3 days of cinematic gems in the South Bay,
co-presented with CATS (Contemporary Asian Theater Scene)

With more than 50 films and videos from 11 countries, the 23rd San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF) offers a special San Jose showcase with compelling reflections of Asian America and the Asian diaspora. The Festival unspools March 18-20 at the Camera 12 Cinemas in San Jose. The San Jose screenings are co-produced by CATS (Contemporary Asian Theater Scene), a San Jose-based, non-profit organization committed to presenting Asian Pacific American arts in Silicon Valley.

Opening night

The Festival kicks off on March 18 in San Jose with Steven E. Mallorca's easygoing road movie, SLOW JAM KING. More RUSHMORE than EASY RIDER, SLOW JAM KING spins the tale of a motley multiracial threesome—led by a bespectacled Filipino American who dreams of being a "gangsta pimp"—who hit the asphalt from New York City to Nashville in search of the American dream, or maybe just the thug life. Mallorca and select cast and crew are expected to attend.

An array of feature-length narrative films

The Festival offers a plethora of feature-length narrative films throughout the weekend. On the slate for feature-length fare are Thai filmmaker Nonzee Nimibutr's BAYTONG, a heartwarming comedy about a young monk who must raise his recently orphaned niece; Ian Gamazon and Neill Dela Llana's CAVITE, a gritty psychological thriller centered around Islamic terrorism in the Philippines; and Liu Fendou's (screenwriter of SPICY LOVE SOUP, SFIAAFF '00) directorial debut THE GREEN HAT, a genre-bending drama about two men in a tragicomic crisis of manhood and sex.

After three days of films the Fest closes with a bang. Winner of the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook's OLDBOY has been leaving both critics and moviegoers alike with their jaws on the floor. An incendiary revenge tale that makes KILL BILL seem meek by comparison, OLDBOY is the unforgettable tale of an unruly drunkard, who after being held captive for 15 years is suddenly released in a state of near-madness.

Lively selections of shorts

Compilations of shorts include "FISHBOWLS AND SILENT YEARS," "3RD I SOUTH ASIAN INTERNATIONAL SHORTS 2005," and "MUSIC VIDEO ASIA." "FISHBOWLS AND SILENT YEARS" offers six shorts about the inner emotional lives of young people and features the latest film from Kayo Hatta (PICTURE BRIDE, SFIAAFF '95), FISHBOWL. "3RD I SOUTH ASIAN INTERNATIONAL SHORTS 2005" presents an eclectic array of eight new South Asian films from India, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. The realms of underground Asian/American music and video making never cease to amaze and inspire, and "MUSIC VIDEO ASIA" offers 23 new masterpieces. Led by an incredible crop of Asian American gems, from the hip hop prose of San Francisco's MC-laureate Lyrics Born to IQU's theremin-tuned electronic confection, the program travels the globe to provide a soundtrack to the Asian underground.

Documentaries: hard-hitting, humorous, compelling

Featured documentaries include Curtis Choy's (FALL OF THE I-HOTEL, SFIAAFF '83) WHAT'S WRONG WITH FRANK CHIN?, a powerful profile of author Chin's many accomplishments—from publishing the groundbreaking Asian American literature anthology AIIIEEEEE! to founding the annual Day of Remembrance memorials—and an examination of the more contentious parts of Chin's life; Grace Lee's eponymous film THE GRACE LEE PROJECT, a delightful examination of that Asian American name phenomena, the San Jose premiere of James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo's THE YEAR OF THE YAO, a captivating sports doc that follows pro basketball player Yao Ming through one of the most exciting rookie debuts in the game's history. Also on the doc slate are Hosup Lee's AND THEREAFTER, a memorable portrait of one of the 10,000 Korean women who married American G.I.'s and came to the United States, hoping to escape the crushing poverty of post-war Korea; and Julie Mallozzi's MONKEY DANCE, a compelling look at three teens in Lowell, Massachusetts, a community that boasts the country's largest number of Cambodians, and their connection through the Angkor Dance Troupe.

Background about CATS

CATS (Contemporary Asian Theater Scene) is a San Jose based, non-profit organization committed to presenting Asian Pacific American theater arts in Silicon Valley, by providing high quality, contemporary, thought-provoking, educational and innovative programming which communicates Asian Pacific American experiences to all communities. For more information about CATS, please visit www.asiantheater.org on the internet or telephone (408) 298-2287. CATS is supported by City of San Jose, Arts Council Silicon Valley, Applied Materials, and Lucia Cha.

The SFIAAFF gratefully acknowledges its sponsors

The 23rd San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, presented by NAATA and Asia Street on International Channel is supported in part by the Asian Art Museum, Canadian Consulate Trade Office, Comcast, Grants for the Arts, Koret Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Noon, Oscar Printing, Procter & Gamble, Radisson Miyako Hotel, San Francisco Tobacco Free Project, Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation, and Wells Fargo. NAATA is supported with major funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

The San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, runs March 10-17, 2005 at the AMC Kabuki 8 Theatres, 1881 Post Street, and the Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street in San Francisco; and the Pacific Film Archive, 2575 Bancroft Way in Berkeley and March 18-20 at the Camera 12 Cinemas, 201 South Second Street in San Jose. For more information, please telephone (415) 865-1588 or visit www.naatanet.org/festival on the Internet.