CAAMFest 2025: Boat People

Fri, May 9 • 7:00 PM

Roxie Theater

About this event

Part of the 2025 CAAMFest series, Boat People is a powerful cinematic exploration of the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Directed by Ann Hui, the film chronicles the experiences of a Japanese photojournalist (George Lam) who travels to Vietnam three years after the Communist takeover. He befriends a local teenage girl (Season Ma) and her impoverished family, revealing the stark contrasts between the government's portrayal of a reborn Vietnam and the harsh realities faced by its citizens. The film employs haunting imagery to highlight themes of political repression and desperation that forced many Vietnamese to flee their homeland. Boat People is recognized as one of the seminal works of the Hong Kong New Wave.

Event Website

Similar Events

Obscure Night - Wild Leaves (The Burning Ones, the Obstinate)

The first part of a larger cycle of films, Obscure Night – Wild Leaves follows young men as they risk their lives to board ships headed for Spain. Melilla, a Spanish enclave in Morocco, serves as a land border between Africa and Europe, where young migrants face perilous journeys driven by their desperate quest for a better life. This screening is part of NO BORDER: The Films of Sylvain George, a multi-day retrospective playing across the Bay Area, featuring Sylvain George in person. Supported by the Jean Monnet Center of Excellence, the UC Berkeley Institute for European Studies, and the UC Berkeley Department of French.

Roxie Theater

Tues, Apr 29 • 6:00 PM

Summer Palace

Lou Ye’s film, 'Summer Palace', evokes the strident student activism during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre. Following the story of small-town girl Hao Lei at the fictional 'Beiqing University', it captures her romance and idealism, later leading to adult disillusion. This film, banned in Mainland China, is known for its bold exploration of politics and sexuality, making it a significant piece in contemporary cinema.

Roxie Theater

Sat, Apr 19 • 3:00 PM

No Other Land – Oscar® Winner!

No Other Land is a powerful documentary film that chronicles the struggle of Basel Adra, a young Palestinian activist from Masafer Yatta, who fights against the expulsion of his community by the Israeli occupation. The film highlights the gradual destruction of homes and the human cost of war, showcasing the bond between Basel and Israeli journalist Yuval as they navigate through the challenges of inequality in their lives. The film has been acclaimed for its poignant storytelling and won the Academy Award for Documentary Feature Film.

Roxie Theater

Sat, Apr 19 • 4:05 PM

Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story

No wallflower, literary sensation Edna O’Brien wrote sexually explicit novels that enthralled readers for decades, simultaneously inspiring generations of writers while infuriating power brokers, who banned her books. Ignoring prevailing norms of puritan propriety, O’Brien was renowned for her wild parties, lavish lifestyle, passionate affairs, and most notably, her radiant voice. A trailblazer who bucked convention until her passing in 2024, O’Brien was the ultimate maverick. Her life, both the bitter and the sweet, is captured in this beautifully compiled film. Director Sinéad O’Shea blends diary entries (read by Jessie Buckley) and footage of O’Brien with luminaries such as Paul McCartney, Sean Connery, and Jane Fonda, as well as exclusive late-life interviews with the scribe herself. Frank and funny, this documentary will lift your spirits and return you to O’Brien’s wondrous writing.

Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive

Sun, Apr 20 • 11:30 AM