Summit Programs Overview
Summit Day 1:
US Pacific Standard Time: Thursday (Nov. 11th)
1) 17:00 – 17:30 - Opening Remarks - Bilingual
The event organizer and guests give speeches to officially kick off the LACFF Virtual Summit.
2) 18:00 – 19:30 - Giant Leap Media: Empowering Undiscovered APA Writing Talents - English
Giant Leap is a TV & Film development accelerator specialized in Asian/Pacific-American (APA) stories. Inspired by Silicon Valley incubators, Giant Leap develops and packages APA content over a structured 12-week period. The incubating program continues for another 18 months, aiming to prepare and chaperone its screenwriters to studios, networks, and production companies for pitch meetings. In addition, Giant Leap is dedicated to fostering a new generation of Asian-American screenwriters and showrunners. In this fireside chat, we will take an inside look at the program and its people along with the founders and a participating writer.
Guests： DJ Jiang, Brian Yang, Lisa Sanaye Dring, Vanessa Kong
Host：David Li
Brian Yang
Brian Yang is an actor and producer whose producing credits include LATE LIFE, the Golden Horse Best Documentary Award nominated feature on former New York Yankees pitcher Chien-Ming Wang; the Jeremy Lin documentary LINSANITY which premiered at Sundance Film Festival; Shanghai International Film Festival award winning biopic ANOTHER SHOT, on former NBA player Stephon Marbury's life in China; I CAN I WILL I DID starring Tony Award nominee Mike Faist; and SNAKEHEAD premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and the Official Selection for Toronto International Film Festival. Yang has also produced documentary specials for ESPN and Fox Sports. As an actor, his film credits include SAVING FACE, THE JADE PENDANT, and an upcoming Disney+ short called THE LITTLE PRINCE(SS) that was part of Disney+'s inaugural Launchpad Program. His TV credits include THE PATH, WESTWORLD, BLACKLIST, SHANGHAI RUSH and HAWAII 5-0, in which he played the lab tech Charlie Fong for five seasons.
DJ Jiang
Mr. Jiang is a producer and entrepreneur. He has produced over thirty properties in short & feature films, web series, television programs, and commercial contents. He was also behind a number of startups in the field of media and technology. As a producer, he was heavily involved in the pre-production and production process of each project; which included fundraising, budgeting, contract negotiation, story development, casting, crewing, and production management. He also facilitated the post-production process and arranged distribution. Noticeably, Mr. Jiang oversaw two seasons of physical production on “Whale Wars” for Discovery Channel’s Animal Planet. He has also consulted on several foreign projects in Beijing and Shanghai for China’s Metan Development Group, CCTV, Le Vision Pictures & Alibaba Pictures.
Lisa Sanaye Dring
Lisa was honored as a recipient of the 2020/21 PLAY LA Stage Raw/ Humanitas Prize. She has been a finalist for the Relentless Award, the Bay Area Playwrights Festival, the Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, and the O’Neill Playwrights Conference. Kaidan Project: Walls Grow Thin, a play she co-wrote with Chelsea SuVon, was nominated for 8 Ovation Awards including Best Production (winner of 5). Lisa’s work has been developed/produced by The New Group, Actors Theatre of Louisville, East West Players, Circle X, SCF @ Son of Semele, Playwrights’ Arena, Rogue Artists Ensemble, and with the DCA’s Reimagine Public Art Series. Lisa was a member of East-West Players’ Playwrights Group and is a MacDowell and Yaddo Fellow. She’s acted on Shameless, Grown-ish, NCIS, Good Girls and Shut Eye, and as Danielle on two seasons of How to Get Away with Murder. Lisa is the Associate Artistic Director of Circle X Theatre Co.
Vanessa Kong
Vanessa Kong is a Chinese/English bilingual screenwriter based in Los Angeles. In 2012, She graduated from Beijing Language and Culture University with a BA degree in English literature. From 2012 to 2016, Vanessa took multiple positions at Beijing Axios Translation Co. and worked her way up to partnership in the company. During her time there, she translated scripts and subtitles for more than 200 feature films, TV shows, reality shows as well as documentaries from English to Chinese. After working in film/TV translation for 4 years, Vanesa came to the U.S. to further her study as a screenwriter. In 2018, she graduated from American Film Institute Conservatory with an MFA degree in screenwriting. Vanessa has co-written two award-winning short films: New Years’ Eve, and The Chef. Her feature script Newton in China advanced to the second round in the 2019 Sundance Development Lab. Her other works include a comedy pilot Talk Yellow to Me, a rom-com feature IKEA Beijing A Love Story, and a historical drama Water Tossing Boulders. She is represented by Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
David Li
David Li has 12 years of experience in programming planning, strategic investment, and production management for TV series and films. David began his career at Warner Bros, managed talent deals, and supported the financial greenlighting for major titles such as The Black Swan. He then joined NBCUniversal during the Comcast merger and oversaw the global sales planning for digital distribution. David then joined HBO to manage the network’s multi-billion slate operation, including hits such as Westworld and Game of Thrones. He played a critical role in helping the senior leadership navigate HBO’s programming strategy in the streaming era. In 2019, David started his own producing endeavor, specializing in cross-cultural and genre-bending scripted content for a global audience.
