AAPI Heritage: More than films at CAAMFest: 'Culture In Every Sense'

As part of CAAMFest, Ruby Ibarra will be one of the featured hip-hop artists in concert.

SO YOU MISSED the Opening night party of CAAMFest36 held last night (May 10); and you missed out on eating the delectable Filipino food offered after the screening of ULAM: Main Dish yesterday (Friday). Don't despair.

There's still so much going on over a span of two weeks that will keep you busy, not to mention all the movies and videos being screened all over the Bay Area.

Fulfilling this year's theme: "Culture In Every Sense," you can dance to the latest hip-hop numbers by some of the up-and-coming artists; or munch on Asian food, or laugh at the inside jokes from Asian/American comedians.

CAAMFest:

• For a list of all the screenings, click here. 
• For a list of live performances, click here.

Beyond film, here are some of the other events offered by CAAMFest:

Anatomy of a Music Video with Warren Fu: The noted music video director talks about working with Daft Punk, Snoop Dogg, Pharrell Williams, A Tribe Called Quest and others. Fu is a former art director at Lucasfilm. (2:40 p.m. Saturday, May 12, New People Cinema).

Asian Americans and Hip-Hop Panel: The Oakland Museum of California hosts this free panel co-curated by CAAM and the Asian American Music Conference. Arrive early and check out the museum’s exhibit “Respect: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom.” (5:30 p.m. May 18).

Conversation With Jon M. Chu: The director of Crazy Rich Asians will talk about behind the scenes stories on the filming of Kevin Kwan's novel and the significance of the all-Asian cast of the movie. He will be at the Hotel Kabuki this Sunday (May 13, 6 p.m.)

“Aunt Lily’s Flower Book: One Hundred Years of Legalized Racism”: The closing night presentation of CAAMFest takes place at Herbst Theatre, with storyteller and activist Brenda Wong Aoki delivering a live performance set to music by Emmy Award-winning composer Mark Izu and koto master Shoko Hikage. (6:15 and 7 p.m. May 24).

Directions in Sound: Hip-hop artists Ruby Ibarra, Lyrics Born and G Yamazawa headline this popular annual concert event, which moves to Oakland (Starline Social Club) for the first time. (9 p.m. May 18).

Lost your identity? 'Disoreinted' will help you find it through laughter.

Disoriented Comedy Show: Jenny Yang, D’Lo and Atsuko Okatsuka bill themselves as the “first-ever (mostly) female Asian American stand-up comedy troupe.” Laugh along for two performances at New People Cinema — just about the perfect-sized venue for a comedy show. (7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 12).

First Kitchen: A 15-minute sneak preview of James Q. Quan’s upcoming documentary food series, “Bloodline,” a profile of chef Tu David Phu, is followed by a tasting menu presented by Phu himself and a meet-and-greet with filmmakers. Phu was on “Top Chef 15” and was on The Chronicle’s Rising Star list in 2017. He’s still on the rise. The event takes place at Black Cat, the live jazz and supper club in S.F. (5 p.m. May 20).

Heritage SF: The Midway, located in the Dogpatch neighborhood, is the site of this celebration featuring live music, food trucks, retail booths and an awards ceremony honoring community leaders and organizations. (4 p.m. May 19).

“She, Who Can See”: A combination of short film and live performance by choreographer and stage director Alleluia Panis of KulArts. The show promises to be a “love letter to the vibrant Bay Area Filipino American community.” (7 p.m. May 16, AMC Kabuki)

The State of the Art with David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori: What does it take to get a play or a musical from idea to opening night? Hwang (“M. Butterfly”) and Tesori, the five-time Tony Award-nominated composer, let us peek behind the curtain of their new collaboration, “Soft Power,” at the Curran theater. (7 p.m. May 17).
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