Recently, Mona and I competed in the Mighty Asian Moviemaking Marathon. We were one of 15 teams to write, shoot and edit a 10 minute film in one week. Luxurious schedule by 24 and 48 hours film fest standards but still we were under the gun and wished we had more time. Our film is called Just a Myth and we handed it in last Thursday. Mona was interviewed in the Georgia Straight and you can read the article at the end of this post . We won't find out if we win a prize until September 9th so we are kinda in an uneasy place, not really able to move forward until we hear how we did. Our friend Terry thinks it's the best thing we've done so that gives us hope. There are three prizes: First is 3000.00, second is 1500.00 and third is 300.00. Are chances are pretty good but we really didn't make a picture to please anyone but ourselves. Just like Departures we are going to be sending this one to as many film fests as we can afford. So cross your fingers for us. If we win the top prize we are buying a Panasonic DVX100b camera.
Brazen Asian gets real
By pieta woolley
Publish Date: 31-Aug-2006
In the world of racist jokes, Asian men’s penis size is right up there, according to filmmaker Mona Mok. But in politically correct North America, Mok says, stereotypes are off-limits. That’s why she subtly dropped penis size into the short film she’s made for the Mighty Asian Movie Making Marathon, which ends today (August 31). Mok’s out to be genuine, even if it means being shocking.
“I’m not going to worry about offending anyone,” she told the Straight, noting that North American Asian filmmakers are still struggling to find a voice. “Someone else might want to censor it [penis size], because they’re afraid to bring up stereotypes. But it’s something that me and my girlfriends talk about....I think we need to talk about Asian issues without being apologetic about it.”
This is the second year for the Vancouver Asian Film Festival’s competition, aimed at developing that voice in the local community. Each of the 15 teams was given a location, item, and fortune-cookie prediction to integrate into its film. Mok’s team, China Lily, got closet, Christmas tree, and “You and your partner will be happy in your life together.”
VAFF executive director Peter Leung told the Straight that last year’s contest did what he hoped it would. It brought the young Asian-Canadian filmmaking community together and started the process of thinking about what an Asian-Canadian story is.
“There’s a lot more buzz this year,” he noted. “I think the films will be more thoughtful.”
Mok recounted that she found filmmakers interviewed for articles about the movies Eve and the Fire Horse, Double Happiness, and The Joy Luck Club seemed apologetic, as if they needed to justify telling Asian stories.
“They should just tell their stories,” she said. “Don’t try to white-ify it because you think it’s going to be off-putting.”
The 15 movies, including that of the first South Asian–Canadian team to compete, screen at Tinseltown on September 9. Tickets, $10, will be available soon at www.vaff.org/. The three top films will be shown as part of the VAFF November 1 to 5.
