The 36th Asian American International Film Festival Closed with OUR HOMELAND and Announced Award Recipients
New York, NY, August 7, 2013 – The 36th Asian American International Film Festival closed on August 3rd at Asia Society with YANG Yonghi’s OUR HOMELAND (2012) and an insightful Q&A between director YANG and Asia Society’s film curator La Frances HUI. The screening was followed by an awards ceremony. Asian CineVision is pleased to announce the following award recipients, with comments taken from the jurors’ notes:
Excellence in Fiction Short Filmmaking: THREE LIGHT BULBS, dir. Min DING
“Subtle and well-acted, THREE LIGHT BULBS articulates meanings through imagery in a small-town setting that is reminiscent of early Zhang Yimou. The common, well-trodden Asian theme of the acceptance of cold parents is delivered with subtleties and affection, interweaved with the important issue of energy use in China and the growing generation gap of people in the village and in the city.”
Nominated: ONLY CHILD dir. Christian GOSSETT; DAWN dir. Leon LE; NO LONGER THERE dir. Nobuyuki MIYAKE; COUCH AND POTATO dir. Chris LAM and Eunsoon JEONG; ADVANTAGEOUS dir. Jennifer PHANG
The jury consisted of Peilin Kuo, film director, producer of the Cannes selection PRESCOTT PLACE; Andrew K. Li, film director and producer; Will McCord, screenwriter, director, producer, and IFP Emerging Vision Program participant; Shih-ching Tsou, film director, producer, and Independent Spirit Awards nominee; and Jonathan Yi, creator and director of HBO’S Asian Heritage Series EAST OF MAIN STREET.
Excellence in Documentary Short Filmmaking: MEMORY OF FORGOTTEN WAR, dir. Deann Borshay LIEM and Ramsay LIEM and THE TRAIL FROM XINJIANG dir. CHEN Dongna
“MEMORY OF FORGOTTEN WAR is a thoroughly researched, technically assured, and clearly defined documentary with great choice of characters and effective personal narratives delivering home a sharp message and poignant emotions regarding the human costs of military conflict. The film is an important piece with which to create dialogue.”
“With incredible efforts on the director, THE TRAIL FROM XINJIANG gains extraordinary access to the pickpockets and tells a rare and original story. The film tackles eclectic issues that are very much prevalent in China – child trafficking, ethnic conflict, and a market economy run amok. ”
Nominated: MORE THAN A FACE IN THE CROWD dir. Samantha CHAN; HOWARD dir. Carolyn WONG
The jury consisted of Ryan Harrington, director of Documentary Programming for the Tribeca Film Institute; Yunah Hong, award-winning documentary filmmaker; Lynne Sachs, renowned video artist and filmmaker; and Dr. Ying Zhu, Chair of the Department of Media Culture at the College of Staten Island – CUNY.
Emerging Director in Documentary Feature: WHEN I WALK dir. Jason DASILVA
“A superb documentary with real emotional resonance and strong will power. Poignant and honest with the almost insurmountable difficulties, the film never dwells on trivia, self-pity, or self-indulgence. The incorporation of animations in the vérité style adds an imaginative and salvaging uplift to the reality.”
Nominated: HARANA dir. Benito BAUTISTA; GO GRANDRIDERS dir. HUA Tien-hau; HAFU: THE MIXED RACE EXPERIENCE IN JAPAN dir. Megumi NISHIKURA and Lara Perez TAKAGI
The jury consisted of Ryan Harrington, director of Documentary Programming for the Tribeca Film Institute; Yunah Hong, award-winning documentary filmmaker; Lynne Sachs, renowned video artist and filmmaker; and Dr. Ying Zhu, Chair of the Department of Media Culture at the College of Staten Island – CUNY.
Emerging Director in Narrative Feature: NOOR dir. Çagla ZENCIRCI and Guillaume GIOVANETTI
“This film provides a rare glimpse into a slice of a culture rarely seen in the U.S with a haunting main character and his story. The clash of his dreams and desires with a culture that tolerates although exploits those who are ‘different’, is provocative. The filmmakers show great confidence in what the diverse actors can accomplish in delivering honest performances. The compositions are beautiful at all scales, and the pace is surprising and engaging with a poetic perspective. It shows a great sense of balance in not letting beauty of landscapes and objects dominate the lives circulating about them.”
Nominated: REQUIEME! dir. Loy ARCENAS; BEST FRIENDS FOREVER dir. Brea GRANT; TOGETHER dir. Rox Chao-Jen HSU; FORGETTING TO KNOW YOU dir. QUAN Ling; OUR HOMELAND dir. YANG Yonghi The jury consisted of Radium Cheung, cinematographer, writer and director (STARLET); Eric Nakamura, founder of Giant Robot; Elizabeth Sheldon, Vice President of Kino Lorber, Inc; and Patrick Wang, director and actor (IN THE FAMILY)
Audience Choice Award for Documentary Feature: GO GRANDRIDERS dir. HUA Tien-hau
Audience Choice Award for Narrative Feature: STEVE CHONG FINDS OUT THAT SUICIDE IS A BAD IDEA dir. Charlie LAVOY
The winners of the Audience Choice Awards were determined by audience vote among the feature-length presentations (excluding special presentations).
One To Watch Award: Barak COHEN (IN HER SHOES) of Ben-zvi High School, Kiryat-ono, Israel
The One To Watch Award is awarded to a filmmaker under the age of 21 who demonstrates an exceptional talent for film.
Asian American International Screenplay Competition: THE CHINESE DELIVERY MAN by Isaac HO
“A timely story about an immigrant family’s American Dream turned into a nightmare among the ongoing immigration reform debate. It makes good on its attempt to depict the complexity of the struggles of immigrant life in the American legal system and adroitly portrays the tenuous racial ties within the community. The characters are well drawn and three-dimensional, down to the supporting characters, who want to do the right thing, but find their hands bound by the system.”
The other honorable mentions of the 2013 Asian American International Screenplay Competition include:
FAREWELL, GREAT LEADER by Ashley PERRYMAN; GUNNER by Nadine TRUONG; MARRIAGE MADE IN HELL by James HUANG; SHADOWS OF HIROSHIMA by Tristan THAI
The jury consisted of Lee Skaife, film director, producer, and video artist; Clarissa de los Reyes, film director and producer; Nancy Bulalacao, veteran cultural programmer; Lily Mariye, award-winning director, actress, and producer; and Chris Tashima, Academy-Award winning actor and director.
Rémy Martin Asian American Achievement Award in Film and Television: Brian YANG
The Rémy Martin Asian American Achievement Award in Film and Television is awarded to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the Asian American arts community through film and television. As someone who has been involved in the media industry for over 10 years, Brian YANG is recognized for his perseverance and his work in HAWAII FIVE-O and LINSANITY.
About AAIFF
As the first and longest running film festival of its kind in USA, AAIFF proudly celebrates its 36 2013. For over three decades, AAIFF has played a leading role to introduce important Asian American and Asian artists to New York audiences by premiering works by filmmakers such as Cui Zi’en, Lav Diaz, Marilou DiazAbaya, Ann Hui, Michael Kang, Eric Khoo, Mira Nair, Pang Ho-cheung, Park Chan-wook, Rea Tajiri, Johnnie To, Tsui Hark, Wayne Wang, Edward Yang and Zhang Yang. The Festival also spotlighted films by Oscarwinning artists including Christine Choy, Keiko Ibi, Ang Lee, and Jessica Yu. Please visit www.asiancinevision.org/aaiff for more information.