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The Shangri-la Cafe
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Wikipedia article
'The Shangri-la Cafe' is a 2000 film written and directed by Lily Mariye. The film is about a Japanese American family who conceal their identity and reluctantly adopt discriminatory practices in order to operate a Chinese restaurant within the hostile cold war climate of Las Vegas in the late 1950s.
Cast
*Montana Tsai as Annie Takashi
*Joanne Takahashi as Emiko Takashi
*Sam Anderson as The Man
*Christopher Chen as Tad Takashi
*Albert Chien as Jimmy Takashi
*Cedric Harris as Reverend Charles Osteen
*Montae Russell as George Brooks (as Mont Russell)
*Margaret Laurena Kemp as Mildred Brooks
*Kelli Kirkland as Helen Osteen
*Charles 'Brick' Tilley Jr. as Man #2
*Bob Bergen as Television Announcer (voice)
Reviews
'Its an impressive directing debut for actress Lily Mariye. Heartfelt and unusually sensitive to the heightened experience of children, The Shangri-la Cafe is a strong showcase for Mariyes directing talents. It deserves to be expanded into a feature.'
-Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle
'"An extraordinary debut by a unique new voice in American filmmaking." '
-Jonathan Kaplan, Director, The Accused, Over the Edge
'"... Lily is a director with vision."'
-Anthony Edwards, Actor/Director
'"A compelling and emotional story, superbly told, Lily Mariye has much to say and this is a powerful beginning"'
-Lesli Linka Glatter, Director, The Proposition, Now and Then, State of Emergency
'"A stirring evocation of a very personal place and time, 'The Shangri-la Cafe' serves up a tender, bittersweet childhood recollection of a not always glittering Las Vegas past."'
-Michael Rechtshaffen, The Hollywood Reporter
Awards
*National Organization for Women Filmmaker of the Year (Lily Mariye)
*Best Short Film Award, Moondance International Film Festival
*Best Screenplay Award, Brussels Independent Film Festival
*2nd place, Best Short Film, Nashville Film Festival
*2nd place, Best Short Film, Woodstock Film Festival
Official selection
*BBC British Short Film (London)
*Seattle International Film Festival
*Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films
*Hamptons International Film Festival
*American Cinematheque at the Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood
*Athens International
*Sepia Women of Color (Kennedy Center, Washington D.C.)
*Big Bear
*Los Angeles Asian Pacific American Film and Video
*New York Asian American International
*San Francisco Asian American
*Women of Color (Berkeley, CA)
*Sedona Film Festival
*Shades of Power (S.F., CA)
*Chicago Asian American Showcase
*San Diego Asian Film Festival
*Slant (Houston, TX)
*University of Iowa
*Boston Museum of Fine Arts
*Portobello Film (London)
*Woodstock Film (NY)
*Blue Sky International Film (Las Vegas)
*Magnolia Festival
*Yale Women in Film Festival
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