BEGIN:VCALENDAR
PRODID:-//B-Side Presents: Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival 2009/
 /iCal4j 1.0//EN
VERSION:2.0
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090508T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090508T210300
SUMMARY:My Dear Enemy
DESCRIPTION:MY DEAR ENEMY is a charming romantic film that features two o
 f Korea’s popular and talented actors\, Jeon Do-yeon\,and Ha Jung-woo\, 
 as ex-lovers who reacquaint. (Jeon won the 2007 the Cannes Film Festival
  best actress award\, and Ha debuted in the well-received U.S. film NEVE
 R FOREVER\, which showed last year at Silk Screen).\n\nHowever\, the sce
 nario does not start out very romantically\, considering Hee-soo(Ha) ini
 tially sets out to find her ex\, Byoung-woon (Jeon)\, because he owes he
 r cash. They are both single and jobless\, but the low-key Byoung-woon i
 s much less concerned. Their opposite attitudes are captured in their op
 posite reactions to their shared 30-something and broke-with-no-directio
 n status.\n\nShe’s miserable\, bitter\, and wears a perpetual sneer. He’
 s carefree\, chatty\, with a zest for life and a fan of the ladies\; he 
 doesn’t worry about being broke since he knows women who are willing to 
 give him money. When Hee-soo shows up at his door demanding to be repaid
  immediately\, his solution is to embark upon a mini-reunion of sorts\, 
 in which he tracks down other ex-girlfriends and asks to borrow money. I
 n other words: “robbing Kim to pay Hee-Soo.” The twist is that Hee-so ac
 companies him.\n\nTheir day-long odyssey results in not only collecting 
 money\, but also memory. Like LOST IN TRANSLATION or ADRIFT IN TOKYO\, M
 Y DEAR ENEMY says so much with so little. The streets of Seoul serve as 
 the perfect backdrop to this meandering love story\, and offers a nice p
 arallel to the characters. The city is full of history and memories but 
 remains vibrant\, mirroring the microcosm of the two ex-lovers.\n\nDirec
 tor Lee Yoon-ki creates a warm and compassionate film about possibility 
 (with a capital P) and about the never-ending idiosyncrasies of the huma
 n heart. MY DEAR ENEMY is a fantastic blend of idealism and realism--a m
 ovie not to be missed.
CATEGORIES:Korean
LOCATION:Harris Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/mydearenemy_silkscreen2009
UID:2476897296-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090508T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090509T000000
SUMMARY:Red Carpet Gala
DESCRIPTION:Silk Screen Red Carpet Gala
CATEGORIES:Gala
LOCATION:121 Seventh Street
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/redcarpetgala_silkscreen2009
UID:2476898653-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090509T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090509T182000
SUMMARY:All Around Us
DESCRIPTION:
CATEGORIES:Japan
LOCATION:Harris Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/allaroundus_silkscreen2009
UID:2477512701-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090509T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090509T192500
SUMMARY:Speed of Life
DESCRIPTION:Speed of Life\, originally named “Superheroes\,” takes place 
 in present-day New York City and revolves around Sammy\, a pensive\, 13-
 year-old redheaded kid from Brooklyn who goes by the name of Sammer.  Sa
 mmer frequently rides the subway into Manhattan with friends in order to
  steal video cameras\, cameras and other media equipment from naïve tour
 ists.\n\nHe lives with his partially blind foster mother and his father\
 , with whom he is estranged\, has reputedly moved to Alaska.  Sammer pos
 es a plan to leave the city as soon as he is able.  His idea is to save 
 money\, get out of probation\, help his foster mother regain her sight\,
  and then travel to exotic destinations\, inspired by the content of the
  stolen videotapes\, which he watches religiously. \n\nSammer\, who’s a 
 quirky teenager and prone to fantasy in the first place\, is extremely i
 nfluenced by the people and the places he watches on video and the foota
 ge found on other people’s home videos.  He becomes a consummate outside
 r\, with the stolen films only aiding in his daydreams of getting out of
  the working class neighborhood he’s in.  Ultimately\, he uses these ima
 ges he’s stolen to assemble his own collection of narratives.   \n\nDire
 ctor Radtke employs various camera techniques\, plus he incorporates tot
 ally different types of cameras (16mm\, super-8\, etc.) to create a uniq
 ue film aesthetic.  The filmmaker either inadvertently or purposefully s
 elf-references\, since the film’s characters are watching life through l
 enses and viewfinders in much of the film’s time (exactly like a directo
 r does). \n\n \n\nUltimately\, Speed of Life is the story of ordinary pe
 ople who find themselves in extraordinary situations.  The “play within 
 a play” concept\, or in this case\, “the movie within the movie within t
 he movie” [the stolen tapes are the first layer\, Sammer’s viewing of th
 em a second\, and then audiences watching Sammer watch them the third] a
 dds a very philosophical dimension to the average film watching experien
 ce.  Watching life through someone else’s vision (what audiences do each
  and every time they go see a film) somewhat blurs the line between bein
 g real and being film-real\, the latter category however\, being the onl
 y one in which you can rewind\, fast-forward or replay.  Or is it?  This
  movie questions these very philosophical distinctions.
CATEGORIES:USA
LOCATION:Regent Square Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/speedoflife_silkscreen2009
UID:2477067544-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090509T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090509T202200
SUMMARY:Sita Sings the Blues
DESCRIPTION:Winner of the 2008 Berlin International Film Festival\n\nWinn
 er of the 2008 Denver International Film Festival Emerging Filmmaker Awa
 rd.\n\nSITA SINGS THE BLUES combines autobiography with a 21st century v
 ersion of the classic Indian myth\, the Ramayana. Filmmaker Nina Paley d
 raws narrative parallels between her own life and Sita’s--Nina is a film
 maker living in San Francisco. Her husband works\, ironically\, as an an
 imator who\, also ironically\, indirectly introduced Nina to the Ramayan
 a while they were living in India together.\n\nHe decides to callously e
 nd their marriage via email\; Sita\, a Hindi goddess and dutiful wife\, 
 follows her husband Rama on a 14 year exile to a forest\, only to be kid
 napped by an evil Sri Lankan king. The end result has her husband thinki
 ng she’s unfaithful and therefore\, he dumps her.\n\nDespite living in c
 ompletely different cultures separated by multiple centuries\, both wome
 n’s occasionally undaunted mettles are tested. This modified epic tale i
 s narrated by three extremely entertaining and comedic shadow puppets wi
 th Indian accents\, who cleverly interpret both the ancient tragedy and 
 the modern comedy.\n\nThe artistry of this animated film cannot go unnot
 iced. In addition to the traditional two-dimensional animation\, there a
 re scenes with hand-painted watercolors\, collages\, cut-outs and intere
 sting examples of  photography. Viewers will also be hard pressed to for
 get the flash-animation musical numbers wherein the beguiling Sita sings
  in a 1920’s Jazz Age style.\n\nOne of the jurors who nominated Ms. Pale
 y (for one of the myriad of film honors Sita has earned) said it best: “
 We see so many films\, and when you come across one like this\, you just
  feel like you’ve stumbled upon a gem.”\n\nPaley unscrupulously weaves a
  tale of truth\, justice\, and a woman’s demand for equal treatment. Her
  animated interpretation of the Ramayana has been dubbed “The Greatest B
 reak-Up Story Ever Told\,” but it’s one in which you just might laugh an
 d nod understandingly more than you cry or ask why.
