It was quite the blast!
The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival tossed their closing night GALA at the CGV Theatre complex and their was no expense spared.
At the Awards Ceremony earlier in the day (winners listed below) tony guests streamed into the lower concourse (which was sprightly-decorated with flagrant flowers and eye-catching posters featuring films screened earlier in the week at the festival venues around town) to sup on a delicious open buffet and chat each other up over exotic cocktails.
At 7 p.m. sharp, the festival organizers ushered the well-heeled guests (actors, filmmakers, industry movers & shakers, high-profile media types) into a CGV Theatre where they were treated to the U.S. premiere of "Joyful Reunion" (a review will follow).
One the lights went up, all the excited attendees were inclined to dash downstairs where they were wined and dined and allowed to kick-up their heels on the spacious makeshift dance floor.
When I departed at 11 p.m. - a bit high, by the way! - the party-goers were still going strong!
Ah, that's Hollywood, for 'ya!
This weekend, the festival moves lock stock & barrel to the Long Beach venue where the Asian Pacific Festival is offering up a program titled:
Pacific Islander Visions in Long Beach
Films screening include Papa Mau: The Wayfinder, There Once was an Island, In the Family, and two repeats (Yes, We're Open & Two Shadows).
In addition, the Festival will be screening the Award-Winning films on Sunday along with SION'S 2: UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
Catch a screening if you can, eh?
Here is a run-down on the films which snapped up coveted prizes at the Festival.
NARRATIVE FEATURES AWARDS
GRAND JURY PRIZE & BEST OVERALL FILM
VALLEY OF SAINTS
Director/Writer
MUSA SYEED
Producer
NICHOLAS BRUCKMAN
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR
MUSA SYEED
VALLEY OF SAINTS
Special Jury Mention
Outstanding Director
LILY MARIYE
MODEL MINORITY
OUTSTANDING SCREENPLAY
H.P. MENDOZA
YES WE’RE OPEN
OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY
JOHN MATYSIAK
MODEL MINORITY & TWO SHADOWS
OUTSTANDING FIRST FEATURE
SHANGHAI CALLING
DANIEL HSIA
ACTING AWARDS
BEST NEWCOMER ACTORS
NICHOLE BLOOM
MODEL MINORITY
KEVIN WU
HANG LOOSE
BEST ENSEMBLE ACTING AWARD
SUNSET STORIES
Sung Kang, Monique Curnen, Michelle Krusiec,
Joshua Leonard & Sandy Martin
BEST ACTOR
DANTE BASCO
PARADISE BROKEN & HANG LOOSE
DOCUMENTARY AWARDS
GRAND JURY PRIZE
WHERE HEAVEN MEETS HELL
SASHA FRIEDLANDER
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR
DEBBIE LUM
SEEKING ASIAN FEMALE
OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY (a tie)
WHERE HEAVEN MEETS HELL
SASHA FRIEDLANDER & BAO NGUYEN
CHINA HEAVYWEIGHT
SUN SHAOGUANG
SPECIAL JURY AWARD FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
GIVE UP TOMORROW
Director
MICHAEL COLLINS
Producer
MARTY SYJUCO
SHORTS AWARDS
GOLDEN REEL
NANI & JUSTIN TIPPING
LINDA MABALOT NEW DIRECTORS/NEW VISIONS
TSUYAKO & MITSUYO MIYAZAKI
HONORABLE MENTION
THIEF
JAY CHERN
C3: PROJECT MARKET
JURY AWARD
SEEING RED
Liselle Mei & Derek Nguyen
HONORABLE MENTION
THE DOCTOR
Musa Syeed & Nicholas Bruckman
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