Press Room
Monday 15th September 2008 | UAFF
The GRACE Heritage Foundation together with the Smithsonian Institution presents the Fifth Annual US-ASEAN Film Festival
Monday, September 15, 2008
Washington, DC
The GRACE Heritage Foundation is proud to present the 2008 US-ASEAN Film Festival, the only annual film festival in the United States to showcase cinematic gems from the dynamic region of Southeast Asia.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is comprised of ten countries in Southeast Asia, the region straddling continental Asia and Australia and bordering both the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Diversity is a part of life for ASEAN's 575 million citizen who are more likely than not multi-lingual, living in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious community. ASEAN members are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Timor Leste, the only non-ASEAN member in Southeast Asia is a candidate for membership.
Festival Highlights
"United by Contrasts" is this year's theme, underlining the truly diverse nature of this year's lineup: from a Thai village devastated by the Tsunami to the ultramodern skyscrapers of Singapore, from rural Vietnam in the last days of French occupation to chaotic Manila.
On a special note, we will screen the first Lao film in more than three decades, "Good Morning, Luang Prabang." The feature tells the story of a Lao-Australian photographer on a job assignment in Laos, where he reconnects with his roots and falls in love.
Opening the festival is the satirical drama "Gone Shopping," a debut feature from the award-winning Singaporean short filmmaker, Wee Li Lin. It follows three characters' journey seeking fulfillment at a shopping mall, a place where our modern society spend a lot more than we should.
From the sleek skyscrapers of Singapore, Lưu Huỳnh's tale of a young woman's struggle to keep her family together will take us to Vietnam in the chaotic period towards the end of the French occupation. "The White Silk Dress" won the top prize at the 2007 Vietnam's Film Academy Awards - the Golden Kite Awards.
Southeast Asia in the recent years have been experiencing a renaissance in its film industry and the world is taking notice. Films from Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore are commonly present in the global film festivals, while Vietnamese and Indonesian films are garnering positive reviews from the global film community. A quick example of this achievement is Filipino Brillante Mendoza's "Serbis" and Singaporean Eric Khoo's "My Magic" which were in competition for the top honor at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.
2008 US – ASEAN Film Festival
United by Contrasts: Southeast Asian Cinema Today
September 12 – October 12, 2008, Washington, DC, USA
Festival Sponsors & Supporters
The Fifth Annual US-ASEAN Film Festival is co-presented by the Smithsonian Institution and sponsored by the following: The Embassy of Indonesia, the Embassy of Singapore, the Royal Embassy of Thailand, the ASEAN Secretariat, and the Washington Post. Some film screenings and events also receive supports from the Embassy of the Philippines, the Embassy of Vietnam, and the United States – Indonesia Society (USINDO).
About the Organization
GRACE Heritage (Global Renaissance of ASEAN-American Culture and Entertainment) was founded in Washington, DC by Karina Lee Sudyatmiko and Jasmine Wibisono. Its mission is to promote the diverse cultures and traditions of Southeast Asia. It establishes US-ASEAN Creative Project banner to organize events that will showcase Southeast Asian cultures, entertainment and the talented people
behind them.
Contact information:
Karina Lee Sudyatmiko or Luwito Tardia
Telephone: 202/262-3775
E-mail: info@thegraceheritage.org
Event information:
5th Annual US-ASEAN Film Festival
September 12 - October 12, 2008
Meyer Auditorium at Smithsonian Instititute's Freer and Sackler Galleries
* Free Tickets to all screenings can be obtained 1 hour before showing.
Film schedule:
9/12 7PM Gone Shopping, Wee Li Lin (Singapore)
9/14 2PM Slingshot, Brillante Mendoza (Philippines)
9/14 4PM Invisible City, Tan Pin Pin (Singapore)
9/19 7PM Wonderful Town, Aditya Assarat (Thailand)
9/21 2PM Short Films of Apichatpong Weeresethakul (Thailand)
9/26 7PM Good Morning, Luang Prabang, Anousone Sirisakda & Sakchai Deenan (Laos/Thailand)
9/28 2PM Chants of Lotus, Fatimah Rony, Nia DiNata, Upi Avianto, Lasja Susanto (Indonesia)
10/3 7PM Flower in the Pocket, Liew Seng Tat (Malaysia)
10/12 2PM The White Silk Dress, Luu Huynh (Vietnam)
For more information and to download press kit, please visit the festival's website at http://www.usaseancreativeproject.org/uaff/
About ASEAN
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is comprised of ten countries in Southeast Asia, the region straddling continental Asia and Australia and bordering both the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Diversity is a part of life for ASEAN's 575 million citizen who are more likely than not multi-lingual, living in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious community. ASEAN members are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Timor Leste, the only non-ASEAN member in Southeast Asia is a candidate for membership.
About UACP
US-ASEAN Creative Project (UACP) is the arm of GH Foundation to carry out its mission in promoting Southeast Asian culture and heritage. Since 2002, GH Foundation has organized various events in arts, entertainment, literature, and sports to raise awareness of the diverse cultures and traditions of Southeast Asia. Its flagship event, the US-ASEAN Film Festival, has been running annually since 2003. It was the first film festival to celebrate films from the region.
Contact Information
US-ASEAN Creative Project by GH Foundation
1701 16th Street NW Suite 218
Washington, DC 20009
USA
+1 (202) 262-3775
info@thegraceheritage.org
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