| DAY | DATE | TIME | INFO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | May 7, 2023 | 12:00 am PST | Registration Open |
| Saturday | May 13, 2023 | 5:00 pm PST | MAMM 18 Info Session |
| Wednesday | June 7, 2023 | 11:59 pm PST | Registration and Video Pitch Submission Deadline |
| Wednesday | June 14, 2023 | 6:00 pm PST | Selected Teams Adjudication Results Announced |
| Saturday – Sunday | June 24 – 25, 2023 | TBA | MAMMentorship Workshops for selected teams |
| Tuesday | July 18, 2023 | 11:59 pm PST
|
Script Submission Deadline |
| Friday – Sunday | July 21 – July 30, 2023 | 12:00 am PST
11:59 pm PST |
Competition Period (Film Production/Post Production) |
| Sunday | July 30, 2023 | 11:59 pm PST | Film Submission Deadline |
| Saturday | August 26, 2023 | 6:00 pm PST | MAMM18 Gala Screening & Awards Presentation |
Key Dates
What is MAMM?
What is MAMM?
MAMM is VAFF’s annual short film-making competition, celebrating its 18th year of supporting, fostering, and showcasing emerging Asian and mixed Asian filmmakers.
Each year, the best 8 teams are selected from a myriad of video pitch submissions, and these finalists enter into a 10-day filmmaking contest from production start to finish after receiving masterclass-level MAMMentorship, culminating with a Screening Gala and Awards Ceremony.
Over 150 MAMM films have been completed through this competition, giving many emerging filmmakers their first “calling card” film and mid-level filmmakers opportunity to build their filmography. Many of these films have gone on to be screened at festivals around the world and have won many awards.
VAFF is very proud of its many MAMMers that have gone on to enjoy successful careers in the entertainment and media industry and we look forward to incubate, nurture, and support many more talented creators.
Learn more about the competition and tips on how to pitch to MAMM18. MAMM18 Info Session (In-Person Event) on May 13, 2023 (Saturday) Watch the recap at VAFF Facebook
Choose the Genre. Pitch the Story. Make the Film.
#MAMM18 Finalists
Join us on Saturday, August 26, 2023, as we screen the MAMM18 finalists. Buy Tickets now!!
10 mins category:
EIGHT teams:
Team Bolo Bao (Jackey Lee)Team Cash Cows (SHUBHAM CHHABRA)Team Dragonfruit (Johnny Wu)Team KACHOW (Yuvraj Singh Kalsi)Team Paper Dog (Amy Yao)Team Soy Boys (Rachel Kwan)Team The Realists (Jason Joung)Team The Tannery (Ian Tan)1 min category:
EIGHT teams
Team Churro Piano (Angie Ip)Team Dundas (Andrea Kuntjoro)Team Rice & Beans (Kallie Hu)Team Salty Wet (Alger Ji-Liang)Team Siu Mai (Gerald Ng Shibang)Team Sunspoken (Sam Stouten)Team Thanks, No Thanks (Veenu Sandhu)Team Totoro (Cathy Huynh)Highlights This Year
Highlights This Year
- This year, the timing of MAMM has been pulled up by two weeks to avoid overlapping with the Vancouver Pride Festival.
- Selected 8 Teams of 10 Min. Shorts will receive $1,000 per team. Conditions apply.
- Starting this year, a maximum of 8 Teams will be selected for the 1 Min. Ultra Shorts category as well.
- Early Bird Submission period is May 7 – 14: $50 for 10 min Shorts; $10 for 1 min Ultra Shorts.
- Regular Submission period is May 15 – June 7: $60 for 10 min Shorts; $15 for 1 min Ultra Shorts.
- The 10 minute Shorts category will require a video pitch as usual, while the 1 minute Ultra Shorts category will also go through an adjudication process based on a Written Pitch.
- For 10 minute Shorts, you must incorporate how you respond to the Creative Element “Creating Opportunities“ into your video pitch.
