Encompassing genres as varied as sci-fi, noir, and horror, this program of shorts demonstrates the creativity and versatility of Asian American storytelling.
The Chef
Director: Hao Zheng | 20 mins | USA
In the near future, when all labor is replaced by humanoids, a Chinese chef, Pu (60s) is ordered to pass his cooking skills on to a humanoid robot William. At the same time, the protests against AI labor begin to intensify. Because Pu’s apprentice Qiang disappoints him time and time again in cooking, Pu begins to grow closer with William, which places in opposition to his fellow humans, placing him in a dilemma.
Go to Sleep: A Lao Ghost Story
Director: Phet Mahathongdy | 15 mins | USA
A middle-aged Laotian refugee struggles with his harrowing past, failing marriage, and demanding career when he is haunted by mysterious supernatural entities from his homeland known as Phi.
The Visit
Director: Roxy Shih | 15 mins | USA
A pregnant woman and her husband visit her lonely, aging grandmother in the rural mountains of Taiwan only to witness the older woman's mysterious disappearance.
The Secret Lives of Asians at Night
Director: KEFF | 18 mins | USA
What does the model minority do after dark? (A screwball noir in 5 languages.)
