AWARDS

THE LOS ANGELES ASIAN PACIFIC FILM FESTIVAL: FESTIVAL AWARD WINNERS

The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival has conferred filmmaker awards beginning in 1995, when short films were recognized. The impact of short film and video on the growing Asian Pacific cinematic community was confirmed when, in 1998, the awards were named the King Hu Award (later the Festival Golden Reel Award) to recognize overall excellence in the short subject format; and the New Directors/New Visions Award in recognition of innovative and original use of cinematic language and vision. The New Directors/New Visions Award was augmented in 2004 to recognize the efforts of former Visual Communications Executive Director Linda Mabalot to nurture and develop emerging Asian Pacific filmmaking talents.

Beginning in 2004, after a five-year break, the Film Festival resumed handing out awards for feature-length film and video works. Recognizing the growing technical accomplishment and vision of our communities’ cinematic artists, the Festival in 2006 instituted Grand Jury and Special Jury Awards in both narrative and non-fiction feature-length film. Complementing these awards are the Festival Audience Awards recognizing the Festival audience’s favorites in both narrative and non-fiction; and Special Jury citations for excellence in Acting.

Here’s the complete list:

1995
Narrative Short
ASIAN STUDS NIGHTMARE Dir: Lawrence “Kip” Fulbeck

Documentary Short
THE TRAINED CHINESE TONGUE Dir: Laurie Wen

Honorable Mention, Narrative Short
MR. LEE Dir: Greg Pak

1998
King Hu Award
DOUBLE SOLITAIRE Dir: Corey Ohama

New Directors/New Visions Award
RED PERIL Dir: Khmasea Hoa Bristol

1999
Golden Reel Award
THE LAST SEVEN DAYS OF ANNIE ONG Dir: Derek Vertongen

New Directors/New Visions Award
ROSEWATER Dir: Kimi Takesue

Audience Award – Feature-Length Film
ROOTS IN THE SAND Dir: Jayasri M. Hart (Documentary)
FRESHMEN Dir: Tom Huang (Narrative)

2000
Golden Reel Award
TURBANS Dir: Erika Surat Andersen

New Directors/New Visions Award
IMAGINING PLACE Dir: Anita Wen-shin Chang

Audience Award – Feature-Length Film
CONSCIENCE AND THE CONSTITUTION Dir: Frank Abe (Documentary)

2001
Golden Reel Award
BODY AND SOUL Dir: Puntip Limrungroj

New Directors/New Visions Award
CUT CUT RECUT Dir: Sara Kealani Takahashi

2002
Golden Reel Award
BARRIER DEVICE Dir: Grace Lee

New Directors/New Visions Award
THE QUEST FOR LENGTH Dir: Gene Rhee

Honorable Mention
KITCHEN KATASTROPHE Dirs: Derrick Auyoung, Andrew Huang

2003
Golden Reel Award
THE ANNIVERSARY Dir: Ham Tran

New Directors/New Visions Award
THE ANNIVERSARY Dir: Ham Tran
REVOLVE Dir: Gene Sung

2004
Golden Reel Award
ETERNAL GAZE Dir: Sam Chen

Linda Mabalot New Directors/New Visions Award
PERFECTION Dir: Karen Lin
JESUS HENRY CHRIST Dir: Dennis Lee

Audience Award – Feature-Length Film
KEKA Dir: Enrique “Quark” Henares (Narrative)

2005
Golden Reel Award
SOPHIE Dir: Helen Hauyoung Lee

Linda Mabalot New Directors/New Visions Award
TAMA TU Dir: Taika Waititi

Audience Award – Feature-Length Film
TO YOU SWEETHEART, ALOHA Dirs: S. Leo Chiang, Mercedes Coats (Documentary)

2006
Golden Reel Award
MISSING Dir: Kit Hui

Linda Mabalot New Directors/New Visions Award
NEW YEAR Dir: Susan Tuan

Grand Jury Award – Feature-Length Film
THE MOTEL Dir: Michael Kang (Narrative)
THE QUEEN FROM VIRGINIA: THE JACKIE BONG WRIGHT STORY Dir: David Ngo (Documentary)

