The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister for Citizenship, Immigration & Multiculturalism to join us for the INDUSTRY LUNCHEON on Sunday
Nov 9, 09:05 AM by editor1
Sunday Nov. 9th, 11:30AM – 1:00PM
$20 door
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
578 Carrall Street, Chinatown
Hosted by Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden and National Film Board of Canada
Join our Festival filmmakers and Industry guests for an informal luncheon in a most serene setting where we will announce this year’s winner of the NFB Best Canadian Short Film Award at VAFF.
The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, the first of its kind outside of China, is an authentic representation of an age old garden tradition that reached its peak in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The Garden is characteristic of the private spaces within a Ming scholar’s residence. With its asymmetrical arrangement of rocks and plants, its winding paths and corridors, and the vistas that overlook its courtyards, the Garden emulates the rhythms of nature. Ming dynasty scholars, the elite of their time, lived and worked in their garden, sharing these enchanting spaces with friends and family of all ages. Like any home, a scholar’s garden was filled with energy, but also offered quiet moments for contemplation. The golden glow of the autumn sun illuminates a dazzling array of maple and gingko leaves in vibrant shades of red, yellow, and orange.
Your Industry Luncheon ticket or VAFF VIP & FILMMAKER Pass includes free admission ($10 value) to Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.
FLAUNT IT TONITE AT EDGEWATER CASINO!
Nov 8, 04:17 PM by editor1
FLAUNT IT PARTY
Saturday Nov. 8th, 9:00PM – 1:00AM
$25 door
Stadium Club at Edgewater Casino
750 Pacific Boulevard South (Plaza of Nations)
Hosted by explorASIAN
Complimentary admission for ladies who FLAUNT IT by wearing Asian traditional dress.
Special Kirin Beer Tasting (Courtesy of Select Wine Merchants) for VIP Passholders
Celebrate the Western Canada Premiere of KISSING COUSINS at Edgewater Casino’s Stadium Club.
If you got it – FLAUNT IT! Join us for one of the Festival’s most anticipated events. Your VAFF VIP Pass gets you priority access into Stadium Club where you’ll be able to mix and mingle with filmmakers, celebrities and other special guests.
Featuring the cool mix sounds of DJ D-Jhun – one of the freshest DJ’s in Vancouver. Originally from the Philippines, D-Jhun has been in the Vancouver DJ scene for almost 2 years. You will catch D-Jhun spinning @ Fabric Nightclub, Shine Nightclub, Century House Lounge, Mint Nightclub, Waldorf Hotel and at private parties. He is a resident DJ for Icon Nights Promotion, Gxotique Production, and Slingshot Entertainment that he co-founded. Slingshot Entertainment is known to the Filipino Youth Community for organizing private parties and hip hop events such as ‘Double Up Christmas Party’, ‘Independence Night Party’ and ’3 Stars And A Sun’.
Don’t go to just any nightclub tonight when you can FLAUNT IT at Stadium Club!
PING PONG PLAYA - Encore Screening - SAT - 9:30pm
Nov 8, 04:02 PM by editor1
Program 9: Encore Presentation
Sat. Nov. 8th, 9:30 PM
GUEST IN ATTENDANCE
Our Opening Night screening of PING PONG PLAYA was sold out so here’s a second chance to see this hilarious underdog comedy.
Director: Jessica Yu | Producers: Anne Clements, Joan Huang | Writers: Jessica Yu, Jimmy Tsai
Narrative | 35mm | Colour | 2007 | 96 minutes | USA
Christopher “C-dub” Wong (Jimmy Tsai) is a suburban guy who sports an urban swagger, waxes political on all things Asian American, and clings to pipe dreams of a career as a pro basketball player. Blaming genetics for his failure to make the NBA, C-dub lives at home, works a dead-end job, and squirms in the shadow of his older brother, Michael (Roger Fan), a doctor – and a ping pong champion.
