Satirizing the archetypal story about one athlete’s unrealized potential and his road to victory, Academy-Award-winning documentary filmmaker Jessica Yu (PROTAGONIST, IN THE REALMS OF THE UNREAL) uses her first narrative feature to lampoon the common perceptions and misconceptions regarding the Asian American experience. In PING PONG PLAYA, all that’s politically correct and incorrect coalesces in Christopher “C-dub” Wang, Jimmy Tsai’s caricature of a trash talkin’, smart aleck, b-baller-wannabe. C-dub, who suffers from classic second-son syndrome, defers the family’s ping pong legacy to his older brother, doctor, and model minority, Michael (Roger Fan, FINISHING THE GAME, AAIFF07). He chooses instead to spend his time lamenting the genetic shortcomings that have prevented him from becoming the first Chinese American to play in the NBA.

In many ways, the Wangs represent the American Dream: C-dub’s father operates a family-run store that sells ping pong paraphernalia and his mother teaches the sport at the neighborhood community center in their California suburb. When Mrs. Wang and Michael both sustain injuries, the onus falls on C-dub to participate in the family business. His responsibilities include running the after-school ping pong program, as well as looking out for a competitor poaching on his students. Finally, it’s up to C-dub to defend the family’s title at the National Golden Cock Tournament.

Perhaps what’s most endearing is C-dub’s relationship as a mentor to the boys at the community center, who hail the coming of the next generation. For Tsai and Yu, PING PONG PLAYA offered an opportunity “for some healthy self-mockery in [their] generation’s navigation of the ethnic American experience.” The result—part social commentary, part family fun—makes for good comedy.

Jessica Yu and Jimmy Tsai will be in attendance.

AAIFF08 Awards Ceremony following the screening. Join us for M.A.T.H. Club's Closing Night AfterParty @ Bar 13.

See also: One On One with Jessica Yu

The Closing Night Presentation of PING PONG PLAYA is part of the Citi Series on Asian Arts and Culture.