Explore the life of donut king Ted Ngoy. Watch flicks from the Indian Film Fest. Create a community altar in South LA. Learn from an Oscar-winning composer. Tune into LAist’s discussion on the militarization of the police.
We Are Little Zombies
The Frida Cinema
305 E. 4th St. #100, Santa Ana
The moviehouse screens the 2019 Japanese film from Makoto Nagahisa as part of its Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The film is a favorite of Frida founder Logan Crow and, despite the title, it’s not about zombies. A portion of ticket proceeds will be donated to Stop AAPI Hate,
COST: Tickets $10.50; MORE INFO
Impact with Gal Gadot Q&A
The National Geographic documentary short series, directed by Vanessa Roth and hosted and executive produced by Gal Gadot, shares the stories of six women around the world. Although they’re from different backgrounds and places — Brazil, Puerto Rico, Michigan, California, Louisiana and Tennessee — they're all commited to improving the lives of those around them. Attend a virtual conversation about the series with Gadot, Roth and executive producer Jaron Varsano, moderated by Alex Cohen.
COST: FREE with advanced registration; MORE INFO
Culture Cures: Community Altar
Community Coalition
8101 S Vermont Ave., Vermont Knolls
The South L.A. community organization holds interactive altar activities in its parking lot to honor those who lost their lives during the pandemic. Print and decorate photos of your ancestors, take Polaroids and place offerings. Temperature checks, masks and social distancing required.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Sundance Institute Indigenous Short Film Tour
The 85-minute virtual program screens seven short films directed by Indigenous filmmakers, all of which were selected from recent editions of the Sundance Film Festival. The program, presented by The Autry, features fiction, documentary, animation and experimental works from around the world.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO
L.A. Graffiti Black Book: Artists in Conversation
The Getty Research Institute hosts a conversation with five of artists who contributed to the L.A. Graffiti Black Book, which collects works from more than 150 Los Angeles graffiti and tattoo artists. David Brafman moderates a panel discussion with artists Eric "Cre8" Walker, Eddie "Fishe" Rico, Juan Carlos Muñoz-Hernandez, Alex "Defer" Kizu and Alex "Axis" Ventura.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO
Gallery Talk: Hildur Guðnadóttir
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures holds an online discussion with composer Guðnadóttir (Joker, 2019). The Oscar-winning composer, cellist and vocalist discuss her creative process with Academy Museum curator Jenny He.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO
Independent Lens: The Donut King
This screening and discussion focuses on the rags-to-donuts story of Ted Ngoy, a Cambodian refugee who arrived in America in 1975 to build a multimillion-dollar donut empire. Presented by PBS SoCal/KCET and Independent Lens for the CAAMFest Indie Lens Pop-Up, a panel discusses discusses perspectives on immigration, cross-cultural community relationships and the American Dream. Participants include artist Andrew Hem, Mayly Tao (owner & CEO, DK’s Donuts X Donut Princess LA), director Alice Gu and producer José Nuñez.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Breath of Fire’s COVID-19 Monologues
Chapman University’s Musco Center for the Arts presents a monologue series and live Q&A from the Santa Ana-based, all-Latina theater ensemble, Breath of Fire. The ensemble asked for monologue submissions that commemorate someone who passed from COVID-19. Each performance puts a face to some of the thousands of lives that were lost this past year.
COST: FREE with RSVP ; MORE INFO
The Phantom of the Highland Park Ebell
Current Joys (Nick Rattigan) presents a horror-comedy-play-concert-film-experience featuring music from the new record, Voyager. As the band rehearses for the grand reopening of the Highland Park Ebell, they accidentally awaken an evil presence that has been buried in the theater. They rehearse while dodging chandeliers and “that damn phantom.” There’s a 72-hour replay window available for the show.
COST: $20 - $69.99; MORE INFO
New Tesla Roadster Prototype
The Petersen Automotive Museum
6060 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire
Tesla’s second generation Roadster prototype will be on view for two weeks on the museum’s second floor alongside the original 2006 prototype. The company claims the new vehicle will be able to reach speeds of more than 250 mph, accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 1.9 seconds and travel 620 miles on a full charge of its electric battery. Advanced tickets are required and social distancing guidelines will be in place.
COST: $16 adult general admission; MORE INFO
The Zip Code Plays
Antaeus Theatre Company launches the second season of audio plays featuring six original works set in different L.A. zip codes: Echo Park (90026), West Hollywood (90069), Inglewood (90303), Pacoima (91331), North Hollywood (91601) and Monterey Park (91754). The audio plays will shed light on each neighborhood’s history and culture. Listen to the plays at www.antaeus.org or on various podcast platforms.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA)
The festival’s 19th edition goes virtual with a slate of narrative and documentary features and shorts. Programs include a panel featuring South Asian showrunners and a screening of Prakash Deka's Fireflies, followed by a panel on transgender and nonbinary representation in India and the diaspora. IFFLA opens with Fire in the Mountains, the 2021 Sundance debut feature by Ajitpal Singh that immerses audiences in the beauty of the Himalayan mountains. The festival is limited to viewers within California and India.
COST: $20 - $40 passes; MORE INFO
11th Annual Zócalo Book Prize Lecture
Journalist Jia Lynn Yang delivers the annual lecture for her winning book, One Mighty and Irresistible Tide, and participates in a Q&A session with Stanford University sociologist Tomás Jiménez. Angelica Esquivel, winner of the 10th Annual Zócalo Poetry Prize, delivers a public reading of her winning poem, “La Mujer,” before the lecture. There’s audience participation via live chat. Register to receive updates and the streaming link.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO
Rita Dove and Tracy K. Smith: Poetry at the Crossroads
The former U.S. poet laureates and Pulitzer Prize winners talk about the future of American poetry and read selections from their works. The livestreamed event, presented by The Broad Stage and Red Hen Press, is moderated by author, activist and educator, Amber Flame. Add-on ticket items available, including an after-party, a gift box and a cocktail kit.
COST: Tickets start at $10 ; MORE INFO
NORCO 80: The Aftermath - Guns And Police
Antonia Cereijido, host of the LAist podcast Norco 80, moderates an in-depth, virtual roundtable about the country’s gun culture and the militarization of the police force. The events of the botched 1980 Norco bank robbery are often cited as a precursor to today’s militarized police force.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO
Amazon Studios VOICES: API Representation in Film & Media
Amazon hosts a one-day virtual event that focuses on Asian and Pacific Islander representation in film and media. Sessions include group panels and talks that examine Hollywood’s complicity in anti-Asian racism and how leaders can drive change. Participants include Daniel Dae Kim, Hari Kondabolu, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Sophia Ali, Stephanie Hsu and musical performances from AJ Rafael & Alyssa Navarro and Amber Liu.
COST: FREE with RSVP; MORE INFO
Contemporary Voices in Asian American Photography
The Getty Museum hosts an online exhibition featuring photographic works from six contemporary artists: Soo Kim, Sze Tsung Nicolás Leong, Jeff Chien-Hsing Liao, Christine Nguyen, Kunié Sugiura and Hiroshi Watanabe.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Hacks
The HBO Max comedy Hacks stars Jean Smart as a Las Vegas comic of a certain age who’s paired with a young comedy writer (Hannah Einbinder) in an uneasy mentorship. The dark comedy about comedy was created by Broad City veterans Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky and produced by Parks & Rec's Mike Schur. Two episodes stream each week for five weeks.
Dine and Drink Deals
Here are a few options from restaurants and bars as we work our way back toward normal.
