"Race, Class, and Identity:
Cultural Understanding Through Cinema"

Asia Society's Southern California Center is hosting a series
of film screenings and discussions on Asian films.

The following screenings will be hosted by distinguished professors and lecturers. Seats are limited, please register early. Asia Society of Southern California can be reached at 213-624-0945 ext 12.

"Pushing Hands" Directed by Ang Lee

When: Thursday, February 22, 7:30pm
Film: Winner of the Best Film Award at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival.  This is Ang Lee's first film, which was nominated in nine categories of Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan in 1991,and won three, including a Special Jury Prize for his direction. Dr. Stanley Rosen, University of Southern California and Dr. Tianwei Xie, California State University, Long Beach share views on cross-cultural understanding and explore cultural shock and conflict.

Where: Pacific Asia Museum Auditorium
46 North Los Robles Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101
Directions Contact: 626-449-2742
Website:http://www.pacasiamuseum.org

"Snow Falling on Cedars"

When: Saturday, March 3, 1:00pm
Film: Screenplay is based on David Guterson's best selling novel.
Set in the 1950's, lingering memories of WWII, internment camps and racism helps fuel suspicion of a Japanese-American fisherman to fight the distrust and prejudice of his neighbors on a remote island in Puget Sound. Dr. Monique Taylor, Occidental College and Dr. Edward Fowler, University of California, Irvine, looks at various facets of racial prejudice and racial conflict in the human conditions.

Where: Glendale Central Library
222 East Harvard St., Glendale, CA 91205-1075
Directions Contact: 818-548-203
Website:http://www.library.ci.glendale.ca.us/index.php

"The Debut"

When: Sunday, May 4, 1:00pm
Film: "The Debut" explores a journey of a gifted high school senior who struggles to fit into American life and reject his Filipino heritage. This heartfelt independent feature film is one of the first theatrical motion pictures to celebrate the Filipino American experience. Join Gene Cajayon, the filmmaker and Abraham Ferrer of Visual Communications to discuss the various facets of identity crisis and cultural conflict.

Where: Norris Theater, School of Cinema-Television
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089
(University Park Campus)
Directions Contact: 213-740-3575
Website:http://www.usc.edu

"Restless"

When: Saturday, March 10, 2:30pm
Film: "Restless" follows an American woman in her twenties through the streets of contemporary Beijing. Together with her group of friends -both Chinese and American, speakingin both English and Mandarin languages - she parties, experiments, and tries to cope with the fact that adulthood looms ahead. "Restless" is the first English-language film set in contemporary Beijing, and the first ever US-China film co-producton. Jule Gilfillan, director, Dr. Stanley Rosen, University of Southern California, and Dr. Michael Berlin, College for Developmental Studies discuss a tale of people discovering where they fit in set against the backdrop of China.

Where: Bowers Museum of Cultural Art
2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92706
Directions Contact: 714-567-3600
Website:http://www.bowers.org

"Good Men, Good Women"

When: Saturday, March 17, 1:00pm
Film: "Good Men, Good Women" weaves three different periods in Taiwanese/Chinese history. Best known Stateside for "Daughter of the Nile" (1987),"A City of Sadness" (1989) and "The Puppetmaster" (1993), director Hou Hsiao-hsien continues his dramatic contemplation of human nature in history: the true color and energies of men and women. "Good Men, Good Women: may be the most disturbing, demanding, yet exhilarating film shown in a long time. Wu, Chia-chia, co-contributor of Hou's analogy, Anne Shizuka Inoh (invited), actress, and Dr. Robert chen (invited), Taiwan Art Institute look at the shift of human ideals against the background of Taiwanese history.

Where: Bing Theater, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles
Directions Contact: 323-857-6000
Website:http://www.lacma.org

"Fire"

When: Thursday, March 22, 7:30 pm
Film: "Fire" tells a clash of modern and traditional ideals leading the women away from the heartache and inadequacies of their husbands and into each others arms. From snatched erotic moments blossoms the dawn of love and rebellion which ships you up inot its volatile arms and takes you to chasm where taboo and dseire entwine. "Fire" is Deepa Mehta's first of a trilogy (with Earth, and Water) sees a departure from the usual idiosyncratic Asian sife who exists only on a level of servitude. Dr. Monique Taylor, Occidental College and Dr. Glen Mimura, University of California, Irvine discuss gender and identify surrounding this one fo the best Indian films of all time.

Where: Pacific Asia Museum Auditorium, 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101
Directions Contact: 626-449-2742
Website:http://www.pacasiamuseum.org

"True"

When: Saturday, March 31, 1:00 pm
Film: "True" tells a story of a Korean adoptee raised by a Caucasian family in small town USA setting out to make his mark in the world as an actor. His unique identify challenges his new girlfriend who shares her racial but not her cultural identity. Jay Koh, director, and Dr. Kyeyoung Park, University of California, Los Angeles, explore truths about one's self and myths about race.

Where: Glendale Central Library, 222 East Harvard St., Glendale, CA 91205-1075
Directions Contact: 818-548-2030
Website:http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/index.php

"Three Seasons"

When: Saturday, April 7, 1:00 pm
Film: "Three Seasons" is the Winner of Best Dramatic Picture, Cinematography, and the Audience Award at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. "Three Seasons" provides a resonant and fascinating window into the last moments of an irrevocably changing culture. It is also groundbreaking historically, as the first American film shot in Vietnam since the war, and the first to be acted in Vietnamese, by Vietnamese actors. Tony Bui (invited), director, Zoe Bui, actress and Dr. Michael Berlin, College for Development Studies, discuss how the Vietnam of today is still defined by the constant battle between the past and the present, and how the American influence has never been completely eradicated.

Where: Bowers Museum of Cultural Art
2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92706
Directions Contact: 714-567-3600
Website: http://www.bowers.org