At the spa, you're not talking, and you're completely naked. I feel the most Korean that I ever feel, because it's my naked Korean body, in this Korean space.” —Andrew Ahn[1]Moving away from the whitewashed casting controversy of the Ghost in the Shell remake and its calls to replace Scarlett Johansson with an Asian actor, I’ve concluded that there is no need for an Asian-American cyborg, because we already have plenty. In interviews, Scarlett Johansson has described her character, The Major, as someone who is “removed from her sexuality,”[2] “not living a human [or] robotic existence,”[3] and “has no heart.” This list of traits also functions as a list of the three defining stereotypes of Asian-Americans in cinema. They kiss and undress, but never cross the lines or make a mess. They go through the motions of living but never experience joy, ecstasy, or devastation. Like cyborgs, they are human on the outside,...
- 12/31/2016
- MUBI
Director Andrew Ahn came out to his parents as gay with a short film — after making them star in it. Since “Dol (First Birthday)” (which premiered at Sundance in 2012), he’s come a long way, with his first feature-length film “Spa Night” recently opening to critical acclaim. The film follows 18-year-old David (Joe Seo) coming to terms with his sexuality, his Asian-American ethnicity and his future, with the looming threat of college on the horizon, as he finds his desires at odds with those of his community and parents.
Continue reading Andrew Ahn Talks ‘Spa Night,’ ‘Doctor Strange’ Whitewashing, Asian & Gay Representation On Screen at The Playlist.
Continue reading Andrew Ahn Talks ‘Spa Night,’ ‘Doctor Strange’ Whitewashing, Asian & Gay Representation On Screen at The Playlist.
- 10/2/2016
- by Jason Ooi
- The Playlist
Fusing the eroticism of an underground cruising culture with surprisingly heartfelt family drama, Spa Night is the debut feature of Korean-American CalArts graduate Andrew Ahn. Developed at the Sundance Screenwriters Lab, the Film Independent Screenwriters Lab and the Film Independent Directing Lab, the film follows up Ahn’s well-received 2012 short, Dol, which also addresses coming-out within a Korean-American community. In Spa Night, Joe Seo plays David, a gay 18-year-old who hasn’t told his parents he’s gay. Their struggles with their own family business create pressure on him just as he’s drawn to explore his sexuality after discovering a gay hookup […]...
- 8/18/2016
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Andrew Ahn’s directorial debut uses the Korean spas of Los Angeles as a backdrop for a gay coming-of-age story, but – unlike the spa – it’s a chilly affair
Korean Americans actors, besides comedian Margaret Cho and Star Trek star John Cho, are rarely afforded roles in American feature films. In that respect, Spa Night is cause for celebration.
The coming-of-age drama, from first-time feature film-maker Andrew Ahn (his short film Dol premiered at the 2012 Sundance film festival), is a rarity among films shot in the Us: it takes place in Los Angeles’ densely populated Koreatown neighbourhood, and features a cast made up solely of Korean American actors. While it’s invigorating to see that area’s community given a voice on screen, Ahn’s muted approach to his material, coupled with the passivity of the film’s lead character, David Cho (Joe Seo), leaves Spa Night feeling too cold to fully engage.
Korean Americans actors, besides comedian Margaret Cho and Star Trek star John Cho, are rarely afforded roles in American feature films. In that respect, Spa Night is cause for celebration.
The coming-of-age drama, from first-time feature film-maker Andrew Ahn (his short film Dol premiered at the 2012 Sundance film festival), is a rarity among films shot in the Us: it takes place in Los Angeles’ densely populated Koreatown neighbourhood, and features a cast made up solely of Korean American actors. While it’s invigorating to see that area’s community given a voice on screen, Ahn’s muted approach to his material, coupled with the passivity of the film’s lead character, David Cho (Joe Seo), leaves Spa Night feeling too cold to fully engage.
