This past Sunday, I saw a pair of fantastic adaptations of prize-winning books: Deepa Mehta’s adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s epic Midnight’s Children, and Mira Nair’s take on Mohsin Hamid’s cultural drama, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, starring Riz Ahmed, Liev Schreiber, Kate Hudson, and Keifer Sutherland. The screenings were held at San Francisco’s beautiful Castro Theater, which is one of my favorites in the Bay Area.

After the screening of The Reluctant Fundamentalist, the red carpet was rolled out for two of the stars of Midnight’s Children, Satya Bhabha (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, The New Girl), and Samrat Chakrabarti (The Waiting City). After the red carpet, I moved up to the mezzanine for a pre-screening party with amazing Indian food and delicious sweets from Jade Chocolates. Following the screening of their film, Bhabha and Chakrabarti answered a few questions in a fun and engaging Q&A. This was the strongest day of the festival so far, and I highly recommend both films.

(Satya Bhabha & Samrat Chakrabarti)

The Reluctant Fundamentalist

An adaptation of Mohsin Hamid’s bestselling novel, Mira Nair’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist follows Changez Khan (Riz Ahmed), a Pakistani pulled in two directions by his American dream and his devotion to his native Pakistan. It’s a startling commentary on the dangerous fundamentalism that is shared—frighteningly—by both terrorists and anti-terrorists.

The story begins in Lahore, Pakistan in 2011. The city is in a state of unrest due to the the American military presence. Changez—deemed a ‘person of interest’ by the CIA—is interviewed by an American reporter (Liev Schreiber) about his life from 2001 leading up to the present: He graduated college, made a name for himself on Wall Street, and found a beautiful American girlfriend. He was a man living out the American dream. However, after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the the country he had learned to love ridiculed and reduced him to his fundamental form: a Pakistani. A foreigner. His American dream was ripped away in an instant. The United States turned its back on him and he endured emasculating interrogations and hateful accusations. It’s this dismissal of humanity, of the individual, that Changez aims to combat.

Nair does a good job of getting the message across, but the story is a little indulgent and hits the nail on the head too hard. Ahmed’s performance is impressively subdued and paints the picture of cultural divide better than the script does. The difficult and uncomfortable situations he is put in speak a little too loudly, but he sells them like a pro. The rest of the cast are excellent as well, with Keifer Sutherland being the standout as Changez’s omnipotent boss and mentor on Wall Street. Declan Quinn’s lush cinematography looks absolutely slick but gets dirty when it needs to. The ending is disappointingly trite and doesn’t resonate emotionally, but the film hits a good pace leading up to that point, which is difficult for such a weighty two-hour drama.

RATING: 7.7

Midnight’s Children

Deepa Mehta and Salman Rushdie give us a lot to digest in their adaptation of Rushdie’s award winning novel, Midnight’s Children. Maybe a little too much; this film is DENSE. Themes, images, symbolism, plot points, and new characters are thrown at us at such a speed that by the end of the film, it’s hard to remember it all. The good news? Everything presented is wonderful; the film is visually breathtaking, deeply moving, epic, and joyously whimsical. Watching Midnight’s Children is like trying to eat a huge bowl of ice cream as fast as you can; it’ll all be a blur, it’ll give you a headache, and you’ll wish you could have taken your time, but it’s also delicious and incredibly fun, and you’ll look back on the experience fondly.

We follow Saleem (Satya Bhabha), who was born at the stroke of midnight at the precise moment India gained its independence in 1947. As he grows older, he discovers two extraordinary things: he can telepathically gather every other child born at the moment he was (hence the title) for pow-wows in his bedroom, and secondly, his life story is somehow linked to the political trajectory of India and its people. Saleem finds himself in a dangerous love triangle with two other Midnight’s Children, the kind, diplomatic Parvati (Shriya Saran), and the bull-headed Shiva (Siddharth), who was switched with Saleem at birth.

Rushdie wrote the screenplay himself, which is apparent in how caught up he gets in the details of the narrative. It’s obvious that he couldn’t help but try to cram in as many moments from the book as he could. That’s common fault in book-to-film adaptations. However, the essence and spirit of the book remain intact, so the script’s density far from a deal-breaker. The hopeful tone of the film feels just right, and there are several powerful moments throughout that are guaranteed to rouse and inspire you. Rushdie narrates the film himself, which provides a nice thread to tie the branching narrative together, but is otherwise unnecessary.

Mehta’s visuals are intoxicating, a rush of color and life that you won’t be able to take your eyes off of. Everything looks magical while representing India with sincerity and love. An exhilarating bit involving a low sweeping camera and Saleem dancing the twist in glistening sunlight comes to mind. This is eye candy on the highest level.

The cast is excellent across the board, delivering the exuberant dialog with flair. Bhabha couldn’t have done a better job. He gives his all in every scene and is irresistibly likable and sympathetic. Midnight’s Children is a sprawling epic that feels slightly bloated, but constantly excites the senses in a way that will keep you enchanted from beginning to end.

RATING: 8.2

Tonight marks the opening night of CAAMFest, once known as the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, CAAMFest is a celebration of Asian and Asian American media, food, music, culture, digital arts, and of course, film. Though re-branded with a shiny new name, this is actually the festival’s 31st anniversary of celebrating Asian culture in San Francisco. The Asian community here is as strong as you’ll find in the United States, which makes San Francisco the perfect city to hold this world-class showcase of Asian American cinema. I’m a San Francisco native, and let me tell you, the Asian community here is one of the most passionate and driven groups of people I’ve ever seen. It’s going to be a good show, and it should not be missed!

