This was a good weekend, thanks in large part to the Asian-American film festival. We spent part of the past two days at the Castro checking out a couple of remarkably different films: Lou Ye’s Summer Palace, and former SFIAAFF director Paul Mayeda Berges’ Mistress of Spices, a Bollywoodesque adaptation of Chitra Divakaruni’s novel, featuring the ever-stunning Aishwarya Rai, aka “the world’s most beautiful woman.” Both films packed the theater.

We imagine that a meeting of Summer Palace's tormented heroine Yu Hong and magical matchmaker Tilo from Mistress of Spices might have worked wonders. Perhaps some sesame seed, a little fenugreek, maybe a bit of cardamom would have helped Yu Hong... although we’re pretty sure Tilo would advise against the red chili pepper.

Tianammen Square, the most beautiful woman in the world in Oakland, and -- get SFist Wendy some black gold, stat!: after the jump.

SFist Wendy makes it a weekend of romance at the SF Asian-Am Film Fest!