September 2010 Archives
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How Integrated is Your City? | Maps of Integration
By Justin Ko
For many Vancouver residents, the relative integration of racial minorities in our neighborhoods seems to be a condition we take for granted. Canada as a whole has championed multiculturalism as an official policy for years, even though, of course, there are still several fairly segregated areas throughout the country. It has thus far been difficult for the statistics of race integration in cities to be made available to the public in a format that is visually engaging and comprehensive, however, in any country.
To that end Eric Fischer, inspired by cartographer Bill Rankin's racial map of Chicago, has established a website which includes fascinating maps of the top 40 American cities, each one showing the proportion and location of racial demographics. Different colored dots indicate different racial groups. As can be seen by the website, there are several cities, such as Detroit and Washington, which are very divided to this day on racial lines, with whites for instance typically occupying the West End almost exclusively while blacks occupy the East. However, other areas, such as the San Francisco Bay Area, are more integrated, with no one minority dominating the area in the South Bay.
Check out the site if you are intrigued by the makeup of a city by racial demographics! Even though no Canadian cities are included, it is still a fascinating way to reflect upon the division that may or may not exist in our modern society.
Posted by Justin Ko | September 30, 2010 | Comments (0)
Spray-on clothing
By Angela Jung
I spray to hold my hair, I spray to give myself a glowing tan, but now I can spray on clothing? London's particle engineer, Paul Luckham, and fashion designer, Manel Torres, have combined forces to reinvent clothing as we know it.
The next time your friend compliments you on your garment, you can say "Thanks! I sprayed it!"
The technology is here. Inside the aerosol can are cotton fibers, polymers and a solvent to form a liquid that becomes fabric once sprayed. You can spray directly onto your skin, and spray as much as you want to create the desired thickness.
Notably, just as you normally wash and care for your clothing, you can wash and wear the spray-on clothing again and again. But unlike normal clothing -- which was so 2009 -- it can be transformed into a new item once it is dissolved with the solvent.
Sounds far-fetched? Watch this video and see for yourself:
What do you think? Would you try your own creation that's made in a matter of minutes?
Posted by Angela Jung | September 28, 2010 | Comments (2)Tags: Europe, Fashion, Technology
Musician K'Naan A No Show | Management Called Cancelation
By Jocelyn Gan
Canadian musician K'Naan, whose song "Wavin' Flag" was the theme of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, was scheduled to take the stage last Tuesday night at a charity concert at SFU. But due to last minute negotiations that fell through between event organizers and the artist's management, "K'naan waited in his limo and refused to take the stage".
The charity concert, organized by SFU Club I Vision One World was held on International Peace Day to raise scholarship funds for girls that live in rural Ghana. I Vision One World was provided with an undisclosed amount of money by SFU and the Simon Fraser Student Society to finance the concert, in hopes that ticket sales would repay those funds.
When K'Naan did not come on stage, many fans that were anticipating a show were left very disappointed.
Like any artist that uses Twitter, K'Naan tweeted in his defense: "The student union, whom I trust meant well ... have been taken for a ride by a charitable sub group. In response, the students are angry."
K'Naan's booking agent, Paquin Entertainment, released a statement saying that it was I Vision One World "broke key contractual obligations" and was more than 50% short of the financial agreement, which lead to his management team's decision to cancel the performance. The statement also said that the musician had nothing to do with the decision and that he was not even present when the decision was made.
Whatever the reason was for the cancellation, I would hope that money was not the deciding factor in ditching out of a charity show.
Posted by Jocelyn Gan | September 27, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Events, Jocelyn Gan, Music
Steven Colbert a Mexican farm worker for a day
By Michelle Pham
As European nations and America rely more and more on immigrant or 'guest' workers to fuel their economies, the discussion over workers' rights has been of prominent debate over the past few years.
In America, many of the immigrant workers hail from Mexico and are provided with few benefits and no rights.
Steven Colbert was asked to speak in Washington, D.C. at an immigration hearing due to his experience as one of the 16 Americans who signed up for the United Farm Workers' (UFW) of America job experience day. UFW allowed Colbert and the other 15 participants to experience what working in a farm was like in upstate New York.
When asked in Congress by Rep. Lamar Smith (R) Texas, how much the workers were paid, Colbert replied, "I don't know. I didn't do a good enough job to get paid, so I can't compare my salary to anyone. I was actually asked to leave."
Enjoy Colbert and his witty self!
Tags: Comedy, Commentary, Diversity, Television
VAFF 2010 Call for Submissions | MAMM6 Winners Announced!
By Gayatri Bajpai
The sixth annual Mighty Asian Movie-Making Festival fell during August 7-16, and the top three winners have been announced! Produced by the Vancouver Asian Film Festival, it drew six teams consisting of film school students and those already working in the industry with various levels of experience. And we're proud to say that Schema's very own Matthew Tsang of Silent T Productions directed 'Wine and Cheese', the movie that made second place! You can watch the trailer here, and catch the whole film at VAFF 2010.
In first place was 'Ko-Ni-Chi-Wa', directed by Jonas Salzberg and produced by Before Midnight Productions, and in third place was 'The Reward', directed by Lau Tin Pak of Ying Wah Films. Congratulations to all the winners!!
VAFF has announced:
The top three placed films screen at VAFF the same year, and qualifying contest entries are aired as a programmed special presentation on SMC and Shaw TV.
So go get your tickets at www.vaff.org!
VAFF 2010 is going to be on from November 4 to 7. This October the festival is calling for 30 second commercial submissions that answer the question "What's your COMBINASIAN?"
The three winners of the competition, along with the example footage, will become the official Vancouver Asian Film Festival commercials, reaching an audience of over 3000 viewers.
Prizes include:
- Top Commercial chosen by VAFF & SHAW will win $500
- Ever been on TV? Your commercial will be showcased on SHAW TV during the month leading up to the Vancouver Asian Film Festival.
