Best known perhaps for her dance performance in Flower Drum Song, Cherylene Lee is an unsung Asian American showbiz pioneer with dozens of network television and Hollywood film credits during the 1950s and 1960s. (None other than the great Gene Kelly claimed that Cherylene was his favorite dancing partner.) A born storyteller, Cherylene conveys her experiences as a Chinese American child performer with candor and insight. Now a successful poet and playwright (Arthur and Leila; Carry the Tiger to the Mountain), Cherylene Lee joins us onstage to read from her new memoir, Just Like Really, and to reminisce with stills and clips from her remarkable career. Stephen Gong
(in conjunction with) San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival
Each year, the Center for Asian American Media brings us the best in contemporary cinema from Asia and the Asian diaspora. The thirtieth installment of this adventurous festival at the PFA Theater features films and documentaries from China, the Philippines, New Zealand, Cambodia, South Korea, the United States, and a rarity from Burma. An intimate conversation with child star and playwright Cherylene Lee, a poetic meditation on the 2011 Japanese tsunami, an unusual look at a women’s prison in Kabul, and the epic Asian American indie feature In the Family round out a week of discoveries and revelations.
We anticipate having filmmakers and special guests in person at many of the screenings—please check bampfa.berkeley.edu for the latest updates. For even more national and regional cinema, alternative media, and special events, check the complete festival schedule at caamedia.org.
Steve Seid, Video Curator
A presentation of the Center for Asian American Media.
Program notes are adapted from the festival catalog.
Special admission prices apply:
General admission: $12; CAAM and BAM/PFA members, UC Berkeley students: $10 (limit 2 tickets per person per program); Non-UC Berkeley students, seniors, and disabled persons: $11 (limit 1 ticket per person per program). Advance tickets for festival programs at the PFA Theater are available at the PFA Theater box office and BAM/PFA admissions desk, online, or by phone at (510) 642-5249. Please note that our second-feature discount does not apply to these programs. Tickets are nonrefundable, and may not be exchanged.
PFA General:
2575 Bancroft Way
Berkeley, CA 92027
(510) 642-1412
