Film Seires

All films are free to the public, yet seating is limited.

These movies are not officially rated, but they may not be suitable for children because of the use of language and images of violence.

Tou and Mai
11:00AM - 12:30PM
Directed by Kang Vang
USA/Hmong, 2006
90 min
English/Hmong with English subtitles

A romantic Hmong comedy about Tou, a troubled youth whose uncle gives him one more chance to redeem himself by tutoring Mai, a newly arrived refugee from the Wat Thom Krabok camp in Thailand. At first the two personalities clash, but soon a strong bond forms amidst turmoil between their friends and elders.

Tamejavi welcomes Writer/Actor Wa Yang who will present the movie and participate in the following Q&A. Born in St. Paul MN, he studied at the Metropolitan State University and earn his B.A. in Independent studies, focus on media and marketing. He has been working with film and television for 6 years and recently moved to Los Angeles to explore mainstream media as well as "getting to know the business". His goals are to educate the general public through the use of entertainment.

Preceded by Orphan Boys, a short film by Abel Vang, local filmmaker and musician and based on a poem by Burlee Vang.

Divided We Fall: Americans in the Aftermath
1:00PM - 3:00PM
A film by Sharat Raju & Valarie Kaur
2006, 110 Min
Website: http://www.dwf-film.com/

Driven to action by the murder of a turbaned man in her community, Valarie Kaur drives across America in the aftermath of 9/11 to discover stories that did not make the evening news. From the Ground Zero to the desert towns of the American West, this inspiring journey uncovers remarkable stories of hate violence, fear and unspeakable loss-until she finds the heart of America halfway around the world in the words of widow.

Tamejavi welcomes Associate Producer Judge Brar in presenting Divided We Fall and will participate in a Q&A with the audience following the film.

Native American & Indigenous Short Films
3:30PM - 4:30 PM

A collection of short films made by Native Americans and Indengious Filmmakers from Mexico and U.S.A. The stories vary from an animated short made by P'urhepecha children in Mexico to the story of two young men's life-changing encounter with an elder in the waiting of a hosipital. These movies express a vision, often a new one in cinema, of the new and old social climate among Native American and Indigenous worlds.

Tamejavi welcomes director Cedar Sherbert (Gesture Down(I Don't Sing) to present his film and participate in a Q&A following the series. Sherbert is a member of the Santa Ysabel Band of Diegueño (Kumeyaay) Indians, whose reservation is located in northeastern San Diego County. He holds an MFA in film production from the University of Southern California School of Cinema/Television, where as an undergraduate he also earned an academic minor in Critical Studies. He is currently finishing work on a full-length adaptation of the short story "The Life and Times of Estelle Walks Above" by Sherman Alexie.

El Violín
5:30 - 7:00 PM
Directed by Francisco Vargas Quevedo
Mexico, 2006
99 min
Spanish with English subtitles
Website: http://www.elviolinthemovie.com/

This powerful drama follows the Hidalgo clan, grandfather, father, and son who perform as musicians in a small Mexican village and are also part of a guerrilla uprising. When the military takes control of their village, it's up to the elder Don Plutarco to play his violin for the captain in order to gain access to the cornfields where ammunition and weapons are hidden. Expertly acted by a mostly non-professional cast and beautifully shot in black and white, Francisco Vargas' feature debut was won numerous awards and great acclaim for his honest and brutal social depiction of the corrupt military and peasants that continues to have validity in this day and age.

Tamejavi is proud to have director Francisco Vargas present the movie as well as participate in a Q&A following the movie. Vargas studied directing and cinematography at Mexico's Centro Universitario de Estudios Cinematográficos. His short El Violin was selected to participate in the Cinéfondation Résidence du Festival de Cannes, while the feature length version of El Violin became an official selection at the Cannes Film Festival. The Movie has won numerous awards, including Best Ibero-American Film at the Miami International Film Festival. El Violin is his first feature film.