Celebrating Asian and Asian American Cinema

By

Baruch College, CUNY Asian and Asian American Studies Program

Presents

banner_09-03baruch

Date: Thursdays, March 12, 19 & 26, 2009

Time: 12:40PM to 2:20PM

Place: Baruch College, CUNY
Vertical Campus 7-150
55 Lexington Avenue (East 25th Street), Manhattan

Admission is free for all members of the CUNY community.
Refreshments will be served.

09-03-12-baruch-021

The Baruch College Asian and Asian American Studies Program and the Asian and Asian American Research Institute at CUNY (AAARI) present a series of new films celebrating Asia and Asian Americans.

March 12:  Sita Sings the Blues, presented courtesy of filmmaker Nina Paley, who will be present for a post-film question and answer.

  • Sita is a goddess separated from her beloved Lord and husband Rama. Nina is an animator whose husband moves to India, then dumps her by email. Three hilarious shadow puppets narrate both ancient tragedy and modern comedy in this beautifully animated interpretation of the Indian epic Ramayana set to the 1920’s jazz vocals of Annette Hanshaw. An official selection of the Tribeca International Film Festival.URL: www.sitasingstheblues.com

09-03-12-baruch-031

Post-Screening Discussion

March 19:  Risky Business. This program is part of Asian CineVision’s 2008/09 AAIFF National Festival Tour.

  • Three shorts by Asian American filmmakers. Damn the Past, a musical love story set at an auto repair shop by Juli Kang; Underpass, a family of Khmer Rouge survivors find hope when they reach out to a young illegal immigrant; and Manoj, a mockumentary about a desperate Indian stand-up comedian.

March 26:  Always be Boyz. This program is part of Asian CineVision’s 2008/09 AAIFF National Festival Tour.

  • Directed by John Kwon, this film captures Seoul’s B-boy life, using actual dancers in the starring roles. In a Hip-Hop world where money talks, breakdancer Seven and his crew will stop at nothing to get to the Battle of the Year tournament. Starring Maximum, Gambler, Drifterz, N.B. and Rivers Crew. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2008 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival.

Sponsored by
Baruch College Asian and Asian American Studies Program
CUNY Asian American / Asian Research Institute (AAARI)

Author Bio