3) 20:00 – 21:30 - New Feature Format + Pitch - Bilingual
As the Chinese film market grows, the emergence of streaming-first films brings even more opportunities for filmmakers. Different from traditional features, these streaming-native films are first distributed on streaming platforms only, and the feature length is as short as about 60 minutes, tailored specifically for the streaming-first audience. Similarly, the U.S. market has also seen failed attempts to tailor traditional narrative formats in order to attract younger audiences, such as the now shuttered Quibi platform. As Gen-Z-led consumers become more mainstream, short content format seems to be the trend. Would this be an opportunity for U.S. talents, and should Chinese streaming-native production companies expand their operation overseas? In this forum, Ma Rui, CMO of New Studios Media, Huang Zhaosheng, an established director, and Lin Leiqi, founder of Spring Up Films Group, will share insights, knowledge and outlooks on this ecosystem.
Guests: Rui Ma, Zhaosheng Huang, Lecky Lin
Host: David Li
Rui Ma
Rui Ma - Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of New Studios Media Co.,Ltd
Rui Ma graduated from the Broadcasting School of the Communication University of China and participated in the 3rd annual Ivy Entrepreneurship Camp. Serving as the CMO of New Studios Media, Ma drastically expands the company’s operation in acquiring high-quality IPs and development and production of successful streaming-native films, such as New Fight Back to School. In 2016, he was awarded the Top Ten Entertainment Critics Award at the V Influence Summit, the Netease Attitude Awards by Entertainment Critic, and the Entrepreneurial Upstarts Under 30 byf Cyzone. In 2017, he was selected as part of the Forbe China’s 30 under 30 list.
Zhaosheng Huang
Zhaosheng Huang - Director
Zhaosheng Huang graduated from the Directing Department of Communication University of China, majoring in directing. He has produced and directed a number of military action online movies and online web series. The military themed drama feature “SNIPER” was released on iQiyi in 2020 and earned a revenue-sharing payout of more than 35 million Yuan.It ranked third in the annual box office among the online movies and fifth on the entire platform. It was also the box office champion of online movies in 2020. Huang has been awarded the “Annual Online Film TOP Directors” by the cultural ministry. Critics have praised Huang for his auteur approach in the military genre and his refined intuition in camera directions. His filmography also includes Leitíng Xingdong, Tian Hu Tuji Dui, Qiyi Xingqiu.
Lecky Lin
Lecky Lin - Trilingual award-winning Producer, Founder of Spring Up Films
Lecky graduated from the San Francisco University of the Arts with a Master’s degree in film and television production and is currently a board member of the Los Angeles Chinese Film Festival. He has many years of experience in international film and television co-production and has participated in the production of many Hollywood films and co-production projects. After returning to China in 2019, he founded Spring Up Films where he focused on the development and production of streaming-first content and committed to promoting Chinese stories to the world. Lecky’s filmography includes xXx, The Boy Next Door, The Perfect Blue, Shòuliè zhě, The Bridge to Paradise, Guang, etc.
4) 22:00 – 24:00 - The Importance of the First 4 pages of your Script - Chinese
The beginning of a film script not only reveals the potential of the story, but also often determines the fate of the script. In fact, many scripts do not get a complete read-through because the first 4 pages fail to grab the gatekeepers’ attention. LACFF’s Writers Workshop is a long-term project created in 2017, consistently providing feedback (in both Chinese and English) in a safe and constructive environment for participants on a monthly basis. In addition, LACFF also provides ad-hoc script analysis service by professional writers and producers. To showcase the industry-based approach of LACFF’s Writers Workshop, we will dive into the first four pages of a Chinese screenplay by a finalist from our screenwriting competition. Mr. He Keke (Planning Director of Xu Zheng Studio) and Ms. Wang Anan (renowned bilingual scriptwriter, representative works: Goodbye, My Lover) will have a candid conversation based on their different perspectives.
Guests: Keke He. Vivian Wang
Host: Qianyi Lu
Keke He
Keke He received a Bachelor’s degree in Literature and a Master’s degree in Directing from Beijing Film Academy. He earned his doctorate in Aesthetics of Drama from The Central Academy of Drama. He was a former professor in the Film and Television Department at The Central Academy of Drama. He is known for the screenplays of Lost in Russia, My People, My Country: The Champion, My People, My Homeland: The Last Lesson), My Country, My Parents: Ya Xian Zhi. He is currently working as the Creative Director at Beijing ZhenledaoJoy Leader Cultural Communication Co., Ltd.
