Asian CineVision announces POL POT'S BIRTHDAY
Winner of the Excellence in Short Filmmaking Award
at the 28th Asian American International Film Festival
New York, NY (July 24, 2005) - Asian CineVision announced on Saturday night short film POL POT'S BIRTHDAY directed by Talmage Cooley, as the winner of the second annual Excellence in Short Filmmaking Award. Festival director Diana Lee made the announcement during the Final Cut Party of the 28th Asian American International Film Festival, held at White Rabbit (145 E. Houston). Takeo Lee Wong, an actor from the film, was present to accept the award.
The Excellence in Short Filmmaking Award, a juried prize, is awarded to the best short film screened at the festival. The final five shorts were selected by the AAIFF's Shorts Screening Committee, and then presented to a panel of judges to pick the winner. The judges for the Excellence in Short Filmmaking included Charles Stone III (director MR. 3000, PAID IN FULL), Jessica Hagedorn (writer/artist), Roger Garcia (producer).
"Each short film at this year's festival was amazingly talented and strong. The quality of these films is a testament to the growth of Asian American media arts. We are honored to present the Excellence in Short Filmmaking to POL POT'S BIRTHDAY," says Diana Lee, Festival Director.
POL POT'S BIRTHDAY is a 10-minute short set in 1979 after the fall of Phnom Penh when Pol Pot and his ruthless Khmer Rouge army spent the next decade retreating slowly towards Thailand. In 1985, the office staff of this brutal dictator attempt to throw a surprise birthday party for their boss. The film has also screened at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival and the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival.
Other shorts finalists included: G23 (Anthony Chan, Singapore), MISSING (Kit Hui, USA), JEFFEREY'S CALYPSO (Vashti Anderson, USA/Trinidad), SILENT YEARS (James Sereno, USA).
The 28th Asian American International Film Festival, presented by AZN Television, took place from Friday, July 15 through Saturday, July 23 at the Asia Society (www.asiasoc.org) -and IFC Center (www.ifcc.com) in Manhattan. Selected films will also screen at the Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington, Long Island (www.cinemaartscentre.org) from July 29-31
Asian CineVision, Inc. (ACV)
ACV is a non-profit national media arts organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Asian and Asian American film and video arts. Since 1978, ACV has annually presented the Asian American International Film Festival, the first and longest-running festival devoted to Asian/Asian American cinema in the United States. In addition to the festival, ACV's programs and services include film exhibitions, mentoring and educational outreach, training workshops, publications and a media archive.
For more information, please contact:
Asian CineVision
212.989.1422
info[at]asiancinevision[dot]org
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