VC/LAAPFF Films to Watch this Summer!

Summer is winding down, and we at Visual Communications know you're looking for some films to watch while you're trying to stay cool from the hot sun. Check out the following films that have screened at our Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival that you can catch either in theaters or on digital platforms!

COLUMBUS, directed by Kogonada

John Cho & beautiful architecture. What more could you want? Our Closing Night feature of LAAPFF2017, this film was released theatrically on August 11th in various cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. Find a screening here.

GOOK, directed by Justin Chon (Samuel Goldwyn Films)

Winner of multiple LAAPFF2017 awards and our LAAPFF2017 Centerpiece presentation, GOOK is about two Korean American brothers (Justin Chon & David So) who strike up a friendship with an African American girl during the 1992 LA Uprising. GOOK opens in Los Angeles starting August 18th and other cities on August 25th. Find a screening here.

GRASS, directed by Tanuj Chopra (Comedy Dynamics)

Winner of LAAPFF2016 for Best Editing, director Tanuj Chopra reinvents stoner cinema with this hilarious, "Broad City-esque" female arthouse comedy, starring Emily C. Chang and Pia Shah. The film will be available on Playstation, iTunes, Google Play, Steam, and other online platforms staring August 29th.

TYRUS, directed by Pamela Tom (PBS)

Winner of the LAAPFF2016 "Visual Communications Founders" award, TYRUS tells the story of Tyrus Wong (1910-2016), America’s oldest living Chinese American artist and one of the last remaining artists from the golden age of Disney animation. Learn about the role he played on the Disney animated classic BAMBI in AMERICAN MASTERS: TYRUS, premiering nationwide September 8th on PBS (in honor of the 75th anniversary of BAMBI).

ABACUS: SMALL ENOUGH TO JAIL, directed by Steve James (PBS)

A special presentation of LAAPFF2017, follow this incredible saga of the Chinese immigrant Sung family, owners of Abacus Federal Savings of Chinatown, New York, who were accused of mortgage fraud in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. ABACUS: SMALL ENOUGH TO JAIL is slated for a broadcast premiere on PBS Frontline on September 12th. 

THE TIGER HUNTER, directed by Lena Khan (Shout! Factory)

Winner of several LAAPFF2016 awards and the Opening Night film last year, this film starring Danny Pudi is the story of a young Indian who travels to 1970s America to become an engineer in order to impress his childhood crush and live up to the legacy of his father—a legendary tiger hunter back home. Catch this film in theaters starting September 22nd.

CHEE AND T, directed by Tanuj Chopra (Comedy Dynamics)

Executive Produced by Visual Communications through the VC Film Development Fund, this hilarious and heartwarming buddy comedy screened at LAAPFF2017 and is now available on Playstation, iTunes, Google Play, Steam, and other online platforms. 

JASMINE, directed by Dax Phelan (Lionsgate)

LAAPFF2015 Grand Jury Winner JASMINE is a gripping and chilling psychological thriller about a man struggling to come to terms with his grief nearly a year after his wife’s murder. Watch this film starring Jason Tobin on Video-On-Demand and DVD, as well as every major streaming platform (iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, etc).

JOSHUA: TEENAGER VS SUPERPOWER, directed by Joe Piscatella (Netflix)

When the promise of Hong Kong’s autonomy was at risk, 14 year old Joshua Wong decided to speak up. Amid the glistening cityscape, filmmaker Joe Piscatella introduces viewers to a teenaged activist who inspired tens of thousands to stand up for their beliefs. A special presentation of LAAPFF2017, this film is now available on Netflix.

SAVE MY SEOUL, directed by Jason Y. Lee (Gravitas Ventures)

Winner of the LAAPFF2017 North American Documentary Feature Grand Jury Prize, this independent documentary unveils South Korea’s rampant prostitution and sex-trafficking. SAVE MY SEOUL is now streaming on Amazon, iTunes, and Youtube.

Did your film screen at LAAPFF and recently got picked up for a theatrical or digital release? Let us know so we can share the news! Email us at info (at) vconline.org.