- Ever had your stuff shown in a theatre? Your commercial will be shown on rotation before every screening throughout VAFF from November 4-7th at Tinseltown and Praxis Theatres.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE : October 8, 2010, 6 p.m. PDT
SUBMISSION DEADLINE October 15, 2010, 6 p.m. PDT
Full contest details and regulations at: vaff.org/30sec
Sponsored by:
MIND YOUR BID-NESS:
On August 25th, Mind Your BidNess, a massively hot auction of people, goods, and services, took over the Biltmore Cabaret in an unforgettable fundraiser for the Vancouver Asian Film Festival. Emcees Kevin Lim of Virgin Radio 95.3, and Pennylane Shen, VAFF's Event Coordinator and Programmer, hosted the raucous live auction portion of the evening, where attendees bid on participants offering everything from graffiti lessons and personalized artwork to restaurant tours and chocolate tastings.
For those too shy to raise their live bidding paddles, a silent auction - which included teeth whitening, restaurant packages, and Canucks tickets - and tables of prizes that only required single raffle tickets for chances to win, allowed for premium participation regardless. DJ Tyler Fedchuck provided the soundtrack for this epic night, which raised over $4000 for VAFF projects and initiatives! A BIG thank-you to everyone who came out and helped make the evening such a great success, especially all the donors, live auction participants, bidders, and volunteers.
Posted by Gayatri Bajpai | September 24, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Film, Film Festival, Gayatri Bajpai
9h | Kyoto Capsule Hotel
By Adrian Bailon
Japanese capsule hotels are infamous for being tiny and cramped, but in busy Japanese urban centres where space is limited and there are plenty of businessmen who like to have more than a couple of drinks on weeknights, there is definitely a need for these affordable and convenient sleeping quarters.
Capsule hotels, like the one pictured above, are a kind of hotel in Japan where instead of rooms, guests sleep in individual-sized sleeping spaces (think the size of a refrigerator). For an average-sized person, they're actually not that bad -- and most of the individual capsules even have their own mini-TV set and radio. And for as low as 2000 yen (roughly $20) per night, who can really complain? Still, capsule hotels traditionally are known for their convenience, and not their luxuriousness.
9h, a new capsule hotel in Kyoto, is attempting to change people's perceptions of what it means to stay in a capsule hotel. Named for the average amount of time a visitor would normally spend in a capsule hotel, 9h was designed by Fumie Shibata in a purely black and white colour palette to symbolize night and morning. This theme runs from the interiors, to the towels and toiletries, to the pajamas and slippers guests are provided with while staying. The look is so clean and sophisticated that 9h seems more like an Apple product than it does a hotel.
9h works so well from concept to execution because every detail was thought-out and carefully considered, from the moment a guest walks into the front doors. The 9h idea is a great re-design of something that most people would never have considered re-designing in the first place -- but now that it's done, it totally makes sense. It's high-design for the masses. After all, with the success of affordable - but stylish - fashion retailers like H&M and Uniqlo, cheap does not necessarily have to equate to unattractive.
Check out the website for more information about the design and concept, as well as to book your nine hours' stay the next time you're in Kyoto.
Posted by Adrian Bailon | September 23, 2010 | Comments (0)
Silas B | The Bavubuka Foundation
By Justin Ko
Many Canadians musicians, most notably the Somali-Canadian rapper K'Naan, are exploring their roots in Africa and addressing the issues that afflict much of the continent. The country of Uganda, however, is one that does not receive as much attention globally as certain other African nations. The Toronto-raised, Vancouver-based Ugandan Silas "Babaluku" has aimed to change that through his innovative music and his Bavubuka Foundation, which celebrates his native Ugandan culture through the support of the arts.
Silas, in particular, is known for performing hip-hop music in the native Ugandan language of Luganda. In this manner he formed his own genre, known as "Luga Flow." After returning to Uganda from Vancouver five years ago, he has concentrated on furthering his Foundation and strengthening the youth culture of Uganda, which possesses the highest percentage of youth of any country in the world. He may in fact be returning to Vancouver in the coming year.
Check out Silas's music in his own language of Luganda here!
Posted by Justin Ko | September 24, 2010 |
International Peace Day
By Michelle Pham
As International Peace Day is celebrated around the world. Schema's Michelle Pham asks youth around the world about their definition of peace.
As an Albanian living in Kosovo during the Kosovo War, I have seen a first-hand account of how war can tear a society apart. Peace is often taken for granted in countries unaffected by war - but it is a precious thing. Peace is harmony and respect.
-Enika Bushi - International Relations Coordinator, Eurosapiens Youth Association in Rome
Peace to me is an ideal. It's not really possible, but it's important to strive for in whatever form it takes, internally or in a global-conflicts-sort of way.
-Ian Nakamoto - Emily Carr Arts Student, Vancouver
Peace is when there is a great tolerance in human beings; when the majority respects the minority and when everyone has freedom of choice and equal rights. We can foster peace simply by respecting all friends that come from different religions, nationalities and ethnic backgrounds.
-Nastiti Unami - Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia,
Understanding different perspectives and viewpoints. The most important thing is being able to have empathy. We should agree to disagree and that's okay as long as the dissent is focused on the argument and not the person.
-Colin Siu - University of British Columbia, Vancouver
Peace is freedom of expression and living without fear of conflict - it's also an idealistic state of world. A long as there's the conflict of competition, it's not possible to have peace. It's something people have been trying to figure out for a long time; thus came Marxism, Communism and Capitalism. In my opinion, the Cold War is everlasting.
-Dami Lee - Germany
Peace for me is more like equality. When the rich and powerful are not oppressing the poor. When people stop being selfish and exploit others. When we stop destroying the planet. Through awareness and charity, perhaps we can foster more peace. Nevertheless, it would still be difficult since it's human nature to care for oneself first. We do all want it - we understand what we have to pay for it, yet we aren't willing to give up what we have to achieve it.
-Steven Cheng - Duke University, United States of America
Peace is a mix of idealism and realism. Conflict as a whole is something that we have to learn to deal with. Peace on the other hand, is where conflict is resolved with non-violent solutions. For example, despite the fact that the country where I'm living is technically at 'war', I feel more at peace, and more safe on the streets late at night here than I have ever in any country before. THAT is how I believe we can begin to foster world peace. Small steps, people going abroad, visiting cities/countries where physical violence is not an everyday occurrence, and feel the sense of ease that residents are able to live their lives with on a daily basis.