With a family-run ping pong equipment store and a mom who teaches it at the local Chinese Community Center, the Wang’s entire world revolves around the sport. But despite the family legacy, C-dub opts to spend his free time playing videogames and daydreaming about get-rich quick schemes with his best friend JP Money (Khary Payton).
A car accident in the family forces C-dub to take over his mom’s ping pong class of misfits. But he soon discovers the benefits of ping pong – earning some extra money on the side and happily befriends one of the kids – who happens to have a beautiful older sister.
But when the Wang family livelihood is threatened by a rival ping pong player’s attempt to lure away the young students, C-dub begins to focus seriously on the upcoming National Golden Cock Tournament and defend his family’s ping pong dynasty.
Previous Screenings: Toronto Int’l Film Festival 2007, San Francisco Int’l Asian American Film Festival 2008
KISSING COUSINS - SATURDAY - NOV 8 - 7pm
Nov 8, 03:58 PM by editor1
Program 8: South Asian Spotlight
Sat. Nov. 8th, 7:00 PM
In South Asia, the game and film industry have become huge. Talent is only certain to grow, and we’re pleased to present a few up and coming South Asian filmmakers. A symbolic look at a child, and their view of their world and the people close to them, are portrayed in two animated shorts, AMMA and KEY TUMI? Then KISSING COUSINS is a hilarious journey of a man who ends relationships for a living, only to ironically yearn for one with a special woman…but with a catch.
Western Canadian Premiere
Director In Attendance
Director/Writer: Amyn Kaderali | Producers: Amyn Kaderali, Manish Goyal, Rahul Haria
Narrative | DigiBeta | Colour | 2007 | 98 minutes | USA
Amir (Samrat Chakrabarti), 29, is a heartbreaker. Literally. As a “relationship termination specialist,” providing “dumping services” for disgruntled daters, Amir spends his days delivering bad news to unsuspecting lovers across Los Angeles and retrieving his clients’ belongings. When Amir returns to his family’s Bay Area home for Thanksgiving, he is reunited with Zara (Rebecca Hazelwood), his charming and beautiful cousin from Britain who he has not seen in twenty years. An undercurrent of sexual tension develops between them as the charade comes dangerously close to going too far. Will his friends find out the truth? Will Amir fall for his own cousin?! Or will he become one of his own “victims?”
Previous Screenings: SF Int’l Asian American Film Festival, Indian Film Festival of LA, Int’l Film Festival of Mumbai, LA Asian Pacific Film Festival
VAFF VIP GALA - A REAL TASTY TREAT!
Nov 8, 03:50 PM by editor1
Over 300 guests attended the VAFF VIP GALA at Edgewater Casino’s Stadium Club on Friday night and were treated to a smorgasbord tasting of different types of sake and Japanese beer from our friends at Select Wine Merchants. (The green sake served in the wooden box cup was amazing! And we got to keep the cup too!) Many guests got lucky with their $5 Edgewater Casino Game Play voucher during the evening.
Be sure to join us at our remaining social networking events and mix and mingle with our industry guests. You never know who you might see there!
Tickets available at the event venues.
VAFF EVENING PROGRAMS - FRIDAY - NOV 7
Nov 7, 05:24 PM by editor1
Program 3: Child’s Play
Fri. Nov. 7th, 7:00 PM
When faced with harsh reality and brutality, children often adapt better than their grown up advisories. Innocence trumps experience in these films in which naiveté leads to a hope only a child can create. In SANTA MESA, a brave 12 year old boy must adjust to living in an unknown homeland and connects others in the process. A young son protects himself and his mother with his imagination in IN CONTROL.
Presented by Shaw Multicultural Channel
Program 4: Lost In Love
Fri. Nov. 7th, 9:30 PM
Those of us lucky enough to have been in or are in love know self doubt can often take over. Yet long awaited answers come with trusting our choices, and believing in both ourselves and our object of affection. PAN TIAN SHOU starts it off with beautiful animated imagery in tribute to a renowned Chinese artist. SHALL WE? is about two best friends just about to part ways forever. FINDING MADISON introduces Madison, a young woman striving to make her mark in the artistic world after having given up on love until her outlook is challenged.
