Screening of ‘Off the Menu’ at JANM

“Off the Menu: Asian America,” a new documentary by award-winning filmmaker Grace Lee, will be screened on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 4 p.m. at the Japanese American National Museum, 100 N. Central Ave. in Little Tokyo.

Grace Lee

The film takes viewers on a road trip across the United States in an exploration of how family, history, faith, and geography shape people’s relationships to food and their communities. Lee travels from Houston to Oak Creek, Wis., to Oahu, seeking stories that reflect an evolving Asian Pacific America and the role food plays in people’s lives.

“We wanted to find unexpected stories that embodied the Asian American experience,” says Lee. “Asian America is already such a vast, complex, and contested idea. Focusing on food was a way to explore the deeper connections of culture and family, and the ideas of authenticity and adaptation that link us all.”

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with Lee and local chefs and food writers, moderated by sociologist Oliver Wang. Reception to follow, featuring dishes inspired by the film.

Presented in partnership with Visual Communications. Tickets are available at http://vconline.org.