VC Announces 2017 Film Fest Open Call

PHOTO: JOESEPH CHUNG

ENTRIES IN ALL GENRES, FORMATS NOW BEING SOUGHT FOR 2017 FILM FESTIVAL

SUBMISSION INFO AND GUIDELINES HERE

[LOS ANGELES] Visual Communications, the nation’s premier Asian Pacific American media arts center, is now accepting entries for the 33rd edition of The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, slated for Spring 2017 at select venues in the Los Angeles area.

     “The Film Festival’s stature as a premier venue for celebrating the broad range of artistic expression by our filmmaking community is strengthened by Visual Communications’ leadership role in supporting and nurturing artists,” said Francis Cullado, Visual Communications’ Executive Director and Film Festival Executive Producer. “The Film Festival is THE place where our artists, working in all cinematic mediums, platforms and genres, come to share their work. We’re excited to once again provide a new survey of vital and up-and-coming cinematic voices and forms for our audiences this coming Spring.”

     The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, produced by Visual Communications, was established in 1983 to promote and present the best in Asian Pacific cinema. Initially a weekend event showcasing nearly 20 feature-length and short films, the Film Festival has grown into a week-long spectacle boasting an annual program line-up of over 150 films and videos by both independent and studio-based Asian Pacific American and Asian international filmmakers.

     The Film Festival has presented the works of such groundbreaking Asian Pacific American artists as Gregg Araki, Timothy Linh Bui, Eric Byler, Gene Cajayon, Arthur Dong, Philip Kan Gotanda, Kayo Hatta, Eric Koyanagi, Justin Lin, Ang Lee, Chris Chan Lee, Rico Martinez, Freida Lee Mock, Sarab Neelam, Charlie Nguyen, Greg Pak, Mina Shum, Renee Tajima-Peña, Rea Tajiri, Chris Tashima, Ham Tran, Trinh T. Minh-ha, Victor Vu, Wayne Wang, Richard Wong, Wong Fu Productions, Bruce and Norman Yonemoto, Jessica Yu, and many others.

     The Film Festival has also showcased the works of renowned Asian international filmmakers as Lino Brocka, Mabel Cheung, Dang Nhat Minh, Mike DeLeon, Ann Hui, Im Kwon Taek, Chen Kaige, Takeshi “Beat” Kitano, Stanley Kwan, Alex Law, Lin Cheng-sheng, Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Auraeus Solito, Miike Takashi, Taika Waititi, Wong Kar-wai, and John Woo.

     In its over three-decade history, the Film Festival has presented nearly 4,000 films, videos, and digital mediaworks by artists of Asian Pacific descent.

     The 33rd edition of the Film Festival will present world and local premieres of major new works by Asian and Asian Pacific American filmmakers and video artists; an expanded showcase of transmedia works that expand traditional definitions of “cinema”; workshops and media panels; and a wide variety of special events spotlighting the past, present and future of Asian Pacific independent cinema. The best and brightest of tomorrow’s Asian Pacific filmmakers are recognized through filmmaker awards including the annual Grand Jury Awards for excellence in feature-length narrative and documentary film; and the Festival Golden Reel and Linda Mabalot New Directors/New Visions Awards for short film. These awards, in addition to the Audience Award for favorite feature-length film, are presented at the Festival’s Closing Night.

     Productions for consideration include features and shorts in the following categories: dramatic/narrative, documentaries, experimental works and animation/graphic films; and digital/transmedia works in all genres. Entries produced in 35mm (film); and NTSC-format works (D-Cinema) by and/or about Asian Pacific American and/or Asian international producers with themes involving, but NOT limited to, Asian Pacific culture, history and experiences are welcome and encouraged.

     Early entries must be received by October 21, 2016 at 5 PM PST; entries for the final deadline must be received by November 25, 2016 at 5 PM PST. Withoutabox and FilmFreeway Extended Deadline entries must be received by January 2, 2017 at 5 PM PST. Early deadline entries must include a processing fee of $25 U.S. (domestic and international); final deadline entry fees are $35.00 U.S. (domestic and international). Preview copies can be submitted as a password-protected Vimeo link (720p optimal); or as a secure online screener. DVD screeners are strongly discouraged, in the Film Festival’s ongoing efforts to be environmentally conscious.

     Notification of selection will be announced in early March 2017.

     Online entry information is available by logging on to: festival.vconline.org/submit. Additional entry regulations are available by contacting the Festival Director, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, c/o Visual Communications, 120 Judge John Aiso Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. For more information on the Film Festival call (213) 680-4462 x68; or visit the Festival website at festival.vconline.org.

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