Visions and Voices: Anarchy in Asian America

By Terry Nguyen ‘20

On Friday, March 24, USC Visions and Voices hosted a panel discussion with four prominent Japanese American directors and producers called “Anarchy in Asian America: Sex, Punk and Transgressive Cinema.”

The three directors whose works were featured are Gregg Araki, Roddy Bogawa, and Jon Moritsugu; the panel was lead by producer Marcus Hu, who dubbed the directors the “bad boys” of Asian American cinema. The three had met in the 1980’s and have been in contact since, but haven’t had a chance to host a full panel together due to their busy schedules.

Araki, Bogawa, and Moritsugu, however, are not only “bad boys” in their craft — they embody true punk in their works by transcending cultural and societal expectations in their films, breaking artistic barriers with their works.

The panel began with a reel of each director’s work; although they all embody the genre of punk cinema and carry themes of cultural and sexual identity in their works, the snippets of their films are stylistically distinct. Araki uses vibrant, crisp colors in his cinematography, but he highlights the importance of music and a good soundtrack within his works. In the panel, Araki discussed his in-depth music knowledge and how he has worked with a variety of underground music artists from the shoegazing (indie rock, punk, alternative) genres.

The second reel was from Jon Moritsugu, who is referenced to be a cult or underground filmmaker. His films are often satiric and garish in nature, with a film-like quality that contrasts with Araki’s bright film. Moritsugu discussed featuring his wife, Amy Davis, as one of his main characters during the panel, and Davis gave a short commentary on how the two’s relationship began.

Finally, Roddy Bogawa’s reel reveals his exploration into Asian American history and culture through innovative measures. The narrative structure within his films divulges from traditional norms, but Bogawa’s interest in punk rock music ties him to his fellow “bad boys.” He is currently working on a project titled “If Films Could Smell,” which details his interviews and writings from his career as a filmmaker as he aims to capture the independent cinema scene.

During the discussion, the three men spoke about the future of film and their stylistic and musical choices within their works. They all highlighted the importance of having a film education, learning about different styles and developing their own storytelling medium. Araki, Bogawa, and Moritsugu initially bonded over their creative differences the first few times they met, but their cinematic transgressions held major significance in the film industry. It transformed how people perceived Asian American films, that were beforehand very focused on social activism and documentary work.

After the panel, Visions and Voices hosted an after party and concert in Tommy’s Place, featuring various underground artists, including a performance by Jon Moritsugu and Amy Davis.

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