- 1/25/2016
- by Nigel M Smith in Park City, Utah
- The Guardian - Film News
Some of the festival’s favorite alumni are filmmakers who first broke into the festival with a short and then shored up a couple of years later with their first feature film. After premiering Dol (First Birthday) at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, the Institute lassoed the Korean-American Los Angeleno filmmaker for the June 2013 Sundance Screenwriters Lab. With stops at both the 2013 Film Independent Screenwriting Lab and 2014 Film Independent Directing Lab and some coin from Sundance Institute Cinereach Feature Film Fellow Grant, Andrew Ahn‘s feature debut successfully raised some coin and future fans via Kickstarter. Production began mid summer and unless there is a great deal of post work, logically this could be ready to go for the 2016 edition. A coming of age drama, Spa Night would celebrate the notion of identity in a double dosage: Lgbt and Korean communities are represented here.
Gist: David Cho is an 18-year-old Korean-American teenager,...
Gist: David Cho is an 18-year-old Korean-American teenager,...
- 11/25/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
One of the major pluses being in the independent film world is having more freedom to examine topics of race, culture and sexuality more intimately and honestly than most studio fare can. Director Andrew Ahn started here with his 2012 Sundance selected Dol (aka First Birthday). Ahn's feature Spa Night, which participated in both the Sundance and Film Independent screenwriting labs, has a very intriguing premise:David Cho is an 18-year-old Korean-American teenager, living in Koreatown, Los Angeles with his first-generation parents Jin and Soyoung. David helps out at the family tofu restaurant, but business is slow and the restaurant is forced to close. Instead of going to Sat classes, David secretly takes a job at a Korean spa to help pay his family's bills. At the...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 10/29/2014
- Screen Anarchy
Outfest 2012, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing, showcasing and protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (Lgbt) media, has announced the award winners of its 30th Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.
The nation’s leading Lgbt festival and the oldest continuously running film festival in the city ran from July 12th to 22nd. Outfest 2012 closed with Brian Dannelly’s Struck by Lightning, starring Chris Colfer. Allison Janney, Rebel Wilson, Christina Hendricks, Dermot Mulroney and Ashley Rickards.
Special Programming Awards
Special Programming Award for Freedom
Sponsored by The Mondrian Los Angeles
I Am A Woman Now, Directed by Michiel van Erp
For illuminating the stories of the first generation of transwomen who forged their paths with grace, courage, and fabulousness and the pioneering surgeon who changed history for transpeople everywhere, the Outfest Special Programming Award for Freedom goes to I Am A Woman Now, directed by Michiel van Erp.
Special Programming Award for Artistic Achievement
Sponsored by Fandango
She Male Snails, Directed by Ester Martin Bergsmark
For its bold imagination, provocative storytelling, striking imagery and unshakable emotional impact, the Outfest Special Programming Award for Artistic Achievement goes to Ester Martin Bergsmark, director of She Male Snails.
Special Programming Award for Emerging Talent
Sponsored by Katten Muchin Rosenmann Llp
Marialy Rivas, Writer/Director
For crafting a stylistically fearless film to match the excitement, danger and chaos that can erupt with youthful sexual exploration, the Outfest Special Programming Award for Emerging Talent goes to Marialy Rivas, the writer/director of Young & Wild.
Audience Awards
Audience Award for Outstanding Documentary Short Film
Sponsored by Ramada Plaza Hotel West Hollywood
A Force Of Nature, Directed by Barbara Kopple
Audience Award for Outstanding Dramatic Short Film
Sponsored by Wolfe Video
The First Date, Directed by Janella Lacson
Audience Award for Outstanding Documentary Feature Film
Sponsored by Greenhouse Studios
I Stand Corrected, Directed by Andrea Meyerson
Audience Award for Outstanding Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by Innovative Artists
Any Day Now, Directed by Travis Fine
Audience Award for Outstanding First U.S. Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by HBO (cash prize of $5,000 from HBO)
Mosquita Y Mari, (Isa:Film Collaborative), Directed by Aurora Guerrero
Jury Awards
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Short Film
Sponsored by Greenhouse Studios
The Devotion Project: More Than Ever, Directed by Antony Osso.
