St. Petersburg – The Imagine Museum will host the premiere of filmmaker Tian Liu’s documentary 100 Stories, 100 Seconds on Saturday, as part of the museum’s Asian Cinema and Cultural Experience series. The three‑hour film showcases 100 Asian Americans from the Tampa Bay area, each given exactly 100 seconds to answer the question, “What does America mean to you?”
Local voices, national themes
Liu, who immigrated from China in her twenties to study film, says the brief format is intentional. “One hundred seconds can’t tell a person’s life story, but it’s a good way to know somebody because I want to know the people around us in our neighborhoods,” she explained. “It is not only an Asian story but also an American story.”
The documentary features participants from more than ten Asian countries, including mixed‑heritage individuals such as Thai‑Laotian, Filipino‑Chinese and Korean‑American families. Their stories range from wartime boat escapes and adoption experiences to government‑sponsored immigration programs and love‑driven relocations.
One vignette follows Minh‑Anh Truong‑Nguyen, a Vietnamese American who fled by boat in 1983, was rescued by the U.S. Navy, and was resettled in Tampa through a sponsorship by the Lutheran church. Another profile highlights Lisa Reeves, born in Korea and adopted by an American family, who reflects on seeing herself in the face of her newborn son – a moment of connection she missed growing up.
Japanese‑American Yasaharu Okuda, who arrived in the United States as a child, shares the challenges of navigating two cultures while acknowledging the opportunities and successes he has found in America.
Community celebration
Saturday’s event runs from noon to 9 p.m. and includes Asian food vendors, museum art displays and cultural performances, creating a family‑friendly atmosphere that aligns with Liu’s emphasis on love, family, sacrifice and a better future.
Liu is also the founder and executive director of Tampa Bay’s Tigertail Asian Film Festival (TAFF), which will celebrate its fourth anniversary in February. The festival aims to promote vibrant Asian storytelling, cultural exchange and artistic collaboration throughout the region.
With more than 50 short films to her credit, including a Cannes‑screened title, Liu credits film festivals for launching her career. “I benefited so much from film festivals. That’s why I want to build a film festival here to benefit the next generation of filmmakers, and also bring people together through Asian film and culture,” she said.
A second free community screening is scheduled for November 17 at Green Bench Brewing, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., offering another opportunity for residents to engage with the stories.
How to attend
Admission to the Imagine Museum screening is free. For more details, visit the museum’s website or contact the museum directly.
Original reporting: St. Pete Catalyst — read the source article.
