I Want To Be A Desi

I WANT TO BE A DESI 2 has world premiere at

Asian American International Film Festival
in Manhattan

(July 27/09) I Want To Be A Desi 2 had its world premiere at the 32nd AAIFF in lower Manhattan on Saturday, July 25. The short documentary was part of the shorts program about individual identity, "Here...look at me," that screened at the newly renovated MOCA (Museum of Chinese in America) at 215 Centre Street in New York's Chinatown.

The nearly sold-out screening at the new Museum of Chinese in America

Despite a sultry summer's day and the dinner-hour scheduling, a near-sell-out crowd came out to pack the screening room at MOCA where the paint was still drying. Myself, director Allan Tong, and co-producer Dinesh Sachdev attended. The films ranged from profiles of a Vancouver yo-yo champion to a Hiroshima survivor to a Japanese-American cowboy singer. The quality was high throughout and I was pleased to be part of this line-up.

The post-screening Q&A with several of the directors in the program.
I Want To Be A Desi 2 director, Allan Tong, is the third from the left, in black

I was part of a spirited group Q&A afterwards that included filmmakers of several other films on the bill. I was asked why I made IWTBAD2 and if there is a IWTBAD1. I explained that in a Lucas-esque way, I'm putting out the sequal before the original film, and that Desi 1 will be completed by the fall for Bravo TV. Dinesh received a hearty round of applause for his performance as the roti-lovin' Mr. Desi in the film.

Allan answering an audience question as director Irene Herrera
(You Can Call Me Nikkie) listens.

Overall, I had a fantastic time at AAIFF. I met other filmmakers and saw their fine work, and was treated well by AAIFF staff and volunteers. I enjoyed the screenings, workshops and receptions. The festival was all the more sweeter because it took place in the greatest city on earth in the middle of summer.

Director Allan Tong and co-producer/Mr. Desi, Dinesh Sachdev,
after the successful screening.

By coincidence the festival took place exactly one year after we commenced shooting at Toronto's Masala! Mehndi! Masti! South Asian Festival. (Thanks to Yasmine Gomez for taking the photos. Yasmine's music video, You Will Remember by the band Lumaya, also played at AAIFF.) I hope I can return 12 months from now to premiere I Want To Be A Desi.

Dinesh Sachdev (left) speaking to Dickson Chow (in glasses), director of
The Veiled Commodity which also played at AAIFF.