CATEGORIES:USA
LOCATION:Harris Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/sitasingstheblues_silkscreen20
 09
UID:2477067879-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090509T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090509T220500
SUMMARY:Chaturanga
DESCRIPTION:Based on Nobel Prize-winning author Rabindranath Tagore’s nov
 el\, Chaturanga is the story of Sachish—a man caught between western ref
 ormist notions and conservative Hindu beliefs. Set in colonial Bengal at
  the turn of the twentieth century\, the film depicts one man’s struggle
  between diametrically opposed ideologies\, both of which hold truth\, l
 ogic\, and validity for him. Unfortunately\, he sees no way to blend the
  two.\n\nTwo components of this film--the vacillation between abstract i
 deals and the powerful influences of two women in Sachish’s life—give it
  real depth. One of the women is Nanibala\, his brother’s abandoned mist
 ress\; the other is a beautiful\, young Hindu widow named Damini. With N
 anibala\, Sachish treats her as his rescue project--someone who requires
  his salvation.\n\nWith Damini\, the relationship is more complicated\, 
 as it becomes blatant that real passion exists between the two. Sachish 
 is conflicted and his desire and his morality become mixed up\; converse
 ly\, the temptestous Damini is absolutely exhausted by the social order 
 and convention that has denied her everything\, and she is eager is rebe
 l. His relationship with Damini stirs up a classic id vs. superego battl
 e\, and the outcome is worth watching.\n\nWhen asked what inspired the d
 irector\, Mukhopadhyay replied\, “It is a very elegant movie that trigge
 red me to make this film is Tagore’s manifestation of human relations. W
 e find a lot of ideology in Tagore’s writings. All the questions asked b
 y him 100 years ago are still to be resolved\, and they are very relevan
 t in today’s contemporary society.”
CATEGORIES:India
LOCATION:Regent Square Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/chaturanga_silkscreen2009
UID:2477067731-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090509T210000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090509T224600
SUMMARY:Parking
DESCRIPTION:Winner of Best New Talent and Audience Favorite Film at the H
 ong Kong Asian Film Festival 2008 \n\nIt’s Mother’s Day in Taipei and wh
 at starts off as Chen Mo’s simple desire to buy a cake for his wife turn
 s into one incredibly long and tumultuous night.  Chen’s marriage has be
 en on the rocks and his hope is that a dinner date\, complete with desse
 rt\, will set things right\,.  While Chen is inside trying to buy a cake
 \, a car double parks next to his\, thus blocking his exit.  From this p
 oint forward\, Taiwanese director Mong-Hong Chung unfolds his dark\, sur
 real\, at times funny\, and complicated story. \n\nChen’s single goal be
 comes finding the owner of the blasted double-parked vehicle.  While sea
 rching the nearest apartment building floor by floor\, he discovers a ca
 st of characters: a barbershop owner with one arm whose activity that ni
 ght is cooking fish head soup\, a prostitute from the Chinese mainland w
 ho’s trying to flee from her pimp\, and a Hong Kong tailor captured by h
 is debtors\, among other unsavory but likeable types.  Chang tackles the
  lead role with cool\, and Kao and To definitely add depth. \n\nThe enco
 unters are surreal\, the conversations immediately bizarre\, too intimat
 e\, and lead to one misunderstanding after another. And while PARKING ta
 kes place exclusively on the same city block\, the movie is given moveme
 nt via flashbacks that give insight into the characters’ backgrounds.  T
 he tones and the dialogues of each scene switch quickly\, and viewers wi
 ll have to adjust to the abrupt shifts.  In fact\, the scenes play much 
 like Ho Ping’s “The Rules of the Game\,” with which American audiences a
 re more likely to be familiar.   \n\nWhile the motif of dawn offering a 
 new day is completely obvious\, it works since not just Chen\, but all t
 he characters are looking for  the sun to rise on their collective dilem
 mas.  After half a day spent looking for a simple solution to a simple u
 rban annoyance\, Chen is left thinking “What a long\, strange trip it’s 
 been."
CATEGORIES:Taiwan
LOCATION:Harris Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/parking_silkscreen2009
UID:2477067983-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090510T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090510T170000
SUMMARY:Handle Me with Care
DESCRIPTION:“Dodges the obvious to deliver the unexpected” is how Handle 
 Me with Care has been described. Protagonist Kwan (Kerttikamol Lata) was
  born with three fully functioning arms\, and this film takes audiences 
 for a journey on what it would be like to truly be in his shoes\, or rat
 her\, sleeves. Kwan has always found his predicament to be practical\, i
 f anything—he is more adept and skillful at handling things—but his phys
 ical oddity has some drawbacks--namely that he’s socially not accepted m
 uch of the time.  \n\nWhen his uncle\, a tailor who has always sewn his 
 shirts for him\, dies\, Kwan becomes more withdrawn from society. After 
 experiencing repeated rejection in both the arenas of love and work\, Kw
 an decides to road trip to Bangkok\, where he knows of a surgeon who wil
 l amputate his third arm.\n\nWith his life savings in tow\, Kwan heads t
 o the big city leaving his rural town behind. Along the way\, he suffers
  more setbacks but takes some solace in the company of Na (Supaksorn Cha
 imongkol)\, a fellow hitchhiker. Interestingly\, she can empathize with 
 him somewhat because she was blessed and cursed with a buxom chest\, and
  while she does not possess a deformity which carries harsher ramificati
 ons\, she knows exactly what it’s like to be judged on her physical appe
 arance.  \n\nShe points out that while both of them possess more of what
  they need\, she thinks his condition makes him unique and special. The 
 two of them get to know each other more on their travels and as they get
  closer to their destination\, Kwan starts to wonder more about what he’
 s doing. Na’s perspective of his oddity has made him question his decisi
 on to go through with the operation.  \n\nHANDLE ME WITH CARE focuses a 
 sympathetic lens on a character who would typically be portrayed as a na
 rrative freak. Director Jaturanrasamee doesn’t preach or tell viewers ho
 w or what to feel. He shows restraint for a tale which could easily turn
  fantastical and unbelievable\, but instead\, delivers storytelling at i
 ts finest.