For its sensitive portrayal of enduring love that spans seven decades, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Short Film goes to The Devotion Project: More Than Ever, directed by Antony Osso.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Short Film
Sponsored by Cre – Computer Rentals & Av Solutions
Dol (First Birthday), Directed Andrew Ahn
For its honest exploration of the complexities of culture, family and relationships, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Short Film to Dol (First Birthday), directed by Andrew Ahn.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Feature Film
Sponsored by Avalon
Wildness, Directed by Wu Tsang
With beautiful cinematography, a vibrant score and poetic storytelling, this year’s winning documentary succeeded in taking on the complexities of class, culture and difference in a most timely and brave fashion. The Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Feature Film goes to Wildness, directed by Wu Tsang.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding International Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by The Los Angeles Athletic Club
My Brother The Devil, Directed by Sally El Hosaini
For its taut narrative, sensitive interrogation of masculinity, excellent performances by an ensemble cast, and intense cinematic experience, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding International Dramatic Feature Film goes to My Brother The Devil, directed by Sally El Hosaini.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film
Sponsored by The Avenue Hollywood
Fenessa Pineda, Mosquita Y Mari
This actress brought nuance and subtlety to a fresh coming of age story. For beautifully capturing the fleeting moments of transition from innocence to curiosity to self-discovery, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film goes to Fenessa Pineda in Mosquita Y Mari.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film
Alan Cumming, Any Day Now
For bringing depth, humor, fierce wit, and emotional integrity to a moving portrait of a man who unexpectedly finds a family and the strength to fight for it, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film goes to Alan Cumming in Any Day Now.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Screenwriting
Sponsored by Yellow Cab
Ira Sachs & Mauricio Zacharias, Keep The Lights On
For masterfully constructing an emotionally honest portrait of a relationship that spans the better part of a decade and artfully weaving the mundane and the momentous, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Screenwriting goes to Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias for Keep The Lights On.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding U.S. Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by Saks Fifth Avenue
Keep The Lights On, (Isa: Films Boutique), Directed by Ira Sachs
This film resonated with us for its confidence, complexity, and emotional intelligence. For taking us on a challenging but poetic journey through the landscape of a long-term relationship, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding U.S. Dramatic Feature Film goes to Keep The Lights On, directed by Ira Sachs.
For more information, log on to http://www.outfest.org/fest2012/
To download high-res images, please visit: ftp://ftp.mprm.com/outfest2012
Outfest 2012: The 30th Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival is presented by HBO. Grand Sponsors include Absolut and Ease Entertainment Services. Under the Stars Series Sponsor is presented by Oxygen. The Automotive Partner is Mini. Other sponsors at the Premiere level include: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, The Directors Guild of America, Directv, The Hollywood Reporter, The Los Angeles Times, Merrill Lynch, Out, Variety and 104.3MYfm, The Official Sponsors are Barefoot Wines, Big Picture Group, Coca-Cola, Luca Bites, Lichter Yu & Associates, NBCUniversal, Orbitz, Propaganda Media, Room & Board, Southwest Airlines, Stella Artois, techpal, and Verizon Wireless. Day Sponsors are The David Geffen Foundation, Frontiers/InLA, Hollywood & Highland, Instinct Magazine, The Lesbian News, Lifetime, Logo, Sony Pictures, and Wells Fargo, Organizational Funders: Andrew Kuehn Foundation, City of West Hollywood, Department of Cultural Affairs, Hollywood Foreign Press, and Los Angeles County Arts. For more information about Outfest 2012 sponsorship, visit www.outfest.org/sponsor.
About Outfest
Outfest celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2012 with a yearlong celebration honoring the organization's rich film history, innovative filmmakers and cultural legacy. The anniversary celebration includes the signature film festival, a major film restoration, a new logo, a new monthly screening series and a comprehensive social media campaign. Founded by volunteers on the campus of UCLA in 1982, Outfest has grown into an internationally recognized organization that works to promote Lgbt equality through the arts. For three decades Outfest has brought together film lovers, artists, celebrities and entertainment industry professionals to create a world-class forum for stories that reflect and often transform Lgbt lives. Outfest has showcased over 5,600 films to audiences, reaching close to one million people, educated and mentored hundreds of emerging filmmakers and protected over 18,000 stories and images through the Outfest Legacy Project for Lgbt Film Preservation, the only program of its kind in the world.
