Probably one of the classiest film festivals to hit town each year is the Asian Pacific Film Festival.
Word from a top honcho at Festival headquarters is that the annual event (one of the longest-running in Los Angeles) is slated to run this year from April 29th through May 8th (2010).
The popular fest - which sold out many screenings last year at the Director's Guild and other venues - will feature 170 films represented by 20 countries (including world premieres, sneak previews, you name it).
As usual, in addition to the daily screenings, there will be a big splashy event or two difficult to pass u, psuch as a Bruce Lee 70th Birthday Celebration.
A free outdoor screening of Lee's classic film - THE CHINESE CONNECTION - is slated for April 30th at Madang the Courtyard in Korea Town (Western & Wilshire Blvd).
There will also be a special showing of - ENTER THE DRAGON - on May 1st at Noon at the Laemmle’s Sunset 5 Theatres in West Hollywood.
In addition, there will be gala events, Industry Panels, and compelling line-ups of Documentaries and Narratives which focus on the Asian Experience from around the world.
Arvin Chen’s Debut Feature - “AU REVOIR TAIPEI” (produced by Wim Wenders and Fest Alum In-Ah Lee) - will rev up the 10 day circuit event.
Hong Kong Box Office Smash “BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS” - starring Tony Leung and Donnie Yen - will close out the fest at a tony gala event.
Visual Communications (VC) - the nation’s premier Asian Pacific American media arts center - announced that screenings will be held at a handful of exciting venues around Los Angeles.
The Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) boasts previews at the Director’s Guild of America (DGA), Laemmle’s Sunset 5 Theatres, the Downtown Independent Theatre, The Tateuchi Democracy Forum @ the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, and the Aratani/Japan America Theatre.
In addition, the LAAPFF will launch Asian Pacific Heritage Month.
Arvin Chen will open the festival on Thursday, April 29th at the DGA with a screening of the much-anticipated AU REVOIR TAIPEI.
The filmmaker and cast are scheduled to attend the Los Angeles premiere.
The romantic comedy was an audience fave at the Berlin Film Festival
"We are excited to present the Los Angeles premiere screening of AU REVOIR TAIPEI as our opening night film,” noted Abraham Ferrer (Exhibitions Director at VC & Film Festival Co-Director).
“We have been following director Chen’s career since we produced his USC thesis film MEI at the 2007 LAAPFF. We are honored to have him return and present his latest effort."
Another LAAPFF alum - filmmaker Quentin Lee (Drift, Ethan Mao, Shopping for Fangs) - brings his hit sex comedy (THE PEOPLE I’VE SLEPT WITH) - to the fest as the American Centerpiece film on Saturday, May 1st at the DGA.
Director Lee, screenwriter Koji Sakai and the film’s stars - Karin Anna Cheung (Better Luck Tomorrow), Archie Kao (CSI, Desperate Housewives), and Wilson Cruz (He’s Just Not That Into You, My So Called Life, Noah’s Arc) - will be in attendance.
“Quentin Lee is one of our VC family members and is perfect example of what the organization does for Asian American filmmakers,” David Magdael (Festival Co-Director) noted for the record.
“Since his arrival to VC in 1991, he has participated with us in utilizing the training, resources, networking and fiscal sponsorships that we provide. We have seen his career grow throughout the years, and we are extremely proud. With this film, one can see how Lee has become one of our strongest filmmakers. And now tackling comedy, he continues to evolve.”
Le Thanh Son’s action-packed film the "CLASH" - Vietnam’s current box office smash - is slated for the LAAPFF International Centerpiece premiering on Sunday, May 2nd at the DGA.
CLASH reunites the team behind the LAAPFF 2007 closing night film "The Rebel" and stars Johnny Tri Nguyen and Veronica Ngo in what is being described as a hard-hitting thriller.
Incorporating stylish action sequences and stunning cinematography, the film continues to propel the current Viet Wave Cinema, according to Festival organizers.
Cast members will join Director Le Thanh Son at the LA premiere for a Q & A.
The 2010 LAAPFF is proud to also present - THE MIKADO PROJECT - from Festival alum Chil Kong on Saturday, May 1st at the DGA.
The comedy centers on an Asian America troupe - The Angry Buddha Theater Ensemble - as they try to mount the popular theater piece after they lose their leading male star.
