For Immediate
Release
Contact:
Clara Yun
212.989.1422
clara@asiancinevision.org
Elaine Merguerian
212.327.9271
ElaineM@AsiaSoc.org
Asian CineVision with
Asia Society presents the Asian American International Film
Festival ‘08, July 10–19, 2008
ASIAN AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL
FILM FESTIVAL '08 ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS
July 22, 2008 (New York, NY) –
The Asian American International Film Festival announced the
winners of its Festival Awards at a ceremony on Saturday,
July 19 at the Closing Night Awards Ceremony held at the Asia
Society (725 Park Avenue). Hosted by co-writer, co-producer,
and actor Jimmy Tsai of the Closing Night Presentation PING
PONG PLAYA and with awards presented by director Jessica Yu
(PING PONG PLAYA), actress Michelle Krusiec, and actor Ken
Leung, the event wrapped up the Festival’s successful
31st year. Awards were granted in seven categories.
Director Jennifer Phang
was honored with the Emerging Director in Narrative
Feature Award for her visually rich debut feature
HALF-LIFE. Her philosophical film follows
a disenchanted family living in a seemingly idyllic American
suburb amid a time of global crises. This juried award recognizes
the best narrative feature by a first- or second-time narrative
feature filmmaker. Judges for this award included: L. Somi
Roy, New York-based film and media curator; Paul Yi, Los Angeles-based
film producer; and actress Michelle Krusiec (SAVING FACE).
Documentary filmmaker Ann
Kaneko was honored with the Emerging Director
in Documentary Feature Award for her film AGAINST
THE GRAIN: AN ARTIST’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING PERÚ.
The film follows the lives and work of four Peruvian political
artists and their fight for the freedom of expression. Judges
for this award included: Matt Dentler, head of marketing and
programming at Cinematic Rights Management; Renee Tajima-Peña,
Academy Award-nominated filmmaker; and Katy Chevigny, co-founder
and executive director of Arts Engine.
KISSING COUSINS
by director Amyn Kaderali was honored with AAIFF08’s
Audience Award for Narrative Feature. The
Audience Award for Documentary Feature was
given to WINGS OF DEFEAT, directed by Risa
Morimoto.
Nathan Kitada
was named the winner of AAIFF’s 8th Screenplay
Competition. His screenplay, CITIZEN KIM,
follows Korean American Ronald Kim who strikes a marriage
deal with an amusement park heiress to try to gain citizenship.
A reading of the screenplay, staged and directed by Mr. Miyagi’s
Theatre Company, was held on Sunday, July 13 at the Asia Society.
This juried award was granted by a panel of three judges:
Ramsey Fong, finance and business affairs manager at Killer
Films; Sarah Kuhn, film and television writer for Back Stage;
and Brian Yang, founder and principal partner of 408 Films.
The Excellence in Short
Filmmaking Award was given to director Mark
Reyes for his film GOD ONLY KNOWS.
Judges for this award included Maggie Kim, shorts programmer
for the Tribeca Film Festival; actor, co-writer, and co-producer
Jimmy Tsai (PING PONG PLAYA); and Warrington Hudlin, president
of the Black Filmmaker Foundation (BFF).
AAIFF also awards a One
to Watch Award, open to all films made by youth in
the For Youth By Youth shorts program. The winner was director
Lou Nakasako of the film BATMAN NOT
CHINESE, in which a childhood revelation takes on
new significance through a series of interviews that shed
light on the business of being Asian American in Hollywood.
As the longest-running Asian American
film festival, AAIFF has established itself as the premier
venue for filmmakers of Asian descent, providing a platform
for the latest and best in Asian and Asian American cinema.
For over three decades, the Festival has sought out innovative
works by emerging filmmakers and Asian directors, often introducing
their films to American audiences for the first time.
ABOUT THE ASIAN AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
(AAIFF)
Since 1978, the Asian American International Film Festival
(AAIFF) has introduced new works by Asian and Asian American
filmmakers to a s curious audience of cultural enthusiasts.
Premiering the works of then unknown directors such as Mira
Nair (SO FAR FROM INDIA, AAIFF83), Ang Lee (FINE LINE, AAIFF
85), Wayne Wang (CHAN IS MISSING, AAIFF82), Park Chan-wook
(JSA, AAIFF01) and Justin Lin (FINISHING THE GAME, AAIFF07),
the AAIFF was the nation's first annual festival dedicated
to screening works by media artists of Asian descent and films
about the Asian community. It continues to be a leading showcase
for independent Asian and Asian American film and video. For
more information visit us online at aaiff.org.
ABOUT ASIAN CINEVISION (ACV)
Asian CineVision, Inc (ACV) is a not-for-profit national media
arts organization dedicated to the development, promotion
and preservation of film and video arts by and about people
of Asian descent. Founded in 1976 by Hong Kong cinema legend
Tsui Hark (ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA), Oscar-nominated director
Christine Choy, Danny Yung, and Peter Chow, ACV began as a
media activism organization. The organization continues to
serve the Asian American community by promoting the works
of Asian and Asian American filmmakers, and providing a window
to the diverse experiences and livelihoods of the Asian diaspora.
For more information, visit asiancinevision.org.
ABOUT ASIA SOCIETY
Asia Society is the leading global and pan-Asian organization
working to strengthen relationships and promote understanding
among the people, leaders and institutions of the United States
and Asia. Founded in 1956 by John D. Rockefeller III, the
Society reaches audiences around the world through its headquarters
in New York and centers in Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco,
Washington, DC, Hong Kong, Manila, Melbourne, Mumbai, Seoul,
and Shanghai. For more information, visit asiasociety.org.
ABOUT TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, U.S.A., INC.
Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales,
distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and
Scion. Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services
through a network of more than 1,400 Toyota, Lexus and Scion
dealers. Toyota directly employs over 36,000 people in the
U.S. and sold more than 2.6 million vehicles in 2007. For
more information about our company, please visit toyota.com,
lexus.com, and scion.com.
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