Asian American Film Series
Asian-American student groups have centered and promoted films that showcase elements of the Asian-American experience in collaboration with the Hopkins Center for the Arts. The Hopkins Center has a symbiotic relationship with student groups around film screenings, with programming often centering around certain classes being offered during a particular term. One of the best examples of this was the “Gener-Asians'' film festival. "Gener-Asians" was 3-week long film festival hosted by the Dartmouth Asian Organization (DAO) and Pan Asian Council (PAC) in April-May 1999, focusing on themes of intergenerationality, storytelling, and family in the Asian-American community. Inspired by other Asian and Asian American film festivals in LA, SF, & NYC, Bernette Tsai ‘01 decided to host a film festival sponsored by DAO at Dartmouth. The event was advertised with posters designed by Rick Su '01. Professor Vernon Takeshita advised the steering committee for the event, whose pamphlet detailed the importance of Asian-American studies and activism.
The Gener-Asians Film series was not the only Asian-American film series on campus. A Korean film series followed later that year, running from April 14th to May 5th, 2000, featuring films such as Spring in My Hometown, The House Guest and My Mother, The Age of Success, and Three Women on the Road.
There are a variety of collaborations with faculty, student groups, and individuals who are involved in the Film Society. Some of these collaborations and films are highlighted below.
David Siev is a Cambodian-Mexican filmmaker from the small town of Bad Axe, Michigan. His latest film, Bad Axe (2022), is a documentary centering his family's experiences during the pandemic in a town that is 97% white. In the film, Siev's family faces racism due to their support for the Black Lives Matter movement, and the film provides a deeply vulnerable, honest account of family, community, and resilience. Prior to the film's screening, Siev met with members of DAASC to discuss the film and the broader Asian-American experience.
The above poster advertised the Gener-Asians Film Festival, which took place during April and May of 1999. Gener-Asians was the COSO Award Winner for Best Event Series in 1999. The event was led and organized by Melissa Kho '99 and Bernette Tsai '01, and presented by the Dartmouth Asian Organization and the Pan Asian Council. The films were well-attended, creating an intimate space in which the filmgoers could often converse with directors and actors in a Q&A style.
Parasite (2019) was notable for many reasons. It was the first non-English speaking film to win the award for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and it was perhaps one of the most popular films of the year. The Hopkins Center played the film several times, with at least five sold-out showings, according to Hop Film Programming Manager Johanna Evans. The Korean Students Association (KSA) helped coordinate the screenings, allowing the student body to experience some of the very best of Asian and Asian-American cinema.