San Diego Asian Film Festival 2011 Opening Night

San Diego Asian Film Festival 2011: Almost Perfect (Photo by Michael Bitanga)

The San Diego Asian Film Festival kicked off with the San Diego premiere of Almost Perfect, starring Kelly Hu, Ivan Shaw, Edison Chen and Kristy Wu. The plush red carpet was rolled out, leading to the Ultra Star Mission Valley Cinemas: the humble home of the San Diego Asian Film Festival for the next 8 days.

With a variety of films on rotation from October 20-October 28, the festival is an appetizing, diverse buffet of Asian cinema, dissecting the categorization of “Asian” and allowing the different cultures under that umbrella-term to shine.

Almost Perfect tells the story of a woman that is struggling to find a balance between her demanding family and her new boyfriend. The cast of Almost Perfect was in attendance, and they were welcomed by eager fans, a wave of camera flashes, and the open arms of the festival. Kelly Hu, well-known for her roles in mainstream films such as X-Men 2 and the Scorpion King, talked about her attraction to her character and the story in her Indie film.

“I read it, and it really spoke to me. It was something that was a real departure for me and not the kind of character I usually play. It had no martial arts in it, and I wasn’t pointing a gun at anybody. It was a real interesting, complex character,” Hu said.

“I’ve never seen an actor be more prepared and studious the way Kelly was,” director Bertha Bay-Sa Pan said.

Photo by Michael Bitanga

A real bond between the cast developed while filming Almost Perfect, as Hu said, “We had amazing chemistry that lasted beyond this film.”

Hu also expressed her love for the variety of Asian films that are being showcased at the San Diego Asian Film Festival, as well as the beauty of diving into another culture through film.

“Through the process of discovering other cultures, I can laugh over their jokes, or shed a tear over their stories,” Hu said. “It’s a gateway into a greater understanding.”

The after-party was held at Maria Maria, Carlos Santana’s restaurant, where filmmakers and film-lovers had a chance to mingle, drink and grub.

There are many films to choose from at the San Diego Asian Film Festival; sometimes it’s hard to pick a film to watch. One film to look out for is Troublemaker, directed by Geeta Malik, a coming-of-age film about a raucous young lady, that’s broke, jobless and often under the influence, who decides to go on a road-trip to find her absentee father.

Another film to consider is Bang Bang, by Byron Q, that centers around the Asian gang culture on the West Coast. Many scenes from Bang Bang were shot right in Mira Mesa and Clairemont Mesa, areas where gang-violence is common.

In the several days ahead, on top of the amazing films that will grace the silver screens, there will be after-parties, a Gala Awards dinner, actor panels, and much more.

For the complete schedule of the San Diego Asian Film Festival click here.

Get tickets here.

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