Hwang's story retains the Chinatown setting and the inter-generational and immigrant themes, and emphasizes the romantic relationships.
The son of doctors, Akhtar, who has described himself as religious but nondenominational, has explored not only the wider Muslim immigrant themes depicted in "Disgraced" but also the tension between young and older generations over the meaning of Islam.
Many banged pots and pans as they marched towards the Intrepid, in a nod to the cacerolazo protests of Spanish-speaking countries, and the rally had a strong immigrant theme.
Another film with an Asian immigrant theme, Julia Kwan's "Eve & The Fire Horse," set in a Chinese community in Canada, received a special jury prize from the world dramatic jury.
But, beyond the immigrant theme (a classic in Gray's films), why did the psychological story of the woman and her pimp, at the core of the film, interest him?
His comments on ethnic tolerance are not likely to please some in United Russia's leadership, who may be willing to use anti-immigrant themes to shore up support.
Ms Le Pen could not have wished for a political mood or a cascade of events better suited to her populist, anti-establishment, anti-European and anti-immigrant themes.
But hours after his meeting with Mr. Peña Nieto, he gave a combative speech in Phoenix that struck many of the anti-immigrant themes that have defined his candidacy.
The FN's popular anti-immigrant themes included the claim that non-French immigrants, especially Muslims, threatened French national identity and culture a threat that had been compounded, according to the FN, by the huge influx of films, music, and television programs from the United States.
In such an atmosphere, a trio of Australian novelists -- Thomas Keneally, Peter Carey and Tim Winton -- who recently wrote that the anti-immigrant themes of the Howard government represented a "a dark and shameful episode in Australian history," were dismissed as dissolute members of the chattering classes.
Her tone and anti-immigrant theme were all but universally rejected, but the criticism of her native Italy as a country of divided loyalties, deeply conflicted about the American-led military action, is getting a serious hearing.
