2023 ASIAN AMERICAN MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
BIG FIGHT IN LITTLE CHINATOWN
These three programs are presented as part of the 2023 Asian American Spotlight, with the support of Asian American Studies at UW-Madison. Special Thanks to Lori Kido Lopez, Director, Asian American Studies; Professor, UW Department of Communication Arts.
- Thu., Oct. 5 | 7:00 PM4070 Vilas Hall
Five twentysomethings-- an overlapping mix of old friends, flames, and distant relatives—convene at a chilly Michigan lake house for a weeklong getaway. Faced with ample downtime and a steady supply of weed and booze, the group is left to reckon with their collective millennial malaise. Elegantly staged with each scene unfolding in an unbroken master shot, Linh Tran’s preternaturally confident and wise debut feature is all the more remarkable for being produced with fellow students at DePaul University. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Slamdance Film Festival. “Insightful and genuine… a launchpad for a major career” (rogerebert.com). Director Linh Tran will join us in person to discuss Waiting for the Light to Change. Presented as part of the 2023 Asian American Spotlight, with the support of Asian American Studies at UW-Madison. (MK)
- Fri., Oct. 6 | 7:00 PM4070 Vilas Hall
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. The stories of families, business owners, and activists from New York and Montreal to San Francisco and Vancouver provide a multilayered and visually rich illustration of the power of resilience amidst threats of cultural destruction. Director Karen Cho will join us in person after the screening. Presented as part of the 2023 Asian American Spotlight, with the support of Asian American Studies at UW-Madison. (LL)
- Sat., Oct. 7 | 7:00 PM4070 Vilas Hall
Russell stars as truck-driving Jack Burton, who, along with his sidekick Wang Chi (Dennis Dun), fights sorcerers and kung fu masters to rescue Wang’s kidnapped fiancée in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Carpenter’s satirical variation on Sax Rohmer’s Fu Manchu stories adds dazzling special effects, brilliant martial arts choreography, and loads of humor, resulting in one of the most beloved of 80s cult movies. Presented as part of the 2023 Asian American Spotlight, with the support of Asian American Studies at UW-Madison.