In 2023, Rosanna was invited by London Short FIlm Festival to guest curate a programme to be shown at the ICA. Rosanna screened a selection of films and this was followed by a supper club by Rahel Stephanie (eat with spoons) and music by Mui Zyu.
Highlighting work by filmmakers of East and Southeast Asian heritage, Not Too Sweet explores the twisty, tangy, melty role of food across ESEA cultures. From the meditative crafting of a clay dumpling, to grocery store dance routines with pak choi as props, to the steely glare of an unwanted anchovy, these films offer a tantalising menu of sensory delight but always underpinned by the slippery feelings of longing and displacement that unite the ESEA diaspora.
Curated by artist and filmmaker Rosanna Lee, this selection includes live action, documentary, experimental and animated short films, leaving just enough room for the queen of London supper clubs, Rahel Stephanie (@eatwithspoons), to serve up a delicious array of dishes that tell the rich and varied story of Indonesian cuisine.
Films:
- Naomang, Luo Jian (UK/China) Nowness Asia
- Jesa, Song Kyungwon (Korea/US) screened at Busan International Film Festival, Visions du Réel
- Girl with a Thermal Gun, Rongfei Guo (China/US) Tribeca Film Festival
- Janchi Guksu, Ellie Kyungran Heo (Korea/UK) distributed by LUX
- Making CLay Dumplings, Dora Lam (UK/China) Grayson Perry's Art Club Exhibition
- Grubber Nature Trip, Jen Quan, (Thailand/UK) screened as part of ROOTS exhibition with Baesianz x Grubber
- Now I close my eyes I see it is so beautiful, April Lin (UK/Sweden/China) Alchemy film and moving image festival
- Spring Roll Dream, Mai T P Vu (Vietnam/UK)
- Slurp, Anya Martin (US) Seattle Asian American Film Festival, San Diego Asian Film Festival
- My Father After Dinner, Gladys Ng (Singapore) Singapore International Short Film Festival
- Past Lives (for Samuel Gui Yang), ARPA
- Parallel by Rosanna Lee (Cantonese, UK) screened at EIFF, British Library, SDAFF, Focal Point Gallery
