• Encore: Ping Pong Playa

    Oct 16, 03:43 PM by administrator

    Program 9: Encore Presentation

    Sat. Nov. 8th, 9:30 PM

    Sport and culture, charm and comedy open this 12th annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival. We are thrilled to welcome back director Jessica Yu, a VAFF alum from our very first Festival, with her hilarious feature film debut, PING PONG PLAYA. Jessica has been often and affectionately quoted for her 1997 Oscar acceptance speech for Best Short Subject Documentary: “What a thrill – you know you’ve entered new territory when your outfit cost more than your film.” And opening the program is Jason Karman’s fond reminder of Vancouver’s famous “yo-yo playa,” Harvey Lowe, in the short STATE OF YO.

    Ping Pong Playa



    Director: Jessica Yu | Producers: Anne Clements, Joan Huang | Writers: Jessica Yu, Jimmy Tsai
    Narrative | 35mm | Colour | 2007 | 96 minutes | USA

    Christopher “C-dub” Wong (Jimmy Tsai) is a suburban guy who sports an urban swagger, waxes political on all things Asian American, and clings to pipe dreams of a career as a pro basketball player. Blaming genetics for his failure to make the NBA, C-dub lives at home, works a dead-end job, and squirms in the shadow of his older brother, Michael (Roger Fan), a doctor – and a ping pong champion.

    With a family-run ping pong equipment store and a mom who teaches it at the local Chinese Community Center, the Wang’s entire world revolves around the sport. But despite the family legacy, C-dub opts to spend his free time playing videogames and daydreaming about get-rich quick schemes with his best friend JP Money (Khary Payton).

    A car accident in the family forces C-dub to take over his mom’s ping pong class of misfits. But he soon discovers the benefits of ping pong – earning some extra money on the side and happily befriends one of the kids – who happens to have a beautiful older sister.

    But when the Wang family livelihood is threatened by a rival ping pong player’s attempt to lure away the young students, C-dub begins to focus seriously on the upcoming National Golden Cock Tournament and defend his family’s ping pong dynasty.

    Previous Screenings: Toronto Int’l Film Festival 2007, San Francisco Int’l Asian American Film Festival 2008

    Canadian Premiere

    preceded by:

    State Of Yo



    Director/Writer/Producer: Jason Karman
    Documentary | Beta SP | Colour | 2008 | 8 minutes | Canada

    Harvey Lowe won the first yo-yo championship in 1932. In his life, he’s experienced the early loss of his father, political and economic unrest, and a brain tumour. The yo-yo, which made him famous, helped him regain his identity.

    Previous Screenings: New Cineworks 2008 official selection, Los Angeles Asian Film Festival 2008

    Director In Attendance

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