CATEGORIES:Thailand
LOCATION:Regent Square Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/handlemewithcare_silkscreen200
 9
UID:2477068231-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090510T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090510T182500
SUMMARY:White on Rice
DESCRIPTION:The quirky appeal of White On Rice is hinted at immediately\,
  via its odd title. It sounds more like the name of someone’s college ba
 nd\, not a feature film. Director Dave Boyle’s off-beat sense of humor p
 ervades the entire 85 minutes of this movie\, and the main vehicle for d
 elivering the amusement is its protagonist\, Hajime\, a.k.a. Jimmy (Hiro
 shi Watanabe).\n\nFor this type of comedy to work--one with a Dumb and D
 umber sensibility\, that is—the film must rely on a main character who i
 s 100% idiotic and ignorant in all social settings\, who is physically a
 wkward and who has absolutely no clue when it comes to romance (One has 
 to wonder how he got married in the first place).\n\nBoyle scores with J
 immy--a Japanese emigre whose basic English language skills are the leas
 t of his shortcomings--whose lingual\, light-hearted gaffes score laughs
  right and left.\n\nForty years old and single\, Jimmy works odd jobs as
  a bit-part actor (a preview is hilariously replayed in a mock samurai c
 ommercial). He left Japan and moved to the states when his ex-wife simpl
 y stopped taking care of him in Tokyo. He moves in with his beyond-patie
 nt and hyper-tolerant sister Aiko and his supersmart nephew Bob\, with w
 hom he shares a bunk bed.\n\nJimmy’s freeloading becomes unbearable\, an
 d in one scene becomes a health hazardto his brother-in-law\, Tak.\n\nTa
 ctless\, immature\, and devoid of both ambition and talent\, Jimmy is ob
 livious to his own cluelessness\, and never is this funnier than when he
  attempts to woo his attractive cousin Ramona. He thinks the answer to a
 ll his problems is remarriage\, and so he starts a misguided courtship t
 hat ends up disastrously funny.\n\nIn addition to being funny\, WHITE ON
  RICE succeeds in portraying a Japanese family who must confront—like al
 l families--the complexities of romance\, parenting and middle age. Alth
 ough Jimmy's naïveté might not solve all the answers\, he does open a li
 ttle door to happiness. It’s a heartwarming story that the whole family 
 will laugh at and enjoy.
CATEGORIES:USA
LOCATION:Harris Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/whiteonrice_silkscreen2009
UID:2477068594-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090510T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090510T192700
SUMMARY:Kanichavaram
DESCRIPTION:Silk Screen is especially fond of this film’s subject matter\
 , since it centers around the Indian silk industry. Kanichavaram is a to
 wn renowned for its luxurious silk saris. The protagonist Vengedam works
  as a silk weaver there\, weaving the saris from the rarest of silks\, b
 ut knowing that he himself can never afford what he creates.  \n\nEven t
 hough Vengedam is portrayed as the most talented weaver in town\, his sa
 lary remains meager. He vowed at one time that he would only wed a woman
  who wore a silk sari\, but the reality of his low wages forced him to c
 onfront the fact that his vow would never be kept. Nevertheless\, that r
 eality does not stop him from dreaming. \n\nVengedam eventually marries 
 and the couple has a baby girl. Tradition dictates that a father must pr
 omise his daughter something by whispering into her early. Knowing bette
 r\, he whispers into her ear that he will marry her off one day in a sil
 k sari. Despite his wife’s skepticism\, he thinks that—with patience—he 
 can make this dream a reality. His plan is to provide a silk sari for hi
 s daughter by the time she is of a marriageable age. He steals a few str
 ands of beautifully colored precious silk from his workplace every singl
 e day. He believes this new project will give shape to his life. \n\nUnf
 ortunately\, Vengadam’s own grand plan is thwarted when he gives his bro
 ther-in-law\, who’s gone bankrupt\, all his savings in an effort to save
  his sister’s dignity. The plot is set into motion when Vengadam meets u
 p with a communist writer who promotes the concept of equality. Communis
 m is illegal in 1940s India\, when the film takes place\, and the writer
  is killed. Vengadam is put in charge and he demands a pay increase for 
 all weavers. He gets arrested but eventually the workers protest and he 
 is released.. The irony and symbolism woven into this tale makes the end
 ing rich and rewarding.
CATEGORIES:India
LOCATION:Regent Square Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/kanichavaram_silkscreen2009
UID:2477068402-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090510T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090510T194500
SUMMARY:Nonko 36-sai
DESCRIPTION:Director Kazuyoshi Kumakiri makes films about people on the f
 ringe of society.  In Nonko 36-sai\, Kumakiri’s seventh and sweetest fil
 m\, his protagonist is no exception\; Nonko (Maki Sakai) once worked as 
 a small-screen starlet\, but her career never took off.  She’s a divorce
 d thirty-something who\, lacking ambition\, goes back home to her parent
 s to help them maintain a Shinto shrine\, mainly doing domestic chores. 
  The Japanese title translates roughly into "Non-ko\, 36\, household hel
 per\," which conveys the essence of how people perceive her now.  The ti
 tle illustrates how she’s moved from rising Tokyo actress to provincial 
 laborer. \n\nOnly the naïve Masura\, a younger man she meets while worki
 ng\, can return a smile to Nonko’s face.  This story is an awkward love 
 story\, and a highly original one that realistically portrays the comple
 xities of a bitter woman in her 30s who eventually becomes more emotiona
 lly and physically responsive.  The developing relationship is challenge
 d when her ex (Shingo Tsurumi) shows up tempting her with the offer of s
 tardom again\, and she lacks judgment in her dealings with him.  Whether
  you possess an Eastern or a Western sensibility\, you’ll still recogniz
 e this woman’s character\, and while her bad choices are sometimes hard 
 to watch\, they are somewhat expected.  Watching Sakai’s most human perf
 ormance is one of the highlights of Nonko.  The cinematography is also v
 isually capturing and most memorable is a chase scene\, in which a yello
 w baby bird runs through a field of pink daisies.  In general\, this fil
 m radiates natural warmth\, and helps us look forward to tomorrow just a
  little bit more.
