Lionsgate’s Joy Ride to open CAAMFest 2023 in San Francisco.
The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) has announced that the upcoming CAAMFest 2023 will be a fully in-person event that will take place from May 11-21. The festival will feature expanded programming that showcases the power of film, food, and music to unite communities. It will also celebrate Asian American narratives with the opening night gala showcasing Lionsgate’s Joy Ride, directed by Adele Lim and starring Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Oscar® nominee Stephanie Hsu, and Sabrina Wu.
The festival’s opening night will take place on May 11 at the iconic Castro Theater in San Francisco, where audiences can enjoy the highly anticipated comedy Joy Ride before it hits theaters.
“These last few years have deeply altered us and we are only starting to journey towards each other again. CAAMFest 2023 is a call to gather so that we may witness each other’s transformations, restore our bonds, and bask in our joys.” Thúy Trần, CAAM Festival and Exhibitions Director
Why Joy Ride?
Joy Ride is a hilarious and unapologetically explicit story of identity and self-discovery that centers on four unlikely friends who embark on a once-in-a-lifetime international adventure. When Audrey’s business trip to Asia goes wrong, she enlists the help of Lolo, her irreverent, childhood best friend who also happens to be a hot mess. They team up with Kat, Audrey’s college friend turned Chinese soap star, and Deadeye, Lolo’s eccentric cousin, for an epic journey of bonding, friendship, belonging, and wild debauchery that reveals the universal truth of what it means to know and love who you are.
“As we’ve seen in the latest awards season, Asian American stories resonate with audiences. Some of those stories come from Hollywood, and others originate in communities like the ones we live in here in the Bay Area. That’s why it’s been the mission of our festival for over 40 years to bring the diversity of Asian American narratives to local audiences.” Stephen Gong, CAAM Executive Director
RELATED: Joy Ride is Hilariously Not Safe For Work in Either of Its 2 Trailers
The star-studded cast of Joy Ride includes Ronny Chieng, Lori Tan Chinn, David Denman, Annie Mumolo, Desmond Chiam, Alexander Hodge, and Chris Pang. The film’s producers have also worked on other hit films like Neighbors and Crazy Rich Asians, which have been celebrated for their comedy and the latter’s ability to tell Asian American stories on the big screen.
CAAMFest 2023
In addition to the opening night screening of Joy Ride, the CAAMFest will feature other film screenings, music performances, and food events that showcase the diversity and richness of Asian American culture. Audiences can expect to see a variety of narratives that explore the complexities of the Asian American experience, from immigration and identity to family and love.
The CAAMFest has been celebrating Asian American narratives for over 40 years, and this year’s festival promises to be a powerful and transformative experience for all who attend. With its focus on community and gathering, CAAMFest 2023 is a much-needed opportunity for people to come together and celebrate the power of storytelling to unite us all.
ABOUT JOY RIDE
Release Date: July 7, 2023 Directed by: Adele Lim Screenplay By: Cherry Chevapravatdumrong & Teresa Hsiao Story By: Cherry Chevapravatdumrong & Teresa Hsiao & Adele Lim Producers: Seth Rogen, p.g.a., Evan Goldberg, p.g.a., James Weaver, p.g.a., Josh Fagen, p.g.a., Cherry Chevapravatdumrong, p.g.a., Teresa Hsiao, p.g.a, Adele Lim, p.g.a. Produced By: Point Grey, Red Mysterious Hippo Distributed By: Lionsgate Cast: Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, Sabrina Wu, Ronny Chieng, Lori Tan Chinn, David Denman, Annie Mumolo, Desmond Chiam, Alexander Hodge, Chris Pang
Synopsis: From the producers of Neighbors and the co-screenwriter of Crazy Rich Asians, JOY RIDE stars Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Oscar® nominee Stephanie Hsu, and Sabrina Wu. The hilarious and unapologetically explicit story of identity and self-discovery centers on four unlikely friends who embark on a once-in-a-lifetime international adventure.
When Audrey’s (Ashley Park) business trip to Asia goes sideways, she enlists the aid of Lolo (Sherry Cola), her irreverent, childhood best friend who also happens to be a hot mess; Kat (Stephanie Hsu), her college friend turned Chinese soap star; and Deadeye (Sabrina Wu), Lolo’s eccentric cousin. Their no-holds-barred, epic experience becomes a journey of bonding, friendship, belonging, and wild debauchery that reveals the universal truth of what it means to know and love who you are.
Joy Ride releases in theaters on July 7, 2023, also the opening night of CAAMFest, taking place on May 11-21, 2023, in San Francisco. Will you be going to CAAMFest? Are you trying to see Joy Ride before its official release date? What other things are you looking forward to at CAAMFest? Let us know what you think and expect on social media!
Source: Lionsgate
KEEP READING: BEEF Review – When Rage is This Rare and Well Done It Is Delicious
