Asian Cinema Club
From the Archives
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Documentary, Short Films, 19-Jan-2024
Two friends start a t-shirt company as a ruse to engage their friends into joining their club. Hannah Marianetti and James Yu direct “Asian Cinema Club,” a docu-fictional reflection on Asian identity and making/appreciating art. Through an alternating GoPro-forehead POV, we casually follow Hannah and James on their smoke breaks, breakfast convos, and walks around Oakland. While the two try to get the club off the ground, they face not only logistical dilemmas, but also some personal dilemmas concerning their own identities — reflections on their mothers, self-hatred, and Asian-ness. Hilariously self-aware, their banter is witty and cynical yet sincere. It’s a conversation on dual identity exploring recycled tropes on Asian-America-ness from a different era while recognizing newer tropes in social media and online collective culture. -JM. Director: Hannah Marianetti. Producer: Hannah Marianetti, James Yu. Writer: Hannah Marianetti, James Yu. Editor: Hannah Marianetti. Director of Photography: James Yu. Associate Producer: Kaison Tanabe. Music: SubQ.
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