VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS, the nation’s premier Asian Pacific American media arts center, established the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film & Video Festival in 1983 as a vehicle to promote Asian and Asian Pacific American cinema. The Festival has grown from its humble beginnings as a weekend-long series into a major annual showcase presenting the best of Asian Pacific American and Asian international media in the United States. Along the way the Festival has taken up residence in various local venues before settling into its signature venues, the Directors Guild of America and the Aratani/Japan America Theatre.
The Festival serves as a crucial launching ground for Asian Pacific American cinema through the premiere screenings of important new works as well as the development and nurturing of emerging talents via innovative programming initiatives including the VC Digital Academy and the Armed With a Camera Fellowship. Award-winning artists presented in past Festivals have included:
• Alice Wu (SAVING FACE)
• Amyn Kaderali (CALL CENTER; KISSING COUSINS)
• Ang Lee (A FINE LINE; PUSHING HANDS)
• Anurag Mehta (AMERICAN CHAI)
• Arvin Chen (AU REVOIR TAIPEI)
• Charlie Nguyen (THE REBEL)
• Chris Chan Lee (YELLOW)
• Christine Choy (WHO KILLED VINCENT CHIN?)
• Curtis Choy (THE FALL OF THE I-HOTEL)
• Daniel Park (KTOWN COWBOYS)
• Doan Hoang (OH, SAIGON)
• Eric Koyanagi (HUNDRED PERCENT)
• Erika Surat Andersen (TURBANS)
• Eyad Zahra (THE TAQWACORES)
• Gene Cajayon (THE DEBUT)
• Gene Rhee (THE QUEST FOR LENGTH)
• Georgia Lee (RED DOORS)
• Gregg Araki (THE LONG WEEKEND (’O DESPAIR))
• Greg Pak (ROBOT STORIES)
• Ham Tran (JOURNEY FROM THE FALL)
• Jessica Yu (SOUR DEATH BALLS; THE LIVING MUSEUM; PING PONG PLAYA)
• Justin Lin (BETTER LUCK TOMORROW; FINISHING THE GAME)
• Keiko Ibi (THE PERSONALS)
• Kip Fulbeck (BANANA SPLIT)
• Mina Shum (DOUBLE HAPPINESS; LONG LIFE, HAPPINESS, AND PROSPERITY)
• Patricio Ginelsa (LUMPIA)
• Philip Kan Gotanda (LIFE TASTES GOOD)
• Richard Wong (COLMA: THE MUSICAL)
• Rico Martinez (DESPERATE)
• Sarab Neelam (OCEAN OF PEARLS)
• Timothy Linh Bui (GREEN DRAGON)
• Trinh T. Minh-ha (SURNAME VIET, GIVEN NAME NAM)
• Tze Chun (CHILDREN OF INVENTION)
• Tran Trang (ALETHEIA)
• Wayne Wang (CHAN IS MISSING)
and many others.
The Festival has also brought the works of such renowned Asian international filmmakers to the attention of Southland moviegoing audiences:
• Amir Muhammad (THE LAST COMMUNIST)
• Ann Hui (SONG OF THE EXILE; SUMMER SNOW)
• “Beat” Takeshi (SONATINE; ZATOICHI)
• Buddhadeb Dasgupta (THE WRESTLERS)
• Chen Kaige (LIFE ON A STRING; TEMPTRESS MOON; TOGETHER)
• Dang Nhat Minh (THE RETURN; NOSTALGIA FOR COUNTRYLAND)
• Danny and Oxide Pang (THE EYE)
• Hur Jin-ho (HAPPINESS)
• Im Kwon-taek (SOPYONGE)
• John Woo (BULLET IN THE HEAD; ONCE A THIEF)
• Julia Kwan (EVE & THE FIRE HORSE)
• Kore-eda Hirokazu (AFTER LIFE)
• Lee Myung-se (NOWHERE TO HIDE)
• Lino Brocka (BAYAN KO)
• Lixin Fan (LAST TRAIN HOME)
• Mabel Cheung (THE SOONG SISTERS)
• Mike Takashi (THE BIRD PEOPLE IN CHINA; GOZU)
• Mike DeLeon (3RD WORLD HERO)
• Nia diNata (ARISAN!; CHANTS OF LOTUS)
• Nonzee Nimibutr (NANG NAK)
• Park Kwang-su (BLACK REPUBLIC; TO THE STARRY ISLAND)
• Pen-ek Ratanaruang (LAST LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE; INVISIBLE WAVES)
• Royston Tan (15)
• Shinobu Yaguchi (MY SECRET CACHE; WATERBOYS)
• Stanley Kwan (ROUGE; RED ROSE, WHITE ROSE)
• Taika Waititi (EAGLE VS. SHARK)
• Takita Yojiro (DEPARTURES)
• Teddy Chen (BODYGUARDS AND ASSASSINS)
• Tony Ayres (THE HOME SONG STORIES)
• Wong Kar-wai (CHUNGKING EXPRESS)
• Yung Chang (UP THE YANGTZE)
The Festival’s ongoing spotlight programs afford a snapshot of the national cinemas of countries that are little seen in this country, including China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, among others.
Visual Communications will present the 28th edition of The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival May 10 – May 20, 2012 at the Directors Guild of America and CGV Cinemas, among other venues. The Film Festival will include the latest new works by established and emerging filmmakers and video artists; a slate of provocative and highly entertaining feature-length productions showcasing the talents of Asian American acting and producing talents; new works by Asian international artists; and filmmaker seminars, panel discussions and symposiums on topics relevant to Asian Pacific cinema. The Film Festival continues and expands its commitment to nurturing new talent and promoting the development of Asian Pacific Americans both behind and in front of the camera through presentation of the annual Grand Jury Awards and Special Jury Awards (feature-length narrative and non-fiction film), Festival Golden Reel and Linda Mabalot New Director/New Visions Awards (short film), and Festival Audience Awards for favorite feature-length narrative and documentary film.
VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS
120 Judge John Aiso Street, Basement Level
Los Angeles, California 90012
Voice 213/680-4462 • facsimile 213/687-4848
E-mail: info@vconline.org • Web: www.vconline.org
“Connecting Communities Through Media Arts”
