White on Rice Presented by Iyemon Cha

This bottled organic Japanese green tea, now distributed in the San Francisco Bay Area, made a splash way beyond tea-drinking culture on Tuesday. The world premiere of “White on Rice,” a romantic comedy with the Japanese-American family at its core, was hosted by Iyemon Cha at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival at Sundance Kabuki Theatre. An elegant reception featuring Iyemon Cha original green tea (sencha) and roasted green tea (hojicha) paired with hors d’oeuvres preceded the screening in a cozy Bar Bistro at the theatre. The film director, actors, producers, and the crew were present, and answered questions from the public after the screening. Written and directed by Dave Boyle, the film title refers to a proverb about things that “stick together like white on rice,” while the story rotates around a likable goof (Hiroshi Watanabe) who lives in his sister’s family home and daydreams about finding a wife and a job. According to Mr. Boyle, who speaks fluent Japanese after his stint as a Mormon missionary in Australia, the story was loosely based on his own life’s episode when he lived in his sister’s basement and feared for his future. Funny and poignant, the film features a wonderful team of actors, depicts an array of hyperbolical yet recognizable situations, and keeps the viewer’s interest all the way through. For more information and to sign up for special offers, visit www.iyemonchaevents.com. Photo by Yuri Krasov. Director and actors at the Iyemon Cha reception.