-Jacob Kalmakoff - Seoul National University, Korea
Tags: Activism, Commentary, International, Politics, Religion
Public Dreams 25th Birthday & Fundraiser
By Jocelyn Gan
This Friday September 24, Public Dreams and NADATOO.COM present THE event fundraiser of the year: Public Dreams 25th Birthday Party! In honour of the 25th anniverary of Public Dreams, they are throwing a celebration that will be unlike no other. With W2 Storyeum as the backdrop, the night will include live music and performances, art installations, an indoor labyrinth, raffle and prizes for the best silver-themed costume.
The line-up for the night includes Pacifika, DJ Timothy Wisdom, DJ Lady Lane, DJ Gudz--and more! Also featuring art pieces and installations by Karen Rubkiewicz, Jill Patrick, Kelsey Bowman, and Serenne Romanycia.
The fundraiser is all about saving the Parade of Lost Souls, a Vancouver Halloween institution of 15 years, that was canceled last year due to a lack of funding. Public Dreams wants to ensure that doesn't happen again.
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased here or at the following record stores:
Neptoon Records, 3561 Main Street, 604-324-1229, www.neptoon.com
RedCat Records, 4332 Main Street, 604-708-9422, www.redcat.ca
Audiopile, 2016 Commercial Drive, 604-253-7453, www.audiopile.com
Highlife, 1317 Commercial Drive, 604-251-6964, www.highlifeworld.com
Vinyl Records, 319 W. Hastings, 604-488-1234, www.vinylrecords.ca
For more information about the event, please visit the Public Dreams website.
Celebrating 25 Years from Public Dreams on Vimeo.
Posted by Jocelyn Gan | September 20, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Events, Fundraiser
Taryn Zhang New York
By Angela Jung
What do you do when your mother and mother-in-law nag you about having babies? You give birth to a new handbag company. At least, that's what Sunny Woan did when she created Taryn Zhang New York, a line of handbags, briefcases and accessories for young professional women.
Each Taryn Zhang New York bag is designed with the professional women in mind: the bag is sophisticated for the office, conferences and meetings; and the cut is elegant and feminine for cocktail parties, outings and dates.
Not only is each of the Taryn Zhang pieces stunning, but they each represent a personality trait of an alpha female:
"She is the Workaholic, the one with an unbeatable tenacious work ethic. She is the Precisionist, an objective straight-shooter; the Executive, the leader of the pact, a figure of authority; and the Ambitionist, strong in her desire for achievement. She is the Catalyst, an accelerant for change; and of course she is the Peripatetic, always on the go, an active intellectual spirit." From Taryn Zhang
Sunny Woan knows how to cater to her clientele. She is a fierce corporate woman herself after all! Unlike most fashion designers who attended textile classes, she spent her university years studying law. Now she's a corporate attorney; founder and managing editor of Kartika Review, an Asian American literary journal; and of course, she designs handbags and accessories.
To learn more about Taryn Zhang New York, visit their website: www.tarynzhang.com
Posted by Angela Jung | September 22, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Asian American, Fashion
Nihon Buyoh Classes by TomoeArts | Wednesdays, Sept. 22-Nov. 24
By Joy Inae Kim
Are you a dancer, actor or do you simply have an interest in Japanese dance or culture? Starting Wednesday, September 22, TomoeArts is offering a fantastically cool opportunity to learn Nihon Buyoh, a traditional Japanese dance.
Nihon Buyoh Classes by TomoeArts
Sept. 22-Nov. 24 (Wednesday)|
Beginners 6:30-7:30; Intermediate 7:30-8:30
Japanese United Church (3 weeks) and 45 West (7 weeks)|
Cost: $150.00 + $35 fan purchase (plus HST)
If you're not familiar with Nihon Buyoh think Japanese Kabuki theatre and the dance of geisha. Nihon Buyoh is a musical artform that goes all the way back to the 17th century with the origination of Kabuki theatre. It combines music with storytelling, character, pantomimic gesture and virtuoso movement patterns.
This 10-week introductory course offers participants an opportunity to learn an introduction to the female (onnagata) and male (otokogata) form through one or two short dances. Classes will be taught in English with some Japanese available. An overview of the history of kabuki dance and nihon buyoh will be incorporated into the class as well.
If you're hesitant because you have little to no dance experience, have no fear: no previous dance experience is required. Be aware though that participants are required to wear tabi (Japanese split-toed socks) or white socks and, if possible, a yukata (cotton kimono).
For more information contact: 604.607.5978 or info@tomoearts.org
Posted by Joy | September 17, 2010 | Comments (0)
VSFF | George
By Gayatri Bajpai
George
DIR Jason Riley
10 min | Singapore
Will be shown this year at the Vancouver Singapore Film Festival, which will take place over September 17th and 18th. The venue will be the Vancouver International Film Centre.
George is innovatively filmed to capture the jerkiness of memory and consciousness. The title character tries to recover a missing bit of information that a faceless 'they' has kept from him. We receive hints that it has to do with his childhood and a little boy follows him as he attempts to search his past. George is obsessive about videotaping his thoughts and recording everything that happens. He has fits of rage where he drags the tapes off his shelves and unwinds them. Something is always missing and he can't recover it. He is prone to vomiting and writes with the contents of his own innards, pushing his finger through the puke to form a word.
George must have been a lonely child. So his recollections seem to hint. But there was also some deeper trauma, and at some point he must either recover his memory or learn to live with what has happened. Just as he seems to be losing his last bits of sanity, we wonder if there is any hope for George. Definitely worth watching for the actor's stellar performance, and the special effects put together by the Emily Carr team of artists.
Posted by Gayatri Bajpai | September 16, 2010 | Comments (0)
Tags: Film, Film Festival, Gayatri Bajpai, Singapore
VSFF | The Fish and the Ring
By Gayatri Bajpai
The Fish and the Ring
DIR Eruinna Cahyadi
4 min | Singapore
Will be shown this year at the Vancouver Singapore Film Festival, which will take place over September 17th and 18th. The venue will be the Vancouver International Film Centre.
