The 2015 San Diego Asian Film Festival schedule was announced last night at Pacific Arts Movement’s annual Chew the Scene launch party. The 16th SDAFF will be jam packed with over 130 films from 20 countries at 5 different venues in San Diego this year and will run from November 5-14. The opening night film, Miss India America, will be the feature film debut from first time director Ravi Kapoor. Some may be more familiar with his work as an actor in Crossing Jordon as Dr. “Bug”.
A celebration of the arts and entertainment, Chew the Scene 2015 brought together cinephiles and foodies alike to feast on some of the best Asian cuisine San Diego has to offer, as well as preview the upcoming SDAFF 2015 lineup. The evening’s eats and libations included small plates from Common Theory, Cali Baguette, Fire Horse, Sandwich Emporium, Manila Sunset, Filipino Food & Bakery, Royal India, Bistro West, Tajima, Fry King, and Blush Desserts. Suffice it to say, guests came hungry and dishes were wiped clean.
The 2015 San Diego Asian Festival is broken down into four different categories: Masters, Asian American Panorama, Discoveries, and Asia Pop! Each with their own defining characteristics, there will be a bounty of genres for all to enjoy.
Masters: Fresh from Cannes, Berlin, and other prestigious international film festivals, these are premieres and rediscoveries of works by the world’s best directors.
Asian American Panorama: The best of Asian American cinema in all of its colors – from short film programs and animation, to documentaries about the famous and infamous, to feature-length tales of woe and humor.
Discoveries: From Asia’s most innovative and thought-provoking filmmakers come new stories and new ways of telling them.
Asia Pop!: Films to make you laugh, cry, and cheer, featuring Korean hotties, badminton buddies, imperial intrigue, cute kindergardeners, and women you do not want to mess with.
Chew the Scene 2015 reached its climax by playing a highlight teaser reel of all the films that will be shown during the festival. You can watch the trailer below:
Along with the highlighted feature films, which you can find below, actor Ken Jeong (The Hangover; NBC/Yahoo! Screen’s Community) will also be making an appearance as a guest panelist on Saturday, November 7. Tickets for the festival and events will be available to purchase on the PacArts website.
Without further ado, let’s get on with the lineup!
Opening Night Film
Miss India America (Ravi Kapoor) [USA] 93 mins – Lily is a college-bound valedictorian with a gilded future, so beauty pageants are way below her. But when a case of sass strikes, she finds out what she’s not above: some good ol’ fashioned competition. Thanks to a wily script and Tiya Sircar’s knockout comedic performance, nobody is safe from Lily’s schemes.
- Thursday, November 5 @ 7:00 pm – Museum of Contemporary Art, Sherwood Auditorium
Centerpiece Film
Seoul Searching (Benson Lee) [South Korea, USA] 105 mins – Don’t you forget about 1986, when the Latin Lover collided with the punk and the pastor’s daughter on a Seoul summer camp for overseas Korean youth to discover their roots. And by roots, we mean soju, laughs, and that weird science of young love.
- Sunday, November 8 @ 6:00 pm – UltraStar Mission Valley
Closing Night Film
Made in Japan (Josh Bishop) [USA] 90 mins – Howdy neighbors! So says Tomi Fujiyama to her friends in the U.S. who are about to discover just what kind of neighbor she is. With cowboy hat and guitar, she’s determined to re-take the Grand Ole Opry stage, where in 1964, she became the country music institution’s first Japanese star.
- Friday, November 13 @ 7:00 pm – Museum of Contemporary Art, Sherwood Auditorium
Turn The Right Corner 