What should have been a joyous bridal shower for Neriza Fojas ended in tragedy this past Saturday night. Fojas, a 31 year old registered nurse, was celebrating with eight of her fellow nurse friends in a 1999 Lincoln Town car. The ladies were headed to meet with the groom at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Foster city.

The driver told investigators that as they were on San Mateo Bridge, one passenger alerted him about the smell of smoke. By the time the driver was able to pull over, the back of the limo was fully engulfed in flames. The driver and four passengers managed to escape. The other five, including Fojas, were trapped inside. Unable to access the rear doors, the women tried to squeeze through a small window in the drivers compartment, but within seconds the back of the limo was engulfed. Firefighters rushed onto the scene where they found five burned bodies huddled near the partition. The four surviving passengers were sent to the hospital for treatment of burns and smoke inhalation. The driver was left unharmed.

Investigators are still trying to find the cause of the fire. There was no collision to begin the fire and it is unknown if the flames began on the inside or outside of the vehicle. Investigators are now reaching out to the public and asking anyone who may have seen what happened to call and send in information to help figure out the cause of this terrifying event. San Mateo County’s medical examiner, Robert Foucrault says, ”This is one of the most horrific things I’ve seen in 21 years with this office.”

Source 1,2
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Macy’s is joining forces with platinum-selling group Far East Movement to celebrate Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. Select Macy’s locations across the country will host a live Q&A session with the hip-hop quartet followed by a live performance.  If that isn’t enough, International Secret Agents (ISA) musical artists will also join Far East Movement for this performance.

Macy’s Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month Event Locations:
Macy’s Metro Center – Washington, DC – Thursday, May 9th @ 5:30PM
Macy’s Union Square – San Francisco, CA – Saturday, May 11th @ 2PM
Macy’s First Colony – Houston, TX – Sunday, May 19th @ 2PM
Macy’s South Coast Plaza – Costa Mesa, CA – Wednesday, May 22nd @ 6PM
Macy’s Herald Square – New York, NY – Thursday, May 23rd @ 6PM
Macy’s on State Street – Chicago, IL – Thursday, May 30th @ 12PM

SWEEPSTAKES:
Macy’s will also partner with American Airlines for an online and mobile sweepstakes. Visit macys.com/celebrate from May 1 through May 31 for a chance to win a trip for two with VIP experience to the ISA Concert in Long Beach, CA courtesy of American Airlines as well as a $1,000 Macy’s shopping spree.

For more information on Macy’s Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month Events, click here.

What’s better than one Hyori? Two Hyori’s.

There’s only one Kpop queen in my heart – and her name is Hyori Lee. With the recent release of “Miss Korea,” you can understand how excited I am for her comeback (it’s since 2010!) to the music scene. As usual, she’s looking gorgeous as ever as a pinup beauty queen. I wonder what her next album will pack in store.

Check out the video below!

You can also check out more goodies related to Hyori’s comeback below!

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Viet Nguyen
Project Catalyst Grantee

What were you doing ten years ago (2003)?
I lived in Austin, TX and was a starving artist — emphasis on starving. A year later, I quit my low-paying job to move to LA to work in television as a PA — an even lower paying job. I’m glad I did!

What is your favorite memory of LAAPFF?
Six years ago, I attended a VC after party at the Far Bar and got free beer all night! Oh, and I also met my future wife there.

Can you recommend a film from this year’s festival?
I recommend you watch Linsanity this year because I haven’t. Someone needs to tell me if it’s any good.

Abraham Ferrer
Visual Communications/LAAPFF Staff

What were you doing ten years ago (2003)?
I was helping run the Film Festival.

What is your favorite memory of LAAPFF?
There are way too many, but one that stands out was back in 1995, when director Wong Kar-wai arrived 45 minutes late to an overflow L.A. Premiere screening of CHUNGKING EXPRESS, leaving guest presenter Quentin Tarantino to cool his heels and sip a bottle of pinot noire with the Festival staff.

Can you recommend a film from this year’s festival?
I think people should watch all seven narrative features in Competition: ABIGIL HARM, BEST FRIENDS FOREVER, CHINK, THE HAUMANA, SAKE-BOMB, THE PLAYBACK SINGER, and SOMEONE I USED TO KNOW. The schedule is set up so that if you were crazy enough, you can actually catch all seven!