The Fish and the Ring is a short film that for me, oddly enough, visually recalls the styles of Waking Life and even Salad Fingers, the Youtube sensation, with its shaky lines and good ol' fashioned 2D animation. But the narrative is worlds away from either. A little old man sits solitary by the sea on the shores of his tiny island. As he feeds a fish, his ring flies off his finger and drops into the water, where the fish swallows it and eventually carries it to a little old lady living on her own island. By happy accident, the fish brings back memories for both isolated people and links their paths irreversibly.
Heartwarming to watch, this animated short is professionally put together, while retaining a touch of rawness. I was particularly blown away by the visual style of the film and enjoyed its lack of dialogue. The expressions of human surprise, longing and delight are all the more touching somehow when wordless.
Posted by Gayatri Bajpai | September 16, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Film, Film Festival, Gayatri Bajpai, Singapore
VSFF | My Sister's Secret
By Gayatri BajpaiMy Sister's Secret
DIR Lim Jia Yun
15 min | Singapore
Will be shown this year at the Vancouver Singapore Film Festival, which will take place over September 17th and 18th. The venue will be the Vancouver International Film Centre.
Like Happy Place, this film offers up a fantastical world from the point of view of a young child struggling with a real world that makes little sense and transforming it with imagination in order to cope. At times comical, at times bordering on horror film material, My Sister's Secret looks through a little girl's eyes at a series of events that could seem horrific: her older sister 'having blood' and a teenage love affair that the little girl believes will have resulted in her sister's pregnancy.
Posted by Gayatri Bajpai | September 14, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags:
VSFF | Life With Ummu
By Gayatri Bajpai
Life With Ummu
DIR Tanya Lai
11 min 52 sec | Singapore
Will be shown this year at the Vancouver Singapore Film Festival, which will take place over September 17th and 18th. The venue will be the Vancouver International Film Centre.
Life with Ummu explores one family's experience of caring for a child with autism. Ummu, the girl with the disability, has a sort of autism which makes her obsessive and often antisocial. She must put away clothes in drawers that her mother eventually takes to keeping locked. Her speech is impaired, her communication often in vehement but meaningless syllables when she is frustrated, and her gestures forceful. She is a physically healthy and strong young woman, to her father's relief, but mentally and emotionally 'maladjusted', to her mother's despair.
What is most interesting about the film is how it brings out the characters of those around Ummu, while her own perspective is unknown, except as we can guess from her behaviour. Her relatives' ways of dealing with her are their own immune responses to what is largely considered a condition in today's society: having a 'disabled' child.
Ummu's aunt has nothing but pity for her sister, hoping that Ummu's mother will eventually be relieved by a cure and trusting that God will reward her for her patience. Ummu's mother herself finds solace in religion and beams because her daughter is soothed by readings from the Quran. Ummu's little sister, perky and articulate, hopes that her older sibling will grow up to be just like her--'normal'--even if she must be different while she grows into her normalcy. Ummu's father seems most relaxed about his daughter's condition, advising his wife not to escalate her daughter's frustration with her own. He seems largely cheerful about the situation, but then again, that could be because he is not the one staying at home dealing with it.
The documentary offers a frank look at a difficult situation for a particular family, unembarrassed in probing for blunt admissions of frustration and capturing on camera some of the family's (especially Ummu's) most private moments, including her fits of rage. While the film does not make any diagnoses or prescribe any solution, allowing the subjects to tell their story, one does wonder how Ummu herself feels about being, at times, a condition for her family, despite their very best efforts.
Posted by Gayatri Bajpai | September 16, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Film, Film Festival, Gayatri Bajpai, Singapore
Ties that Bind | A Virtual Exhibit
By Justin Ko
The history of the Canadian Pacific Railway is well known to have solidified the rise of British Columbia, and Vancouver in particular, as a prosperous region in post-colonial Canada. More than linking the country from sea to sea, it also played a symbolic role in cementing the West Coast as an integral part of the nation. However, the contribution of Chinese workers to the railroad construction, and the legacy of their descendants, has for a long time been a relatively unheralded aspect of our city's past.
The Ties that Bind: Building the CPR, Building a Place in Canada is an online virtual exhibit that aims to change that. The website explores the history of Chinese Canadians from their presence in Canada before Confederation, through more than 60 years of legislated discrimination under the Head Tax and the Exclusion Act. Utilizing archival evidence and research of the men who came from China for employment under the railroad,Ties that Bind attempts to serve justice for the descendants of head tax payers and the Chinese-Canadian community at large. Many second or third generation Chinese Canadians remain largely unaware of the perilous circumstances and hardships of their ancestors; hopefully this project will shed some light on a difficult and obscure issue in our country's past.
The site, created and built by Brad Lee, also possesses an audio gallery and a teacher's guide for educational purposes. Check out the site here!
Posted by Justin Ko | September 16, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Events
VSFF | Epiphany
By Gayatri BajpaiEpiphany
DIR Han Xuemei
23 min 30 sec | Singapore
Will be shown this year at the Vancouver Singapore Film Festival, which will take place over September 17th and 18th. The venue will be the Vancouver International Film Centre.
As a jilted teenage girl thinks about committing suicide on a rooftop, a man deals with being left behind while his daughter emigrates with his ex-wife, and an old lady finds it hard to accept the empty home her air hostess daughter has her in.Their stories intertwine in ways unbeknownst to them, resulting in a series of coincidences a la Crash or Babel.
Tags: Film, Film Festival, Gayatri Bajpai, Singapore
VSFF | Contained
By Gayatri Bajpai
Contained
DIR Harry Zhuang, Henry Zhuang,
4 min 24 sec | Singapore
Will be shown at the upcoming Vancouver Singaporean Film Festival. The festival, which takes place over September 17th and 18th, will be held at the Vancouver International Film Centre.
One of my personal favourites, Contained is a claymation piece that just can't quite be pinned down. A creature that looks something like a man lives on an island in a black container under a tree. He waters a plant on his windowsill, but every time it gets a bit breezy outside the flower suffers from the onslaught. It loses petals and wilts. You can tell it is of utmost importance to him that this fragile fauna be kept alive. It's almost as if his entire purpose is to protect it as he desperately waters it.
