Interview Archives - Viet Film Fest 2016

Interview with Elizabeth Van Meter, Director Thao’s Library

Festival News, Interview Leave a comment

1. How did you introduce the idea of making a film to Thao and her family? Tell us about their reaction and the process of building trust with them. My relationship with Thao started as a friendship. I first saw her photograph and knew I had to meet her no matter what. The film was…

Viet Film Fest

2 weeks ago

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TELEVISION PREMIER
Saturday 9/9/17 at 6pm
San Francisco- KQED
San Jose- KQEH
Watsonville- KQET ...

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TELEVISION PREMIER Saturday 9/9/17 at 6pm San Francisco- KQED San Jose- KQEH Watsonville- KQET

Nothing Left to Lose

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Viet Film Fest

2 months ago

5 STEPS OF LOVE TO BE RELEASED IN THE U.S.

Santa Ana, California – The Vietnamese romantic comedy, “5 Steps of Love (Vẽ Đường Cho Yêu Chạy),” directed by Vu Ngoc Phuong and starring Jun Vu and B. Tran, will open in U.S. theaters throughout California-Garden Grove, San Jose, Irvine, Alhambra, and San Diego on August 18, 2017. “5 Steps of Love” had its U.S. premeire at Viet Film Fest 2016 and was warmly received by the diverse audience. Advance tickets for general screenings are available for purchase. For film info and screening times please visit www.5StepsOfLove.com.

Before screening “5 Steps of Love” at Viet Film Fest 2016, Vu Ngoc Phuong had his short films, “L.O.V.E” and “What If (Giả Sử)," shown at Viet Film Fest 2011 and 2014, respectively. “What If” was selected to be shown immediately prior to Ham Tran’s romantic comedy, “How to Fight in Six Inch Heels” at the Opening Night of Viet Film Fest 2014. “5 Steps of Love” is Vu Ngoc Phuong’s directorial feature debut.

“I watched '5 Steps of Love' at Viet Film Fest last year and really enjoyed the film’s quality and story, so our company, Sunrise Seagull Productions, decided to take on the film for U.S. theatrical distribution,” said Thien A. Pham, President of Sunrise Seagull Productions. “As an international sales, distribution and media production company, we feel that Viet Film Fest plays an important role in getting Vietnamese films in front of buyers and distributors."

Aiming to expand outside of the traditional U.S. cities that most Vietnamese films have opened up in the past, “5 Steps of Love” takes a bold step by playing in cities, such as Irvine and Alhambra, that do not have a significant Vietnamese population compared to Garden Grove, San Jose and San Diego. With a talented cast that easily appeals to the pan-Asian community, the film has already received notable accolodes throughout Asia for its witty and heart-warming story.

Lead actor B. Tran, director Vu Ngoc Phuong, as well as the film’s producer, Hang Trinh of Skyline Media, are scheduled to walk the red carpet of the the film’s U.S. premiere, which will be held at Edwards Irvine Spectrum on Thursday, August 17, 2017. The film is produced by Skyline Media and distributed in North America by Sunrise Seagull Productions.

About Sunrise Seagull Productions:
Sunrise Seagull® Productions is an international sales, distribution and media production company advocating diversity in film and media. The company specializes in bringing film and media content with strong diversity, family, and cultural themes to the worldwide audience. Sunrise Seagull Productions represents underserved content producers and champions the diverse, independent spirit.

About Skyline Media:
Skyline Media operates in film production and distribution in Vietnam. We aim at becoming one of the leading film production companies in Vietnam creating good quality commercial movies both serving Vietnamese audience and reaching out to foreign markets. Our productions Conjuring Spirit (2014), Exorcism: the haunted child (2015), Kung Fu Pho (2015) and Five Steps of Love (2015) have been released widely in cinemas in Vietnam as well as attending various film festivals in America, Europe and Asia. Exorcism: the haunted child, Kung Fu Pho and Five Steps of Loves were screened at Viet Film Fest.

About Viet Film Fest:
As the only of its kind, Viet Film Fest showcases the best creative work by and about Vietnamese people. Our award-winning films have been screened in numerous cities and countries. Viet Film Fest was created in 2003 by the Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association (VAALA) to celebrate the many stories about Vietnamese people. Now running successfully for over a decade, the festival has attracted thousands of national and international attention for its stunning showcase of shorts and features submitted from many corners of the world, including Australia, Cambodia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Korea, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, United Kingdom, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam.