Milton Liu
Visual Communications/LAAPFF Staff

What were you doing ten years ago (2003)?
I was a Senior Manager for an Intellectual Property Valuation company. Or, when my parents were proud of me.

What is your favorite memory of LAAPFF?
My favorite memory is the 2012 screening of our Armed With a Camera fellows. It was my first year advising the fellows and it was so great to see their brilliant films on the big screen.

Can you recommend a film from this year’s festival?
My recommendation is to watch the Digital Posse shorts program, that include films from this year’s Armed With a Camera Fellows. It’s amazing to see the growth of these filmmakers from last fall. Also, stay for the “Special Screening” film that follows that program.

Ten years ago, Better Luck Tomorrow had in its theatrical release in 2003.

So did you know that Audrey Magazine is celebrating their 10th year anniversary this year? We’ve got so many ways that we could celebrate the last ten years of our publication – and we’ve decided to partner up with the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (the 29th Edition!) and ask some of the filmmakers and actors to reminisce about 2003 and their favorite memories of LAAPFF. Check it out below (you should also check out their films playing in the festival too)!

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Yudho Aditya 
LAAPFF Filmmaker
“Midnights With Adam” | Wednesday May 8| 9pm | CGV Cinemas 3 | LAAPFF Page

What were you doing ten years ago (2003)?
“I was 13 and making a short horror film called, The Beast, starring my sister as a carrie/hulk-esque girl monster hybrid. ”

What is your favorite memory of LAAPFF?
“This is my first year attending, but so far, everyone’s been so supportive and encouraging.”

Tell us why we should watch your film in this year’s film festival. 
“You’ll get bang for your buck for sure. At 34 minutes it’s a pretty long short and there’s everything you’d want in a film playing at LAAPF. A hot asian lead, current heart-wrenching themes and it’s made by undergraduate students from UC Irvine!”

Check out more answers from LAAPFF filmmakers and actors here.

Christen Hepuakoa Marquez
LAAPFF Filmmaker
“To Weave A Name” | Tuesday May 7 | 6:45pm | CGV Cinemas 2 | LAAPFF Page

What were you doing ten years ago (2003)?
“In the winter of 2003 I was finishing up my last semester of film school at NYU. At that time I was working a lot as a camera assistant on some student films but also just starting to get paid on music videos and all kinds of weird low budget films. Which for the most part ment I was freezing my butt off in 15ʻ cube van desperately trying to warm up my hands so I could load another 16mm Aaton film magazine. Yes there were still a lot of people shooting on film in 2003 in New York!”

What is your favorite memory of LAAPFF?
“I Produced another film called Two Shadows that was in LAAPFF in 2012 I met a lot of filmmakers through that festival who were still in production on their films and now it is exciting to see many of them showing their work this year in 2013. ”

Tell us why we should watch your film in this year’s film festival. 
“The most interesting things about my film ‘To Weave A Name’ is that I tried to delicately incorporate elements of magical realism into a documentary. I figured that I had better take advantage of the freedom to do some experimental things since this film is a first-person story. I also want to recommend that people go see the short film ‘Paulina’ which is playing as part of The Thickness of Blood & Water program at CGV cinema. The Director Caylee So won a student academy award for the film and she is definitely going places. For a must see feature film I have to recommend ‘The Haumāna’ by Keo Woolford which is playing in both LA and Long Beach. This is a landmark film because it is the first feature length narrative film that I know of about hula that is written and directed by a lifelong hula student and the cinematography is incredible!”

Check out more answers from LAAPFF filmmakers and actors here.

Ann Kaneko
LAAPFF Filmmaker
“A Flicker in Eternity” | Tuesday May 7 | 7pm | CGV Cinemas 3| LAAPFF Page

What were you doing ten years ago (2003)?
“I had returned from a year in Peru on a Fulbright, working on a documentary, and was screening my musical, 100% Human Hair, at festivals including LAAPFF.”

What is your favorite memory of LAAPFF?
“My screening of my documentary, AGAINST THE GRAIN: An Artist’s Survival Guide to Peru, screened to a packed house. It was a fantastic gathering of friends and supporters.”

Tell us why we should watch your film in this year’s film festival. 
“My film tells about the Japanese American camp experience from a different POV–a first person perspective of a teenage boy caught in the middle, just like Anne Frank.”

Check out more answers from LAAPFF filmmakers and actors here.