CATEGORIES:Japan
LOCATION:Melwood Screening Room
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/nonko36sai_silkscreen2009
UID:2477068730-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090510T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090510T210300
SUMMARY:My Dear Enemy
DESCRIPTION:MY DEAR ENEMY is a charming romantic film that features two o
 f Korea’s popular and talented actors\, Jeon Do-yeon\,and Ha Jung-woo\, 
 as ex-lovers who reacquaint. (Jeon won the 2007 the Cannes Film Festival
  best actress award\, and Ha debuted in the well-received U.S. film NEVE
 R FOREVER\, which showed last year at Silk Screen).\n\nHowever\, the sce
 nario does not start out very romantically\, considering Hee-soo(Ha) ini
 tially sets out to find her ex\, Byoung-woon (Jeon)\, because he owes he
 r cash. They are both single and jobless\, but the low-key Byoung-woon i
 s much less concerned. Their opposite attitudes are captured in their op
 posite reactions to their shared 30-something and broke-with-no-directio
 n status.\n\nShe’s miserable\, bitter\, and wears a perpetual sneer. He’
 s carefree\, chatty\, with a zest for life and a fan of the ladies\; he 
 doesn’t worry about being broke since he knows women who are willing to 
 give him money. When Hee-soo shows up at his door demanding to be repaid
  immediately\, his solution is to embark upon a mini-reunion of sorts\, 
 in which he tracks down other ex-girlfriends and asks to borrow money. I
 n other words: “robbing Kim to pay Hee-Soo.” The twist is that Hee-so ac
 companies him.\n\nTheir day-long odyssey results in not only collecting 
 money\, but also memory. Like LOST IN TRANSLATION or ADRIFT IN TOKYO\, M
 Y DEAR ENEMY says so much with so little. The streets of Seoul serve as 
 the perfect backdrop to this meandering love story\, and offers a nice p
 arallel to the characters. The city is full of history and memories but 
 remains vibrant\, mirroring the microcosm of the two ex-lovers.\n\nDirec
 tor Lee Yoon-ki creates a warm and compassionate film about possibility 
 (with a capital P) and about the never-ending idiosyncrasies of the huma
 n heart. MY DEAR ENEMY is a fantastic blend of idealism and realism--a m
 ovie not to be missed.
CATEGORIES:Korean
LOCATION:Harris Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/mydearenemy_silkscreen2009
UID:2476897773-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090510T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090510T213200
SUMMARY:The Equation of Love and Death
DESCRIPTION:This action-comedy-romance sees Li Mi as a tough chain-smokin
 g\, foul-mouthed cab driver who questions all her patrons in search of h
 er fiance\, Fang Wen. It’s been four years since he disappeared\, but sh
 e’s obsessive about finding him\, as she receives random letters from hi
 m. When two would-be drug dealers and two crooks enter her cab\, their i
 nteraction sets off kidnapping\, a suicide\, amnesia\, and mistaken iden
 tity.
CATEGORIES:China
LOCATION:Melwood Screening Room
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/theequationofloveanddeath_silk
 screen2009
UID:2477068824-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090511T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090511T220500
SUMMARY:Chaturanga
DESCRIPTION:Based on Nobel Prize-winning author Rabindranath Tagore’s nov
 el\, Chaturanga is the story of Sachish—a man caught between western ref
 ormist notions and conservative Hindu beliefs. Set in colonial Bengal at
  the turn of the twentieth century\, the film depicts one man’s struggle
  between diametrically opposed ideologies\, both of which hold truth\, l
 ogic\, and validity for him. Unfortunately\, he sees no way to blend the
  two.\n\nTwo components of this film--the vacillation between abstract i
 deals and the powerful influences of two women in Sachish’s life—give it
  real depth. One of the women is Nanibala\, his brother’s abandoned mist
 ress\; the other is a beautiful\, young Hindu widow named Damini. With N
 anibala\, Sachish treats her as his rescue project--someone who requires
  his salvation.\n\nWith Damini\, the relationship is more complicated\, 
 as it becomes blatant that real passion exists between the two. Sachish 
 is conflicted and his desire and his morality become mixed up\; converse
 ly\, the temptestous Damini is absolutely exhausted by the social order 
 and convention that has denied her everything\, and she is eager is rebe
 l. His relationship with Damini stirs up a classic id vs. superego battl
 e\, and the outcome is worth watching.\n\nWhen asked what inspired the d
 irector\, Mukhopadhyay replied\, “It is a very elegant movie that trigge
 red me to make this film is Tagore’s manifestation of human relations. W
 e find a lot of ideology in Tagore’s writings. All the questions asked b
 y him 100 years ago are still to be resolved\, and they are very relevan
 t in today’s contemporary society.”
CATEGORIES:India
LOCATION:Regent Square Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/chaturanga_silkscreen2009
UID:2477067767-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090512T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090512T215700
SUMMARY:Kanichavaram
DESCRIPTION:Silk Screen is especially fond of this film’s subject matter\
 , since it centers around the Indian silk industry. Kanichavaram is a to
 wn renowned for its luxurious silk saris. The protagonist Vengedam works
  as a silk weaver there\, weaving the saris from the rarest of silks\, b
 ut knowing that he himself can never afford what he creates.  \n\nEven t
 hough Vengedam is portrayed as the most talented weaver in town\, his sa
 lary remains meager. He vowed at one time that he would only wed a woman
  who wore a silk sari\, but the reality of his low wages forced him to c
 onfront the fact that his vow would never be kept. Nevertheless\, that r
 eality does not stop him from dreaming. \n\nVengedam eventually marries 
 and the couple has a baby girl. Tradition dictates that a father must pr
 omise his daughter something by whispering into her early. Knowing bette
 r\, he whispers into her ear that he will marry her off one day in a sil
 k sari. Despite his wife’s skepticism\, he thinks that—with patience—he 
 can make this dream a reality. His plan is to provide a silk sari for hi
 s daughter by the time she is of a marriageable age. He steals a few str
 ands of beautifully colored precious silk from his workplace every singl
 e day. He believes this new project will give shape to his life. \n\nUnf
 ortunately\, Vengadam’s own grand plan is thwarted when he gives his bro
 ther-in-law\, who’s gone bankrupt\, all his savings in an effort to save
  his sister’s dignity. The plot is set into motion when Vengadam meets u
 p with a communist writer who promotes the concept of equality. Communis
 m is illegal in 1940s India\, when the film takes place\, and the writer
  is killed. Vengadam is put in charge and he demands a pay increase for 
 all weavers. He gets arrested but eventually the workers protest and he 
 is released.. The irony and symbolism woven into this tale makes the end
 ing rich and rewarding.
CATEGORIES:India
LOCATION:Regent Square Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/kanichavaram_silkscreen2009
UID:2477068450-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090513T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090513T213000
SUMMARY:Flower in the Pocket
DESCRIPTION:his comedy focuses on two mischievous Malaysian boys whose fa
 ther appears more interested in his mannequin-repairing job than fixing 
 the ills of his own family. Without passing judgment\, the film shows ho
 w the brothers encounter a friend’s nurturing mother\, discovering a dif
 ferent set of parenting skills.
