The Japanese earthquake and tsunami last March have the dubious distinction of being the most visually documented disasters ever. Award-winning British filmmaker Lucy Walker (Waste Land) intersperses a small percentage of that footage with introspective sequences of the aftermath to create a meditation on the tenacity of hope. Contrasting the devastation of the earthquake with the simple beauty of the Japanese cherry blossom, The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom captures the resilience of people after disaster. The rejuvenating Japanese ritual surrounding those fragile flowers signals the persistence of nature and the renewal of the spirit.
Photographed by Aaron Phillips. (40 mins, In Japanese with English subtitles, Color, Video)
Preceded by: Two Seconds After Laughter (David Rousseve, U.S./Indonesia, 2011). This original intersection of documentary, dance performance, and dream-like fantasy reimagines choreographer Sri Susilowati’s experience of leaving Indonesia through stunning cinematography, traditional Indonesian dance, and postmodern Sundanese music. (16 mins, In Indonesian & Sundanese with English subtitles, Color, Video)
Total running time: 56 mins
(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
