News

Americanish Selected as Opening Night Film

Closing Night Selection The Girl Who Left Home to Screen Virtually and In-Person at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center

Dcapaff will run virtually from July 15 to 25

Dcapaff announced its full lineup, which features 55 films from 9 countries. These outstanding films tell stories from the many distinct cultures within the Aapi spectrum—including Filipino, Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, Singaporean, Pakistani, Kazakh-Russian, and Guyanese.

The 21st edition of the festival runs virtually from July 15 to 25. The Closing Night film The Girl Who Left Home, from Rockville native Mallorie Ortega, will screen at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, MD.

“We have always celebrated and been inspired by the work of Aapi filmmakers, but we are at a pivotal time in history for Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders,” says Melissa Bisagni, Dcapaff Festival Director. “We are committed to driving awareness...

Rap music has its roots on the streets. Good rap sticks to its roots, usually telling the stories of people for whom this life and relationship with the street are nothing but a fate from which it is impossible to escape. They rarely end well, with a primary focus on the emotional approach to a social problem. Good rap is not only musically effective but also socially involved. Hisonni Mustafa (Hisonni Johnson) tries to keep his film going in a similar vein.

In Take Out Girl, young Tera Wong (Hedy Wong) is living in one of Los Angeles's poorer neighbourhoods. She is expelled from school. Her mother, Wavy Wong (Lynna Yee), has difficulty maintaining a Chinese restaurant, suffering from back problems. On the other hand, Tera's brother, Saren (Lorin Alond Ly), does not show sufficient support to the family, and is also associated with the local criminal underworld. Tera herself enters.

Exclusive: Sony Pictures Entertainment (Spe) is changing the game with its latest venture. The studio has revealed that they have inked a unique first-look deal with Jeff Friday Media (Jfm), the newly-formed production house launched by the company CEO Jeff Friday, founder of the annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF), which has become a leading festival and touchstone for Black content creators.

Under the multi-year deal, Sony will be offered first consideration for narrative feature films submitted to the Festival, and year-round access and introductions to emerging filmmakers discovered by Friday. In a time when Hollywood is actively seeking diverse and inclusive voices in front of and behind the camera, the deal will broaden Spe’s pipeline, ushering in the next generation of storytellers, and accelerating exposure and opportunity for filmmaking talent of color. Friday will serve as producer of the original films created by the talent he discovers.

“Diverse...

Hisonni Johnson (also known as Hisonni Mustafa) is best known for his camera- and directorial work on music- and superhero fan videos, as well as on television has a new feature indie film under his belt. “Take Out Girl” has premiered at this years edition of Cinequest Film Festival and is reaping awards at minor festivals across the US ever since. We had the chance to see it at CAAMFest Forward aimed at Asian-American cinema.

“Take Out Girl” is screening at CAAMFest Forward

The titular character is Tera, played by Johnson’s co-screenwriter Hedy Wong. We meet her in the midst of her acting on her abrupt decision to drop out of college in order to help her ailing mother Wavy (Lynna Yee) with the work in their Chinese takeaway. We learn that Tera is whip-smart, business-oriented and that she takes no bullsh*t from anyone. The business is family-owned; together with Tera,...

American Black Film Festival (ABFF) wrapped its 24th annual celebration with The Best Of The ABFF Awards. Taking place virtually and via the newly launched ABFF Play platform, the award ceremony was hosted by Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker with a simulcast on IMDb.

Presenters included Oscar nominated director Lee Daniels, Laz Alonso (The Boys), Bevy Smith (Bevelations), Logan Browning (Dear White People), Sinqua Walls (American Soul), La La Anthony (Power) and Spike Lee (Da 5 Bloods).

The jury award for Best U.S. Feature went to Curtis, directed and written by Chris Bailey, while Hisonni Johnson was named Best Director for Take Out Girl, and Best Ccreenplay went to Addison Henderson for G.O.D – Givers of Death.

The first annual John Singleton Director Award for Best First Feature for a director of African descent went to Solomon Onita, Jr for Tazmanian Devil, while the Khaled Ridgeway-helmed comedy...