Beautifully modulated and stylistically sui generis. . . one of the most accomplished and undersold directorial debuts this year. New York Times
In his remarkable directorial debut, Patrick Wang revitalizes independent Asian American filmmaking with the penetrating and wholly original In the Family. The film opens in Tennessee, where Joey (Patrick Wang) and Cody (Trevor St. John) are raising their precocious son Chip. A tragedy leaves Joey and Chip on their own and soon unravels Joey’s tenuous acceptance in Cody’s family. Eschewing formula and stereotype, Wang delivers a heartfelt story woven around child custody, two-dad families, parental loss, interracial relations, and the human side of the law. Rarely has the nature of what it means to be in a family been examined with such rewarding nuance. Michael Guillen
Written by Wang. Photographed by Frank Barrera. With Wang, Trevor St. John, Sebastian Brodziak, Brian Murray. (169 mins, Color, Video)
(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
