Only a few days left until AAAFF 2021 comes to a close. ICYMI: Our short programs are free or by donations. This year we had 10 documentary shorts and 20 narrative shorts spanning from many different countries. Take a look at our shorts guide here and look no further than this post to get to know our filmmakers better. Explore more about the people behind our selections:

TEARS TEACHER

Follow Yoshida: a self-proclaimed 'tears teacher'. A firm believer that regular crying promotes healthier living, he’s made it his mission to make more people weep.

What connections do you want the audience to make with your film?

Noemie Nakai, Director: Opening up, accepting one's feelings of vulnerability is something that a lot of my Japanese friends struggle with. We’re taught from a young age that men are not supposed to cry, while women are not supposed to get angry. It would be great if through this film, we crack open the door to a different kin

 

ATOMIC CAFÉ: THE NOISIEST CORNER IN J-TOWN

Infamous for its eclectic clientele – from Japanese American locals and kids from East L.A. to yakuza and the biggest rock stars of the day - the Atomic Café became an important part of L.A.’s punk rock history.

What is your film about?

Tadashi Nakamura, Co-Director: In the late 1970’s, when L.A.’s punk rock scene was exploding, an unlikely family-owned restaurant in Little Tokyo started by Japanese Americans returning from America’s WWII concentration camps, became one its most popular hang-outs. That’s when Sansei “Atomic Nancy” with her “take-no-prisoners” punk make-up and demeanor took the café over from her parents and cranked up the jukebox. Infamous for its eclectic clientele – from Japanese American locals and kids from East L.A. to yakuza and the biggest rock stars of the day - the Atomic Café became an important part of L.A.’s punk rock history.

YELLO

Yello is a colorful and moving animated documentary about a woman who takes us through her emotional process after a racist encounter at the airport.

Why did you decide to submit to AAAFF?

King Yaw Soon, Director: I think Yello is a story that empowers Asian Americans and it deserves a wider platform.

LION ON THE MAT

A Vietnamese-American single mother pours herself into martial arts as a way to overcome past trauma.

What inspired you to make this film?

Asali Echols, Director: I met Mai at a party in 2017, and we immediately bonded. I was moved by her honesty and openness, and her deep commitment to martial arts. We became running partners, and as we built up miles together, I began to see the incredible strength with which she approaches every aspect of her life. I felt that Mai's story could be inspiring to diverse groups of people -- immigrants, women, and those who seek new ways of dealing with past trauma and pain. I feel incredibly humbled and honored Mai was willing to collaborate with me in creating this project.

RABARI: THE PEOPLE OF THE LEOPARD

Rabari: The People of the Leopard attempts to understand the nuances of economic migration, the cost of unwanted industrialisation and traditional belief systems.

What inspired you to make this film?

Ashwin Gokhale, Director/Editor: I have always been someone who loves wildlife and the great outdoors. I have spent countless times exploring the jungles of central India— trying to photograph tigers, as well as been a part of several treks in the Himalayas. Wildlife and humanity cannot be viewed through two separate lenses, as is the Western idea of conservation. Communities have been living in harmony with wildlife since times immemorial. They are a part of this delicate balance called conservation. I began the production on "Rabari: The People of the Leopard," through a simple idea of a portrayal of the relationship between the Rabaris and the leopard. Somewhere in the process, however, it became much bigger than just the leopards themselves.

FUGETSU-DO

Fugetsu-Do is an intimate portrait of a sweet shop that has been an anchor for the Japanese-American community in Little Tokyo since 1903.

What is your film about?

Kaia Rose, Director: In the three generations that the Kito Family has been running Fugetsu-Do, the store has been an anchor for the Little Tokyo neighborhood in LA. The ingredients of the brightly-colored pieces of mochi-gashi that line the shop’s wood-paneled cases include so much more than rice flour and sweet bean paste. Mixed inside are stories of joy and pain, tradition and racism, legacy and loss. In this intimate portrait of a sweet shop that has become a memory bank for the Japanese-American community, it's clear that the stories that line its walls could not be more relevant in today's America.

SRKANA

Shot in a carefully composed yet unobtrusive style, Srkana observes the rhythms of life in this diasporic community of mechanics, clerks, and drivers over the course of 24 hours.

Why did you decide to submit to AAAFF?

Dinesh Sabu, Director: I had previously shown my feature "Unbroken Glass" at AAAFF in 2016. I really loved the experience and the festival and was very happy to be able to submit more work.

KEEP SARAY HOME

In the outskirts of Boston, three families face the impending threat of deportation. But as refugees from Cambodia and Vietnam, they know they’ll have to fight together to stay together.

What connections do you want the audience to make with your film?

Brian Redondo, Director/Producer: We're hoping audiences come away with a more nuanced understanding of issues of immigration, deportation, and incarceration. Many may only know what they see in headline news but do not realize these issues impact their communities, their neighbors. And through the film we hope to challenge those perceptions and ask why we're allowing this to happen. Why as a country are we okay with separating children from their parents? Why as a country are we okay with punishing communities of color over and over again? Why as a country are we okay with deporting refugees?

MEET AND EAT AT LEE’S GARDEN

While researching her father's restaurant, director Day's Lee discovers an unexpected story of Chinese and Jewish immigrant communities bound together by the food.

What inspired you to make this film?

Day's Lee, Producer/Director: When a friend told me that my family's restaurant was a landmark in the Jewish community, I realized that Chinese restaurants were more than just a family business. They are an integral part of the history of the Chinese in North America and played an important role in connecting two immigrant communities, creating a bond that continues to this day.

SUN/SET

SUN/SET explores the “stay at home” experience of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic as exhibited through domestic rituals, news and audio clippings, film fragments, and observations on media.

What inspired you to make this film?

Norbert Shieh, Director: To combat the COVID-19 pandemic, many withdrew to their homes as "shelter in place" orders were placed to stop the spread of the virus. As a result, people consumed media at a much higher rate. Television, movies, music, news, and podcasts were doom-scrolled on screens, as social and political events occurred throughout the tumultuous year. SUN/SET weaves these experiences of 2020 together in a critical look at these habits and observes how we view the past/present.

Watch these short films for free by signing up here.. As a reminder, you still also have time to catch feature films in our virtual festival or attend one of our upcoming outdoor/drive-in screenings. Tickets and more info here.