The loneliness, the despair, and the precarious descent into hopelessness on the horizon of this creature's strange existence somehow found my sympathy. Contained reaches into the depths of isolated consciousness. It's a bit of a dark, weird place where everything is in a state of flux, sporadic growths sprouting from the creature's head, and the tree growing roots from its branches to keep the island stable, one thing metamorphosing into another without warning. What can be contained in the face of change?
Posted by Gayatri Bajpai | September 16, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Asian Canadian, Film Festival, Gayatri Bajpai, Singapore
VSFF | Happy Place
By Gayatri Bajpai
Happy Place
DIR Jeevan Nathan,
10:01 min | Singapore
Will be shown at the upcoming Vancouver Singaporean Film Festival. The festival, which takes place over September 17th and 18th, will be held at the Vancouver International Film Centre.
Happy Place is a film that deals with the 'heavy' in a visually fantastical way. A little boy called Daniel seeks to rescue his sister Victoria from the clutches of an unnamed evil in the form of a mysterious woman, who we see only in silhouette. The "evil" keeps little Victoria in an attic, making her sick and forcing her to work. She loses her appetite. Her hands bleed and bruise. Daniel sneaks into the dark house in which his sister resides and whisks her away with the power of his imagination to a fantasy world he calls the 'Happy Place'. The two find joy and escape, but even their time in the Happy Place must come to an end.
Happy Place deals in metaphor with sickness and death, but the metaphor does not bury the literal meaning too deeply, especially when the narrator explains it in the epilogue at the end of the film. Its sheer visual richness and beauty soften the curse of lapsing into cliche that often comes with movies like this. It is a treat for the eyes reminiscent of movies in the genre of Lemony Snicket and "Alice in Wonderland".
Preceeding Epiphany and other shorts.
Posted by Gayatri Bajpai | September 16, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Film, Film Festival, Gayatri Bajpai, Singapore
35th Toronto International Film Festival | Lee Changdong's Poetry
By Manori Ravindran
Lee Changdong presented his film, Poetry, at The 35th Toronto International Film Festival to a packed audience of industry professionals, media, and cinephiles. Snaked around the theatre foyer, the eager audience awaited one of the season's most critically acclaimed features, still fresh from winning Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival last spring.
Changdong, a novelist and screenwriter who turned to directing later in life, is no stranger to international acclaim. In 1997, Changdong's first feature, Green Fish, won awards at both the Rotterdam and Vancouver International Film Festivals. In 2002, Oasis received several accolades at the Venice Film Festival. The director has become one of Korea's brightest talents and Poetry, Changdong's fifth film as a director, is perhaps his greatest achievement yet.
After a young girl's lifeless body is found floating downstream, Mija (Jeong-hee Yoon), a woman suffering from Alzheimer's Disease, is made aware of the girl's unsettling connection to her grandson, Jongwook (Da-wit Lee). In order to save her grandson's future, Mija must find the money to pay a large settlement, all the while haunted by Jongwook's crime and her own encroaching illness. In the end, it is an assignment for a poetry class - to produce a single poem - that gives Mija the courage to rediscover both the beauty and the treachery of life around her.
Changdong's title is no mistake. Poetry, eloquently paced and quietly moving, is absorbed like a sonnet slicked off the screen. Poetry provides developed characters and a plot so serene you swear the screenplay must be a product of measured verse. In fact, it was not surprising when, during a Question and Answer period following the Toronto screening, Changdong explained that the film's ending necessitates interpretation by the audience who must unravel for themselves, like any good poem, the film's meaning.
Best of all, perhaps, is a flawless performance by Jeong-hee Yoon as Mija. Yoon was a popular actor in Korea in the sixties and seventies but took on fewer roles after marriage. She eventually retired in the mid-nineties but came out of retirement to complete Poetry, her first film in sixteen years. A delight on screen, Yoon presents a character so burdened by forces outside of her control, one would understand if she collapsed under the weight of it. However, Yoon, in a rich, layered performance, helps us understand that salvation lies in the tranquil moments with pen and paper in between the calamities of life.
Changdong's Poetry occasionally meanders, but the characters and situations befalling Mija in her quest to write a poem and save her family are enough to engage an audience from curtains to credits.
Poetry will be playing at the 2010 Vancouver International Film Festival on October 3rd, 4th, and 7th. For details on how to buy tickets, please visit VIFF.org.
Posted by Manori Ravindran | September 18, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Film Festival, Korea, VIFF 2010
Dogs: Inspired by Gaga
By Jocelyn Gan
Gaga ooh la bow wow? There is no limit when it comes to creating outfits inspired by Lady Gaga. From old to young, it seems that Gaga has managed the spark the fashionista in all of us. One San Francisco photographer is taking it to the next level when it comes to channeling the pop star's over the top fashion statements. With The Doggie Gaga Project, photographer Jesse Freidin photographs man's best friend dressed in outlandish Gaga inspired outfits.
Freidin took two of the last remaining packs of Polaroid film in the world to create a series of hilarious, unique, and fun pictures to celebrate all that is instant photography, creativity, and of course dogs! The series features some of Gaga's most iconic outfits, as well as some of the cutest mutts around!
From an interview with The Globe and Mail, Freidlin explains the process behind matching the outfit with the pooch:
"We chose the outfits we wanted to do and tailored them to the dogs we thought would do best with them," Mr. Freidin explained. For example, Pancake's tall, red hat expresses the big personality inside the little dog, while Gunther the pit bull was able to get in touch with his inner diva by sporting Gaga's disco-ball getup.
Freidin's work has been featured on Regis and Kelly, Animal Planet, MuchMusic, American Idol, and MTV.
Posted by Jocelyn Gan | September 13, 2010 | Comments (1)Tags: Funny, Jocelyn Gan
Kazuo Ishiguro : Never Let me Go - coming to theatres.
By Michelle Pham
While I was in Italy this summer, I stumbled upon "Never Let me Go" in the bookcase of the room I was staying in. It had the 'buy two, get one free' sticker stamped across its cover and had been purchased at Waterstone's - a chain bookstore in the UK and Europe.
