Last year’s New York Asian Film Festival was a pure blast with tons of hits, including awarded festivities with some famous faces on hand as well. I didn’t get to attend, but I did make some friends and worthwhile connections along the way, and while most in New York City won’t get to galvanize at this year’s 19th edition, the line-up looks just as robust and lively as ever.
The festival postponed its July festivities months ago in response to the Coronavirus pandemic that has swept the North American continent and the world over earlier this year. Specifically with regard to the U.S., efforts to keep operations going for many festivals have chosen to go the online/digital route, and as such, NYAFF will be doing the same through its partnership with downloadable app, Smart Cinema USA.
“Since the very first day of our launch, our goal is to always promote and screen the latest quality Asian films to international audiences. So it is our great pleasure to work with NYAFF, one of the most prominent Asian film festivals in the world, for their 19th edition, following our successful partnerships with Shanghai International Film Festival and Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. As a technology and data driven platform, we have created a unique, cutting-edge, virtual “Almighty Cinema” ecosystem to accommodate all the various demands from international festivals, distributors as well as traditional exhibitors.” said Jack Gao, founding partner and CEO of Smart Cinema.
“We are honored that NYAFF selected Smart Cinema USA to be their partner as they continue to showcase the best films from all over Asia during this global pandemic. Smart Cinema has become the premiere virtual cinema destination for movies in Asia and we are committed to replicating that success in North America.” said Doris Pfardrescher, President & CEO of Well Go USA and Board Member, Smart Cinema USA.
“At a time when the work of festivals might seem like a rearguard battle, I’m glad to take a leap into the unknown, and search east, not only for the films, but for new ways of exhibiting those films“, said Samuel Jamier, executive director and president of the New York Asian Film Festival & Foundation.
The 19th and virtual New York Asian Film Festival launches August 28 and wraps up on September 12. Filipino director Rae Red’s The Girl And The Gun as the opening movie, joining the main line-up announced by the festival on Monday, which the festival promises to spotlight a prominent lineup of titles with female directors and stars. Actor Joe Odagiri’s feature directing debut, They Say Nothing Stays the Same, will serve as the Centerpiece presentation of the festival, while others include Unleashed from Kwok Ka Hei and Ambrose Kwok, Kazakh epic Tomiris which opens later this Fall in the U.S., Johnnie To’s Chasing Dream, action comedy Hitman: Agent Jun, Kim Yong-hun’s Beasts Clawing At Straws, and MUCH more!
Packing in 51 titles, the line-up is live, so check it out below and go to the official website to learn more about this amazing event, and don’t forget to download the official Smart Cinema app by clicking here.
BHUTAN
– Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Pawo Choyning Dorji, 2019) New York PremiereCHINA
– Gone With the Light (Dong Runnian, 2019) North American Premiere
– Chaogtu with Sarula (Wang Rui, 2019) North American Premiere
– Mr. Miao (Li Lingxiao, 2020) International PremiereHONG KONG PANORAMA
Presented with the support of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York
– Chasing Dream (Johnnie To, 2019) New York Premiere
– My Prince Edward (Norris Wong, 2019) East Coast Premiere
– Hell Bank Presents: Running Ghost (Mark Lee, 2020) World Premiere
– The Grand Grandmaster (Dayo Wong, 2020) North American Premiere
– Legally Declared Dead (Yuen Kim Wai, 2019) U.S. Premiere
– Memories to Choke on, Drinks to Wash Them Down (Leung Ming-kai, Kate Reilly, 2019) North American Premiere
– Unleashed (Ka Hei Kwok and Ambrose Kwok, 2019) North American Premiere
– A Witness out of the Blue 犯罪現場 (Fung Chih Chiang, 2019) New York PremiereINDONESIA
– Abracadabra (Faozan Rizal, 2019 ) North American PremiereJAPAN
– Family Bond (Gonno Hajime, 2019) North American Premiere
– A Beloved Wife (Adachi Shin, 2019) North American Premiere
– Miyamoto (Mariko Tetsuya, 2019) New York Premiere
– Dancing Mary (Sabu, 2019) North American Premiere
– Forgiven Children (Naito Eisuke, 2019) International Premiere
– One Night (Shiraishi Kazuya, 2020) North American Premiere
– Beneath the Shadow (Otomo Keishi, 2019) North American Premiere
– They Say Nothing Stays the Same (Odagiri Joe, 2019) U.S. PremiereKAZAKHSTAN
– Tomiris (Akan Satayev, 2019) North American PremiereMALAYSIA
– Geran (Areel Abu Bakar, 2019) North American Premiere
– Soul (Roh) (Emir Ezwan, 2020) North American Premiere
– Victim(s) (Layla Zhuqing Ji, 2020) North American PremierePHILIPPINES
– The Girl and the Gun (Rae Red, 2019) North American Premiere
– John Denver Trending (Arden Rod Condez, 2019) East Coast PremiereSOUTH KOREA
Presented with the support of the Korean Cultural Center New York
– Secret Zoo (Son Jae-gon, 2019) New York Premiere. Co-Presented with the Freer and Sackler Galleries, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art
– Hitman: Agent Jun (Choi Won-sub, 2020) North American Premiere
– Forbidden Dream (Hur Jin-ho, 2019) International Premiere
– Lucky Chan-sil (Kim Cho-hee, 2019) North American Premiere. Co-Presented with the Freer and Sackler Galleries, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art
– Baseball Girl (Choi Yuntae, 2019) International Premiere
– Beasts Clawing at Straws (Kim Yong-hoon, 2019) n/a. Co-Presented with the Freer and Sackler Galleries, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art
– Beauty Water (Cho Kyung-hun, 2020) U.S. Premiere
– Moving on (Yoon Danbi, 2019) North American Premiere
– Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 (Kim Do-young, 2019) US Continental Premiere– SF8 Series: An anthology of eight science fiction films:
The Prayer (Min Kyu-dong, 2020) International Premiere
Empty Body (Kim Ui-seok, 2020) International Premiere
Love Virtually (Oh Ki-hwan, 2020) International Premiere
White Crow (Jang Cheol-s, 2020) International Premiere
Blink (Han Ga-ram, 2020) International Premiere
Baby It’s Over Outside (Ahn Gooc-jin, 2020) International Premiere
Joan’s Galaxy (Lee Yoon-jung, 2020) International Premiere.
Manxin (Noh Deok, 2020) International PremiereTAIWAN
– Wild Sparrow (Shih Li, 2019) New York Premiere. Co-Presented with the Freer and Sackler Galleries, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art
– Detention (John Hsu, 2019) New York Premiere
– IWeirDO (Liao Ming-yi, 2020) US Premiere. Co-Presented with the Freer and Sackler Galleries, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art
– Heavy Craving (Hsieh Pei-ju, 2019) East Coast Premiere
– The Gangs, the Oscars and the Walking Dead (Kao Pin-chuan, 2019) US Premiere. Co-Presented with the Freer and Sackler Galleries, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art
– Dear Loneliness (Lien Chien-hung, Sunny Yu, Liao Jhe-yi, 2019) North American Premiere
– Miss Andy (Teddy Chin, 2020) North American Premiere