Vancouver, BC – June 12, 2019 – The Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF) kicks off its Mighty Asian Movie Making Marathon (MAMM) campaign with a special VAFF Industry Insight Panel Series event, “Diversity in Filmmaking,” happening on Sunday, June 23, 2019, from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm at the Joyce Walley Room in the Museum of Vancouver. This is the second year that VAFF will be hosting this panel, following a successful launch last year.
MAMM’s Creative Producers, Mayumi Yoshida and Nach Dudsdeemaytha, will lead the panel discussions together with guest moderators Joella Cabalu and Lee Shorten in four workshops that each highlight different areas of film development and production. The day will be geared toward providing insight and insider perspectives for aspiring and current filmmakers of diverse backgrounds, and those in the industry who aim to work with diverse representation both in front of and behind the camera.
The first panel, Multi-Hyphenated Filmmakers, dives into what it takes to balance the multiple roles that filmmakers take on. On any project, you will find these filmmakers wearing different hats and sometimes all at once. The talented panelists will share how they balance their abundant workload.
The panelists for this session include: writer, director, and producer Anaisa Visser, writer, director, and producer Jason Karman, writer, producer, actress, and comedian Diana Bang, and actor and director Raugi Yu. The panel will be moderated by documentary filmmaker Joella Cabalu.
The second panel, The Alumni Panel, brings together pas MAMM filmmakers as they discuss their previous MAMM projects and how their own unique MAMM experiences have shaped them as storytellers.
The panelists for this session include: director, screenwriter, and producer Ana de Lara, writer and director Athena Han, writer, director and producer, Milton Ng, and actor, writer and director Jerome Yoo. The panel will be moderated by another MAMM alumni, actor and writer Lee Shorten.
The third panel, Getting Technical, will give a glimpse of those hard workers behind the camera. From cinematographers to production designers, these artists will give us a behind-the-scenes look at their journey in filmmaking. They will be sharing tips and stories from their past experiences.
The panelists for this session include: production designer and props master Neil Colango, cinematographer, Kaayla Whachell, composer Sean William and Maxime Beauchamp. The panel will be moderated by producer Nach Dudsdeemaytha.
The final panel, The Future of Diversity in Film + TV, will focus on the topic of the potential of diversity in mainstream media. With the success of films like Black Panther and Crazy Rich Asians, we have hit major milestones in diverse representation in film and television. The question to ask is, “What’s next?”
The panelists for this session include: actor and writer Omari Newton, actor Patrick Sabongui, actor Jennifer Clement, and director Alejandro Yoshizawa. The panel will be moderated by weiter, producer, director, and actor Mayumi Yoshida.
The schedule is as follows:
10:15 am – 10:30 am – check in and get seated
10:30 am – 12:00 pm – PANEL 1: The Multi-Hyphenated Filmmakers
break
12:15 pm – 1:00 pm – PANEL 2: The Alumni Panel
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm – lunch break
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm – PANEL 3: Getting Technical
Break
3:45 pm – 5:15 pm – PANEL 4: The future of Diversity in Film + TV
5:30 pm – Industry Mix and Mingle, venue TBA
Tickets for the Diversity in Film day are $10 per session and $30 for the whole day. You may get your tickets here:https://diversityinfilmmakingday2019.eventbrite.ca/. Online ticket sales will end at 1:00 pm on Saturday, June 22, 2019 and tickets will be available at the door on the day itself depending on capacity.
About Diversity in Filmmaking Panel (DIF)
The Diversity in Filmmaking Panel supports and is a precursor to MAMM. It is a whole day of exploring how people of colour are impacting various aspects of filmmaking and how others can do so as well. Now on it’s 2nd year, DIF aims to look at the pressing topics in the industry and keeps the messages relevant to the issues today.
About the Mighty Asian Movie Making Marathon (MAMM)
MAMM, now on its 14th year, is the premier short filmmaking competition by the Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF). MAMM offers a platform for filmmakers to showcase their talents to both moviegoers and potential distributors alike. The competition lasts for 10 days wherein contestants use this time to produce their short films. MAMM does not only provide opportunities for filmmakers, but provides great experience throughout the process as well.
About the Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF)
The Vancouver Asian Film Festival Society (VAFF) is a not-for-profit organization that celebrates diversity in film. The longest-running Canadian film festival of its kind, VAFF was founded by independent filmmaker and writer Barbara K. Lee in 1995 and debuted in September 1997. VAFF is entirely organized and produced by a group of dedicated volunteers, and is made possible by generous financial support from corporate sponsors, public funders and private donors. Organizers are expecting close to 4,000 audience members over the four-day festival. Now in its 23rd year, this four day festival incorporates the theme of NO LIMITASIANS, which celebrates the achievements of Asian diaspora artists and empowers aspiring artists of Asian heritage to continue pushing boundaries and challenging expectations. As new filmmakers take the spotlights to tell authentic stories, they break moulds and expose the world to a multitude of voices.
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