Since there are few things to do on a 16 hour flight and a night at the airport in Istanbul, I brought the book along with me and delved into it as the clock ticked further and further into the night.
"Never Let me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro is a sublime insight into the a dystopian world of humans who are extremely scientifically and technologically advanced. It makes a commentary on the foundation and stability of our morals as well as the ethics of science. Set in post World War II, the characters of this book live in a society that seems very familiar to us, but is strikingly not quite like anything we know.
By then, cancer has been cured, transplants are abundant and disease is a foreign concept to humankind. The solution was clones - babies raised to become adults who would reach two phases in their lives. The first would be the carer stage - where they care for the donors who are giving their kidneys and other organs to their 'match' out in the real world. The book illustrates the lives of three students - Ruth, Tommy and Kathy - as they grow up at Hailsham, a seemingly idyllic English boarding school. The purpose of their upbringing and existence is to be donors for a match when they grow older.
Ishiguro's skill at weaving a tapestry of storyteling makes a thought-provoking read about characters in unusual circumstances. The movie will feature internationally acclaimed actresses Kiera Knightley and Carrie Mulligan.
The novel has been named by Time's Magazine as the "Best novel of the decade." Read it - and see it in theatres!
Posted by Michelle Pham | September 11, 2010 | Comments (0)
VSFF | De-Saturated Preview
By Justin Ko
De-Saturated
DIR Su-An Ng
1 min | Canada
Will be shown this year at the Vancouver Singapore Film Festival, which will take place over September 17th and 18th. The venue will be the Vancouver International Film Centre.
Naturally at its abbreviated length, De-Saturated doesn't rely too much on a clearly defined storyline or resolution. Instead, this short animated film includes a lot of interesting graphics in stop motion format, which incorporates food items into statistics and charts that you might see in a food label or a doctor's report. The unnamed narrator discusses the plight of her father, who has to reduce the cholesterol content in his diet despite the tantalizing diversity of Singaporean cuisine. The narrator says rightly that Singapore represents one of the food capitals of the world - adding a distinctly Asian flair to an otherwise universal issue regarding health.
Posted by Justin Ko | September 14, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Animation, Asian Canadian, Film, Film Festival, Singapore
VSFF | Beam
By Justin Ko
Beam
DIR Lee Chee Tian,
15 min | Singapore
Will be shown at the upcoming Vancouver Singaporean Film Festival. The festival, which takes place over September 17th and 18th, will be held at the Vancouver International Film Centre.
Beam concerns a young boy named Tian, played by Ryan Bolin, who suffers from domestic issues with his parents and dealing with the transition from the village life in Singapore to a new school and apartment in the city. Amidst these problems, he forms a unique bond with someone across the street who manages to communicate with him via flashlight 'beams'.
As they play with shadow puppets and wall mazes, using their flashlights, Tian seems to transcend the hard times at his household and finds another realm to immerse himself in. It's worth noting that the director Lawrence Ong manages to bring the best out of the actors in this short film. Despite the film's length, the acting and cinematography are feature-length quality. Beam" promises to be one of the best shorts shown at the festival.
Posted by Justin Ko | September 14, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Film, Film Festival, Singapore
VSFF | Lost Sole
By Justin Ko
Lost Sole
DIR Sanif Olek
Reeljuice Productions
17 min | Singapore
One of three collections of interrelated short films - each at roughly 15 minutes length - that take place in Singapore. Two of them revolve around the Muslim community, however Lost Soles is the only one that will be shown at the Vancouver Singaporean Film Festival. The festival, which takes place over September 17th and 18th, will be held at the Vancouver International Film Centre.
Lost Soles concerns the plight of an elderly man named Haji Sabtu, played by Mahadi Shor, who has misplaced his sandals after attending mosque. He initially bemoans his situation, wondering how on earth he'll get home. After attempting to call his daughter for help and failing to find his sandals, he changes his attitude, buys an ice cream and resolves to walk home barefoot. His struggle to get home mirrors his difficulties navigating the confusing and changing world of the present, and the film becomes deceptively touching by its conclusion.
Posted by Justin Ko | September 14, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Film Festival, Singapore
VSFF | Gophers in Space
By Justin Ko
Gophers in Space
DIR: Shannon Ang
4 minutes, Canada
Gophers in Space is an animated short which will be shown at the upcoming Vancouver Singaporean Film Festival. The festival, which takes place over September 17 and 18th, will be held at the Vancouver International Film Centre.
Gophers in Space showcases both an impressive visual clarity for an Asian animated production and an inventive twist ending so befitting of the genre. Though at times the CGI graphic detail falls short of the high expectations set by colossal studio Disney/Pixar, the synthesizer-heavy soundtrack pays homage to old school video games and arcade culture. Furthermore, the use of the soundtrack makes the visual quality quite appropriate. Music sound designer Raphel Choi's was inspired by video game themes created by Gustav Holst,which is a perfect complement to Ang's production. The gophers themselves, decked out in astronaut gear and preparing for an important launch of some sort, are cute and amusing in their seeming self importance - making the twist ending all the more enjoyable.
Shannon Ang herself will be available on opening night (September 17th) for a question and answer session after the screening of her film, preceding Cowboys in Paradise and shorts.
Posted by Justin Ko | September 14, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Animation, Film, Film Festival, Singapore
Jo Koy coming to Vancouver
By Adrian Bailon
Comedian Jo Koy has come a long way from performing at a Las Vegas coffee house to shows on the Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and his own Comedy Central special "Don't Make Him Angry".
Born in Tacoma, Washington, Jo Koy credits his Filipino mother for his comedic talents. Not only did she encourage him to take part in talent shows and perform in front of friends and family, but many of Jo Koy's jokes are centered on his family and half-Asian background. From a 1.5 generation Filipino Canadian perspective, the jokes involving Jo Koy's mom were especially hilarious because I could see my own parents from his impersonations.
These days, Jo Koy is a regular guest on E!'s Chelsea Lately, while also touring across the US and internationally. His next stop? The Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver on Sunday, September 12, 2010. This is definitely going to be a hilarious night with one of America's top comedians, so don't miss out on seeing him live.