CATEGORIES:Thailand
LOCATION:Melwood Screening Room
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/flowerinthepocket_silkscreen20
 09
UID:2477068952-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090513T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090513T214600
SUMMARY:Parking
DESCRIPTION:Winner of Best New Talent and Audience Favorite Film at the H
 ong Kong Asian Film Festival 2008 \n\nIt’s Mother’s Day in Taipei and wh
 at starts off as Chen Mo’s simple desire to buy a cake for his wife turn
 s into one incredibly long and tumultuous night.  Chen’s marriage has be
 en on the rocks and his hope is that a dinner date\, complete with desse
 rt\, will set things right\,.  While Chen is inside trying to buy a cake
 \, a car double parks next to his\, thus blocking his exit.  From this p
 oint forward\, Taiwanese director Mong-Hong Chung unfolds his dark\, sur
 real\, at times funny\, and complicated story. \n\nChen’s single goal be
 comes finding the owner of the blasted double-parked vehicle.  While sea
 rching the nearest apartment building floor by floor\, he discovers a ca
 st of characters: a barbershop owner with one arm whose activity that ni
 ght is cooking fish head soup\, a prostitute from the Chinese mainland w
 ho’s trying to flee from her pimp\, and a Hong Kong tailor captured by h
 is debtors\, among other unsavory but likeable types.  Chang tackles the
  lead role with cool\, and Kao and To definitely add depth. \n\nThe enco
 unters are surreal\, the conversations immediately bizarre\, too intimat
 e\, and lead to one misunderstanding after another. And while PARKING ta
 kes place exclusively on the same city block\, the movie is given moveme
 nt via flashbacks that give insight into the characters’ backgrounds.  T
 he tones and the dialogues of each scene switch quickly\, and viewers wi
 ll have to adjust to the abrupt shifts.  In fact\, the scenes play much 
 like Ho Ping’s “The Rules of the Game\,” with which American audiences a
 re more likely to be familiar.   \n\nWhile the motif of dawn offering a 
 new day is completely obvious\, it works since not just Chen\, but all t
 he characters are looking for  the sun to rise on their collective dilem
 mas.  After half a day spent looking for a simple solution to a simple u
 rban annoyance\, Chen is left thinking “What a long\, strange trip it’s 
 been."
CATEGORIES:Taiwan
LOCATION:Regent Square Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/parking_silkscreen2009
UID:2477068023-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090514T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090514T213000
SUMMARY:Handle Me with Care
DESCRIPTION:“Dodges the obvious to deliver the unexpected” is how Handle 
 Me with Care has been described. Protagonist Kwan (Kerttikamol Lata) was
  born with three fully functioning arms\, and this film takes audiences 
 for a journey on what it would be like to truly be in his shoes\, or rat
 her\, sleeves. Kwan has always found his predicament to be practical\, i
 f anything—he is more adept and skillful at handling things—but his phys
 ical oddity has some drawbacks--namely that he’s socially not accepted m
 uch of the time.  \n\nWhen his uncle\, a tailor who has always sewn his 
 shirts for him\, dies\, Kwan becomes more withdrawn from society. After 
 experiencing repeated rejection in both the arenas of love and work\, Kw
 an decides to road trip to Bangkok\, where he knows of a surgeon who wil
 l amputate his third arm.\n\nWith his life savings in tow\, Kwan heads t
 o the big city leaving his rural town behind. Along the way\, he suffers
  more setbacks but takes some solace in the company of Na (Supaksorn Cha
 imongkol)\, a fellow hitchhiker. Interestingly\, she can empathize with 
 him somewhat because she was blessed and cursed with a buxom chest\, and
  while she does not possess a deformity which carries harsher ramificati
 ons\, she knows exactly what it’s like to be judged on her physical appe
 arance.  \n\nShe points out that while both of them possess more of what
  they need\, she thinks his condition makes him unique and special. The 
 two of them get to know each other more on their travels and as they get
  closer to their destination\, Kwan starts to wonder more about what he’
 s doing. Na’s perspective of his oddity has made him question his decisi
 on to go through with the operation.  \n\nHANDLE ME WITH CARE focuses a 
 sympathetic lens on a character who would typically be portrayed as a na
 rrative freak. Director Jaturanrasamee doesn’t preach or tell viewers ho
 w or what to feel. He shows restraint for a tale which could easily turn
  fantastical and unbelievable\, but instead\, delivers storytelling at i
 ts finest.
CATEGORIES:Thailand
LOCATION:Regent Square Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/handlemewithcare_silkscreen200
 9
UID:2477068264-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090514T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090514T215000
SUMMARY:All Around Us
DESCRIPTION:
CATEGORIES:Japan
LOCATION:Melwood Screening Room
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/allaroundus_silkscreen2009
UID:2477512748-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090515T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090515T202800
SUMMARY:Children of Invention
DESCRIPTION:CHILDREN OF INVENTION is a timely drama that addresses the po
 pular and now-classic American dream theme\, the corresponding immigrant
  mentality in America\, and the influence of parents’ motivations on the
 ir children.\n\nDirector Tze Chun features a young brother and sister--R
 aymond and Tina-- who grow up in the Boston suburbs and are left to fend
  for themselves when their mother gets suckered into a pyramid scene and
  ends up leaving the children behind in her pursuit.\n\nMother Elaine Ch
 eng has been evicted which forces the three of them to realize that time
 s are tougher than ever. Elaine is a single mom who left Boston for a su
 burban lifestyle\, and once evicted\, she tries desperately to find work
  that will support her family. They end up sneaking into a model apartme
 nt and squatting there temporarily.\n\nMaintaining a normal life is not 
 easy since Elaine is juggling numerous jobs\, one of those being a pyram
 id scheme company. With Elaine gone all the time\, Raymond and Tina turn
  into latch-key children who entertain themselves making up inventions. 
 One night Elaine doesn’t come home\; several days pass and Raymond reali
 zes he must start taking care of his little sister.\n\nCHILDREN OF INVEN
 TION issues a perfectly-timed warning to be heeded in the post-BernieMad
 off era we’re living in\, and provides an amazingly in-depth look at how
  pyramid schemes affect marginalized minorities.\n\nDirector Chun did no
 t intend on being prophetic. As he simply stated\, “When I wrote the fil
 m\, I was writing…about the world I grew up in – a subculture of America
 ns trying to get-rich-quick in order to get themselves out of a financia
 l hole. I didn't foresee the current financial crisis. But with the econ
 omy tanking now and foreclosures going through the roof\, it seems like 
 everyone's living through some version of what the Chengs go through in 
 the film.”
