Martin Luther King Jr. will always be a prominent figure for social justice and civil rights. He will continue to inspire many activists to fight for what they believe in. If Martin Luther King Jr. could be present at the inauguration of President Barack Obama, we’re sure he’d be proud.
In celebration of his legacy, the staff of ACV handpicked a couple of must see past AAIFF films that had raised and exercised the issue of fighting for social justice and civil rights.
2001 – CHINATOWN FILES dir. Amy Chen
This documentary brings to the public, for the first time, a story that was classified as secret by the US government for over four decades. Exploring the roots and legacy of the Cold War on the Chinese American community during the 1950s and the 1960s, it presents first hand accounts of seven men and women’s experiences of being hunted down, jailed and targeted for deportation in America. During McCarthy era witch-hunts, the loyalties of over ten thousand American citizens of Chinese descent were questioned based on their ethnicity and alleged risk to national security. While China remains an enigma to most Americans, the prejudice and jingoism that has negatively affected the lives of Chinese Americans has rarely been examined. THE CHINATOWN FILES is a cautionary tale of paranoia and hysteria that serves as a dramatic and enduring reminder of the fragility of constitutional protections today.
WHATEVER IT TAKES gives a heartfelt reality check of the public education system in the United States. Through Sharifea, the subject of the film, it is evident that she takes care of the family and balances schoolwork at the same time. Her mother believes in the importance of education because it can help her move forward in life. This documentary shows the struggle behind growing up at such a young age, and one’s determination to succeed under limiting circumstances.
What happens when Hurricane Katrina hits and a whole community gets left behind? A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES aims to answer that question. With the dominant narrative of Hurricane Katrina centering around the African American community and their struggle with FEMA, the Vietnamese American community was invisible. When Versailles, a community in New Orleans where Vietnamese refugees settled in 1975, is jeopardized and compromised as the dumping ground of Hurricane Katrina, they become empowered to rise up, discover their voices, and fight for what they deserve.
ENEMY ALIEN first-person documentary, offers a dramatic inside view of the fight to free Farouk Abdel-Muhti, a gentle but indomitable Palestinian-born human rights activist detained in a sweep of Muslim immigrants. Told through the eyes of a Japanese American filmmaker whose grandparents were interned during World War II, this tale from the aftermath of 9/11 takes on unique personal and historical resonance.
Cambodian Americans born and raised in the states is now deported back to Cambodia, their “home” country. What does “home” mean to them, and how will they deal with their new lives? If civil rights include basic human rights and dignity, then their civil rights have been violated. But who is there to defend them, and how will they come into terms that America is no longer their home?
Joseph Cao was the first Vietnamese American elected to Congress. As the only person in the Republican Party who voted in favor of President Obama’s Health Care Reform Act and then retracting his decision, Mr. Cao gained a fair share of friends and allies–despite his political party affiliation. Throughout the documentary, you can see Mr. Cao’s determination to serve and represent his community in Louisiana–and his civic engagement continues to influence and inspire the next generation of Asian American political leaders.
Do you have recommendations of past AAIFF films that contained the issue of social justice and human rights? Comment and give your list below!