Tickets to Jo Koy's Vancouver show at the Commodore are just $30.00 each, and are available by phone at 604-280-4444, at Ticketmaster Outlets, or on Live Nation. It'll be an adults-only show though, so you have to be over 19 to go.
Posted by Adrian Bailon | September 8, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Comedy, Events, Filipino American
Cowboys in Paradise at Vancouver Singapore Film Festival 2010
By Gayatri Bajpai
VSFF 2010 kicks off on the 17th of September with feature film Cowboys in Paradise about Indonesian male sex-workers who seduce foreign women in search of amour in Bali. Directed by Amit Virmani, the documentary film takes an close-and-personal look at the Kuta cowboys and their international clientele. The Kuta men aren't too keen on being labeled gigolos, and see themselves more as active lovers and pursuers than 'goods'. Some of them are married, some call themselves 'boyfriends' of the women they sleep with. All in all, everyone seems to be having a good time, so is there anything wrong with this picture?
The movie promises some candid glimpses of the apparently cheerful sex-workers with a zest for what they do. It seems to appreciate the human needs that drive this trade between the Balinese man and his female clients, and yet the director made it with full awareness that the age-old profession with its age-old rituals, even when enacted by cheeky Balinese men on idyllic beaches, can still be murky. And maybe what happens in paradise should not just stay in paradise. Perhaps we should have an eye to the romanticization of a profession we otherwise condemn. Says Amit Virmani of a little Indonesian boy he met who wanted to 'sex-service Japanese girls' when he grew up,
Now, the fact that women pay for sex hardly fascinates me as a subject. Prostitution - in any variation - is not new ground for a filmmaker. Also, female sex tourism is common in poor countries and popular beach destinations, and Southeast Asia, where I've lived most of my life, has plenty of both.But this was something else. Why was this boy so eager to get started in the flesh trade? Why was he taking pride in his perceived, future sexual prowess? And what does it say about Paradise, a term I've always eyed with suspicion anyway, when it can only offer its children such limited dreams of the future?
I had to find out. And when I did, I had to make this film.
More: 3rd Annual Vancouver Singapore Film Festival | Cowboys in Paradise
Posted by Gayatri Bajpai | September 7, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Film, Film Festival, Gayatri Bajpai, Singapore
Eco Urinal by Yeongwoo Kim | Cool Design
By Kwaku Adu-Poku
The Eco Urinal, designed by Yeongwoo Kim, is a revelation of sorts. The genius design combines convenience, hygiene, and environmentalism into a sleek one-stop multi-purpose device.
Kim further elaborates the use of the Eco Urinal:
To save water, Eco Urinal is designed to use the water that was used for washing hands to flush the urine. By this process, we don't have to use water twice after using the urinal. Moreover, it reduces the establishment expenses by optimizing the materials. Upper space of this urinal is made with glass, and it helps to secure a clear view for users. It also promotes people to keep their sanitation because people need to wash their hands to flush the urine after use.
Let's face it dudes, a lot of you don't wash your hands. You know who you are, and you should be ashamed of yourselves. I see this going down one of two ways.
One, this could really be the innovation that guilts you into kicking your personal hygiene up a notch, if only due to the sheer convenience of combining both processes. OR, you still won't wash your hands, and since the water used to wash up is what cleans the urinal, using public restrooms will become an even worse experience for all of us. The idea and design are awesome nonetheless.
Tags: Design, Environment
Kizuna Exhibit | Nikkei Place 10th Anniversary Celebration
By Justin Ko
The National Nikkei Museum and Heritage Center in Burnaby has long been a bastion of the local Japanese Canadian community, with a mandate to promote better understanding and appreciation by all Canadians of Japanese Canadian culture and heritage.
On September 10th the Center invites everyone to celebrate with their Kizuna Exhibit and 10th anniversary, which marks an incredible milestone in the contribution of Japanese Canadians to Canadian society through programs, exhibits, publications, services and events.
Performing for the event will be an impressive list of artists and musicians as well as ensembles. This includes Carolyn Chan, Mark Takeshi McGregor, Yota Kobayashi, and Katari Taiko.
Mark McGregor, a flutist, has won numerous honors at Young Artists competitions. He is described as a musician of "huge physical energy," and his performances have received considerable critical acclaim, being described by the press as "mind-blowing" and "verging on the superhuman."
Katari Taiko is a well-established Taiko drumming collective in the BC area, with the goal of developing a form of Asian Canadian culture incorporating discipline, physical strength, grace, and musical creativity.
Yota Kobayashi, an electro-acoustic composer, has an interest in writing music that navigates imaginary soundscapes. Having studied music composition at Simon Fraser, he teaches electronic music at Langara College, while focusing on creating electro-acoustic "tone poems" in mixed media pieces.
Additionally, there will be appetizers served, along with a cash bar. Tickets can be purchased for $10, while members of the Museum have free admittance. Please call 604-777-7000 for more information!
Tags: Events
Yellow Face in Avatar: The Last Airbender
By Gayatri Bajpai
Popular cartoon series Avatar was released as a 3D movie this summer and received abysmal reviews from critics and crowds alike. While the series gets a rating of 9.3 out of 10 in IMDB, M. Night Shyamalan's film version gets a 4.4. One has to wonder if the documentary Yellow Face had anything to do with its failure. Documentarian Han Tang, a drama school graduate, who'd been following the practice of white people getting made up as Asians in Hollywood, had her finger on the collective pulse of Avatar fans and rushed in to record opinions on the blatant whitewashing of their favourite show-turned-movie.
Though Avatar is originally an Asian-American show set in Asia, with an amalgam of Korean, Japanese and Chinese characters, costumes, and martial arts among other East Asian cultural tropes, the movie caste is composed mostly of European-looking people. In fact, the caste was made up and dressed to look more Asian, a practice that echoes the now stigmatized practice of Black Face used by whites in the last century.
A late introduction to the ensemble of actors was Dev Patel, South Asian in ethnicity and of Slumdog Millionaire fame, but there is not one East Asian among the leads, despite the majority of characters in the cartoon obviously having East Asian looks.The others are all of European descent.
