Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival in Pittsburgh, PA
There will be 18 films from all over the world, starting with “Cooking with Stella,” an Indian/Canadian satirical comedy about a Canadian diplomat and her chef husband, who relocate to New Dehli and inherit a household cook — and force of nature — named Stella. The chef wants to tap into Stella’s vast expertise to spice up his own cooking repertoire — but has no idea what he’s in for.
Other highlights include “The Taqwacores,” about a group of young Muslim punk rockers in Buffalo, attempting to reconcile their seemingly contradictory identities, and “Make Yourself at Home” is a creepy South Korean thriller starring Korean supermodel Song Hye Kyo.
Kicking off the festival tonight is the Silk Screen Gala — easily one of the most colorful social events of the year, with food from some of the region’s top Asian restaurants and a vast array of ethnic performances. The gala includes fire-eaters, Japanese choral singers, bellydancers, bhangra DJs, and renowned Bollywood singer Akshay Hari.
As usual, Silk Screen interprets “Asia” in the broadest possible sense. India’s massive film industry is amply represented, of course, as are the well-established cinemas of Japan and China. But other, more obscure corners of the world are heard from, too — like the Sri Lankan film “Between Two Worlds,” an experimental, image-driven meditation on the island’s long-running civil war.
(Above is: ‘The People I’ve Slept With’ – A young woman finds out she’s pregnant and seeks to find out who the father.)