Forever, Chinatown

NEW DOCS
“The only way for me to capture my memories is to make them in three dimensions.” Forever, Chinatown documents one man’s life, and his life’s work of recreating a San Francisco neighborhood that is rapidly vanishing into the past. Frank Wong’s extraordinary miniatures evoke sights, smells, and scenes from his childhood in this “city within a city.” A jazzy soundtrack, archival images, and Wong’s exquisitely detailed dioramas are presented alongside images of today’s Chinatown, which some residents still call “Baghdad-by-the-Bay.” Watch as the former Hollywood prop master painstakingly and lovingly seasons a doll-size wok and then whips up a take-out portion of spicy green beans complete with a tiny to-go box. “The Shoe-Shine Stand”—“Single-Room Occupancy”—“The Herb Store”—“The Laundry”—Forever, Chinatown invites you to stroll through this artist’s astonishing world. DP
Director
James Q. Chan
Producers
James Q. Chan, Corey Tong
Associate Producer
Penelope Wong
Editors
Michael Palmieri, Donal Mosher (Assistant Editor)
Cinematographer
Jeff den Broeder
Additional Cinematography
Michael Palmieri (Miniatures Photography)
Release Year
2016
Festival Year
2016
Country
United States
Run Time
33 minutes
Premiere
World Premiere