The nation’s leading Lgbt festival and the oldest continuously running film festival in the city ran from July 12th to 22nd. Outfest 2012 closed with Brian Dannelly’s Struck by Lightning, starring Chris Colfer. Allison Janney, Rebel Wilson, Christina Hendricks, Dermot Mulroney and Ashley Rickards.
Special Programming Awards
Special Programming Award for Freedom
Sponsored by The Mondrian Los Angeles
I Am A Woman Now, Directed by Michiel van Erp
For illuminating the stories of the first generation of transwomen who forged their paths with grace, courage, and fabulousness and the pioneering surgeon who changed history for transpeople everywhere, the Outfest Special Programming Award for Freedom goes to I Am A Woman Now, directed by Michiel van Erp.
Special Programming Award for Artistic Achievement
Sponsored by Fandango
She Male Snails, Directed by Ester Martin Bergsmark
For its bold imagination, provocative storytelling, striking imagery and unshakable emotional impact, the Outfest Special Programming Award for Artistic Achievement goes to Ester Martin Bergsmark, director of She Male Snails.
Special Programming Award for Emerging Talent
Sponsored by Katten Muchin Rosenmann Llp
Marialy Rivas, Writer/Director
For crafting a stylistically fearless film to match the excitement, danger and chaos that can erupt with youthful sexual exploration, the Outfest Special Programming Award for Emerging Talent goes to Marialy Rivas, the writer/director of Young & Wild.
Audience Awards
Audience Award for Outstanding Documentary Short Film
Sponsored by Ramada Plaza Hotel West Hollywood
A Force Of Nature, Directed by Barbara Kopple
Audience Award for Outstanding Dramatic Short Film
Sponsored by Wolfe Video
The First Date, Directed by Janella Lacson
Audience Award for Outstanding Documentary Feature Film
Sponsored by Greenhouse Studios
I Stand Corrected, Directed by Andrea Meyerson
Audience Award for Outstanding Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by Innovative Artists
Any Day Now, Directed by Travis Fine
Audience Award for Outstanding First U.S. Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by HBO (cash prize of $5,000 from HBO)
Mosquita Y Mari, (Isa:Film Collaborative), Directed by Aurora Guerrero
Jury Awards
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Short Film
Sponsored by Greenhouse Studios
The Devotion Project: More Than Ever, Directed by Antony Osso.
For its sensitive portrayal of enduring love that spans seven decades, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Short Film goes to The Devotion Project: More Than Ever, directed by Antony Osso.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Short Film
Sponsored by Cre – Computer Rentals & Av Solutions
Dol (First Birthday), Directed Andrew Ahn
For its honest exploration of the complexities of culture, family and relationships, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Short Film to Dol (First Birthday), directed by Andrew Ahn.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Feature Film
Sponsored by Avalon
Wildness, Directed by Wu Tsang
With beautiful cinematography, a vibrant score and poetic storytelling, this year’s winning documentary succeeded in taking on the complexities of class, culture and difference in a most timely and brave fashion. The Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Feature Film goes to Wildness, directed by Wu Tsang.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding International Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by The Los Angeles Athletic Club
My Brother The Devil, Directed by Sally El Hosaini
For its taut narrative, sensitive interrogation of masculinity, excellent performances by an ensemble cast, and intense cinematic experience, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding International Dramatic Feature Film goes to My Brother The Devil, directed by Sally El Hosaini.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film
Sponsored by The Avenue Hollywood
Fenessa Pineda, Mosquita Y Mari
This actress brought nuance and subtlety to a fresh coming of age story. For beautifully capturing the fleeting moments of transition from innocence to curiosity to self-discovery, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film goes to Fenessa Pineda in Mosquita Y Mari.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film
Alan Cumming, Any Day Now
For bringing depth, humor, fierce wit, and emotional integrity to a moving portrait of a man who unexpectedly finds a family and the strength to fight for it, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film goes to Alan Cumming in Any Day Now.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Screenwriting
Sponsored by Yellow Cab
Ira Sachs & Mauricio Zacharias, Keep The Lights On
For masterfully constructing an emotionally honest portrait of a relationship that spans the better part of a decade and artfully weaving the mundane and the momentous, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Screenwriting goes to Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias for Keep The Lights On.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding U.S. Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by Saks Fifth Avenue
Keep The Lights On, (Isa: Films Boutique), Directed by Ira Sachs
This film resonated with us for its confidence, complexity, and emotional intelligence. For taking us on a challenging but poetic journey through the landscape of a long-term relationship, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding U.S. Dramatic Feature Film goes to Keep The Lights On, directed by Ira Sachs.
