The 19th Annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF 19) is pleased to announce the countdown to its celebration of Asian diaspora and diversity in film, set for November 5–8, 2015 at the Cineplex Odeon International Village Cinemas, 88 W. Pender St., in Vancouver’s historic Chinatown district.
VAFF 19 asks, “What’s Your Role [in…insert Community here]?” with a lineup that invites us to examine the complications within the search for personal and cultural identity. The festival’s nine film programs include 37 feature-length and short films of all genres, with English dialogue or English subtitles, from the Asian diaspora—including a world premiere, 5 North American premieres and 13 Canadian premieres. An additional 9 films are Vancouver premieres. Twenty filmmakers, from Canada and internationally, are expected to attend. Organizers anticipate close to 4,000 audience and industry members over the four-day festival.
VAFF 19: HIGHLIGHTS
For the full program schedule, program and film synopses, and more detailed film and festival information, please refer to the online program at www.vaff.org.
Opening Night + Gala: The 2015 Sundance selection, retro 80’s romantic comedy “Seoul Searching”
Centrepiece Presentation + Celebration: Taiwan’s “The Kids”
Closing Night + Afterparty: The LA Film Festival 2015 Nightfall Award winner “Crush The Skull”
“Date Night Friday” film: “It’s Already Tomorrow In Hong Kong” featuring real-life couple Jamie Chung (Once Upon A Time, The Hangover II) and Bryan Greenberg (Friends With Benefits, Bride Wars)
Shot-and-produced in Vancouver: “Beyond Redemption,” a stylized Hong Kong action-inspired adrenaline rush from Canadian stunt coordinator and first-time feature film director Bruce Fontaine; and “The Tree Inside,” a beautifully shot, heartfelt drama that follows a woman who can’t keep a relationship longer than a couple of months as she struggles to overcome her seasonal impulse to change.
Two documentary programs: “Right Footed” from Emmy-winning director Nick Spark, about the inspiring courage of Philippine American Jessica Cox, born without arms; and “The Roots Remain,” about Cambodian Canadian graffiti artist Fonki’s return to Cambodia to paint a commemorative mural for relatives killed in the Khmer Rouge genocide
Two festival award-winning shorts programs: One of international shorts, the other all-Canadian shorts, including the VAFF Best Canadian Short Award 2015 winner
An afternoon of film industry panels focused on independent filmmaking and international production: Introducing the VAFF Industry Insight Seminar Series (VAFF I²)
