The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) wrapped up this year's festival, CAAMFest 2021, with 11 days featuring drive-in, live online screenings, and on-demand programs. CAAMFest 2021 presented a diverse slate of over 50 events, complete with an opening weekend of drive-ins at FORT MASON FLIX, high energy filmmaker summits, and virtual programs. With over 10,000 attendees, the festival gave an expansive look into the multitude of Asian and Asian American experiences.
Surprisingly, no one film won multiple accolades. SXSW premieres featured prominently in this year's selection. Debbie Lum‘s “Try Harder!” — a documentary featuring SF's most prestigious high school, Lowell High — opened this year's CAAMFest. “Inbetween Girl” by Mei Makino and “See You Then” by Mari Walker also returned from Texas to sweep the narrative awards in San Francisco. Festival-appointed highlights did not go unnoticed either. Centerpiece presentation documentary “Manzanar Diverted: When Water Becomes Dust” took home the Jury Mention in this year's documentary section. Imran Zawahry's Muslim-American, all-female cast seems to have won over crowds when it closed off the festival as well, walking away with the Narrative Audience Award for “Americanish”.
But without further ado, the full list of awards:
NARRATIVE AWARD
Jury Members Include: Ante Cheng (Cinematographer), Kayla Wong (Festival Director, Asian CineVision), Nena Erb (Editor)
Winner: INBETWEEN GIRL, Dir. Mei Makino
Jury Statement: We the jury have selected a film that is technically outstanding with stellar direction, acting and editing. Beyond that, what resonated with us is the overwhelming amount of heart from the script to the screen. We are thrilled to announce the winner of the Best Narrative Film award goes to INBETWEEN GIRL by Director Mei Makino.
Jury Mention: SEE YOU THEN, Dir. Mari Walker
Jury Statement: We the jury would like to give an Honorable Mention to an important film that celebrates a story from an often under-represented community. With a wonderful script and powerful performances, we are taken on an emotional rollercoaster and enjoyed every moment. Our Honorable Mention goes to SEE YOU THEN by Director Mari Walker.
DOCUMENTARY AWARD
Jury Members Include: Anderson Le (Artistic Director, Hawai'i International Film Festival), Qiona Woffard (Program Associate, Black Public Media), Selena Yip (Festival Director, Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival)
Winner: WHO IS LUN*NA MENOH?, Dir. Jeff Mizushima
Jury Statement: Being meta can be cliche nowadays. As boundaries of fact and fiction become more blurred in the Documentary Renaissance that we are currently living in, this film tests said boundaries, veering in left turns that may seem disingenuous, but in the end, is both a commentary and love letter to an artist who navigates and challenges the absurdity of the modern art scene, and always on her own terms. The jury is honored to announce the documentary award to WHO IS LUN*NA MENOH?
Jury Mention: MANZANAR, DIVERTED: WHEN WATER BECOMES DUST, Dir. Ann Kaneko
Jury Statement: We are passionate about acknowledging a powerful documentary that explores vital topics including the devastating impact of climate change, water and land rights and intersectionality between the Asian American and Indigenous communities. Skillfully directed by Ann Kaneko, MANZANAR DIVERTED: WHEN WATER BECOMES DUST is an impressive film that equally entertains and educates.
LONI DING AWARD IN SOCIAL ISSUE DOCUMENTARY
Jury includes: Jack Song (APAHM Board Member and Film Commissioner), Sapana Sakya (CAAM's Talent Development & Special Projects Manager), Don Young (CAAM's Director of Programs), Masashi Niwano (CAAM's Festival and Exhibitions Director). 2021 Loni Ding Awards are made possible with funding from the Asian Pacific American Heritage Foundation.
Winner: F1-100, Dir. Emory Chao Johnson
Jury Statement: The first winner uses the visual medium to its fullest – bringing together art, animation, archival video to draw viewers into the world of the protagonist, to experience the raw emotion of being trans & trans-national – the feeling of being suspended in time and being invisible. Congratulations Emory Chao Johnson on your evocative and impactful short film F1-100. We are thrilled by your ability to tell the story of H and their experience through your singular, raw and authentic perspective. We are impressed by the urgency of your voice and we look forward to what comes next.
Winner: 83 AND ALONE, Dirs. Alina Peng and Charles Zhang
Jury Statement: We also want to present the Loni Ding Award to 83 & Alone, by filmmakers Alina Peng and Charles Zhang. The Award recognizes the importance of social justice advocacy through documentaries, and 83 & Alone exemplifies just that: this doc short thoughtfully explores a community made empty because of severe water shortage in Bhutan. Beautifully shot and artfully told, 83 & Alone captures the urgency and dire situation that we all must face when our environment is changed to the point of no return.
AUDIENCE AWARDS: The CAAMFest Audience Awards give valued members of our audience the honor of selecting their favorite films of the Festival.
Narrative Audience Award: AMERICANISH, Dir. Iman Zawahry
Documentary Audience Award: RICOCHET Dirs. Jeff Adachi and Chihiro Wimbush
