2011 GRANT PROJECTS
• THEATER AND WEBSITE
Say You Heard My Echo • $10,000
Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai and the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4)
Say You Heard My Echo by spoken word artist Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai is a performance piece about feminist religious freedom and tolerance in context of 10th anniversary of 9/11 and Park51. The piece, a poetic narrative of three APA women in conversation with female religious icons commissioned by A4, features spoken word artist YaliniDream; poet Adeeba Rana; and artist Cece Carpio. The project includes a website with interactive features as part of A4’s fall 2012 “Locating the Sacred” festival.
• SPOKEN WORD, ESSAYS AND COMIC
Momic • $10,000
Asian American Writers’ Workshop
Momic is three-event series that counters new stereotypes about APA mothers and families through open mic nights, Mom Comic, a DIY feminist graphic novel project, and a panel about the recent “Tiger Mom” phenomena.
• THEATER
Barriers • $10,000
Rehana Lew Mirza, Rohi Mirza Pandya, and Desipina Productions, Inc.
Desipina remounts their theater project, Barriers, the first American play to deal with 9/11 from the Muslim perspective. Barriers is a multi-ethnic family drama that deals with the loss, as well as the backlash and prejudice, that arose towards South Asians after the WTC tragedy. Grant: $10,000.
• DOCUMENTARY FILM
In Search of Golden Phoenix • $10,000
Jade Wu and Golden Phoenix Productions, Inc.
In Search of Golden Phoenix is a feature length documentary film that explores a family’s domestic violence legacy. Golden Phoenix, a 104-year old illiterate Chinese-Burmese woman, is the filmmaker’s grandmother. The grant includes support for community outreach efforts.
• DOCUMENTARY FILM
Can • $5,000
Pearl J. Park and Light Fish Arts
Can is a feature-length documentary about a Vietnamese immigrant family’s experience with their son’s mental illness and attempted suicide. This second AWGC grant will support post production of the film and college outreach.
• DOCUMENTARY FILM
Oh, Saigon • $10,000
Doan Hoang and Nuoc Pictures, LLC, Fund for the Reconciliation and Development
The award-winning documentary Oh, Saigon is about three Vietnamese-American women in the director’s family who survived rape and the fallout of the Vietnam War. The grant will help create a preview trailer for the film.
• THEATER, DVD AND WEBSITE
Undesirable Elements: Secret Survivors • $5,000
Amita Swadlin and Ping Chong & Company
This live theater production is about survivors of child sexual abuse sharing stories through dramatic narrative. This second AWGC grant will support the development of educational tools such as a DVD and website to complement the theatrical production.
• DOCUMENTARY FILM
Anna May Wong: In Her Own Words • $5,000
Yunah Hong and Women Make Movies
Anna May Wong: In Her Own Words is a documentary film about Anna May Wong, a Chinese American laundryman’s daughter who became an international movie star and activist. This second AWGC grant will support preparation of the film for PBS broadcast.