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Thanks to everyone for making out 9th annual film festival a huge success! We served a record number of patrons - nearly 18,000 in San Diego and Riverside. Please mark your calendars for our 10th anniversary, October 15-29, 2009.

Filmmakers, check back in January 2009 for call for entry information.

We're headed up to Riverside this week, bringing 14 film programs to the University Village Cinemas, October 21-23. First show each day is FREE for UCR students!

Our closing night in San Diego, Thursday, October 16, is jam-packed with a great line-up. Check it out here. Plus, we added the following shows because of all the sell-outs:

4:00 PM - "Follow Your Heart: China's New Youth Movement" (free)
5:00 PM - "Animation: The Illusion of Life"
9:20 PM - "Dororo"
9:45 PM - "Always: Sunset on Third Street 2" (second showing, regular price)
9:55 PM - "Vexille"

Winners of the 9th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival were announced at a star-studded gala awards ceremony on Saturday night, October 11 at the Town and Country Hotel Ballroom in Mission Valley. More than 700 people attended, as the festival announced the following winners:

Best Animation
"Meat Days" directed by Joe Hsieh

Special Jury Honor
"Damn the Past!" directed by Julie Kang

Best Dramatic Narrative Short
"Moon Lady" directed by Wendy Cheng

Best Feature Documentary
"Shame" directed by Mohammed Naqvi

Best Narrative Feature
"Santa Mesa" directed by Ron Morales

Grand Jury Award
"Dirty Hands: The Art and Crimes of David Choe" directed by Harry Kim

Lifetime Achievement Award
Soon-Tek Oh

Along with the above awards, first-time filmmaker Henry Ahn was awarded for winning the Foundation's Reel in the Vote Public Service Announcement contest. More than 400 films were entered into competition from around the world for the festival.

A talented comedian, and internet celebrity with one of YouTube's most subscribed channels, Christine Gambito, better known by her online name as HappySlip, has an international following of her online comedy sketches, in which she impersonates members of her Filipino American family.

Gambito's video Mixed Nuts was nominated for the 2006 YouTube Video Awards for Best Comedy, ultimately winning second place. Recently, she was appointed ambassador for Philippine tourism. Not bad for a woman who performs, shoots, and edits her sketches entirely by herself! So, where does HappySlip come from, you may ask?

Find out on Monday, October 13 at HappySlip: Uncensored, a panel discussion featuring HappySlip in person.

In recent years, films adapted from comic books have dominated the global box offices - from gigantic blockbuster summer movies such as "The Dark Knight," "300," and "Iron Man" to critically-acclaimed films such "Oldboy," "A History of Violence," and "Road to Perdition." Due to the strong representation of Asian Americans within the comic book industry, this trend will surely have an effect on the Asian American arts community.

Join acclaimed artist Jim Lee ("X-Men," "Batman: Hush") and writer/filmmaker Greg Pak ("Planet Hulk," "Robot Stories" - SDAFF '03) for a lively discussion on the comic book creation process and the adaptation of comics for the big screen from an Asian American perspective. Martin Wong (co-editor of Giant Robot magazine) will moderate this panel.

Some 20 years in the making, "Mystic Ball" is a testament to the passion and perseverance of Canadian director Greg Hamilton - not only as a filmmaker but as a champion of chinlone, the national sport of Myanmar. As its leading foreign expert and player, Hamilton thoroughly introduces Western audiences to this unknown, mesmerizing game.

Read Dr. Craig Reid's article about "Mystic Ball" and meet director Greg Hamilton in person at the screening of "Mystic Ball" on Sunday, October 12 at 3 PM.

The latest podcasts include Jessica Yu and Jimmy Tsai from "Ping Pong Playa" and highlights from the Film Forum. Listen here.

Based on a true story, "My Father" traces the journey of a Korean American adoptee to South Korea in search of his biological parents. Though raised by a loving family in America, James Parker (played by Daniel Henney) has always dreamed of meeting his birth parents. While serving in the U.S. military in Korea, he befriends a Korean soldier to help him track down his old orphanage where he learned his birth name was "Gong Eun Cheol."

Read our interview with Aaron Bates, and meet him at the screening of "My Father" on Saturday, October 11 at 5:05 PM.

Come kick off SDAFF 2008 with out third annual music and video showcase. A dynamic convergence of Asian American talent, Blowfish is an exploration of the intersection of beats, rhymes, and film, through live performance and projected videos. Don't miss this party, a deadly but delicious mix of West Coast party-rocking with San Diego flavor.

