USC Asian Pacific Film Fest This Sunday

Join the USC Asian Pacific Cinema Association (APCA) and the USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association (APAA) for the second annual USC Asian Pacific Film Fest (APFF) on Sunday, Feb. 10, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the USC School of Cinematic Arts’ Ray Stark Theatre, SCA 108, George Lucas Building, University Park Campus.

The APFF will showcase short films that are produced, written and/or directed by Asian Pacific Islander (API) Trojans or that address topics of interest to the API community.

The festival will kick off with a panel discussion featuring prominent API members of the film industry who will also serve as the APFF’s honorary jury. They will select one film to receive the Jury Award, while festival guests will select the winner of the Audience Award. The afternoon will close with a reception, where light refreshments will be served.

This year’s jury:

Justin Chon ’03 is an actor, director and screenwriter who played Eric in the “Twilight” movies. He wrote, directed and starred in “Gook,” a 2017 Sundance selection; and also wrote and directed “Ms. Purple,” a 2019 Sundance selection. He earned his BA in business administration from USC Marshall School of Business.

Lily Mariye is a television director, filmmaker and actress who played Nurse Lily Jarvik on “ER” for its entire 15-season run from 1994-2009. She continues to appear in many films and TV shows. while spending more and more time behind the television camera directing episodes of such shows as “Chicago PD,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” and “Criminal Minds.” She gradated from UCLA with a BA in theater arts.

Gedde Watanabe is an actor and comedian who was a member of the original Broadway cast of “Pacific Overtures.” He is infamous for playing Long Duk Dong in the 1984 film “Sixteen Candles.” He starred in the film and television spinoff “Gung Ho,” and was the voice of Ling in “Mulan” and “Mulan II.” Watanabe played openly gay Nurse Yosh Takata for six seasons on “ER” and will be in the upcoming comedy TV show “UDrive Me.”

Phil Yu MA ’06, also known as Angry Asian Man, is a journalist whose blog started in 2001 and has been influential in understanding Asian American news, media and politics. In 2012, he launched an accompanying podcast, “Sound and Fury,” where he features and interviews Asian Americans. He earned his MA in critical studies from USC School of Cinematic Arts.

All proceeds from the event will go towards the establishment of a scholarships for USC School of Cinematic Art and USC School of Dramatic Arts students whose creative work demonstrates a commitment to telling stories about the API community.

Free for current USC students with valid ID. General admission: $50. For tickets, go online to http://fightonline.usc.edu. For more information, contact Grace Shiba at (213) 740-4937 or grace.shiba@usc.edu.