Mixed Asian Media Fest Returns with Virtual and In-Person Programming

New York City/San Francisco/Los Angeles: Mixed Asian Media proudly presents their second annual Mixed Asian Media Fest (MAM Fest) September 14-18.

MAM Fest will be an in-person and virtual celebration of mixed Asian & Pacific Islanders, who express themselves through creative art forms — including film, theatre, art, dance, and more! The in-person portion of the festival will take place at Prime Produce in New York City, September 16-18.

To be part of this festival, at least one person of mixed Asian or Pacific Islander descent must be part of the creative team, producorial team, and/or cast.

Mixed Asian Media (MAM) is a collaborative digital outlet created by multiracial, mixed Asian/Pacific Islanders (APIs). We seek to build a community through conversations of what it means to be of mixed Asian/Pacific Islander descent and find intersectionality in the search for our ever-evolving place in society.

To be mixed API is to be part of a diverse and growing population with many perspectives. We provide a platform to explore pertinent experiences, build powerful relationships, and discover sought-after clarity in the mixed Asian narrative. We believe that representation and diversity matter in all mediums. From every issue of our magazine to the annual creative festival, we strive to capture mixed Asian/Pacific Islander American (APIA) stories and experiences through all of our current and future mediums.

“I am so excited that we are holding our first in-person event since the pandemic,” stated Alex Chester-Iwata, founder/ editor-in-chief of MAM and director of MAM Fest. “Being able to bring our community together and celebrate what it means to be of mixed heritage is something we all need right now. Growing up never seeing anyone that looked like me in TV/film really impacted me and I am so happy that MAM is creating the space and is the leader in mixed API representation in mainstream media. We are paving the way for future generations of mixed Asians and MAM Fest is an accumulation of our creativity as a community.”

MAM is proud to be partnering with leading organizations in the Asian American community: Leviathan Lab, Nielsen, ACE Next Gen, & Asian Hustle Network.

“Leviathan Lab is proud to be the nonprofit fiscal sponsor for MAM’s (MAM) second Annual — and first in-person! — MAM Fest,” stated Ariel Estada, producing artistic director of Leviathan Lab. “As a creative studio that advances and celebrates the work of performing artists across the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) diaspora, Leviathan is thrilled to support the work of MAM. Their important work expands the depth and diversity of the art created by AAPI artists, bringing their work to a larger audience both in NYC and nationwide. Alex Chester-Iwata and the MAM team have gathered an incredible roster of artists from all artistic disciplines to create a weekend of both in-person and online offerings that feature the best of the best of Mixed Asian work across the country. Both Leviathan and MAM are also excited to partner with our friends at Prime Produce Apprentice Cooperative, with their beautiful space in midtown Manhattan, and their mission to support entrepreneurs, educators, and artists who share values of service and hospitality.”

“With the increase in diversity in the U.S., comes the need to empower diverse-owned media as the voices of their communities,” said Patricia Ratulangi, Nielsen’s VP, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. “As the media industry is becoming more inclusive of diverse voices, we are excited to lead the charge, along with the team at MAM, to tell more mixed Asian stories and elevate representation.”

“ACE NextGen is proud to sponsor the MAM Fest 2022,” stated Kat Pham, program director of ACE NextGen. “As an ally of Asian American Pacific Islanders entrepreneurs, ACE NextGen believes that there can be more representation for AAPI across TV, movies, and theater. We believe in the work that MAM is doing, to change and build a community for mixed Asians in media.”

“Asian Hustle Network will always be a proud supporter of MAM Fest,” stated Bryan Pham, founder of AHN. “For too long the mixed Asian community has been overlooked and Alex along with the MAM team are bringing much-needed representation and voices to the community. We are excited about this event to bring the community together.”

MAM is thrilled to announce the following sponsors supporting the festival:

Fiscal Sponsor: Leviathan Lab

Event Space Sponsor: Prime Produce Coop

Coperate Diamond: Sabobatage

Corporate Sapphire: Kaizen Capital

Corporate Pearl: IW Group, Asian Hustle Network, First Gen Law.

Community Member: ACE Next Gen, The Mixed Space, Long Beach Disability Pride, Project 100, Anise Health, Subtle Asian Baking.

Product Sponsors: Luna Bar, Baisun Candle Co, Boundless-Nest, Drink Lunar, MaiVino, DrinkMoshi, The Boiis, Coba Coffee, Splendid Spoon, Uproot Teas, Zden.

Community Friends: Strong Asian Lead, Untapped Storytellers.

The festival itself will kick off virtually on September 14, and in-person on September 16, and conclude both virtually and in person on September 18.

In-person line-up of events:

Friday, September 16:

Opening Night Party. The theme is MAM PROM!

Saturday, September 17:

Discussion Panel + Talk Back with:
IW Group, Nielsen, Brown Girl Mag, Troy Iwata (Dash & Lilly, We Crashed,) , Oliver Pras (TV Host at Voice of America,) Patricia Ratulangi (VP – Global Communications, Diversity & Inclusion/Corporate Social Responsibility at Nielsen.)

The Mixed Space Workshop
Anise Health Presentation
Blurring the Color Line – Documentary Screening
Live Podcast Recording: Minor Legends
Featuring: Angela Wong Carbone (Chicago Med, We Crashed, IFC Films’ Resurrection,) Lynn Kim Do (Lifetime’s Revenge Best Served Chilled,) Mohtasham Yaqub, Brian Park, Nick Vango, Ruth Du, Usama Siddiquee (Inventing Anna,) & Wilfred Padua
Standup Comedy Night featuring:
Dylan Adler & Adam Mamawala

Sunday, September 18:

Table Read of Scott C. Sickles’ play MARIANAS TRENCH
Subtle Asian Baking Demonstration
Exhibition Shorts Screenings

Bus Girl (Jessica Henwick’s directorial debut!)
All I Ever Wanted (Erin Lau Dir. Maria Zhang Actor)
Queen Bessie’s Gal (Erin Quill)
The Greatest Poem
Desolate Dreams (Trailer by Kiyoka Rex Rhodes)
MAMF Award Ceremony

Specific times for each event to be announced soon.

Virtual Line-up September 14-18 will be hosted on the platform Hopin.

Films in competition at MAM Fest
The Mixed Space workshop
Q&A with Director Alexander Bocchieri (GO FOR BROKE, Disney Launchpad Program.)
Q&A with Nicole Centeno (Creator/Founder of Splendid Spoon)
Writer’s Panel
Diretor’s Panel
Travis Atero — Fanded

Of course, what would a festival be without awards and laurels? MAM Fest will curate a panel of judges to determine the following: Best Feature Film and Best Short Film.

All submissions to the specific categories are eligible for awards (i.e.: a mixed Asian or Pacific Islander director will not be favored over a mixed Asian or Pacific Islander producer for the Best Narrative Feature Film).

MAM Fest is excited to announce the following creative projects that have been selected for the competition portion of the festival. (Awards and prizes will be announced at the closing ceremony on September 19.)

Feature Films:

Seaweed Brain: A Percy Jackson Podcast

Smile or Hug (Starring Chelsea Javier & Danny Trejo)

80 YEARS LATER

Casting Fu Manchu

Before They Take Us Away

Short Films:

寄托 — Jìtuo — Sustenance

The Last Coyote

Midnight Rhythms

Kumquat

Avelino