Thursday, October 5th – Monday, October 16th
This year Madison’s Asian American Media Spotlight is sponsoring and co-sponsoring 5 in-person film screenings that include Waiting for the Light to Change (2022), Big Fight in Little Chinatown (2022), Big Trouble in Little China (1986), Modern Shaman (Unreleased in progress TV pilot), and Above and Below the Ground (2023). Directors Linh Tran-Waiting for the Light to Change, Karen Cho-Big Fight in Little Chinatown, and Gregory Yang-Modern Shaman will be in appearance for the screenings of their respective films. Director Emily Hong-Above and Below the Ground, will virtually attend the screening of their film.
WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE (2022) – Oct 5, 7pm in Vilas 4070
Feature Film, 99 min
Feature Film, 99 min
**Director Linh Tran in attendance
Over the course of a week-long beach side getaway, Amy finds herself wrestling between loyalty to her best friend Kim and her attraction to Kim’s new boyfriend.
BIG FIGHT IN LITTLE CHINATOWN (2022) – Oct 6, 7pm in Vilas 4070
Documentary, 88 min
**Director Karen Cho in attendance
Set amidst the COVID pandemic and wave of anti-Asian racism that have accelerated the active erasure of Chinatowns across North America, this documentary by Karen Cho captures multiple efforts to preserve and protect the neighborhoods that mean so much to Chinese immigrant communities.
BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986) – Oct 7, 7pm in Vilas 4070
Feature Film, 98 min
This action-adventure film set in San Francisco’s Chinatown features Kurt Russell as a truck driver who helps his friend Wang Chi rescue his fiancée from supernatural villains. While the film was originally seen as contentious and stereotypical, it has since become an AsianAmerican cult classic celebrated for its campy upending of Hollywood norms.
MODERN SHAMAN (Test Screening of unreleased in progress TV pilot) – Oct 10, 6pm in Ingraham 206
**Director Gregory Yang in attendance
An absurd and satirical dramedy about a young Hmong American shaman who must balance his work as a spiritual healer for his community and his newfound interest in acting.
ABOVE AND BELOW THE GROUND (2023) – Oct 16, 5pm Ingraham 206
Documentary, 86 min
**Director Emily Hong will virtually attend
In Myanmar’s first and only country-wide environmental movement, Indigenous women activists and punk rock pastors defend a sacred river from a Chinese-built megadam through protest, prayer, and karaoke music videos.