Asian cinema is not just one flavor, it’s a mouthwatering smorgasbord of styles, genres and stories. At this year's Spring Showcase, Pacific Arts Movement artistic director Brian Hu serves up a menu that celebrates that diversity. You'll find the grind of daily life in "Lucky Star," the Olympic dreams of a young athlete in "Sunshine," the unexpected violence of "Baby Assassins" and the possibility of something beyond death in "I Am a Ghost," This is the kind of lineup that tempts you off your couch and into a theater seat.
This year’s wild card might be "Soldier of Love," a full-blown musical from Kazakhstan where characters break into song and dance in kitchens and airports. “Usually, you think of Kazakh films as a little bit dreary, a little bit dusty,” Hu said. “And this is one that’s full of color and movement and action.”
And of course, there’s Mystery Kung Fu Theater, a screening where the film isn't revealed until showtime. You just have to trust Hu. Inspired by Saturday afternoon TV lineups of the ‘70s and ‘80s, this mystery event channels that same sense of discovery, all while celebrating stunts, choreography and the energy of classic kung fu cinema.
Spring Showcase closes with "Between Goodbyes," Jota Mun’s emotionally layered documentary about an adoptee and birth mother navigating a fragile reunion. It's a moving end to a showcase full of surprises.
