SAN JOSE – The Center for Asian American Media announces the return of CAAMFest San Jose, taking place Sept. 4 to 7.
CAAMFest San Jose brings the innovative sprit and forward thinking of CAAM’s annual CAAMFest to the South Bay for four days of highly anticipated film premieres, conversations with celebrated media makers and lively parties.
Celebrating its 12th year, CAAMFest San Jose presents films and events reflecting the impact and influence of Asian Americans in Silicon Valley and their continuous innovation in technology, arts and culture, media and community.
“Our San Jose festival is a convergence of Asian American artists, innovators and community and celebrates their dynamic contributions to the region’s cultural and civic landscapes,” says Masashi Niwano, CAAM’s festival and exhibitions director. “We are excited to present a diverse and inspired program of local and international films that reflect the vibrancy of the nation’s third-largest Asian population.”
Opening Night: Geeta and Ravi Patel’s “Meet the Patels” opens the festival on Friday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m. at Camera 3 Cinema in downtown San Jose, followed by the opening night party at 9 p.m. at the San Jose Museum of Art. The film follows comedian Ravi Patel, on the verge of turning 30 and feeling pressure to get married, as he ventures off to explore the various traditional Indian methods of arranged marriages. Along the way, he learns what it means to be in love, and how marriage is more than a commitment between two people. Director Geeta Patel will be in attendance.
Centerpiece: Highly praised as the “Chinese Social Network,” three college slackers turned successful businessmen face copyright infringement lawsuits in one of China’s most successful box office hits of 2013. A modern telling of David versus Goliath, “American Dreams in China,” directed by Peter Chan (“The Warlords,” “Dragon”), is an inspirational and riveting story of the underdog’s rise to the top. Saturday, Sept. 6, at 6 p.m. at Camera 3 Cinema.
Closing Night: Veteran director Lin Cheng-sheng once again finds cinematic success with “27°C Loaf Rocks,” a mouth-watering foodie flick based on the life of Wu Pao-Chun, Taiwan’s master baker. Along with the ensemble cast, director Lin does a remarkable job bringing to life Wu’s extraordinary journey of passion and perseverance, from his apprenticeship in a Taipei bakery to his win at the 2010 Bakery World Cup. With the best in foodie films such as “Eat Drink Man Woman” and “Zone Pro Site: The Moveable Feast,” Taiwan’s cinematic legacy continues to grow with this glossy, family-friendly feature. Sunday, Sept. 7, at 7 p.m. at Camera 3 Cinema.
In Memoriam: CAAMFest San Jose is honored to host a special screening of “Yuri Kochiyama: Passion for Justice” by Rea Tajiri, commemorating the life and legacy of Yuri Kochiyama, a Japanese American icon and civil rights activist who continues to inspire new generations of Asian Americans (and beyond). Kochiyama passed away at the age of 93 this past June. Director Tajiri will be in attendance. Thursday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m. at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose. RSVP required. RSVP to PublicPrograms@JAMsj.org.
Special Presentation: In March, CAAMFest proudly world premiered “Awesome Asian Bad Guys,” a hilarious web series created by the National Film Society (Patrick Epino and Stephen Dypiangco). Reuniting “bad guys” from classic films such as “Lethal Weapon,” “Die Hard” and “The Karate Kid” for one last battle, this digital media project pushes new, innovative ways for filmmakers to tell their stories. Featuring Dante Basco, George Cheung, Al Leong, Randall Park, Yuji Okumoto, Tamlyn Tomita, Aaron Takahashi. Saturday, Sept. 6, at 8:30 p.m. at Camera 3 Cinema.
Other expected guests include: Eli Olson and Dianne Fukami, co-directors, “Stories from Tohoku”; Mahesh Pailoor, director, “Brahmin Bulls”; Thien Do, director, “Funny Money.”
CAAMFest 2014 Schedule
Thursday, Sept. 4
7 p.m. at JAMsj: “Yuri Kochiyama: Passion for Justice”
9 p.m. at Nomikai: Launch Party
Friday, Sept. 5
7 p.m. at Camera 3: Opening Night: “Meet the Patels”
9 p.m. at SJMA: Opening Night Party
Saturday, Sept. 6
12:30 p.m. at Camera 3: “Stories from Tohoku”
2:30 p.m. at Camera 3: “Funny Money:
6 p.m. at Camera 3: Centerpiece: “American Dreams in China”
8:30 p.m. at Camera 3: “Awesome Asian Bad Guys”
10 p.m.: Centerpiece Party
Sunday, Sept. 7
2:30 p.m. at Camera 3: “Brahmin Bulls”
4:45 p.m. at Camera 3: “Cambodian Son”
7 p.m. at Camera 3: Closing Night: “27°C Loaf Rocks”
General admission: $12. Students, seniors (65+) and disabled: $11. CAAM/SJMA members: $10.
Opening Night screening and party: $35. CAAM/SJMA member: $30. Screening or party only: $20.
All-access pass: $100 general, $80 for CAAM members.
Passes and tickets are available for purchase online at www.caamedia.org. There is a $1.50 service fee for all tickets purchased online. You may also purchase tickets in person at the CAAMFest San Jose Box Office, located in the Camera 3 Cinema lobby, 288 S. Second St.