Constance Tsang’s directorial feature debut is a collection of intimate, swaying close-ups and static, long uninterrupted shots which together paint a tender picture of the Chinese migrant community in Flushing, Queens. The world is big, but this community is tight-knit. Blue Sun Palace follows Didi (Xu Haipeng) and Amy (Wu Ke-Xi) who both work at the same massage parlor.

Festivals like the Pacific Arts Movement’s San Diego Asian Film Festival offer a beautiful space that connects local audiences with minority-created independent films. With the space to create stories that challenge the typical box office narratives, they present an opportunity to share narratives that minority audiences resonate deeply with. In our generation, young creatives are challenging stereotypes by aiming for authenticity and creating work that sparks dialogue and pushes us to understand different experiences, with stories of celebration, adversity, and more. Many of these young filmmakers are exploring complex themes, niche narratives, and novel techniques that push the cutting edge. 

When you turn on the tap for a glass of water, do you think about where it comes from? Or when you take a nice, toasty shower on a cold day? In the spirit of our upcoming Q2 issue, Healing, and in celebration of Earth Month, we’re sharing a community project in San Diego that aims to bring our water supply local. This carries major implications for the City of San Diego, making it less vulnerable to droughts, climate change, and natural disasters. Healing the Earth, on a policy level, is important, too.