Hi all,

Thanks for joining me on this journey!  As many of you know, I've been the CAAMFest Superfan for 12 years now.  Here are my latest blogposts, and be sure to follow me on Facebook and Twitter (below) to keep up to date on all the latest.  This newsletter only comes once every few months, with a special CAAMFest edition.  Here are the latest MEMOIRS OF A SUPERFAN (MOSF) blog posts!!!  And some film recs!

MOSF 12.5:  MAKE AMERICA

THE TIGER HUNTER directed by Lena Khan and starring Danny Pudi (Community) will be released this fall.  Read about CAAMFest's Opening Night Film and its narratives of immigration and success.

MOSF 12.4:  CRAZY POOR ASIANS

This overview spans some of the wonderful films I previewed before the start of the festival.

MOSF 12.3:  YOKO OKUMURA AND "SIT"

An interview with the director of one of my favorite short films, touching on Buddhism, family, and finding your place in life.  Okumura's short film can also be viewed on her website, where you can also watch several of her other great films.

MOSF 12.2:  IF LIFE IS SHORTS, THE ART IS LONG

A roundup of this year's selection of short films, one of the strongest overall years in memory.

MOSF 12.1:  YEAR OF THE ROOSTER, #STAYWOKE

My annual Lunar New Year opener to the festival series.  

Here are my top recommendations this year (but it's all soooo good!!!)!

1.  ABACUS: SMALL ENOUGH TO JAIL - Steve James’ (HOOP DREAMS, LIFE ITSELF) fantastic doc about the only bank, a Chinese American bank, prosecuted after the 2008 financial crisis.  Jiayang Fan wrote about this issue in The New Yorker.

2.  Mental health related:  many shorts (SEE MOSF 12.2), including THIS WAY TO WONDERLAND, about depression, and FEAR (featuring psychologist Zenglo Chen’s story of depression and the Cultural Revolution) featured in DIS/SPACE/MENT

3.  Health related

MIXED MATCH - about bone marrow/stem cell donation

THE PEOPLE’S HOSPITAL - about Chinese Hospital in SF; plays with Caregiving: Circle of Love

HARMONIUM - Koji Fukada's great film starring Tadanobu Asano features a disabled character

KU KANAKA - about a paraplegic Hawai’ian activist

4.  Closing Night's film on THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT promises to be necessary and timely in this age of travel bans and deportations.

5.  Sandra Oh voices the title character in the animated centerpiece film WINDOW HORSES:  THE POETIC PERSIAN EPIPHANY OF ROSIE MING

Have a great spring!  Hope to see you at the Movies!

Best,

Ravi