Stories in Action

Don’t miss a chance to see filmmaker Arthur Dong’s latest movie, “Hollywood Chinese,” about how Chinese and Chinese Americans have been portrayed in Hollywood movies.

Screening dates and times:

San Francisco
April 11-17
Sundance Kabuki Cinemas
Filmmaker in person: April 11 at 7:30 and 10 pm

Oakland
April 11-17
Grand Lake Theater
Filmmaker in person, April 12, 7:15 pm

In connection with the Oakland screening, the City of Oakland has declared April 12 as “The Curse of Quon Gwon Day.” The earliest-known Chinese American film, “The Curse of Quon Gwon” was made by Oakland filmmaker Marion Wong in 1916, Dong discovered two reels of the film while making “Hollywood Chinese.” A representative of the Oakland Mayor’s Office will present the proclamation at the April 12, 7:15 pm screening of “Hollywood Chinese” at the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland.

Pasadena
Laemmle’s One Colorado Theaters
May 16-22

The Council has entered the social networking arena and now has a page on Facebook. If you’re a Facebook user, stop by and become a fan.

The New York Times calls Los Angeles artist J. Michael Walker a Sam Spade of saints. That’s because for the past seven years, Walker has been on an obsessive quest to locate, research and depict the 103 streets in Los Angeles named after saints. Now you can see an exhibit of more than 50 of Walker’s “saint” paintings at “All the Saints of the City of the Angels,” an exhibit at the Autry National Center through Sept. 7. In conjunction with the exhibit, Heydey Books has published a gorgeous book based on the exhibit, available at your local independent bookstore. Walker received a grant from the Council some years ago that helped him launch his project.

We just learned that the California Documentary Project film “Going on 13” has been selected for screening at New York’s 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. The film, about four years in the life of four San Francisco Bay Area girls, will be featured in the festival’s Discovery section, which will presents the films of a select group of up-and-coming directors. The “Going on 13” filmmakers, Dawn Valadez and Kristy Guevara Flanagan, are thrilled to be taking their film to New York, and are now trying to raise money for promotional material and travel expenses for the girls featured in the film, now teenagers.

Screening dates
Thurs., April 25, 5:30 pm
Sun., April 27, 12 pm
Wed., April 30, 3:30 pm
Fri., May 2, 9:30 pm
Sun., May 4, 10:45 am
Ticket information

If you are not planning on being in New York but have friends who live there, do tell them to catch this film. For more about the film, visit the “Going on 13” website.

A multimedia presentation and panel discussion entitled “Building Community: Reflections on Ethiopian Life in Los Angeles” will be held on Sun., March 9, at 3 pm at Messob Ethiopian Restaurant in Los Angeles. More.

• The Council selected 22 California libraries to participate in the upcoming “How I See It: My Place” teen photography and writing program. The program will take place this summer and fall and culminate with an online exhibit. To find out more, visit the How I See It: My Place page on the Council’s website.
• We have a winning name for the Council’s upcoming website on immigration and migration to California - We Are California: Stories of Immigration and Change. Thanks to all of you who submitted names. We received hundreds of creative suggestions. And stay tuned for our site launch this fall.
• The Council received 107 applications for funding under the California Story Fund, and staff is currently reviewing proposals. Decisions will be made by the end of March. The guidelines for the July 2008 round of funding will be posted on April 1, 2008.
• Calling all jazz lovers. April is Jazz Appreciation Month, and many events are planned around the country. As part of the celebration, the National Endowment for the Humanities is featuring resources and lesson plans on its website. And the organizer of the celebration, Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, has issued a new Jazz poster featuring Ella Fitzgerald. To request a free copy of the poster, write jazz@si.edu.