Hanging with the Queen from VA

Sorry, I took soo long to post. Being president of the this year's festival has got me running around all over chasing alligators and putting out fires. That being said, this festival has been monumental!!! Last Friday, I had the pleasure of being event manager for our much anticipated VA screening of The Queen from VA. Director David Ngo and his mother were present as well. But the star of the evening, our royal majesty herself, Jackie Bong Wright brought out her fellow Ms. Virginia Senior America pageant winners in all their glory. Ngo’s film won Best Documentary at this year’s Asian Pacific film festival in Los Angeles, despite the fact that it was the first thing Ngo had ever shot. The documentary follows Jackie Bong Wright—Ngo’s aunt—at the week-long National Senior beauty pageant in Las Vegas. In doing so, it provides a rare glimpse into a pageant that most people have no idea even exists, and reveals an intimate look of Jackie Bong Wright’s life as the first Vietnamese contestant. The night was full of great food, fine Riesling wine, and the tremendous efforts of Eric Jensen, who is very active with the Coalition of Asian Pacific American Voters In VA (CAPAVA), helped establish venue, equipment and most of all the sold out turnout in attendance. It was also great to have many students, over 20, from UVA and their professor, Dr. Sylvia Chong, Director of Asian Pacific American Studies, in attendance.

They all concurred that the film provided a unique insight to the world of Senior Pagents and that getting old does not mean being less active. Trust me, if I have my way, I will be doing film festivals til I die! Just picture this, an 88 year-old Asian man being a volunteer at the 75th Annual DC APA Film Festival. Okay I know, I am not 20, but did you really think I was going to tell you my real age. Jackie kept me guessing, so I think I should do the same. It's that Asian advantage. I just got carded the other day!! LOL.

Thanks to our volunteers for coming out and making it a fantastic night and to the Arlington Arts Center for providing a beautiful venue. DON"T FORGET TO COME OUT TO CLOSING NIGHT THIS SAT, OCT. 7 for EVE and THE FIRE HORSE!!!!