Thursday, March 17, marks the kick-off of the fifth annual Korean American Film Festival New York (KAFFNY), a local, independent festival at Chelsea Clearview Cinemas on West 23rd Street (see map here). Among the highlights is filmmakers panel on Saturday, March 19. The discussion will showcase Korean-American storytellers from around the globe.
(Photo Above: "Wet Sand: Voices from LA," Dai Sil Kim-Gibson, 2004, 57 minutes)
Panelists include Dai Sil Kim-Gibson, a pioneer in Korean-American filmmaking. She has documented the stories of so-called comfort women for Japanese soldiers ("Silence Broken"), and Koreans in far flung locales including Cuba ("Motherland") and Sakhalin Island, off the coast of Russia ("A Forgotten People"). The later film profiles forced Korean laborers under Japanese and Soviet rule.
A retrospective of Kim-Gibson's work will be featured at the festival including her gem, "Wet Sand," that documents the aftermath of the LA riots, 19 years ago. The mother of the only Korean killed during the riots (her son) will participate in a rare discussion with the filmmaker. Click here for more details on the Kim-Gibson retrospective. (Multiple screenings on Saturday, 5-8 pm, followed by a discussion.)
Also featured on the panel, Peter Bo Rappmund, whose film "Psychohydrography" documents the Los Angeles river with a single DSLR. (Thursday, 10:45 pm at Chelsea Clearview, part of the opening reception, with additional screenings in Manhattan, click here)
Click here for more info on the panel.
Other festival highlights include "Red Chapel" about a trio of Danes, who traveled to North Korea under the guise of a cultural exchange, staging a variety show in Pyongyang. (Saturday, 3-4:30 pm at Chelsea Clearview)
In addition to a features lineup, there are plenty of short films showcasing filmmaking from around the world. Click here for info on the shorts competition. (Friday, 6-8:30 pm)
For schedule and tickets, click here. The festival runs through Sunday, March 20.
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