New Asia Film Festival Season Finale Features Local Productions
16 November 2009
Two local award winning productions, giving audiences a fresh look of new immigrants life in Canada, will close the Asia Film Festival season on Friday, November 20 at 7 p.m. at the Richmond Cultural Centre, 7700 Minoru Gate. Both films were produced by Holiday Pictures Ltd., a Vancouver-based film production company.
The documentary Hong Kong Express is an exploration of the current phenomenon of Chinese-Canadian women becoming overnight celebrities after sweeping the awards at the International Chinese pageant scene. After witnessing their crowning, one billion Asians become loyal fans who cheer on their subsequent meteoric rise to fame as film and television stars - while in Canada they remain relatively anonymous. In many instances these women don't speak Chinese and are often unfamiliar with Chinese customs and culture. But, it seems the less they know, the better they do.
Filmed at various locations in Vancouver, Banff, and Asia, Lunch with Charles is a co-production of Hong Kong and Canada. It is a comedy of two couples, struggling between love and career, on a fated journey from Hong Kong to the Canadian Rockies. The film was nominated for seven Leo Awards and Winner of Best Director, Best Screenwriter and Best Musical Score.
Holiday Pictures Ltd. is a local independent production company focusing on cross-cultural stories. Michael Parker, the director of both films, will be attending the screening. His wife Shan Tam, an accomplished Chinese Canadian filmmaker, is the producer of the two films.
The New Asia Film Festival monthly film series program is free with a one-time annual membership fee of $5.
For event details please visit www.vnaff.ca or contact Kirsten Schrader, Arts Coordinator for the City of Richmond, at 604-247-8324.
