Down and Dirty Pictures

Panel Discussion with Gregg Araki, Roddy Bogawa and Jon Moritsugu on Underground Asian American Cinema

SAT 03.17 | 1:00PM Opera Plaza | DOWN17

The late ’80s saw the American independent film scene jolted out of its quirky drama and period piece doldrums with the arrival a trio of envelope-pushing filmmakers who would alter its landscape forever­ the original “bad boys” of Asian American cinema: Gregg Araki, Roddy Bogawa and Jon Moritsugu.

Though their aesthetics are wildly different, all three share a bold and defiant perspective on the role of cinema and storytelling ­ film as agent provocateur — a tool to bend the form, push buttons and bring light to outsider stories which are too often overlooked. As the SFIAAFF marks its 25th anniversary, Asian American cinema continues on its upsurge and American independent cinema maintains its flirtations with the commercial world, Araki, Moritsugu and Bogawa will reflect on their bodies of work, explore what role the truly independent filmmaker has, and what the future of Asian American filmmaking holds.

PANELISTS:
Gregg Araki | Director, SMILEY FACE, MYSTERIOUS SKIN
Roddy Bogawa | Director, I WAS BORN, BUT…; SOME DIVINE WIND
Jon Moritsugu | Director, SCUM ROCK, TERMINAL USA

MODERATOR:
Marcus Hu | Co-President, Strand Releasing