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July 10-19: 2008 Asian American International Film Festival; NYC

The Asian American International Film Festival will be running from July 10-19 in New York City. This festival, which features works by Asian and Asian-American filmmakers, also includes panel discussions, workshops, Q&A sessions and much more. For more information and tickets, visit www.aaiff.org.

ABOUT THE ASIAN AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (AAIFF)

Since 1978, the Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) has introduced new and compelling works by Asian and Asian American filmmakers to a sophisticated and curious audience of cultural enthusiasts. Premiering the works of then unknown directors such as Mira Nair (SO FAR FROM INDIA, AAIFF 83), Ang Lee (FINE LINE, AAIFF 85), Wayne Wang (CHAN IS MISSING, AAIFF 82), Park Chan-wook (JSA, AAIFF 01), and Justin Lin (FINISHING THE GAME, AAIFF 07), the AAIFF was the nation's first annual festival dedicated to screening works by media artists of Asian descent and films about the Asian community. It continues to be a leading showcase for independent Asian and Asian American film and video.

In addition to the screenings, the Festival also features panel discussions, Q&A sessions, workshops, awards, and a screenplay reading. The AAIFF reaches an audience of more than 10,000 during eight days of programs, plus thousands more during our National Festival Tour of American cities. In 2007, the Tour made its international debut screening at universities in Hong Kong and Macau. Hundreds of thousands of viewers and readers follow the festival in local, national and international media coverage.

ABOUT ASIAN CINEVISION (ACV)

Asian CineVision, Inc (ACV) is a not-for-profit national media arts organization dedicated to the development, promotion and preservation of film and video arts by and about people of Asian descent. Founded in 1976 by Hong Kong cinema legend Tsui Hark (ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA), Oscar-nominated documentary director Christine Choy (WHO KILLED VINCENT CHIN), Danny Yung, and Peter Chow, ACV began as a media activism organization, which aimed to raise awareness through media training in the local Chinese communities. Members produced a weekly, half-hour show called Chinese Community TV (CCTV), which aired cable-access and covered pressing issues such as housing, gentrification, and health care.

Reflecting the growth of the Asian American media community and its expanding needs over time, ACV amended its certificate of incorporation to specify much larger purposes: "To produce and to exhibit films and video programs about the experience and culture of Asian and Asian American communities," "to provide consultation and technical assistance for artists, cultural and media organizations," "to publish various documentation," and "to organize seminars, conferences and workshops."

For over 30 years, ACV has provided program and services to filmmakers and the Asian American community through the annual Asian American International Film Festival; the National Festival Tour, an international traveling program of our Festival; Asian Cinevisions, a curated program of independent works from Asia and the U.S. that screen in art house theaters across the U.S.; filmmaker professionalization workshops and networking sessions, media literacy initiatives and training workshops, and our print and media archives.

ACV regularly partners with schools, film societies, performing arts and literary groups, social service organizations, film production and distribution companies and other films arts organizations to co-sponsor and co-produce events which bring high-quality film and video by and about people of Asian descent to a wider audience. For more information, visit asiancinevision.org.

ABOUT ASIA SOCIETY

Asia Society is the leading global and pan-Asian organization working to strengthen relationships and promote understanding among the people, leaders and institutions of the United States and Asia. Founded in 1956 by John D. Rockefeller III, the Society reaches audiences around the world through its headquarters in New York and centers in Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Hong Kong, Manila, Melbourne, Mumbai, Seoul and Shanghai.

A nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization, the Society provides a forum for building awareness of the more than thirty countries broadly defined as the Asia-Pacific region—the area from Japan to Iran, and from Central Asia to New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

Through art exhibitions and performances, films, lectures, seminars and conferences, publications and assistance to the media, and materials and programs for students and teachers, Asia Society presents the uniqueness and diversity of Asia.

Asia Society is supported by contributions from foundations, corporations, and individuals. Asia Society is on the web at asiasociety.org.