VAFF AFTERNOON PROGRAMS - FRIDAY - NOV 7
Nov 7, 11:37 AM by editor1
Special Presentation
Yellow Fellas
Fri. Nov. 7th, 2:30 PM
Ever had a great idea for a feature length independent film but never had the time or money? Tetsuro Shigematsu, a filmmaker who has extensive experience in broadcasting, including hosting This Hour Has 22 Minutes, CBC Radio, and as pop culture critic for Newsworld in Los Angeles, will present the VAFF premiere of his film, YELLOW FELLAS, and then share his ideas of how he made this feature length film with a short film’s budget. A Q&A with the director will follow.
Program 2: Love You Short Time
Fri. Nov. 7th, 5:00 PM
Making short films has always been one of the best ways to hone the craft of filmmaking. Whether it’s attempting to express a single idea or theme, or to explore different styles and genres, or to produce big results with very little money, filmmakers definitely get better with each film they produce. Several filmmakers in this program are returning here: Angela How, Frank Yeean Chan and Jeff Chan. And this program is where we showcase VAFF’s annual Mighty Asian Moviemaking Marathon competition winners.
Tickets available at the VAFF Box Office at Cinemark Tinseltown
YELLOW FELLAS - Screening and Director Q&A - TODAY - 2:30pm
Nov 7, 11:25 AM by editor1
FREE ADMISSION to STUDENTS
With Student ID – must be 18 years+
VAFF membership required ($2) – sign up at the theatre
Vancouver Premiere | Director in Attendance
Ever had a great idea for a feature length independent film but never had the time or money? Tetsuro Shigematsu, a filmmaker who has extensive experience in broadcasting, including hosting This Hour Has 22 Minutes, CBC Radio, and as pop culture critic for Newsworld in Los Angeles, will present the VAFF premiere of his film, YELLOW FELLAS, and then share his ideas of how he made this feature length film with a short film’s budget.
Director/Writer: Tetsuro Shigematsu | Producers: Tetsuro Shigematsu, Bahareh Shigematsu, Bamboos Pourgol
Narrative | Beta SP | Colour | 2007 | 75 minutes | USA/Canada
Howie Hiroshima is an angry young Asian man who leads a band of Oriental Brothers in a revolution against The White Man. He seeks to avenge the injustices that The Blue Eyed Devil has wreaked upon his people. But soon, the movement takes on a life of its own and comes after Howie himself.
Previous Screenings: Fantasia Film Festival, 2nd runner up Best Feature, Peoria Film Festival
Q & A to follow:
Join Tetsuro in a lively discussion on How to Make a Low Budget Indie Feature!
FREE VAFF FUN PACK
Nov 7, 11:16 AM by editor1
From Nov 7 to Nov 9, everyone who attends each DAYTIME film program will receive one complimentary VAFF FUN PACK. (while supplies last)
The VAFF FUN PACK includes: – 1 Complimentary Hot Beverage Coupon courtesy of 7-Eleven (there is a convenient 7-Eleven location at Tinseltown) – and a $5 Match Play Coupon from Edgewater Casino
OPENING NIGHT A SMASH!
Nov 7, 10:58 AM by editor1
Last night’s festival Opening was a smashing success with over 300 guests attending the reception. Notable guests included mayoral candidate Gregor Robertson, Richard T. Lee, MLA, Stephen and Grace Kwok (Anson Group), columnist Malcolm Parry, World Champion YoYo Master Harvey Lowe, actor Steph Song (Sexiest Woman in the World 2006 by Asian FHM magazine) and representatives from NFB and Telefilm. It was great evening of fun and conversation.
Be sure to join us at our remaining social networking events and mix and mingle with our industry guests. You never know who you might see there!
Tickets available at the event venues.
