SF DocFest 2024: Who is Michael Jang? & Kim Jong, Alfaman and The Probe: A LeMons Race

For 50 years, San Francisco based artist Michael Jang has been sitting on a hidden body of photographs taken when he was in his 20s. Although Jang built a career as a commercial and portrait photographer, many of his underground snapshots infiltrating and observing communities and subcultures has gotten little notice. Then in 2021, at the age of 70, Jang set out to share his work with the world.

Who is Michael Jang? delves into the extraordinary life and work of an elusive artist at a flashpoint in his career. Chronicling Jang’s new work in the streets, along with interviews from Jang, his family, curators and collaborators, the documentary traces the trajectory of Jang’s career while simultaneously exploring his family history and personal identity.

Playing with short film: Kim Jong, Alfaman and The Probe: A LeMons Race

Inspired by the legendary Le Mans, 24 Hours of LeMons is an endurance car race held on professional race tracks throughout the US. The only rule: entrants can’t exceed $500 budgets on their cars. It all started out in 2006 as a lighthearted joke between friends and a desire to democratize access to racing. Fast forward to today, and LeMons has become one of the most widely attended endurance races, claiming the Guinness World Record for “Most Participants in a Single Car Race.”

Affectionately known as “Burning Man for Cars,” it brings together some of the wildest – and most ingenious – car designs out there.

Yes, a four poster-bed on wheels can race a hybrid car-plane, as an ice cream truck rounds a bend and overtakes both of them at 100 miles per hour. Bartering, breakdowns, alien landings and royal weddings are all par for the course in this race.

From finding teammates to procuring their cars and transforming them into rolling artwork, this documentary follows the wild and wacky adventures of three LeMons teams from start to finish line. Ultimately, it’s a journey about people getting together to work with each other, rather than against one another. Directed by Yasmin Sanie-Hay, 28 minutes