Archived Events 2024

April 11 – April 14, 2024

FREEP Film Festival and AAPI Film Series

The 2024 AAPI Film Series is brought to you by American Citizens for Justice with generous support from Ford Foundation/Just Films, Kresge Foundation, MAPAAC, Rising Voices and the Detroit Historical Museum.  Thanks to the Freep Film Festival for collaboration.

All the films are shown at the Detroit Historical Museum, 5401 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48202.

Click to view FREEP website for tickets and listing of films

Any questions contact:
hwang.roland@gmail.com

ACJ Flyer of AAPI Film Series as part of FREEP Film Festival
ACJ Flyer of AAPI Film Series as part of FREEP Film Festival
Summaries on the six featured films: 
  • “Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV.”  Nam June Paik was perhaps the best known South Korean avant-garde video artist.
  • “Jeanette Lee Vs.”  Jeanette Lee, a Korean American, known as the Black Widow was once at the top of the women’s billiard world.     
  • “Try Harder.”  Followed several San Francisco Lowell High School APAs in their battle to go to elite schools.
  • “Nowhere Near.”  A Filipino’s journey to the US and his return back to the Philippines.
  • “Liquor Store Dreams.”  The experience of families running liquor stores in Koreatown L.A.
  • “Starring Jerry as Himself.”  Jerry’s story of being scammed out of nearly $1 Million dollars and telling us how it happened.
And on the five short documentary films:
  • “Angel Dose.”  Tarik Khan, a Philadelphia nurse, races against time to deliver expiring vaccines across Philadelphia to homebound patients before the doses spoil.
  • “Benkyodo: The Last Manju Shiop in J-Town.”  Captures the last 6 months of San Francisco Japan-town’s first and last traditional Japanese American confectionery. 
  • “Wouldn’t Make it Any Other Way.” A costume designer leaves their life in Iowa to return to their hometown in Guam and make costumes for a children’s theater, hoping to reconnect with estranged parents. 
  • “American Sikh.”  True story of an American-born Sikh, Vishavjit Singh, who after a lifetime of facing prejudice, self-doubt and violence, finally finds acceptance in a superhero costume.
  • “The Feeling of Being Close to You.”  A mother analyzing her actions before her daughter leaves for the US to supposedly run away from her. 

AAPI Short Film Panel

AAPI Short Films panel

Left to Right:  Tadashi Nakamura (Benkyodo: Last Manju Shop in J-Town), Ash Goh Hua (The Feeling of Being Close to You), Sami Khan (Angel Dose), Hao Zhao (Wouldn’t Make It Any Other Way), Vishavjit Singh (American Sikh), moderator. (Photo by Roland Hwang)

AAPI Short Film Organizer/Director/Moderator

Organizer, Director, Moderator of AAPI

Left to Right:  Razi Jafri AAPI series organizer, Law Chen director of Jerry as Himself, David Siev moderator, and Roland Hwang.  (Photo by Roland Hwang)