For more information, log on to http://www.outfest.org/fest2012/
To download high-res images, please visit: ftp://ftp.mprm.com/outfest2012
Outfest 2012: The 30th Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival is presented by HBO. Grand Sponsors include Absolut and Ease Entertainment Services. Under the Stars Series Sponsor is presented by Oxygen. The Automotive Partner is Mini. Other sponsors at the Premiere level include: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, The Directors Guild of America, Directv, The Hollywood Reporter, The Los Angeles Times, Merrill Lynch, Out, Variety and 104.3MYfm, The Official Sponsors are Barefoot Wines, Big Picture Group, Coca-Cola, Luca Bites, Lichter Yu & Associates, NBCUniversal, Orbitz, Propaganda Media, Room & Board, Southwest Airlines, Stella Artois, techpal, and Verizon Wireless. Day Sponsors are The David Geffen Foundation, Frontiers/InLA, Hollywood & Highland, Instinct Magazine, The Lesbian News, Lifetime, Logo, Sony Pictures, and Wells Fargo, Organizational Funders: Andrew Kuehn Foundation, City of West Hollywood, Department of Cultural Affairs, Hollywood Foreign Press, and Los Angeles County Arts. For more information about Outfest 2012 sponsorship, visit www.outfest.org/sponsor.
About Outfest
Outfest celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2012 with a yearlong celebration honoring the organization's rich film history, innovative filmmakers and cultural legacy. The anniversary celebration includes the signature film festival, a major film restoration, a new logo, a new monthly screening series and a comprehensive social media campaign. Founded by volunteers on the campus of UCLA in 1982, Outfest has grown into an internationally recognized organization that works to promote Lgbt equality through the arts. For three decades Outfest has brought together film lovers, artists, celebrities and entertainment industry professionals to create a world-class forum for stories that reflect and often transform Lgbt lives. Outfest has showcased over 5,600 films to audiences, reaching close to one million people, educated and mentored hundreds of emerging filmmakers and protected over 18,000 stories and images through the Outfest Legacy Project for Lgbt Film Preservation, the only program of its kind in the world.
- 7/25/2012
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The New England Patriots won last night, setting up a battle with the New York Giants, which in my world means that I get off the Atlantis cruise with Giants fan Travis Wall on Super Bowl Sunday in Patriots fan Dom Palange's home town. I wonder if I'm invited over for the game?
Best Week Ever has a post about the cutest players from this year's Puppy Bowl, which I should be home just in time to watch. Personally, I think that Abilene, the Australian Shepherd Mix should have been #1.
The Oklahoma legislature has taken up a bill to outlaw cannibalism in the state's food supply. In other news, tourism to Oklahoma just nosedived.
This is a pretty good article about why we're all so obsessed with Downton Abbey, though British readers will either take #2 as an insult or a badge of honor. Let me know which, but please note...
Best Week Ever has a post about the cutest players from this year's Puppy Bowl, which I should be home just in time to watch. Personally, I think that Abilene, the Australian Shepherd Mix should have been #1.
The Oklahoma legislature has taken up a bill to outlaw cannibalism in the state's food supply. In other news, tourism to Oklahoma just nosedived.
This is a pretty good article about why we're all so obsessed with Downton Abbey, though British readers will either take #2 as an insult or a badge of honor. Let me know which, but please note...
- 1/23/2012
- by lostinmiami
- The Backlot
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