- For 1 minute Ultra Shorts, MAMM is collaborating with Elimin8Hate (E8) to bring awareness to their campaign of the year, “Cultivating Anti-Racist Workplaces: Asian Canadian Edition”. The theme of “Redefining Success: The Asian Canadian Experience” must be reflected in your written pitch. (Details in Information Package.)
- As of April 8, 2022, teams are no longer required to have a COVID-19 Safety Plan and should follow communicable disease prevention protocols instead.
- The MAMMentorship program will be held in person or virtually via webinars.
- MAMM18 is open NATIONWIDE! Any Canadian or Permanent Resident of Canada can lead a Team to enter from anywhere in the country and will be sponsored to travel to Vancouver for the MAMM 18 Gala Screening and Awards Presentation.
See the MAMM 2023 Information Package for more details.
Registration & Information Package
Registration and Information Package
- Registration is from May 7 to June 7, 2023
- Registration form will be available on May 7, 2023
- MAMM 2023 Entry Form – 10 minute short category
- MAMM 2023 Entry Form – 1 minute ultra-short category
- Video Pitch Submissions before June 7, 2023
- Any questions regarding your registrations can be emailed to: mamm@vaff.org
See the MAMM 2023 Information Package for more details.
MAMM18 Info Session: Date: May 13, 2023 (Saturday)
Check in – 5:00 pm (PST), Opening Remarks – 6:00 pm (PST)
Venue: Sai Woo, 158 E Pender St, Vancouver, BC
All registrants will get a chance for a lucky draw to win a ticket to a selected screening during the November 2023 Film Festival.
MAMM 18 Prizes and Promotion
MAMM 18 Prizes and Promotion
The perks of being selected for one of the top 8 competing teams include exclusive mentorship, marketing opportunities, prizes and special screenings. Specifically:
MAMM Production:
- 8 Selected (10 minutes) teams will receive $1,000 to make their MAMM Short.
- InKind Support for the production.
MAMMentorship Program:
- ONE-ON-ONE mentorship with selected teams and industry professionals
- GROUP workshops via Zoom.
Digital promotion for the selected teams on social media and PR opportunities.
Cash prizes and industry in-kind prizes will be awarded for the following adjudicated categories.
- Best Short Film Award
- Best Director Award
- Best Performance Award
- Best Screenwriting Award
- Best Cinematography Award
- Best First Time Director Award
In-kind prizes are given to the audience voted People’s Choice Award winners.
- The People’s Choice Award: Best Overall Short
- The People’s’ Choice Award: Best Performance
All the aforementioned winners will be announced and awarded at the MAMM premiere and awards presentation Event on August 26, 2023, and will be showcased at the 27th Annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival, November 2 – 12, 2023.
Distribution for the winning shorts may be available through VAFF media partners.
See the MAMM 2023 Information Package for more details.
MAMMentorship and Production, Mentors
MAMMentorship and Production
To help emerging filmmakers make the best film they can, VAFF offers the top selected teams to take part in the MAMMentorship program.
In this program, qualifying teams will join specialized workshops by industry professionals and be paired with one of the professionals as their team mentor. The Production period is extended this year and Teams can create their own schedules from prep to shoot to post, as long as submission including uploading of the Final Film meets the deadline. All completed films will receive a screening at the MAMM18 Screening Event and the winning films will be screening at VAFF 2023 in November. Final Films will be adjudicated by a panel of elite judges to win cash and in-kind prizes!
Looking for local talent for your film project?
Looking for actors and production team members for your independent film project?
Check out our MAMM Talent Pool on Facebook to find some fantastic local talent to work on your shoot.
Mentors
FAQ
FAQ
1.What is the rules?
Read through the MAMM 2023 Information Package for more details.
2. What is the role of Key Creative Members?
All key creative team members (e.g. Team Lead, Producer, Director, Writer, Cinematographer) and at least one (1) Lead Actor.
3. What will consider to disqualify?
- Any submitted pitch video longer than 3 minutes, is disqualified. Judges will not watch any material beyond the 3 min. mark.
