinese-Canadian director and actor Albert M. Chan, will have its New York premiere on Sunday July 26th, 2009, at 2:15pm at the Museum of Chinese in America (215 Centre St. New York, NY) as part of the 32nd Annual Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF).
The film has also screened this year at the Boston International Film Festival, the Wisconsin Film Festival, On Location: Memphis International Film Festival, and the Southeast New England Film, Music & Arts Festival.
FATE SCORES explores themes of isolation, connection, and chance, and is a thoughtful look at the seemingly random interactions between ten strangers on a city park bench, eventually culminating into something extraordinary.
published by ANBM on Wed, 07/22/2009 - 13:44
Houston Chronicle - Rockets center Yao Ming underwent surgery Tuesday morning to repair the hairline fracture in his left foot and another to realign the bones in the foot. The realignment procedure was done to prevent the reoccurrence of the injury that has ended his past two NBA seasons.
Rockets team physician Dr. Tom Clanton, assisted by Dr. Bill McGarvey at the Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute, used a bone graft in the tarsal navicular bone to help repair the fracture. The realignment of the bones in the foot flattened Yao’s arch to reduce the stress on the repaired bone.
“Everything went according to plan and we were able achieve not only fixation of the broken bone, but also realignment of the bones to improve the stress pattern on his foot,” Clanton said. “Yao is doing well and resting comfortably after these procedures. We expect him to be immobilized in a cast and using crutches for at least six to eight weeks.”
published by ANBM on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 18:53
RockGinger and Sommertime Productions are proud to announce that the LUMINA Web Series Official Trailer is now available to view online at www.luminaseries.com in the new High Definition YouTube format.
LUMINA is a daring thriller web series starring JuJu Chan (Jiu Jo Remix MV for Terence Yin and 24 Herbs, TVB People's Choice Award for Miss Chinatown USA 2009) as Lumina Wong, a young lonely Hong Kong woman who has a chance encounter with the mysterious Ryder Lee, played by Michael Chan, star of the viral YouTube sensation, Wall Street Fighter IV.
LUMINA’s diverse international cast includes Vince Matthew Chung, recent winner of The Amazing Race Asia 3, as Lumina’s best friend, T
published by ANBM on Thu, 06/11/2009 - 13:35
Timesonline - Daniel Dae Kim, the co-star of the latest revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical The King and I, which won five Oscars, gives a cool polite chuckle and runs his fingers through his shiny, clearly real, shoulder-length tresses. He could not be farther from Yul Brynner, who played the part in a pate. “Oh no, it is actually shaved already. This is a wig.”
Television fans will know Kim as Jin, the enigmatic Asian character in the equally enigmatic drama Lost. The series is on summer hiatus, which allowed the 40-year-old actor to cast around for other work. Instead of Hollywood, he chose the London stage. And not just any old stage, the Albert Hall, directed by Jeremy Sams and starring alongside the über-diva Maria Friedman. Does he realise quite how big the venue is? “We are performing in the round so it will only have a capacity of 3,000.” He seems undaunted by the numbers.
published by ANBM on Mon, 06/01/2009 - 14:43
Hong Kong SAR, China (Saturday, April 25, 2009). RockGinger and Sommertime Productions are proud to announce that the LUMINA Web Series Official Trailer is now available to view online at www.luminaseries.com in the new High Definition YouTube format.
LUMINA is a daring thriller web series starring JuJu Chan (Jiu Jo Remix MV for Terence Yin and 24 Herbs, TVB People's Choice Award for Miss Chinatown USA 2009) as Lumina Wong, a young lonely Hong Kong woman who has a chance encounter with the mysterious Ryder Lee, played by Michael Chan, star of the viral YouTube sensation, Wall Street Fighter IV. LUMINA’s diverse international cast includes Vince Matthew Chung, recent winner of The Amazing Race Asia 3, as Lumina’s best friend, Teddy Waits.
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