These are some unique stories being featured at the 14th annual Vancouver

These are some unique stories being featured at the 14th annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival, which runs from November 4 to 7. Kathy Leung, the festival’s coprogramming director, says that of the 100-plus entries received this year, the feature documentaries are the strongest.

Wo Ai Ni Mommy, one of the festival’s biggest draws, takes viewers inside the world of international adoption by following the Sadowsky family’s newest member, Faith (or Fang) Sui Yong from China. Tracking Faith’s painful cultural adjustment to life on New York’s Long Island and the family’s efforts to make her feel welcome, the film challenges traditional notions of race, family, and home.

In addition to the feature documentaries, Leung recommends the award-winning short films on November 5, as well as the local short films on November 7, for which all directors will be present.

Also, from Academy Award winner and five time Oscar nominee Freida Lee Mock (above) comes her latest documentary, LT. WATADA. It is an in-depth look at the journey of Lieutenant Ehren Watada as he was court marshalled for refusing deployment to Iraq on the grounds that the current war dishonours his oath to Constitution. This film was shortlisted for the 2010 Oscars.

Lt. Ehren Watada speaking at the Veterans for Peace 2006 National Convention August 12, 2006 in Seattle about refusing to serve in Iraq.

Freida is amazing! She won the Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary Film in 1995 for her film Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision. Maya designed the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC.