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Where I Belong Shorts Block + Q&A

  • AFS Cinema 6259 Middle Fiskville Road Austin, TX, 78752 United States (map)

Searching for identity beyond the boxes of immigrant stereotypes and generational divides that plague diasporic Asian communities is a constant thread of this film block.

Followed by Q&A with filmmakers in attendance.

Searching for identity beyond the boxes of immigrant stereotypes and generational divides that plague diasporic Asian communities is a constant thread of this film block. While Confused Blood and Hey Kiddo tackle the aforementioned subjects with fresh techniques, Thirstygirl continues to push the discussion towards more mature topics like sex addiction. Southern Afternoon demonstrates a familiar immigrant story but of uncommonly depicted ethnic minorities in China. Makeover Movie discusses Hollywood films' detrimental influence on shaping perspectives of beauty and self-worth for women of color. Wild Hogs and Saffron flips the narrative to focus on the commonalities of hunting practices in the US heartland and the filmmaker’s Iranian heritage to bridge the two seemingly disparate cultures. - Yuxi Lai, Senior Film Programmer

CONFUSED BLOOD (2023)

Narrative | Australia, Korea | Dir. James Cutler

CONFUSED BLOOD (혼혈) explores the dichotomous reality of navigating belonging for mixed-race people. The short film details the experience of a half-Korean (Richard) living in Seoul and his search for belonging within Korea’s society and culture.

HEY KIDDO (2024)

Narrative | USA | World Premiere | Dir. Melissa Kong

When Margot stumbles upon a video that her dying mother left behind for her, she discovers something truly unexpected.

THIRSTYGIRL (2023)

Narrative | USA | Texas Premiere | Dir. Alexandra Qin

On a road trip with her younger sister, Charlie struggles to hide a secret addiction.

SOUTHERN AFTERNOON (2022)

Narrative | China | Dir. Tian Lan

A Uyghur father living in Southern China, Saramu accidently discovers that his 14-year-old elder daughter has received a possible love-letter. Desperate to resolve his doubt but unable to read Chinese mandarin, Saramu can only ask his younger daughter for help to read him the letter.

MAKEOVER MOVIE (2022)

Documentary | USA | Texas Premiere | Dir. Sue Ding

A pop culture essay film on the makeover movies we grew up loving—and all the ways they taught us that we needed to fix ourselves.

For more than a hundred years, movie makeovers have promised audiences that with a little help, any ugly duckling can transform into the belle of the ball. Why has this trope continued to capture our imaginations? And what has it taught us about ourselves? Featuring clips from nearly a hundred films, MAKEOVER MOVIE immerses us in the candy-colored, kinetic, and kaleidoscopic world of the makeover montage. Alongside these iconic images, the director and her friends—all women of color and/or queer women—share personal reflections on the racialized, heteronormative, and contradictory beauty standards at the core of the movie makeover.

WILD HOGS AND SAFFRON (2023)

Documentary | USA, Iran | Texas Premiere | Dir. Andy Sarjahani

Iranian-American filmmaker Andy Sarjahani and his childhood friend Bubba Samuels go on a wild hog hunt in their native Ozarks where unexpected conversations unfold that have a lasting impact on their friendship.

Earlier Event: June 30
Not So Short Shorts Block + Q&A
Later Event: June 30
Push Pause (2023)