CATEGORIES:USA
LOCATION:Regent Square Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/childrenofinvention_silkscreen
 2009
UID:2477069047-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090515T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090515T202700
SUMMARY:Sparrow
DESCRIPTION:Bohemian with a touch of noir\, SPARROW  succeeds as a subtle
 \, yet poignant love story.  Director Johnny To deftly blends the very d
 isparate worlds of romance and survival. If you like watching how a chai
 n of spontaneous events lead to love\, this film may steal your heart.\n
 \nThe film’s title derives its name from the Hong Kong street slang for 
 “pickpocket”.  Just like this eponymous\, unassuming little bird\, a thi
 ef of this caliber is known for gracefully swooping down on a wallet and
  “flying away” undetected.\n\nKei (Simon Yam) is one such “sparrow”. He 
 and his friends subsist by robbing clueless pedestrians.  Kei’s laissez-
 faire lifestyle allows him to pursue other interests\, and he loves to r
 ide his bicycle around town equipped only with his vintage Rolleiflex ca
 mera\, capturing whatever image catches his fancy. One day\, he looks th
 rough his viewfinder and spots the stunning Chun Lei (Kelly Lin).  The s
 parrow is intrigued\, and of course\, pursues.  Armed with the timeless 
 feminine duo--beauty and charm--Lei convinces Kei and his associates to 
 steal something very valuable to her.  They know her proposed job is ris
 ky\, but their knowledge does nothing to lessen their intrigue.\n\nKelly
  Lin soars in the character of “mystery woman.”  At one point in the fil
 m she disappears altogether.  Her portrayal of a frail\, helpless woman 
 who is determined to find resolution for her dilemma is as entertaining 
 to watch as Simon Yam’s performance.\n\nIn addition to the compelling ac
 ting\, the cinematography of Hong Kong--renowned for its expansive skyli
 ne and natural setting--is superb.  To takes delight in capturing the ic
 onic images of this historic region of China\, and Sparrow’s majestic vi
 ews transform the congested metropolis into a city of earthly and lovely
  delights.  The cinematography combined with a killer soundtrack set a d
 efinite mood\, providing the perfect backdrop for the plot of intrigue.
CATEGORIES:China
LOCATION:Melwood Screening Room
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/sparrow_silkscreen2009
UID:2477069200-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090515T210000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090515T222500
SUMMARY:Speed of Life
DESCRIPTION:Speed of Life\, originally named “Superheroes\,” takes place 
 in present-day New York City and revolves around Sammy\, a pensive\, 13-
 year-old redheaded kid from Brooklyn who goes by the name of Sammer.  Sa
 mmer frequently rides the subway into Manhattan with friends in order to
  steal video cameras\, cameras and other media equipment from naïve tour
 ists.\n\nHe lives with his partially blind foster mother and his father\
 , with whom he is estranged\, has reputedly moved to Alaska.  Sammer pos
 es a plan to leave the city as soon as he is able.  His idea is to save 
 money\, get out of probation\, help his foster mother regain her sight\,
  and then travel to exotic destinations\, inspired by the content of the
  stolen videotapes\, which he watches religiously. \n\nSammer\, who’s a 
 quirky teenager and prone to fantasy in the first place\, is extremely i
 nfluenced by the people and the places he watches on video and the foota
 ge found on other people’s home videos.  He becomes a consummate outside
 r\, with the stolen films only aiding in his daydreams of getting out of
  the working class neighborhood he’s in.  Ultimately\, he uses these ima
 ges he’s stolen to assemble his own collection of narratives.   \n\nDire
 ctor Radtke employs various camera techniques\, plus he incorporates tot
 ally different types of cameras (16mm\, super-8\, etc.) to create a uniq
 ue film aesthetic.  The filmmaker either inadvertently or purposefully s
 elf-references\, since the film’s characters are watching life through l
 enses and viewfinders in much of the film’s time (exactly like a directo
 r does). \n\n \n\nUltimately\, Speed of Life is the story of ordinary pe
 ople who find themselves in extraordinary situations.  The “play within 
 a play” concept\, or in this case\, “the movie within the movie within t
 he movie” [the stolen tapes are the first layer\, Sammer’s viewing of th
 em a second\, and then audiences watching Sammer watch them the third] a
 dds a very philosophical dimension to the average film watching experien
 ce.  Watching life through someone else’s vision (what audiences do each
  and every time they go see a film) somewhat blurs the line between bein
 g real and being film-real\, the latter category however\, being the onl
 y one in which you can rewind\, fast-forward or replay.  Or is it?  This
  movie questions these very philosophical distinctions.
CATEGORIES:USA
LOCATION:Regent Square Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/speedoflife_silkscreen2009
UID:2477067617-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090515T210000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090515T223700
SUMMARY:Kabuli Kid
DESCRIPTION:The title of this film alludes to the discovery of a literal 
 Kabuli kid by a taxi driver. That’s right—a cabbie finds a baby in the b
 ackseat. A complex portrayal of the cab driver Khaled’s life\, his city\
 , and his culture follow.  This drama draws you in and simultaneously ex
 poses you to the quietly disturbing vision of modern Afghanistan.   \n\n
 As soon as Khaled surmises that this “drop-off” was premeditated\, he pa
 nics.  After a few failed attempts to turn the baby in to the authoritie
 s--an orphanage and a police station-- Khaled reluctantly takes the infa
 nt to his own home\, only to surprise his wife and four daughters.  To h
 is family\, it appears that this is Khaled’s desperate attempt to have a
  male child. Khaled is torn emotionally between keeping and rejecting th
 e child\, and a series of adventures ensues.  The situational family dyn
 amics reveal a very complex set of rules--perhaps contradictory and hypo
 critical rules to westerners. However\, this film establishes the cultur
 al context so well that Western audiences are shown grey\, not the usual
  black and white.  An unexpected disclosure in the story later forces re
 -evaluation of Khaled’s behaviors. \n\nDirector Akram subtly depicts the
  ubiquity of war in Afghanistan\, and audiences are constantly exposed t
 o the gritty rubble of the streets and the threatening aspects of curfew
 s—two indicators of an unstable city trying to get back to “normal” afte
 r 25 years of strife. \n\nBarmak Akram’s debut is informed by his experi
 ence as a documentarian\, and this is evidenced in his scenes of cabbies
  jabbering with one another\, of pedestrians from all walks of life\, of
  armored cars and American tanks\, and of donkeys and random cattle—all 
 of which keep the streets of Kabul a non-stop\, chaotic landscape. \n\nT
 his action-packed drama\, which is often very funny\, ultimately is abou
 t one man’s decision about how he wants life to be in a city which is on
 ly attempting to survive.
CATEGORIES:Afghanistan
LOCATION:Melwood Screening Room
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/kabulikid_silkscreen2009
UID:2477513013-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090516T163000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090516T181500
SUMMARY:Nonko 36-sai
DESCRIPTION:Director Kazuyoshi Kumakiri makes films about people on the f
 ringe of society.  In Nonko 36-sai\, Kumakiri’s seventh and sweetest fil
 m\, his protagonist is no exception\; Nonko (Maki Sakai) once worked as 
 a small-screen starlet\, but her career never took off.  She’s a divorce
 d thirty-something who\, lacking ambition\, goes back home to her parent
 s to help them maintain a Shinto shrine\, mainly doing domestic chores. 
