The 25th anniversary of the the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival started out with a bang on April 30th. Packed with more than a thousand people and some celebrity eye candy. Red carpet was graced by the likes of Kelly Hu, Bai Ling (who co-stars in “Dim Sum Funeral”), Sung Kang, Brian Tee and the Far East Movement. Everyone was gathered here for the opening night screening of Tze Chun’s “Children of Invention,” a sweet Family dramedy that stays true to the story and characters and does not shove Melo-drama down your throat. This is one of those rare instances where all the elements fall in place magically to make a flawless Independent film. Splendid Direction, Amazing Acting, Cinematography, Editing and Music that perfectly complement the movie.

Somewhat based on the directors own life experience where he was dragged along with his sister by his mom to endless pyramid scheme meetings around Boston in his early years. The movie makes joke about Asian’s always trying to take the short and fast road to making money (Amway, anyone?). The movie begins with Elaine Cheng (the brilliant Cindy Cheung) a single divorced mother trying to get her money back from a pyramid scheme headquarters to no avail while her two little children children Raymond (Michael Chen) and Tina (Crystal Chiu) helplessly and cluelessly stand by. New comers Michael and Crystal are revelations and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them starring in big Hollywood blockbusters soon.

If losing money in the pyramid scheme wasn’t bad enough they also get evicted from their homes and are forced to live in an unfinished building thanks to her old boss who asks her to come back to work and gt her real estate license. Elaine desperate to become rich and provide for her family cannot help but spend all her time and money on get rich quick schemes all the while forgetting what is most dear to her. Tina is oblivious and shielded by her older brother to the dire straits their family is in, Raymond bares the weight and the responsibility of being the good son and man of the family. Raymond dreams of becoming an inventor and spend most of his time drawing out plans for the cutest inventions ever like a power fork for Spaghetti. As the mother hustles to get her pyramid scheme going the kids are left to fend for themselves living on ramen noodles and their minds alone, until one day when she does not come back.

The children are left alone and Raymond being the survivor he is decides that he is going into business making power spaghetti forks and becoming rich. The movie gets heart-breakingly sweet and funny as Tina gets incessantly inquisitive about the whereabouts of her parents and the logic of Raymond’s lies to keep her shielded. We find out that Elaine has been arrested for being part of the pyramid scheme and is eventually re-united with her two children. The film ends with a brilliant climax juxtaposing the childrens maturity with the mothers lack of, till she realizes that she has had her riches with her all along.

CHECK OUT Children of Invention HD Trailer