When: Friday, October 10, 8 PM-2 AM
Where: Canes Bar & Grill, 3105 Ocean Front Way San Diego, CA 92109, 858-488-1780
Tickets: $10 at the door, $7 w/ festival ticket stub, 21+ only

Featured Blowfish Performers:
Blue Scholars: a Seattle hip-hop duo with a progressive underground style all their own
Far*East Movement: representing the Fresh Coast with their party rocking new school sound
Paul Dateh: with violin in hand, Paul Dateh and Inka One bring a whole new meaning to classical music
Ashley Robles: local singing sensation
Spinning Fresh Beats: DJ Icy Ice of the World Famous Beat Junkies

Blowfish Music Video Premieres:
Blue Scholars "Loyalty," directed by Zia Mohajerjasbi
Far*East Movement "Dance Like Michael Jackson," directed by Wong Fu Productions
Daedelus "Fair Weather Friend," directed by Jordan Kim
Lyrics Born "I Like It, I Love It," directed by Neon

The Down Low video crew brings you coverage of last night's festivities. If you missed out on opening night, there are still 7 more days of film and fun!

Check out opening night pics of the cast and crew of "Ping Pong Playa."

A special thanks goes out to Jose R. Bucud, Daniel K. Lew, Regala Studio, and Alex M. Tran for sharing their excellent photos.

Michael Tang is the winner of this year's student film review competition. Read Michael's review of "My Father," which was published in today's San Diego Union-Tribune. Michael received an all-festival pass and he will be presented with a $500 scholarship at the SDAFF gala awards dinner on Saturday, October 11.

See "My Father" on Saturday, October 11 at 5:05 PM and on Thursday, October 16 at 7:15 PM. The film screens in Riverside on Thursday, October 23 at 9:30 PM.

Due to overwhelming demand we added a second screening of "Ping Pong Playa" tonight at 9:30 PM. Head down to the UltraStar Cinemas at Hazard Center for another chance to see our opening night showcase film.

Film description:
Christopher "C-Dub" Wang (Jimmy Tsai) is a young Chinese American man who spouts militant Asian American politics, dreams of becoming a professional basketball player, and sports the hip hop swagger 24/7. Unfortunately, he also constantly blames his inability to make the NBA on his genetics, struggles to hold down a low-paying job at the mall and spends most of his free time playing video games and daydreaming of easy money. In short, C-Dub is every Asian American parent's worst nightmare. Thankfully for the Wang family, C-Dub's older brother Michael (Roger Fan) is everything that C-Dub is not. He is a doctor and national ping pong champion, who generates business for his family's ping pong school and store.

Unfortunately, things are turned upside down when Michael and Mrs. Wang are both hurt in a car accident. C-Dub is forced to step up and take over teaching duties at the ping pong school, and fend off a rival ping pong player who threatens the family business by stealing students. The stakes are taken even higher when C-Dub must shake off his reputation as a chronic underachiever and defend his family?s honor by replacing his brother in the national ping pong tournament.

Co-writer and star Jimmy Tsai steals the show with his incredibly charismatic performance as the unforgettable C-Dub. Sharply directed by Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Jessica Yu ("In the Realms of the Unreal"), making her narrative feature directing debut, "Ping Pong Playa" is the rare sports comedy that will have you rolling with laughter, while effectively tackling important Asian American identity issues.

Our opening night showcase film, "Ping Pong Playa," is sold out, but there are plenty of other fantastic films playing on Thursday with showtimes starting between 5:45 and 9:45. Head down to the UltraStar Cinemas at Hazard Center for "Please Vote for Me," a charming documentary about three Chinese schoolchildren campaigning to be elected class monitor. "Oh Saigon" is a powerful documentary depicting the raw emotion and natural human reactions of a family's struggle to overcome the ramifications of wartime decisions. "Scene in San Diego" is a collection of short films produced by filmmakers in America's Finest City.

In the Korean film "Public Enemy Returns," a burnt-out cop crosses paths with a pampered, spoiled thrill killer. Brillante Mendoza examines the emotional bonds between foster-parents-for-hire and the abandoned babies they care for in the highly acclaimed drama "Foster Child (John John)." Based on a true story, "Assembly," follows one man's journey in search of truth and honor in the aftermath of one of the bloodiest battles in the Chinese Civil War.

Tickets will be available at regular prices at the UltraStar box office after Wednesday, October 8, 2008.

UltraStar Mission Valley at Hazard Center
7510 Hazard Center Drive
San Diego, California 92108
map

For questions about ticket availability, please call the theatre at 619-574-8684.

Thanks and see you at the festival!

Before and during the San Diego Asian Film Festival, people are always asking me for film recommendations. However, the SDAFF contains so much variety and quality (over 140 films), that it is very difficult to give a film recommendation without knowing anything about a persons particular film tastes. Some people love the art house films and others are looking more for martial arts or romantic comedy. Hence, recommendations must be tailored to a persons preferences to be of any use. With that in mind, Ive come up with a list of 2008 SDAFF recommendations by connecting this year's festival films to popular films and television shows that you may have already seen.

Nearly 40 filmmakers submitted original 30-second public service announcements for the San Diego Asian Film Foundation's Reel in the Vote campaign. The goal of the contest was to encourage Asian Pacific Islander Americans to register to vote because census data shows that APIAs have the lowest voter registration among all ethnic groups.