  The Japanese title translates roughly into "Non-ko\, 36\, household hel
 per\," which conveys the essence of how people perceive her now.  The ti
 tle illustrates how she’s moved from rising Tokyo actress to provincial 
 laborer. \n\nOnly the naïve Masura\, a younger man she meets while worki
 ng\, can return a smile to Nonko’s face.  This story is an awkward love 
 story\, and a highly original one that realistically portrays the comple
 xities of a bitter woman in her 30s who eventually becomes more emotiona
 lly and physically responsive.  The developing relationship is challenge
 d when her ex (Shingo Tsurumi) shows up tempting her with the offer of s
 tardom again\, and she lacks judgment in her dealings with him.  Whether
  you possess an Eastern or a Western sensibility\, you’ll still recogniz
 e this woman’s character\, and while her bad choices are sometimes hard 
 to watch\, they are somewhat expected.  Watching Sakai’s most human perf
 ormance is one of the highlights of Nonko.  The cinematography is also v
 isually capturing and most memorable is a chase scene\, in which a yello
 w baby bird runs through a field of pink daisies.  In general\, this fil
 m radiates natural warmth\, and helps us look forward to tomorrow just a
  little bit more.
CATEGORIES:Japan
LOCATION:Melwood Screening Room
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/nonko36sai_silkscreen2009
UID:2477513195-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090516T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090516T203000
SUMMARY:Flower in the Pocket
DESCRIPTION:his comedy focuses on two mischievous Malaysian boys whose fa
 ther appears more interested in his mannequin-repairing job than fixing 
 the ills of his own family. Without passing judgment\, the film shows ho
 w the brothers encounter a friend’s nurturing mother\, discovering a dif
 ferent set of parenting skills.
CATEGORIES:Thailand
LOCATION:Melwood Screening Room
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/flowerinthepocket_silkscreen20
 09
UID:2477068984-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090516T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090516T202200
SUMMARY:Fruit Fly
DESCRIPTION:
CATEGORIES:USA
LOCATION:Regent Square Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/fruitfly_silkscreen2009
UID:2477069301-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090516T203100
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090516T215600
SUMMARY:White on Rice
DESCRIPTION:The quirky appeal of White On Rice is hinted at immediately\,
  via its odd title. It sounds more like the name of someone’s college ba
 nd\, not a feature film. Director Dave Boyle’s off-beat sense of humor p
 ervades the entire 85 minutes of this movie\, and the main vehicle for d
 elivering the amusement is its protagonist\, Hajime\, a.k.a. Jimmy (Hiro
 shi Watanabe).\n\nFor this type of comedy to work--one with a Dumb and D
 umber sensibility\, that is—the film must rely on a main character who i
 s 100% idiotic and ignorant in all social settings\, who is physically a
 wkward and who has absolutely no clue when it comes to romance (One has 
 to wonder how he got married in the first place).\n\nBoyle scores with J
 immy--a Japanese emigre whose basic English language skills are the leas
 t of his shortcomings--whose lingual\, light-hearted gaffes score laughs
  right and left.\n\nForty years old and single\, Jimmy works odd jobs as
  a bit-part actor (a preview is hilariously replayed in a mock samurai c
 ommercial). He left Japan and moved to the states when his ex-wife simpl
 y stopped taking care of him in Tokyo. He moves in with his beyond-patie
 nt and hyper-tolerant sister Aiko and his supersmart nephew Bob\, with w
 hom he shares a bunk bed.\n\nJimmy’s freeloading becomes unbearable\, an
 d in one scene becomes a health hazardto his brother-in-law\, Tak.\n\nTa
 ctless\, immature\, and devoid of both ambition and talent\, Jimmy is ob
 livious to his own cluelessness\, and never is this funnier than when he
  attempts to woo his attractive cousin Ramona. He thinks the answer to a
 ll his problems is remarriage\, and so he starts a misguided courtship t
 hat ends up disastrously funny.\n\nIn addition to being funny\, WHITE ON
  RICE succeeds in portraying a Japanese family who must confront—like al
 l families--the complexities of romance\, parenting and middle age. Alth
 ough Jimmy's naïveté might not solve all the answers\, he does open a li
 ttle door to happiness. It’s a heartwarming story that the whole family 
 will laugh at and enjoy.
CATEGORIES:USA
LOCATION:Melwood Screening Room
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/whiteonrice_silkscreen2009
UID:2477068673-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090516T210000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090516T224600
SUMMARY:Half Life
DESCRIPTION:HALF LIFE satirically depicts self-absorbed suburbanites in N
 orthern California whose comfortable lives are disrupted with the same k
 ind of destruction shown on the news. Floods\, murders\, and global warm
 ing parallel this family’s problems. Mother Saura takes a boyfriend and 
 strains relations with daughter Pam. Brother Timothy possesses supernatu
 ral powers\, showing how hope brings help.
CATEGORIES:USA
LOCATION:Regent Square Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/halflife_silkscreen2009
UID:2477069381-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090517T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090517T162800
SUMMARY:Children of Invention
DESCRIPTION:CHILDREN OF INVENTION is a timely drama that addresses the po
 pular and now-classic American dream theme\, the corresponding immigrant
  mentality in America\, and the influence of parents’ motivations on the
 ir children.\n\nDirector Tze Chun features a young brother and sister--R
 aymond and Tina-- who grow up in the Boston suburbs and are left to fend
  for themselves when their mother gets suckered into a pyramid scene and
  ends up leaving the children behind in her pursuit.\n\nMother Elaine Ch
 eng has been evicted which forces the three of them to realize that time
 s are tougher than ever. Elaine is a single mom who left Boston for a su
 burban lifestyle\, and once evicted\, she tries desperately to find work
  that will support her family. They end up sneaking into a model apartme
 nt and squatting there temporarily.\n\nMaintaining a normal life is not 
 easy since Elaine is juggling numerous jobs\, one of those being a pyram
 id scheme company. With Elaine gone all the time\, Raymond and Tina turn
  into latch-key children who entertain themselves making up inventions. 
 One night Elaine doesn’t come home\; several days pass and Raymond reali
 zes he must start taking care of his little sister.\n\nCHILDREN OF INVEN
 TION issues a perfectly-timed warning to be heeded in the post-BernieMad
 off era we’re living in\, and provides an amazingly in-depth look at how
  pyramid schemes affect marginalized minorities.\n\nDirector Chun did no
 t intend on being prophetic. As he simply stated\, “When I wrote the fil
 m\, I was writing…about the world I grew up in – a subculture of America
 ns trying to get-rich-quick in order to get themselves out of a financia
 l hole. I didn't foresee the current financial crisis. But with the econ
 omy tanking now and foreclosures going through the roof\, it seems like 
 everyone's living through some version of what the Chengs go through in 
 the film.”
