While the San Francisco International Film Festival has come and gone, here’s my take on a few films that caught my eye, and ones I hope will continue to make their rounds at upcoming festivals. The Sheik and I While a little slow to take off, Bay Area auteur Caveh Zahedi’s new documentary is a […]
“Miwa: A Japanese Icon” Tonight at the Castro
June 20, 2011 by Leave a Comment
In Japan, Miwa Akihiro is a household name. The 76-year-old, openly gay, bleached blonde, drag queen, actor/author/singer is a regular face on Japanese television, known for making outrageous, cutting and (sometimes) insightful comments on news and culture. In the U.S., he is known mostly known for his film roles—playing the femme fatale in Kinji Fukusaku’s […]
‘9500 Liberty’ Marks a New Direction for Eric Byler
June 17, 2010 by Leave a Comment
The new documentary “9500 Liberty,” directed and produced by Annabel Park, a celebrated playwright and grassroots organizer, and Eric Byler, director of indie hits, including “Charlotte Sometimes” and “Americanese,” is a departure from the filmmaker’s previous works. Throughout his career, Byler created narrative works that dealt with race and human relationships in subtle and complex […]
Aoki, the Activist and Intellectual
February 25, 2010 by Leave a Comment
“Aoki,” the new documentary by Ben Wang and Mike Cheng, tells the little known story of Black Panther Party Field Marshal Richard Aoki. Filmed during the last five years of Aoki’s life, the filmmakers weave archival footage with interviews of key players including — Bobby Seale, Kathleen Neal Cleaver and Aoki himself — to create […]
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