WASHINGTON, D.C. - Movie directors, actors, producers, filmmaker workshops, panel discussions, daily prizes, after-screening parties and much more are headed to the Nation's Capital from October 1 through 10 as the DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary throughout the Washington D.C. area.
The DC APA Film Festival has been a part of the community since 1999 and continues to grow. Each year far more films from the U.S. and around the world are submitted than can possibly be shown. We will be screening more than 50 feature, documentary and short films. All screenings are open to the public and some will have free admission.
The festival opens with 9500 Liberty, a critically acclaimed documentary about America's explosive battle over immigration policy, on Thursday, 7:30 p.m. at E Street Cinema. 9500 Liberty is based on the world's first "interactive documentary" which debuted on YouTube in October of 2007, inviting viewers to provide feedback and become part of the dramatic story, both online and in person. A Q&A with filmmakers Eric Byler and Annabel Park and a reception follows the screening.
The festival's centerpiece presentation, Honokaa Boy, tells the coming-of-age story of a Japanese college student who falls in love with the sleepy Hawaiian town of Honokaa. This 2009 DC APA Film Festival Best Feature Narrative winner makes its U.S. mainland premiere at E Street Cinema on October 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Official Sundance Selection Children of Invention, a timely narrative of economic and family hardship about two children forced to fend for themselves when their mother gets embroiled in a pyramid scheme and disappears, is the closing night film. Children of Invention makes its D.C. debut on Oct. 10, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. at the Goethe Institut. A Q&A and reception follows both screenings.
Ever dreamed about making a movie but can't afford film school? Learn how to make a low-budget short and learn all the stages of filmmaking in just two hours at a workshop led by experienced, award-winning filmmaker J.P. Chan on October 9 at the Goethe Institut. Throughout the festival there will be daily raffles where you can win t-shirts, subscriptions to Asian American magazines such as Hyphen and Giant Robot and much more.
Asian Pacific American (APA) Film is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization, devoted to encouraging the artistic development of APA media artists and raising public awareness of APA media arts through an annual festival and other events in the Washington, D.C. area.
For more information visit http://www.apafilm.org.
