Family Blues

Sun. Nov. 4th, 4:00 PM

Love them or hate them, you can’t choose your family. They can be a source of joy, love, angst, frustration and complete disappointment. This program of shorts will cover the spectrum of feelings that family members can produce. In BAI RI MENG a young girl’s imagination brings her closer to her mother. While in MY FATHER’S CHINESE WIFE, the filmmaker reflects on her parent’s unhappy marriage. Then in LEAD ROLE FATHER, roles are reversed with some bitter realizations and in THE LAST VACATION, a road trip produces some final memories. Then in BLUE, a young girl faces her grandmother’s wrath, while in THE BIRTHDAY, a grandmother’s illness brings her closer to her husband. Finally in HELLO FAYE a husband is at his wit’s end to try and reach his grieving wife.

Bai Mi Reng

Director/Writer/Producer: Jennifer Tippins
Animation | Beta | Colour | 2007 | 6 minutes | USA

Based on a true event, a young girl and her mother are kept apart by the reality of single parenting. When Mother is stuck in an office meeting and cannot attend her daughter’s annual Parent-Child school picnic, the two rely on their imaginations to find a way to be together.

Previous Screenings/Selected Awards:
Best Undergraduate Director, Fusion Film Festival
Winner, China-America Festival of Film and Culture
NYU First Run Festival

Canadian Premiere

Hello Faye

Director/Writer: Norman Lup-Man Yeung | Producer: Morgan Rhys Tam
Narrative | Beta | Colour | 2006 | 16 minutes | Canada

Faye has been emotionally traumatized. In order to shake her out of her depression, her husband invites guests for a surprise dinner party. The dinner goes horribly wrong as the guests unwittingly do all the wrong things. The husband struggles to keep Faye from snapping. She snaps.

Previous Screenings/Selected Awards:
Norman Jewison Filmmaker Award

World Premiere | Director in Attendance

Lead Role Father

Director/Writer/Producer: P.J. Raval
Narrative | Beta | Colour | 2004 | 15 minutes | USA

When writer and director Joseph Chu puts out an open casting call for his new film based on his family, he never expects his own father to audition for the lead role. Caught somewhere
between his real memories of his father and the fictional character he’s created, Joseph is forced to confront his own fears, hypocrisies, and realizations.

The Last Vacation

Director/Writer: Jae-Ho Chang | Producer: Tara Autovino
Narrative | Beta | Colour | 2006 | 5 minutes | USA

Amidst wintry winds and crashing waterfalls, a mother and son contemplate their last remaining moments together on this final journey.

Previous Screenings/Selected Awards:
New York Korean Film Festival 2006
San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival 2007
Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival 2007

Vancouver Premiere

Blue

Director: Adam Mars | Writers: Adam Mars, Azumi Ohara | Producers: Emiko Ando, Dave Gordon, Charles Wilkinson
Narrative | 35mm | Colour | 2006 | 11 minutes | Canada

Confronted by the harsh realities of cultural traditions, a young girl takes a stand against her tyrannous grandmother, changing their lives forever.

Previous Screenings/Selected Awards:
Yorkton Short Film Festival

Vancouver Premiere | Director in Attendance

The Birthday

Director: Kabir Shaukat Ali | Writer: Raj Grewal | Producer: D.J. Parmar
Narrative | Beta | Colour | 2007 | 14 minutes | Canada

Faced with the possible death of his wife, the husband of cancer ridden 75 year-old Harbans refuses to accept goodbye. He gathers everyone to celebrate for what could be their last occasion together as a family. Confronted with reality, he must look within himself to explore the things that are truly the most important in his life.

World Premiere | Director in Attendance

My Father’s Chinese Wife

Director: Franklin Peterson | Writers: Franklin Peterson, Sandra Tsing Loh | Producers: Ben Wilkins, Avital Levy, Yu-Chen Chang
Narrative | Beta | Colour | 2007 | 18 minutes | USA

Ten years after her mother’s death, Sandra’s father is getting a mail order bride from China. Flooded by memories of her parents’ unhappy relationship, Sandra must confront her past and what it means to be home. Based on the award winning short story and one-woman show by Sandra Tsing Loh.

Previous Screenings/Selected Awards:
San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival

Canadian Premiere

Celebrity Host for this program:

Stephen Lobo

Stephen Lobo is best known to television audiences as “Ramir” from Citytv’s GODIVA’S. He also has recurring roles on LITTLE
MOSQUE ON THE PRAIRIE, PAINKILLER JANE, and FALCON BEACH. Stephen has treaded the boards both in Canada and the UK, and recently appeared as “Dan” in Patrick Marber’s CLOSER at the Havana Theatre in October.

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