CATEGORIES:USA
LOCATION:Regent Square Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/childrenofinvention_silkscreen
 2009
UID:2477069071-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090517T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090517T185700
SUMMARY:Kanichavaram
DESCRIPTION:Silk Screen is especially fond of this film’s subject matter\
 , since it centers around the Indian silk industry. Kanichavaram is a to
 wn renowned for its luxurious silk saris. The protagonist Vengedam works
  as a silk weaver there\, weaving the saris from the rarest of silks\, b
 ut knowing that he himself can never afford what he creates.  \n\nEven t
 hough Vengedam is portrayed as the most talented weaver in town\, his sa
 lary remains meager. He vowed at one time that he would only wed a woman
  who wore a silk sari\, but the reality of his low wages forced him to c
 onfront the fact that his vow would never be kept. Nevertheless\, that r
 eality does not stop him from dreaming. \n\nVengedam eventually marries 
 and the couple has a baby girl. Tradition dictates that a father must pr
 omise his daughter something by whispering into her early. Knowing bette
 r\, he whispers into her ear that he will marry her off one day in a sil
 k sari. Despite his wife’s skepticism\, he thinks that—with patience—he 
 can make this dream a reality. His plan is to provide a silk sari for hi
 s daughter by the time she is of a marriageable age. He steals a few str
 ands of beautifully colored precious silk from his workplace every singl
 e day. He believes this new project will give shape to his life. \n\nUnf
 ortunately\, Vengadam’s own grand plan is thwarted when he gives his bro
 ther-in-law\, who’s gone bankrupt\, all his savings in an effort to save
  his sister’s dignity. The plot is set into motion when Vengadam meets u
 p with a communist writer who promotes the concept of equality. Communis
 m is illegal in 1940s India\, when the film takes place\, and the writer
  is killed. Vengadam is put in charge and he demands a pay increase for 
 all weavers. He gets arrested but eventually the workers protest and he 
 is released.. The irony and symbolism woven into this tale makes the end
 ing rich and rewarding.
CATEGORIES:India
LOCATION:Regent Square Theater
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/kanichavaram_silkscreen2009
UID:2477069108-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090517T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090517T183700
SUMMARY:Kabuli Kid
DESCRIPTION:The title of this film alludes to the discovery of a literal 
 Kabuli kid by a taxi driver. That’s right—a cabbie finds a baby in the b
 ackseat. A complex portrayal of the cab driver Khaled’s life\, his city\
 , and his culture follow.  This drama draws you in and simultaneously ex
 poses you to the quietly disturbing vision of modern Afghanistan.   \n\n
 As soon as Khaled surmises that this “drop-off” was premeditated\, he pa
 nics.  After a few failed attempts to turn the baby in to the authoritie
 s--an orphanage and a police station-- Khaled reluctantly takes the infa
 nt to his own home\, only to surprise his wife and four daughters.  To h
 is family\, it appears that this is Khaled’s desperate attempt to have a
  male child. Khaled is torn emotionally between keeping and rejecting th
 e child\, and a series of adventures ensues.  The situational family dyn
 amics reveal a very complex set of rules--perhaps contradictory and hypo
 critical rules to westerners. However\, this film establishes the cultur
 al context so well that Western audiences are shown grey\, not the usual
  black and white.  An unexpected disclosure in the story later forces re
 -evaluation of Khaled’s behaviors. \n\nDirector Akram subtly depicts the
  ubiquity of war in Afghanistan\, and audiences are constantly exposed t
 o the gritty rubble of the streets and the threatening aspects of curfew
 s—two indicators of an unstable city trying to get back to “normal” afte
 r 25 years of strife. \n\nBarmak Akram’s debut is informed by his experi
 ence as a documentarian\, and this is evidenced in his scenes of cabbies
  jabbering with one another\, of pedestrians from all walks of life\, of
  armored cars and American tanks\, and of donkeys and random cattle—all 
 of which keep the streets of Kabul a non-stop\, chaotic landscape. \n\nT
 his action-packed drama\, which is often very funny\, ultimately is abou
 t one man’s decision about how he wants life to be in a city which is on
 ly attempting to survive.
CATEGORIES:Afghanistan
LOCATION:Melwood Screening Room
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/kabulikid_silkscreen2009
UID:2477513291-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090517T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090517T203200
SUMMARY:The Equation of Love and Death
DESCRIPTION:This action-comedy-romance sees Li Mi as a tough chain-smokin
 g\, foul-mouthed cab driver who questions all her patrons in search of h
 er fiance\, Fang Wen. It’s been four years since he disappeared\, but sh
 e’s obsessive about finding him\, as she receives random letters from hi
 m. When two would-be drug dealers and two crooks enter her cab\, their i
 nteraction sets off kidnapping\, a suicide\, amnesia\, and mistaken iden
 tity.
CATEGORIES:China
LOCATION:Melwood Screening Room
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/theequationofloveanddeath_silk
 screen2009
UID:2477068849-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20091125T063014Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20090517T210000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20090517T222700
SUMMARY:Sparrow
DESCRIPTION:Bohemian with a touch of noir\, SPARROW  succeeds as a subtle
 \, yet poignant love story.  Director Johnny To deftly blends the very d
 isparate worlds of romance and survival. If you like watching how a chai
 n of spontaneous events lead to love\, this film may steal your heart.\n
 \nThe film’s title derives its name from the Hong Kong street slang for 
 “pickpocket”.  Just like this eponymous\, unassuming little bird\, a thi
 ef of this caliber is known for gracefully swooping down on a wallet and
  “flying away” undetected.\n\nKei (Simon Yam) is one such “sparrow”. He 
 and his friends subsist by robbing clueless pedestrians.  Kei’s laissez-
 faire lifestyle allows him to pursue other interests\, and he loves to r
 ide his bicycle around town equipped only with his vintage Rolleiflex ca
 mera\, capturing whatever image catches his fancy. One day\, he looks th
 rough his viewfinder and spots the stunning Chun Lei (Kelly Lin).  The s
 parrow is intrigued\, and of course\, pursues.  Armed with the timeless 
 feminine duo--beauty and charm--Lei convinces Kei and his associates to 
 steal something very valuable to her.  They know her proposed job is ris
 ky\, but their knowledge does nothing to lessen their intrigue.\n\nKelly
  Lin soars in the character of “mystery woman.”  At one point in the fil
 m she disappears altogether.  Her portrayal of a frail\, helpless woman 
 who is determined to find resolution for her dilemma is as entertaining 
 to watch as Simon Yam’s performance.\n\nIn addition to the compelling ac
 ting\, the cinematography of Hong Kong--renowned for its expansive skyli
 ne and natural setting--is superb.  To takes delight in capturing the ic
 onic images of this historic region of China\, and Sparrow’s majestic vi
 ews transform the congested metropolis into a city of earthly and lovely
  delights.  The cinematography combined with a killer soundtrack set a d
 efinite mood\, providing the perfect backdrop for the plot of intrigue.
CATEGORIES:China
LOCATION:Melwood Screening Room
URL:http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/films/sparrow_silkscreen2009
UID:2477069233-silkscreen.bside.com/2009
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