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Viet Film Fest

5 months ago

VAALA Co-Presents the “Viet Film Showcase” of LAAPFF at CGV, Buena Park

BUENA PARK, CA - The 33rd edition of the LAAPFF (Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival) is right around the corner, and for the first time, it is going to screen films at both Los Angeles and Buena Park! LAAPFF’s dates are April 27 - May 4 in L.A. and May 5 - 11 at the newly opened CGV Cinemas Buena Park located at The Source, 6988 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA 90621.

LAAPFF in Buena Park is also having a "Viet Film Showcase" screening 4 new Vietnamese feature films as part of this showcase. For discount tickets, enter code VAALA17. (Regular ticket price: $14; discount price with code VAALA17: $10).

SHE’S THE BOSS (Bạn Gái Tôi Là Sếp)
Vietnam / 2017 / 114 mins / Vietnamese with English subtitles
Director: Ham Tran

Fresh from Vietnamese cinemas, SHE’S THE BOSS follows two co-workers (Miu Le from SWEET 20 and Anh Do), whose secret relationship could compromise their jobs. Both want marriage, but neither want to quit, they comically try to sabotage one another into leaving their job. A mix of goofy and endearing characters and situations make SHE’S THE BOSS perfect for date night.
May 5, 8:00pm
festival.vconline.org/2017/films/shes-the-boss/

FATHER AND SON (Cha cõng con)
Vietnam / 2016 / 90 mins / Vietnamese with English subtitles
Director: Luong Dinh Dung
Ca is a young boy who lives with his father in a mountainous area. Ca dreams of reaching the nest of what he thought is a huge bird in the sky (which is actually an airplane) and climbing to the top of the tallest building in an unknown city. Suddenly, Ca contracts a disease that seems to threaten his life. Hence, the father and son start their journey to the city.
May 6, 4:30pm
festival.vconline.org/2017/films/father-and-son/

JACKPOT (Trúng số)
Vietnam / 2015 / 92 mins / Vietnamese with English subtitles
Directed by Dustin Nguyen
Tu Phi is a middle-aged con man, fresh out of a 15-year prison sentence. Only minutes into his new found freedom, he meets a lottery-ticket hawker named Thom, a young woman from his village. They form a unique friendship. One fine day, Tu Phi wins the lottery; the big jackpot. And this sets off a chain of events through their small peaceful village. When fortune falls into a your lap, is it a blessing? Or is it a curse? Can money buy you happiness? Dustin Nguyen’s second directorial effort, JACKPOT was chosen by Vietnam as its foreign language entry to the Academy Awards last year.
May 6, 7:00pm
festival.vconline.org/2017/films/jackpot/

FANATIC (Fan Cuồng)
Vietnam / 2016 / 103 mins / Vietnamese with English subtitles
Directed by Charlie Nguyen

Frustrated in a techno heavy pop infested world, Thai "Rocker" (Thai Hoa) sells rock records that no one wants to buy in the heart of Saigon. When he finds a time machine in the middle of a forest, Thai decides to go back to 1996 to save rock music from disappearing and bring back the golden age of rock 'n' roll including stopping his hero, Giai Nghia (Johnny Tri Nguyen) from fading away into obscurity, thus ending the golden age of rock in Vietnam.
May 11, 7:00pm
festival.vconline.org/2017/films/fanatic/

For more information on the LAAPFF in Buena Park, which we are dubbing “Best of the Fest,” view the entire film program and schedule here: festival.vconline.org/2017/itineraries/laapff-buena-park/

Also shown at CGV Buena Park as part of the “Best of the Fest" from the L.A. are the following major films:

• India's LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA, an award winning film that has garnered international attention, yet is currently banned in India for what the Los Angeles Times says, "India banned a movie about four women because it was 'lady-oriented.'"
• RELOCATION ARKANSAS -- AFTERMATH OF INCARCERATION and RESISTANCE AT TULE LAKE, two new Japanese American documentaries about the internment experience, both screening on the anniversary year of Executive Order 9066
• Two films on Chinese American subjects FINDING KUKAN and WHO IS ARTHUR CHU?, a documentary about Jeopardy winner/villain Arthur Chu
• Tad Nakamura's latest MELE MURALS on the Hawaiian culture renaissance through the vehicle of hip hop and street art
• New films from Cambodia -- TURN LEFT TURN RIGHT and DIAMOND ISLAND.
• Chinese socio-comedy KING OF PEKING, straight from its world premiere at Tribeca Film Festival
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Viet Film Fest 2016

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