Growing up, Benson Lee loved John Hughes movies: the styles, the music, the stories of teenagers. The one thing he didn't like — hated, actually — was that the few Asian characters were stereotypes, such as the cringe-inducing Long Duk Dong in Sixteen Candles. Now Lee has made his own '80s movie — with a mostly Asian cast. Based on his own experiences as a teenager, Seoul Searching, CAAMfest's opening movie, follows teens of Korean descent from all over the world at a camp in Korea. They're supposed to be learning about their heritage, but if you've ever seen a Hughes movie or been a teenager yourself, you'll know they have other things on their minds. Festival director Masashi Niwano says the kickoff movie is the hardest to pick. "It has to encapsulate Asian-American cinema and get people excited about the festival," he says. With Lee and cast members attending the screening, followed by a celebration at the Asian Art Museum that Niwano promises will turn into a big '80s dance party, it ought to do just that.
Seoul Searching screens at 6:30 p.m. at the Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St., S.F. Opening night gala follows at the Asian Art Museum at 9:30. $35 for film, $40 for party, or $65-$125 for both; caamfest.com.
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