ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The Orange County Library System is honoring Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month with a free film festival.
FusionFest, a nonprofit organization with a mission to celebrate the many different people and cultures that comprise Central Florida, hosts a MYgration film series monthly, capturing the stories of the community in 3- to 5-minute documentaries.
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For AANHPI Heritage Month, the group will be showing five short films from 2:20 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the South Trail Branch Library in Orlando, with the help of the Orange County Asian Committee.
A panel discussing AAPI representation in film will follow.
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The movies airing include “The Essence of Sharing,” the story of Shally Wong and Gary C.K. Lau by filmmaker Channarong Buapim, “88 Hours,” the story of Kamalakar “Kam” Shenai by filmmaker Tristan Ortiz, “Deep in the Roots,” the story of Zion Cruz by filmmaker Clio Yang, “MYGration,” the story of Puxiao Cen by Thuyvi Gates, and “Onchantho,” the story of Onchantho Am by Corey Marr.
Thali Sugisawa, executive director of FusionFest, said in a previous interview with News 6 that the process of creating these films is similar to speed dating in that the filmmaker and subject get to know each other over a short span of time and submit the documentary within the week.
“I just really love that when someone gets plugged in with us (and) it’s like they become family,” Sugisawa said. “Our big goal in FusionFest is to share the message of we’re all for each other. So we’re here not only to share our culture and share who we are, but we’re here for others as well.”
For more about FusionFest and the organization’s upcoming events, click here.
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