Director Kong and his all-star cast of actors including - Tamlyn Tomita, Erin Quill, David McInnis, Allen Liu and Ryan Yu - are slated to attend the gala event.
This year, the LAAPFF will present the North American premiere of the hit South Korean comedy - THE ACTRESSES - from director E. J-yong in the Special Sneak Preview slot on Saturday, May 8th at the Downtown Independent Theater.
Shot as a documentary, this comedy send-up is an inside look at the dramatics of six of the most famous actresses in Korean film who were gathered together by Vogue Korea for a photo shoot on Christmas Eve 2008.
The multi-generational cast play themselves and worked without a script, as they acted out the varied facets of their respective private and public personas.
"With 'THE ACTRESSES' - it’s always about the drama on-and-off screen for stars Youn Yuh-jung, Lee Mi-sook, Choi Ji-woo, Ko Hyun-jung, Kim Min-hee and Kim Ok-vin," officials underscored in their press release yesterday.
Closing out this year’s fest is the Southern California premiere of the current Hong Kong smash - BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS - from director Teddy Chen (featuring an all star cast which includes Tony Leung, Simon Yam, Donnie Yen and kickboxer/MMA fighter Cung Le).
This blockbuster action film will be presented Thursday, May 6 at the Aratani Japan America Theatre in Little Tokyo in Downtown Los Angeles with actor Cung Le at the gala.
“It’s been a while since our festival has closed with such a Hong Kong blockbuster film. It’s a great way to cap off our celebration.” .
In addition, two special panel discussions are scheduled as follows:
Enter the Dragon (May 1st)
Filmmakers Reginald Hudlin and Brett Ratner, President of Bruce Lee Enterprises (Shannon Lee), and actor/martial artist Bob Wall are scheduled to attend at press time.
Guests will discuss the impact of Bruce Lee on world-wide pop culture.
Bruce Lee Panel Discussion DGA (May 2nd)
The Lee Family (including wife Linda Lee, daughter Shannon Lee, and God-daughter/actress Diana Lee Inosanto) - and friends - discuss Bruce Lee the man, the father, the husband, and the friend.
“Bruce Lee was not only an icon for many of us as Asian Americans, but for everyone from around the world,” says Magdael.
“This special celebration of his life and the discussion around him as a person, a friend, a family man and a martial artist and actor will definitely be moving," festival staff assured me.
This year marks a strong year for non-fiction works at the LAAPFF with submissions up in numbers this year.
The 2010 documentary line-up includes award winners, premieres events, and a special spotlight on Academy Award® winner/LAAPFF alum Freida Lee Mock.
Some of the films featured are:
•LAST TRAIN HOME (Lixin Fan) • ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE (Rob Lemkin and Thet Sambath) • ONE VOICE (Lisette Marie Flanary) • STATE OF ALOHA (Anne Misawa) • A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILES (S. Leo Chiang) • IN THE MATTER OF CHA JUNG HEE (Deann Borshay Liem) • MAMACHAS DEL RING (Betty M. Park) • BEIJING TAXI ( Miao Wang) • AOKI (Ben Wang and Mike Chang) • MACHO LIKE ME (Helie Lee) • MY TEHRAN FOR SALE (Granaz Moussavi) • LT. WATADA (Freida Lee Mock) • SING! CHINA (Freida Lee Mock).
The Festival is proud to be partnering with Toyota as the Official Vehicle Sponsor.
Toyota once again will bring their cutting edge style to the Festival in their car displays.
In addition, Toyota is making possible the music video showcase - Cinema Musica! - amid the rooftop after-party.
They're also hosting the free outdoor screening of "THE CHINESE CONNECTION".
The Festival is also proud to partner with the Directors Guild of America as the main screening venue during the Festival’s Opening Weekend.
This state of the art theater is where the Festival will screen its opening night film as well as both Centerpiece Films.
Visual Communications (VC) is the nation's premier Asian Pacific American media arts center and was established in 1970.
The organization has established a lengthy track record of pioneering achievements in producing, presenting, and preserving more honest and accurate representations of Asian and Pacific Islander communities in America.
Visual Communications is also recognized as an incubator of emerging Asian Pacific American cinematic talent.
The organization's works have been exhibited in numerous venues and broadcast outlets around the world.
The mission of Visual Communications is to promote intercultural understanding through the creation, presentation, preservation and support of media works by and about Asian Pacific Americans.
Ticket Info:
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Visual Communications
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