- Any team that does not have at least one key creative member of self identify on being as Asian or part Asian heritage, is disqualified.
- Any submitted film that does not have at least one lead actor of Asian heritage/part Asian heritage is disqualified.
- Any film found not to be created originally for MAMM will be disqualified and will not be screened.
- Any final films and required materials did not submit on the final time.
- Submitted films that are significantly different from the video pitch and submitted script, will be disqualified.
4. Can I submit multiple projects?
- One entry per primary registrant, per category. (10 min Shorts or 1 min Ultra Shorts)
5. How do I attend the Info Session?
MAMM18 Info Session: Date: May 13, 2023. Watch the recap at VAFF Facebook
MAMM Production Team
MAMM Production Team
MAMM Director & Producer:
Lynne Lee
Lead Creative Producer:
Joshua Lam
Creative Producers:
Moheb Jindran
Panta Mosleh
MAMM Producer:
Regina Leung
Vivian Cheung, MAMM Assistant
Vincie Lin, MAMM Assistant
Althea Alabat, Marketing Manager
Evelyn Tindjau, Graphic Designer
Roisin Abbott, Social Media Manager
Vanessa Borowicz, Social Media Editor
Irene Chan, Marketing Director
Rachel Lee, Marketing Director
Lana Yip, Website Director
Karen Leung, Web Design / Admin
William Hu, Web Design / Admin
Dylan St. Aubin, Lead Editor
Judges
Judges
Aaron Au
Director of Production & Development at Brightlight Pictures
Aaron is a Chinese born Canadian who started his film career in 1998. After finding success as an actor and stuntman, he moved into production in 2008. Since then, he’s produced everything from indie features to network series, with his most recent credit being ‘Firefly Lane’ for Netflix.
Aaron is a Chinese born Canadian who started his film career in 1998. After finding success as an actor and stuntman, he moved into production in 2008. Since then, he’s produced everything from indie features to network series, with his most recent credit being ‘Firefly Lane’ for Netflix.
Julie Kwan
Vancouver based filmmaker
Ms. Kwan’s dramatic feature film debut, Eve & the Fire Horse, won the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Ms. Kwan has written and directed numerous films in different genres over the years, including the NFB’s Everything Will Be, her debut feature documentary and the animation, The Zoo. As well as developing a TV series, Ms. Kwan is an Adjunct Professor at UBC, where she teaches scriptwriting.
Ms. Kwan’s dramatic feature film debut, Eve & the Fire Horse, won the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Ms. Kwan has written and directed numerous films in different genres over the years, including the NFB’s Everything Will Be, her debut feature documentary and the animation, The Zoo. As well as developing a TV series, Ms. Kwan is an Adjunct Professor at UBC, where she teaches scriptwriting.
Mayumi Yoshida
Award-winning Actor, Writer, and Director.
Yoshida is an alumna of WarnerMedia x Canadian Academy Writers Program and TIFF Talent Accelerator. Her latest music video Different Than Before won the Jury Award at SXSW ‘23 Music Video Competition. She is currently Associate Producing an A24/AppleTV+ series, starring Rashida Jones. Her first feature AKASHI, is set to shoot in Japan/Canada in 2023.
Yoshida is an alumna of WarnerMedia x Canadian Academy Writers Program and TIFF Talent Accelerator. Her latest music video Different Than Before won the Jury Award at SXSW ‘23 Music Video Competition. She is currently Associate Producing an A24/AppleTV+ series, starring Rashida Jones. Her first feature AKASHI, is set to shoot in Japan/Canada in 2023.
MAMM 18 Presenting Sponsor
MAMM 18 Awards Sponsors
MAMM Leads
Lynne Lee
MAMM Director & Producer
Joshua Lam
MAMM Lead Creative Producer
Moheb Jindran
MAMM Co-Creative Producer
Panta Mosleh
MAMM Co-Creative Producer
Regina Leung
MAMM Producer