An independent jury selected Henry Ahn of Washington, D.C. and his PSA, "My Vote, My Voice" as the winner of the competition. Jurors included San Diego city council members Tony Young, Brian Maeinschien, and Donna Frye, Supervisor Ron Roberts, State Senator Leland Yee, business man Bryan Min, philanthropist Tom Hom, and Sara Katz of Katz & Associates. Ahn won $1000 plus a Sony HD Video Camera valued at nearly $4,000. "My Vote, My Voice" will be screened before every film program at the 9th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival, October 9-16.

The opening night of the festival is less than a week away and we're excited to share our program booklet in PDF format. It's a large file (9 MB), but well worth the download time for 65 colorful pages of film descriptions and articles.

We're giving a sneak peek at two of our festival films, "Magazine Gap Road" and "Prekisstoric Times," on Monday, September 29. Join us at The Loft for this ArtPower event.

We're offering 50 free tickets to our upcoming film festival (each ticket worth $9.50) for simply giving us your opinion. We want to know what you think, how you found us, and if you've been to our events. If you're down with free tickets, simply click here for our 2008 festival survey.

Along with tickets, we're also giving away DVDs of a wonderful film we screened two years ago called "Be With Me," thanks to Film Movement.

Catch the trailer for "Be With Me" before the screening of "Cinephile's Journey" at this year's festival.

Search for films by title and director, or sort films by country and genre. You can also build your own festival calendar to keep track of what you're watching.

Highlights include:

• Opening night film on Thursday, October 9: Academy Award winning director Jessica Yu's first narrative feature, "Ping Pong Playa," a hilarious comedy about a young man defending his family's ping pong dynasty
  
  
• Closing night film on Thursday, October 16: "Always: Sunset on Third Street 2," directed by Yamazaki Takashi; sequel to a heartwarming post-war Japanese film that swept Japan's version of the Academy Awards
  
  
• West Coast premieres: Korean thriller hit "Public Enemy Returns," directed by Woo-Suk Kang, and one of the most sought-after martial arts films from Thailand, "Chocolate," by "Ong Bak" director Prachya Pinkaew
  
  
• Controversial documentary, "Dirty Hands: The Art and Crimes of David Choe," directed by Harry Kim
  
  
• Twelve short film programs including our popular animation program, "Animation: The Illusion of Life," and "Reel Voices," a free short documentary showcase by local high school students

You can now buy tickets to our hilarious opening night film, "Ping Pong Playa." We're offering them online at the discounted price of $12, which includes food/drink reception and after-party. You'll also have the chance to meet the director, cast, and crew. Trust us, it's a bargain!

Co-writer and star Jimmy Tsai steals the show with his incredibly charismatic performance as the unforgettable C-Dub. Sharply directed by Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Jessica Yu (In the Realms of the Unreal), making her narrative feature directing debut, "Ping Pong Playa" is the rare sports comedy that will have you rolling with laughter, while effectively tackling important Asian American identity issues.

If you love watching movies and can give your opinion about them, this competition is for you! We are seeking college and high school candidates for our annual Student Film Review Competition, in partnership with The San Diego Union-Tribune and the Asian American Journalists Association of San Diego.

The winning review will be published in The San Diego Union-Tribune during the week of the 9th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival, October 9-16, 2008. The winning student receives a $500 scholarship, an All-Festival Pass to the festival, and two complimentary seats at the SDAFF Gala Awards Dinner, Saturday, October 11.

Download the rules and application. The entry deadline is September 12.

Town & Country Resort & Hotel
The rate for single occupancy is $119, $139 double, $159 triple, $179 quad. The rates do not include the 10.5% Occupancy Tax or the 2% San Diego Tourism Marketing District Assessment (subject to change). The cut-off date is September 30.

3 ways to make reservations:

1. Call the reservations department
   Toll free: 800-772-8527
   Direct: 619-291-7131 ext. 3810
   
2. Book rooms online.
   
3. Contact Estrella Munguia
   Convention Reservations Coordinator
   Town and Country Resort & Convention Center
   500 Hotel Circle North
   San Diego, CA 92108
   Phone: 619-291-7131 ext. 5507
   Fax: 619-294-4681
   e.munguia@towncountry.com
   www.towncountry.com

Best Western Seven Seas, Hotel Circle San Diego
The 307 guest rooms offer all the amenities to ensure an enjoyable stay while in San Diego. All rooms offer complimentary high speed wireless internet access. Free parking, complimentary airport shuttle, restaurant, bar and heated pool.

Reserve a room by September 17 to get the "San Diego Asian Film Festival" $89/night discounted rate. When calling for a reservation, please ask for the "San Diego Asian Film Festival."

411 Hotel Circle
San Diego, California 92108
1-800-328-1618
www.bw7seas.com

Produced by Sam Chen, Music by David Helpling

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