“The Other Side,” from director Akiko Izumitani, will screen tonight as part of a short film showcase in the L.A. Asian Pacific Film Festival, at the Tateuchi Democracy Forum at the Japanese American National Museum.
The film stars James Kyson (“Hawaii Five-O,” “Heroes”) and Tanner Thomason, and follows an undercover detective who must infiltrate an Asian gang’s compound and rescue his kidnapped fiancée, only to find far more than he expected.
“I was always fascinated with the henchmen in Hollywood movies,” Izumitani said at the festival’s Opening Night on Thursday. “They’re usually disposable characters in gangster movies, but I wanted to know more about how they live.”
Originally from Kyoto and a graduate of UCLA’s film program, Izumitani’s taut film noir also features Y.J. Gold, Alfred Hsing, Lawrence Kao, Peyton McDavitt, and Takato Yonemoto.
“The Other Side” screens tonight at 9:30. For tickets and more information, visit laapff.festpro.com/films/detail/the_other_side_2015.