Many young fans protested outside the casting call for the movie, carrying signs that clearly conveyed they would like to be their 'own heroes'. What is most damaging about the selection of an all-white lead caste, is that children watching the movie who were fans of the show will recognize that the Asian characters of the latter were not played by Asians. This recognition, whether conscious or not, will likely be internalized by many as the way things have to be, as a professor of Asian Studies points out. A generation of grownups a decade down the line will think and act in ways that are so subtly racist and damaging that they are not even conscious of them.
My favourite part of Yellow Face is when a white man, on discovering that the documentary is about the protest, tells the interviewer that the problem with modernity is its political correctness. The fun has been taken out of everything. He's the perfect example of a white person who has a certain sort of blindness: a blindness to one's own privilege that one takes for the norm. When other people point out that this norm is actually unjust, people like this can't see what the big deal is, because they've never known any other perspective.
White American fans were also angry because the movie director's decision implies that a non-European lead caste will not draw white viewers, grossly underestimating their receptivity to diversity. The document put out to draw actors for Avatar asked for 'Caucasian or any other ethnicity'. Here we have it: Caucasian (or of European descent, as it has come to mean) still counts as the default setting for a normative aesthetic in North America, and, with the "Hollywoodization" of cinema, in many other parts as well. From eye operation ads aimed at recruiting Asian clients in Canada, to 'fairness' creams in South and East Asia, pop culture and media have quite clearly imbibed and marketed the idea that white is heroic, prettier, and just plain superior.
Posted by Gayatri Bajpai | September 7, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Asian, Asian American, Film, Gayatri Bajpai, Race, Television
Chicken Fight | Korean Baseball Players
By Angela JungThese Korean baseball players give a whole new meaning to "chicken fighting." Is this the new era of sport fights? Or just plain funny to witness? There are no words. Just watch this video and you'll understand.
In Korea, there is a game called "chicken fight" where one grabs the ankle of his/her feet and attack one another. And that's what you just witnessed. Go figure!
Posted by Angela Jung | September 9, 2010 | Comments (1)
3D Porn | Made in Hong Kong
By Justin Ko
With the advent of widespread use of 3D technology in films, and recently in television through Samsung's 3DTV, it certainly seems that the 3D trend would soon infiltrate every form of visual media. The option to shoot and distribute a video or film in 3D has been heralded as a radical new approach in the moviegoer experience, with everything from comedies to horror films to epic science fiction thrillers being converted to 3D experiences.
But in May of 2010, a group of Hong Kong filmmakers began creating a 3D production in a genre which by all accounts has thus far remained untapped- the pornographic film industry.
According to the Sunday Morning Post, the 3.2 million-US-dollar film, entitled 3-D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy, which is set for release in May, has already generated interest in a host of Asian film markets, as well as European and American film markets.
The pornographic film industry, like the film industry in general, has had steadily flagging profits and ailing box office numbers over recent years, mostly due to the prevalence of pirated DVD's and file sharing networks.
The Hong Kong filmmakers believe that by making the transition to 3D will inject new life and income into their genre, just as it has with Hollywood movies.
The Morning Post reported that the erotic film will be loosely based on a piece of classical Chinese erotic literature, The Carnal Prayer Mat.
Additionally, the movie will star Japanese adult actresses Yukiko Suo and Saori Har, and will supposedly chronicle the story of a young man who, after being introduced to the erotic world of a duke, realises his ex-wife is the love of his life.
The fact that the first 3D pornographic film is being made in Hong Kong is ironic, since censors from China are nearly guaranteed to block the movie's screening in mainland theaters. Producer Stephen Shiu, however, remained unperturbed, stating that "we are almost closing deals with some markets including Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and pay TV channels in Hong Kong."
Posted by Justin Ko | September 3, 2010 | Comments (0)
Japan Introduces A New Era of Vending Machines
By Adrian Bailon
When it comes to technology, there are many things the Japanese do very, very well: mobile phones, cameras, cars, TV's -- the list can go on and on. One of the often overlooked advanced technological devices in Japan? Vending machines.
To say Japan has mastered the art and science of vending machines would be an understatement. There are vending machines over there for just about everything. From hot corn soup to cigarettes, vending machine makers in Japan have now taken things to the next level with touch-screen vending machines. What better way to enjoy the process of buying a drink than by combining it with the joy many of us have when using an iPhone?
And as if touch-screen technology weren't enough, the vending machines also have cameras installed in them where a computer assesses your age and gender to help give recommendations on what to buy. The way it works is that if the vending machine detects a woman, then tea or bottled water is suggested. If you're a young man, the computer will recommend a sports drink or bottled water. It does have its limitations though - as the video above demonstrates, when a person's eyes are blocked by dark sunglasses, the computer has trouble detecting the age and gender and therefore can't make a suggestion.
It's all pretty crazy stuff. Next time you're in Tokyo stop by Shinagawa Station to try it out!
Posted by Adrian Bailon | September 3, 2010 | Comments (0)Tags: Japan, Technology
Green Sapphire Imports | Brazilian Eco-jewellery
By Angela Jung
Green Sapphire imports and sells Brazilian eco-jewellery with environmental and community sustainability in mind, and it is making its North American debut in Vancouver. With Vancouver's first Eco Fashion Week coming up in a month, it is time to start thinking green.
The owner of Green Sapphire imports, Regina Landin Noppè, aims to make the world a better place by promoting ecologically sound harvesting and sustainability. As a result of their many efforts to preserve the Amazon, they are also helping to create sustainable communities in Brazil.
As Regina Landim Noppè says:
"I decided to introduce the Green Sapphire by Patricia Moura Biojoias collection to Vancouver because of its eco-philosophy and exotic appeal. Patricia Moura's eco-jewelry infuses the local economy with profits from seed jewelry sales, giving a real reason for people to protect the forest. I feel that Vancouver is a market that responds well to sustainability and fashion."
You may find the Green Sapphire by Patricia Moura collection available exclusively in Vancouver, B.C. at Body Politic, Jeweliette Jewelry, and Tenth & Proper.
Tags: Environment, Fashion
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