Special Jury Award – Feature-Length Film
COLMA: THE MUSICAL Dir: Richard Wong (Narrative)
JOHN & JANE TOLL-FREE Dir: Ashim Ahluwalia (Documentary)

Audience Award – Feature-Length Film
ASIAN STORIES (BOOK 3) Dirs: Kris Chin, Ron Oda (Narrative)

2007
Golden Reel Award
THE BLOOD OF YINGZHOU DISTRICT Dir: Ruby Yang

Linda Mabalot New Directors/New Visions Award
PILGRIMAGE Dir: Tadashi Nakamura

Grand Jury Award – Feature-Length Film
THE REBEL Dir: Charlie Nguyen (Narrative)
THE CATS OF MIRIKITANI Dir: Linda Hattendorf (Documentary)

Special Jury Award – Feature-Length Film
BABY Dir: Juwan Chung (Narrative)
NA KAMALEI: THE MEN OF HULA Dir: Lisette Marie Flanary (Documentary)

Audience Award – Feature-Length Film
AMERICAN FUSION Dir: Frank Lin (Narrative)
NEW YEAR BABY Dir: Socheata Poeuv (Documentary)

Special Jury Citations – Acting
ESAI MORALES American Fusion
MEREDITH SCOTT LYNN Finishing the Game
DAVID HUYNH (Outstanding Newcomer) Baby

2008
Golden Reel Award
TAILOR MADE: CHINATOWN’S LAST TAILOR Dirs: Leonard Lee, Marsha Newbery

Golden Reel Award – Honorable Mention
THE POSTCARD Dir: Josh Kim

Linda Mabalot New Directors/New Visions Award
SWEAT Dir: Na Hong-jin

Grand Jury Award – Feature-Length Film
OCEAN OF PEARLS Dir: Sarab Neelam (Narrative)
OH, SAIGON Dir: Doan Hoang (Documentary)

Special Jury Awards – Feature-Length Film
ALWAYS BE BOYZ Dir: John Kwon (Narrative – Best First Feature)
OPTION 3 Dir: Richard Wong (Narrative – Technical Achievement: Richard Wong, H.P. Mendoza)
UP THE YANGTZE Dir: Yung Chang (Documentary)
LONG STORY SHORT Dir: Christine Choy (Documentary – Honorable Mention)

Audience Award – Feature-Length Film
OCEAN OF PEARLS Dir: Sarab Neelam (Narrative)
LONG STORY SHORT Dir: Christine Choy (Documentary)

Special Jury Citation – Outstanding Newcomer
JIMMY TSAI (Screenwriting; Acting) PING PONG PLAYA

2009
Golden Reel Award
A GREEN MOUNTAIN IN THE DRAWER Dir: Lee Hwa Jun

Linda Mabalot New Directors/New Visions Award
WET SEASON Dir: Michael Tay

Grand Jury Award – Feature-Length Film
CHILDREN OF INVENTION Dir: Tze Chun (Narrative)
WHATEVER IT TAKES Dir: Christopher Wong (Documentary)

Special Jury Awards – Feature-Length Film
THE REAL SHAOLIN Dir: Alexander Sebastien Lee (Documentary)
ALL ABOUT DAD Dir: Mark Tran (Narrative – Outstanding First Feature)
TREELESS MOUNTAIN Dir: So Yong Kim (Narrative – Outstanding Achievement, Directing)
WHITE ON RICE Dir: David Boyle (Outstanding Screenplay – David Boyle, Joel Clark)

Audience Award – Feature-Length Film
KARMA CALLING Dir: Sarba Das (Narrative)
WHATEVER IT TAKES Dir: Christopher Wong (Documentary)

Special Jury Citation – New Talents to Watch
MICHAEL CHEN, CHILDREN OF INVENTION
CRYSTAL CHIU, CHILDREN OF INVENTION
HEE YEON KIM, TREELESS MOUNTAIN
SONG HEE KIM, TREELESS MOUNTAIN
JUSTIN “BOB” KWONG, WHITE ON RICE