Vancouver Asian Film Festival: Day 1

Day 1 | Program 1

Tuesday October 4, 2011

DAY 1 – THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3

PROGRAM 1 – OPENING NIGHT PRESENTATION: ALMOST PERFECT

7 PM
CINEPLEX ODEON INTERNATIONAL VILLAGE CINEMAS

Love. Commitment. Family. VAFF is proud to kick off the 15th edition of the Vancouver Asian Film Festival with award-winning writer/director Bertha Bay-Sa Pan’s ALMOST PERFECT. In just her second feature film, Pan has proven to be one of the most unique and exciting voices in the business – a storyteller who dissects the traditions and delicate intricacies of Asian families with universal characters we can all relate to. Starring Kelly Hu and Edison Chen (in a rare English speaking role), ALMOST PERFECT portrays the hardships of a woman who, despite her attempts at love and romance, is constantly trapped by the expectations of her (mostly) Asian family. This one is not to be missed.

ALMOST PERFECT

Canadian Premiere
Director and Cast in Attendance
TRAILER

DIRECTOR / WRITER: Bertha Bay-Sa Pan
PRODUCERS: Derrick Tseng, Riva Marker
Narrative | HDCAM | Colour | 2011 | 106 min | USA | English

Previous Screenings/Awards: Official Selection – San Francisco Int’l Asian American Film Festival 2011, Hawaii Int’l Film Festival 2011, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 2011

When you need a ride from the airport, you call Vanessa (Kelly Hu). When your boyfriend leaves, you call Vanessa. When you need someone to take over the family business, you call Vanessa — and she’ll never, ever say no. At 34, she’s still her family’s go-to girl, with a threadbare excuse of a life of her own. Suddenly, she runs into an old friend, the almost perfect guy who just might be perfect for her. But, as sparks fly, her family starts to go up in flames. Her high-maintenance fashion designer sister is on the brink; her surf bum brother has gone AWOL; and her over-analyzing, over-intellectual mother has barred her father from their home, sending him into his own mid-life crisis. They all need Vanessa, all the time, to fix all the problems. Trapped, Vanessa must find her way back to love. In the process, she discovers that the only person she really has to save is herself.

In attendance: Bertha Bay-sa Pan received her MFA from the Columbia University Graduate Film School while working as an International Sales Executive in film distribution. Pan’s feature film directorial debut Face, premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival, and received the Critics Award at CineVegas Film Festival, and the Grand Jury Award at Urbanworld Film Festival. Pan was nominated for the prestigious Open Palm at the Gotham Awards, and received the Premio Speciale Prize at the International Women’s Film Festival in Torino.

In attendance: Edison Chen Born in Vancouver to parents of Chinese and Portguese descent, Edison Chen is a Hong Kong actor and singer who has also appeared in films in North America and Japan. Aside from acting and signing, Chen is also a record producer, fashion designer, founder of the clothing company, CLOT Inc., and CEO of the multimedia company, Clot Media Division. Chen’s film credits include Infernal Affairs I, II, and III, Initial D, The Grudge, Dog Bite Dog, and The Dark Knight.

In attendance: Tina Chen Tina Chen is a Golden Globe, Emmy and Drama Desk nominee. She starred in the independent feature, Almost Perfect (2011), directed by Bertha Bay-Sa Pan, playing opposite Kelly Hu, Roger Rees and Edison Chen. Almost Perfect was a Festival Centerpiece Presentation at the 2011 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. Tina starred as Mrs. Mao in the short film, The Potential Wives of Norman Mao (2011), directed by Derek Nguyen and narrated by George Takei, which has been screened at film festivals throughout the United States and at the Cannes International Film Festival’s Short Film Corner in France. Ms. Chen’s other films include The Hawaiians (1970), playing opposite Charlton Heston, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination; Alice’s Restaurant (1969), opposite Arlo Guthrie; Three Days of the Condor (1975), opposite Robert Redford; and the award-winning indie film, Face (2002), directed by Bertha Bay-Sa Pan. Tina has guest starred on numerous TV shows, including the NBC series, “Mercy” (2009), and has played opposite such actors as Anthony Quinn, Burt Reynolds, Wayne Rogers and David Carradine. Ms. Chen was nominated for an Emmy for her performance in the CBS Playhouse special, The Final War of Ollie Winter.

PRECEDED BY

LOVE LETTER TO VANCOUVER

Part of VAFF’s Love Letters to Vancouver series

Previous Screenings/Awards: VAFF Love Letters to Vancouver Presentation 2011; Mighty Asian Moviemaking Marathon 2011 Gala Screening

Businessman and social activist Milton Wong looks back on how a grassroots Dragon Boat festival transformed racial relations in Vancouver in the 1980s. This portrait is part of the VAFF “Love Letters to Vancouver” series.

UNLACED

World Premiere

A myopic woman walks, then boogies, through a wintry urban landscape, her worldview altered suddenly by a beat from within herself, transporting her to a rich and lush place full of green foliage. Animated in stereoscopic stop-motion entirely of out paper sculpture and pure invention.

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