CAAMFest is all about giving new artists a platform to share their passion with the world. Though the festival has been mostly focused on the art form of film in the past, this year will see the expansion of the festival’s focus to other mediums. Local DJs, chefs, and even authors will be contributing their work to the festival as well, and I’ll be there to sample all the tasty treats and bangin’ beats to give you a taste of the expanded CAAMFest experience (and make you jealous). However, Way Too Indie is an independent film site after all, so the main focus of our coverage will be on the lineup of films this year’s festival has to offer.

Asian culture is sadly given little to no representation in Hollywood, which makes CAAMFest so important. Growing up, the only huge movie stars that sort of looked like me were…um…Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. I don’t know martial arts, and I’m American, so really, I had no one on the big screen that was truly like me. CAAMFest is a festival in which Asian American filmmakers are given a voice, and I couldn’t be more excited to experience their work.

When most people hear the term “Asian Cinema”, they think of it as a niche genre in the world of film, which simply isn’t true. The films on deck this year look to exhibit just how versatile Asian and Asian American cinema can be. The lineup looks strong, and here are just a few of the films I am looking forward to watching.

Linsanity

Director Evan Leong provides an up-close-and-personal look at Jeremy Lin, the center of the phenomenon referred to in the film’s title. A basketball player from Palo Alto, Lin had endured a tumultuous climb up the ladder in the NBA after playing collegiate ball at Harvard; he was underutilized by every team that drafted him and was never given a chance to show his true ability. This all led to a now-legendary run with the New York Knicks in February 2012 which launched Lin into superstardom. Leong shows Lin in quiet, reflective, intimate moments; a side of Lin that the world has yet to see.

Midnight’s Children

An adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s popular novel, adapted by Rushdie himself, Midnight’s Children follows Saleem Sinai, who was born at the stroke of midnight on the very day that India gained its independence from Great Britain. As he grows up, he begins to learn that this coincidence comes with a heavy burden; his actions and the fortunes and misfortunes of his life are mirrored on a greater scale in the nation of India. His literal bond with his nation is incredible, but what is even more amazing is that he is telepathically linked to other children born at the same fateful moment that he was. Director Deepa Mehta, known for her “Elements Trilogy”, collaborates with Rushdie to bring to the big screen a story that is universally adored. This is my most anticipated film of the festival.

Trailer for Midnight’s Children:

Late Summer

Yasujiro Ozu is widely regarded as one of the most gifted filmmakers in the history of the medium. Tokyo Story happens to be one of my favorite films of all time. His elegantly technical style is seemingly inimitable, but director Ernie Park’s Late Summer pays homage to the filmic master by taking elements of his films and telling a story set not in Japan, but in a black neighborhood in Tennessee. It will be interesting to see Park’s take on Ozu’s work and how he blends Eastern and Western culture.

Trailer for Late Summer:

Memories to Light: Asian American Home Movie

This presentation is not a film, but a nation-wide project in which Asian Americans contribute home videos to a growing archive in hopes to document and represent the Asian American experience. There is nothing more personal, nostalgic, naked, or honest than home movies, and Memories to Light transcends the medium of film, acting as a gateway to Asian American history. American cinema regrettably doesn’t offer much insight into Asian America, so this project is possibly the most culturally significant work at the festival.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding) brings us an adaptation of the bestselling novel by Mohsin Ahmid that breaks boundaries and provides thought-provoking insight into the cultural impact of the 9/11 tragedy. Changez is a Pakistani man obsessed with the American dream; he went to Princeton, works at a firm in New York, and looks to conquer Wall Street. After the terrorist attacks, Changez’s past in his homeland begins to eclipse everything he’s worked so hard to acquire in America, including his girlfriend (Kate Hudson.) Nair is an extremely talented filmmaker, so The Reluctant Fundamentalist could be one of the best dramas at the festival.

Trailer for The Reluctant Fundamentalist:

CAAMFest 2013 Lineup

Gala Presentations:
Linsanity – Evan Jackson Leong
Midnight’s Children – Deepa Mehta
Memories to Light: Asian American Home Movies

Special Presentations:
The Reluctant Fundamentalist – Mira Nair
Old Romances – Royston Tan
Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven 3D – Chen Zhihong, Su Da

Comcast Narrative Competition:
Abigail Harm – Lee Isaac Chung
Dead Dad – Ken J. Adachi
Graceland – Ron Morales
Late Summer – Ernie Park
Someone I Used to Know – Nadine Truong
Sunset Stories – Ernesto Foronda, Silas Howard

Documentary Competition:
Harana – Benito Bautista
Hight Tech, Low Life – Stephen Maing
Marilou Diaz-Abaya: Filmmaker on a Voyage – Mona Lisa Yuchengco
The Mosuo Sisters – Marlo Poras
Seeking Asian Female – Debbie Lum
Seeking Haven – Hein S. Seok, Lee Hark-joon, Ko Dong-kyum
When I Walk – Jason DaSilva
Xmas Without China – Alicia Dwyer, Tom Xia

CinemAsia (International Films):
Beautiful 2012 – Kim Tae-yong, Tsai Ming-Liang, Gu Changwei, Ann Hui
Beijing Flickers – Zhang Yuan
The Cheer Ambassadors – Luke Cassaday-Dorion
Comrade Kim Goes Flying – Kim Gwant Hun, Nicholas Bonner, Anja Daelemans
Go Grandriders – Hua Tien-hao
Invoking Justice – Deepa Dhanraj
Jiseul – Muel O
The Land of Hope – Sion Sono
Mekong Hotel – Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Postcards From the Zoo – Edwin
Touch of the Light – Chang Jung-chi
When Hari Got Married – Ritu Sarin, Tenzing Sonam
When Night Falls – Ying Liang
When the Bough Breaks – Ji Dan