Spotlight on Films from Asia #WFA2024

After ending her toxic relationship with her boyfriend, 40-year-old Alice discovers she is pregnant. With her age and current relationship status, her first instinct is to have the pregnancy terminated. As her body undergoes dramatic changes, Alice struggles and needs to decide what to do.

A dead family lives in a house for a long time – a mother, a father and a son. War’s taken the son, the heart of this family; every bullet kills more than just one man.

‘Fly in Power’ spotlights the work of Asian migrant massage and sex workers of Red Canary Song, a mutual aid, abolitionist collective based in Flushing, NYC. We follow the stories of Charlotte (a Korean massage worker/poet), KhoKhoi (bodyworker/healer), and Prof. Elena Shih (Brown University, global human trafficking researcher) as well as the broader Red Canary Song community. The film is a glimpse into their practices of care, autonomy, and survival against the oppressive systems that face Asian massage parlour workers and sex workers. Calling for ‘rights, not rescue’ these women and non-binary queers fight for their community, for decriminalization, and debunking the myths of sex trafficking that pervade the Asian diaspora. This film has been produced entirely by women, non-binary, trans and queers of the Asian diaspora – more than half of the production team are former sex workers.

A lyrical reminiscence of an innocent childhood friendship in Hong Kong in the 80s, when being kind to someone did not require a reason like today. Shing’s dad despises Chi, who he regards as rude. Shing sights Chi, who suffers from polydactyly, being bullied by hooligans. He comforts Chi by secretly letting him do glassblowing at his dad’s workshop. His enraged dad finds out and beats him up. Shing eventually wins his dad’s trust, but unintentionally spurs Chi’s low self-esteem, and Chi walks out on him. How will the two boys reconcile?

‘Never Fade Away’ is the moving true story about a young Chinese immigrant who escapes his homeland in the 1940’s during the Japanese Invasion, comes to America with nothing but his hopes and dreams, and how a radio and a waltz changes his life. Told through narration, music and dance, this short film shines a light on the healing power of music as well as the power of the immigrant experience. Featuring history-making dancer Chun Wai Chan and the exquisite ballerina Xiaoxiao Cao, their stunning pas de deux at the end will take your breath away. This story of heritage will bring you to tears and the music and dance will make your heart soar. Stories like this are the ties that bind, and should Never Fade Away.

60-year-old Alice Lin leads a group of senior dancers on a bustling New York City pier near Chinatown. As Christmas approaches, she prepares eagerly for her family’s visit – even though work commitments may prevent them from coming. Yet Alice lives her life with humor and lightness, even as loneliness and old age catch up with her.

Pigsy is a street-smart loser who often messes things up. One day, he is chosen to enter the new world to become a symbol of success. He can finally make grandma proud. Soon after, though, everything turns out to be a mistake. Pigsy doesn’t want to be treated as a joke anymore. He makes a secret deal with Bull Demon King. He stays in Sanzang’s group, and gives the information to Bull Demon King who wants to achieve eternal life. In exchange for information, Bull Demon King promises to show him a secret passage to the new world. Adapted from the classic novel “Journey to the West” as science fiction.

In late September 2008, Xiaomin, class president in her elementary school graduating class, is reported by her classmates to have been seen consorting with street hooligans outside the school. Facing questions from people she trusts most in the world, she must challenge the idea of what she really wants.

Thirty-something Indian sisters Rumi and Nina journey from their little town in the mountains of Northern India to London in pursuit of their music dream. But working at an Indian Takeaway wasn’t part of the plan.