Friday, May 15, 1998
Joy, luck and fangs
ISSUE:
By Louise Chu
Daily Bruin Contributor
They say that quality is better than quantity. But for Asian
Americans in the film industry, starting with either one would be a
welcomed change.
In a time when minorities are finally finding a voice in film,
Asian Americans still have a long way to go. Only recently have
they seen a significant improvement in representation. For years,
Asian Americans have struggled to escape the stereotypes that
"still sell," according to Russell Leong, the publishing director
of the Asian-American Studies Center at UCLA. Asian roles have
always been extremely limited, as actors have been subjected to the
stereotypes of the gangster, the cold-hearted businessman or the
female sexpot.
"I think they’re all bullshit, really," says Eric Koyanagi,
director of "Hundred Percent," a film about three Asian-American
men in Venice. "I think they’re important (because) we need to
inundate in critical mass, at least be visually represented. But I
think things are changing. We see this influx of Asian talent
coming over. Like Jet Lee’s doing ‘Lethal Weapon 4,’ and we already
have Jackie (Chan), Chow Yun-Fat, Ang Lee, Michelle Yeoh and all
those other guys."
While mainstream films have traditionally not provided a
creative outlet for Asian Americans, the independent film scene has
recently seen a surge in films dealing with Asian-American
themes.
"There have been Asian-American films in Sundance," explains
Renee Tajima-Pena, whose documentary, "My America … Or Honk If
You Love Buddha," about the Asian-American search for identity won
a Sundance Film Festival award for cinematography. "They’ve been
more accepting of it because they’re more of a daring festival.
Asian-American (films) still exist in that realm of independent
filmmaking and not in the mainstream."
While in the past, there have been one or two Asian-American
films on the market at any one time, they are now entering the
double-digits. Tajima-Pena estimates roughly 15 features currently
out there.
Along with this surge has come a shift in subject matter as
well. The recent crop of films deals more with the American half of
the Asian-American experience, in contrast to past films that dealt
with ethnic and cultural identity.
Tajima-Pena illustrates this point, using examples of "The Joy
Luck Club," which primarily focuses on a group of mothers’ memories
of China, and "Heaven and Earth," which is about the Vietnam
War.
She adds, "The difference with (the current films) is that it’s
about Asian Americans growing up here, coming of age here and our
experiences right here and now."
Ultimately, this trend is working to incorporate Asian-American
filmmaking into the mainstream pool. With the increase of
American-born people of Asian decent, many actors and filmmakers
would rather make movies with universal appeal, rather than films
that are specific to their ethnicity.
"Ideally an Asian-American film would be just like any other
film that would, across the board, be universal," says Quentin Lee,
a UCLA graduate student and director of "Shopping For Fangs," a
quirky film about a sexually repressed housewife, a mysterious
waitress and a werewolf. That would draw not only an Asian-American
audience but also a crossover audience."
He adds, "There’s no point to make a movie just to promote Asian
values because (then you’re) not an artist; you’re a propagandist.
As a filmmaker, I want to make that kind of film that I want to
make, and I want to be able to have the freedom to have Asian
Americans in it or not."
Koyanagi of "Hundred Percent" is one filmmaker who has chosen to
exercise this option and has chosen to focus on Asian-American
themes. "They tell you to make films about what you want to make,
do what you’re interested in or do what speaks to you most. For me,
right now, I don’t really want to make mainstream fare, like action
blockbusters and stuff. (They’re all) characters that we’ve seen
before. I want to have fun with Asian-American leads."
Many agree that the best way to increase the representation of
Asian Americans in films is through events such as the Los Angeles
Asian Pacific Film and Video Festival. The week-long festival,
which began yesterday, is presented by Visual Communications, a
media arts center dedicated to honest and accurate portrayals of
Asian Americans. The festival showcases nearly 70 film and video
works by Asian and Asian-American artists.
David Magdael, co-director of the festival, hopes that the
popularity of existing Asian filmmakers, such as John Woo ("Face
Off") and Che-Kirk Wong ("The Big Hit"), "will hopefully open doors
for these others that are featured in the film festival."
"I also think the more you see Asian Americans portrayed,
whether it be on television or in the media, the more we have a
presence, and people will want to know what else is out there,"
Magdael says.
This event aims to expose the Asian-American film scene to the
general public and act as a springboard for future mainstream
filmmakers. It seems that the best way to initiate dramatic changes
in the mainstream film industry is to penetrate the business from
behind the camera.
"I think it’s more important for Asians to be on the producing,
directing and writing side more than what appears on screen," Leong
suggests. "Basically, if you (do that), that means you’ve gotten to
a position where you could have some power over representation. But
if you’re an Asian actor, you don’t have much say with the
script."
Tajima-Pena concurs, "(Having) more Asian Americans on screen
means all the gatekeepers have to open up. Their perspective is too
narrow. When I say ‘gatekeepers,’ I mean everything from whoever
can green-light movies to the exhibitors and distributors, the
critics, the festival directors, all down the line."
At least in the independent scene, such changes are already
beginning to take effect, as evident in all aspects of the film,
both on and off camera.
"Asians could be gangsters, but they could also be medical
practitioners," Leong says. "They could be immigrants, but they
could be fourth-generation Japanese Americans. What I think is the
bottom line is more of a diversification of the roles, of the
representation."
FILM: The L.A. Asian Pacific FIlm and Video Festival runs from
May 14 through May 21 at the Directors Guild of America and Japan
America Theatre. For tickets and program information, call Visual
Communications at (213) 680-4462.