Sunday, October 20

Part 2: 1:30 pm - 3:45 pm
Featuring Animation and Short Stories, including Q&A with directors or producers, Judy Lung, Becca Jackson, Benjamin To, Austin Chen, Shane Chung, Ziyao Liu

animation and short stories

THE FILMS

  • re:connection

    A 3D animated short film about a mechanic, her robot companion, and the path they take to reconnect their relationship.

  • Uprooted

    After the bombing of Pearl Harbor 8 year old Hanako and 120,000 other Japanese Americans are abruptly ordered to leave everything they once called home to live inside deserted internment camps. Based on my grandmother, Hisako Kido Yasuda's, real experience.

  • Shahzia Sikander: Melting Boundaries

    Known for addressing colonial histories and erasures through traditional Indian and Persian manuscript paintings, Artist Shahzia Sikander is creating two sculptures for her first major public art commission in New York City. “Witness” is installed in Madison Square Park, a short distance from its counterpart, “Now,” sitting atop the Appellate Division, First Department, Supreme Court of the State of New York alongside statues of famous lawmakers like King Louis IV and Moses. Through these pieces, Shahzia reimagines the monument as a marker of boundary-breaking, feminine spirit, and collective visibility. Shahzia's work is especially timely in light of recent legislative battles surrounding women’s reproductive rights in the United States, as well as the ongoing fight for equitable representation in society at large.

  • Infinity!

    A famous Japanese American ballroom dance duo must choose between their passion or their lives as WWII concentration camps begin to rise in the U.S.

  • The Qingming Kid

    A Chinese American boy wants to celebrate his birthday, but as a part of the Qingming Festival, must instead follow tradition and pay respects at the graveyard to his grandfather who he’s never met.

  • CHECK PLEASE

    Dinner for two turns deadly when Korean and a Korean American fight for the check — and their honor — in this zany martial arts comedy.

  • Have I Swallowed Your Dreams

    A poetic conversation between an immigrant daughter and her mother about sacrifices and dreams.

  • Dear Watsonville

    “Dear Watsonville” is a mixed-media documentary offering an intimate glimpse into the lives of the manong generation, the first generation of Filipino migrants to arrive en masse to the U.S., as seen through the eyes of their children. It unfolds in three distinct vignettes, each focusing on the migration stories and day-to-day experiences of three Filipino families. The film distinguishes itself with its experimental use of community-sourced oral histories, archival images, and hand-drawn illustrations. Together, these elements weave a moving narrative about resilience, placemaking, and childhood.

  • Joss Lotuses to Grandma

    Meimei grows up in Taiping, Malaysia with Grandma and learns the traditional practices of her culture. Grandma introduces Meimei to the gods, and Meimei teases them. When Meimei moves to New York City, she loses her connection with her culture. Meimei returns to Malaysia after her grandma’s death.

  • DAISY IS GONE

    An absurdist sci-fi with comedic overtones, Daisy is Gone follows an anthrophobic Chinese poet, Meng, as he tries to return a cloned Goldfish, which he believes to be a botched imposter of his lost pet and best friend.

Q&A GUESTS

  • Becca Jackson

    Becca Joy Jackson - Director, UPROOTED

    Becca Jackson is a Japanese American animator and filmmaker from Gaithersburg, Maryland. She began her undergrad work in Los Angeles at Biola University, majoring in cinema media arts. During the pandemic Jackson returned home to Maryland and transferred to Maryland Institute College of Art to earn a BFA with a major in animation and a minor in film and video.
    Jackson currently works in freelance animation, focusing on 2D digital animation and stop motion. She currently has an animation titled "Love the Phone You've Got" on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. as a part of the exhibit Cellphone: Unseen Connections.
    Jackson is drawn to creating film and animations based around her family history and Japanese American identity. She believes animation is a powerful tool to tell stories and convey messages important to her and her community.

  • Benjamin To

    Benjamin To – DIRECTOR, Infinity!

    Benjamin To is an award-winning writer, director, and founder of BAND WITH NO NAME Films.

    He hit the ground running right out of university when his AAPI profile documentary miniseries, Life Stories, was picked up and produced by NBC News for a 20-episode run. His digital and scripted work has been featured on platforms like Activision, NBC, The Los Angeles Times, and Snapchat. His filmmaking journey has also taken him all over the United States, Europe, and most recently, Asia.

  • Austin Chen

    Austin Chen - Director, Qingming Kid

    A Chinese American boy wants to celebrate his birthday, but as a part of the Qingming Festival, must instead follow tradition and pay respects at the graveyard to his grandfather who he’s never met.

  • Shane Chung

    Shane Chung – DIRECTOR, Check Please

    Shane Chung is a Chicago-based filmmaker obsessed with storytelling in all its forms. As a Korean-American working in film, he champions diversity, inclusion, and wackiness in the film industry and enjoys challenging mainstream narratives with left-of-center weirdness.

  • Ziyao Liu

    Ziyao Liu - Writer/Director, Daisy is Gone

    Ziyao Liu is a Chinese writer/director based on Earth. Transplanted from the “West Virginia” of China and now living in Los Angeles, she creates compelling narratives of a personal nature that finds humor in the absurdity of existence beyond language and cultural barriers. Her work explores themes of womanhood, immigration, and grief.

    She earned her directing MFA at the University of California, Los Angeles, and her BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her short films have been selected to screen at multiple Academy-qualifying and worldwide film festivals.

  • JUDY LUNG- PRODUCER, RE:CONNECTION

    Judy Lung is a recent graduate from San Jose State University's Animation & Illustration program. With the support and guidance of her team, she produced their final thesis film, "re:connection" and also took part in assisting the 3D modeling, editing, and compositing departments. Her passion for leadership, collaboration, and production translates into her current experience working as a Recruiting Coordinator for Titmouse, an animation studio in LA.

  • Mike Inouye - Moderator

    Mike Inouye is a South Bay native who is currently NBC Bay Area’s weekday morning traffic anchor. He has a zeal for technology, communication, and live performance.