Frank Yan

Voodoo Macbeth leads filmmaker awards for Harlem Film Festival 2021 after ushering NYC back into the theater

By John Wildman 5 years ago

Harlem International Film Festival Program Director Nasri Zacharia said, “Our 16th edition marked the return to in-person, in-theater screenings in New York City, and our hybrid approach allowed us to continue to invite audiences throughout the state of New York to the unique blend of global cinema and local films that we have built a reputation celebrating for a decade and a half now. Harlem emphatically is a center, magnet, and inspiration for the arts, and we embrace our role in that vital and vibrant legacy.

David Gutnik’s MATERNA leads Naples International Film Fest 2020; announces awards BASTARDS’ ROAD, and COMING CLEAN

By John Wildman 5 years ago

The 2020 Naples International Film Festival announced the filmmaker award winners following the conclusion of this year’s virtual/outdoor screening hybrid fest. The jury prize for Best Narrative Feature (and a cash prize of $1,250) went to David Gutnik’s MATERNA, and the jury prize for Best Documentary Feature (and $1,250) was given to Brian Morrison’s BASTARDS’ ROAD. Audience Awards went to Lanie Zipoy’s THE SUBJECT (Best Narrative Film) and Lynn Montgomery’s AMAZING GRACE (Best Documentary Film), which each won a cash prize of $1000.

Denise Ho, Jia Zhangke: CineCina teams with Kino Lorber for real Chinese heroines and virtual double features

By John Wildman 5 years ago

Yan, said, “Watching both of these films that focus on two amazing women from China and Hong Kong who have demonstrated what it means to be a leader, to be brave, to be heroic, stands in sharp contrast to the version of MULAN that Disney has delivered to film audiences. The fact that both films are the work of wonderful women filmmakers underlines why we suggest watching these films as an alternative for those seeking their Chinese heroine “fix” this week.”

Oliver Mays’ drama BITTER FLOWERS launches CineCina; debuts mobile phone film festival CineCina iFest

By John Wildman 6 years ago

CineCina Film Festival Co-Director of Programming Frank Yan, said, “The last decade has solidified how much we all rely on our mobile devices. For most of us, the small screen of our phones has become the most essential interaction tool. At the same time, film, while being an art form created for the big screen, has found a home on our phones just as it has on big screen televisions, desktop and laptop computers.

Congcong Teng’s SEND ME TO THE CLOUDS and Oliver Siu Kuen Chan’s STILL HUMAN: CineCina Film Festival rolls out first titles for Online Film Fest launching this week

By John Wildman 6 years ago

CineCina Film Festival Co-Director of Programming Frank Yan, said, “This initial group of films include nine features, and two shorts that offer a wonderful cross section of recent Chinese-language cinema releases. In the subsequent weeks we will offer more features and short films for our audiences as we continue to plan for the 2nd edition of our film festival this Fall, under the LOVE AND DUTY theme. That will include the announcement and presentation of our Project Horizon winners. In the meantime, we will celebrate film in New York, both with this virtual film festival and our Films on the Wall projections throughout the city.”

Wancang Bu’s silent classic LOVE AND DUTY part of CineCina Film Festival; postpones fest due to Coronavirus

By John Wildman 6 years ago

CineCina Film Festival Founder and Director Vina Sun, added, “However, while it made sense to postpone what is becoming our signature film festival event in order to ensure its success, our mission continues. The special presentation of LOVE AND DUTY both celebrates a formative classic early Chinese film, and provides a lead in to the theme of this summer’s upcoming film festival, including the reveal of the film festival’s poster image.

Elia Suleiman’s IT MUST BE HEAVEN leads CineCina Film Festival-THE ROAD Filmmaker Awards

By John Wildman 6 years ago

CineCina Film Festival Founder and Director Vina Sun, said, “Our first foray into celebrating world cinema with this film festival was incredibly rewarding in too many ways to count. Our ‘road’ theme was beyond appropriate because the journey to celebrate great cinema from all corners of the world in arguably the greatest city in the world, culturally, took us and our audiences to places we could only have imagined prior to the film festival’s screenings, panels, and events. Citing the wonderful work of these filmmakers is a wonderful way to complete that journey.”

Elia Suleiman’s IT MUST BE HEAVEN Opens New York City’s 2nd Annual CineCina Film Festival ; Announces Lineup celebrating World Cinema

By John Wildman 6 years ago

CineCina Film Festival Founder and Director Vina Sun, said, “In our second year, we have created a ‘road’ theme meant to highlight our cinematic journey, the connection, and mutual communication platform we seek to build to boost film culture exchanges. Our programming has expanded to all world cinema beyond the Chinese focus we established with last year’s debut. That creative road also leads to our Horizon Project, meant to encourage and develop young filmmakers, as well as Master Class lectures, which will feature film artists like one of our special guests this year, Samuel Maoz.”