Vivian Wang
Vivian Wang is a bilingual CAA-represented screenwriter with over a decade of experience in both Hollywood and the Chinese film industry. She has written the hit Youku TV show GOOD BYE, MY LOVER, THE OLD CINDERLLA, and FOREVER YOUNG for Chuan Films, Beijing Enlight Pictures and China Film Co. She was an associate producer who provided additional writing on STX and Alibaba’s UGLYDOLLS. Vivian’s vivid characters grapple with emotional dilemmas rooted in a broader societal context. Thus, her works reflect truth and sincerity regardless of genre. She earned her bachelor's degree and MA from Peking University School of Arts.
5) All-day: Film Screenings: Opening Feature A Writer’s Odyssey + Other Features + Shorts
A Writer’s Odyssey
A WRITER’S ODYSSEY tells the story of Kongwen Lu (Dong Zijian), the author of a fantasy novel series following a heroic teenager, also named Kongwen, on a quest to end the tyrannical rule of Lord Redmane, under the guidance of a Black Armor (Guo Jingfei). But through a strange twist of fate, the fantasy world of the novel begins to impact life in the real world, leading Guan Ning (Lei Jiayin) to accept a mission from Tu Ling (Yang Mi) to kill the author.
Summit Day 2:
US Pacific Standard Time: Friday (Nov. 12th)
1) 15:45 - 17:00 - Bilingual Writer Vanessa Kong Fireside Chat - English
Guest: Vanessa Kong
Host: David Li
Vanessa Kong
Vanessa Kong is a Chinese/English bilingual screenwriter based in Los Angeles. She graduated from Beijing Language and Culture University in 2012 and became a partner at Beijing Axios Translation Co., overseeing the translation and subtitles for more than 200 feature films, TV, reality series, and documentaries. She then received her screenwriting MFA at the renowned AFI Conservatory. In 2018, her graduation speech went viral worldwide. Her humor and confidence not only gave a taste of the depth in her cross-cultural understanding but also became an emotional outlet for the Chinese netizens to express their national pride. Her thesis film, The Chef, won second place at the 2019 Student Oscars. Her other works include an award-winning short New Year’s Eve, a comedy pilot Talk Yellow to Me, a rom-com feature IKEA Beijing: A Love Story, and a historical drama Water Tossing Boulders. Her feature script Newton in China advanced to the second round in the 2019 Sundance Development Lab. She is represented by CAA, actively developing both Chinese and English projects focusing on comedy and female-centric topics. Vanessa is also passionate about standup comedy, and has performed at Ha Ha Comedy Club and Hollywood Hotel.
David Li
David Li has 12 years of experience in programming planning, strategic investment, and production management for TV series and films. David began his career at Warner Bros, managed talent deals, and supported the financial greenlighting for major titles such as The Black Swan. He then joined NBCUniversal during the Comcast merger and oversaw the global sales planning for digital distribution. David then joined HBO to manage the network’s multi-billion slate operation, including hits such as Westworld and Game of Thrones. He played a critical role in helping the senior leadership navigate HBO’s programming strategy in the streaming era. In 2019, David started his own producing endeavor, specializing in cross-cultural and genre-bending scripted content for a global audience.
2) 17:15 - 18:30 - English Writer’s Workshop - The HBO Development Approach - English
Writer’s Workshop on South Sea by Yancey Wang
Theme – the HBO approach to a writer’s workshop - be seen, be heard, be authentic.
This panel features a palette of different perspectives from our panelists - screenwriting, development, and audience creation. The conversation will take a holistic approach to TV series development, aiming to shine a light on questions such as what the HBO approach to development is, what defines authenticity, what it means to write for your audience, why a well-written pilot is sometimes just a writing sample, and how to give and receive notes. Our goal is to impart practical and philosophical tools for new and experienced writers to navigate the long and often lonely creative journey.
Panelists: Yancey Wang, Vanessa Kong, David Li
Vanessa Kong
Vanessa Kong is a Chinese/English bilingual screenwriter based in Los Angeles. She graduated from Beijing Language and Culture University in 2012 and became a partner at Beijing Axios Translation Co., overseeing the translation and subtitles for more than 200 feature films, TV, reality series, and documentaries. She then received her screenwriting MFA at the renowned AFI Conservatory. In 2018, her graduation speech went viral worldwide. Her humor and confidence not only gave a taste of the depth in her cross-cultural understanding but also became an emotional outlet for the Chinese netizens to express their national pride. Her thesis film, The Chef, won second place at the 2019 Student Oscars. Her other works include an award-winning short New Year’s Eve, a comedy pilot Talk Yellow to Me, a rom-com feature IKEA Beijing: A Love Story, and a historical drama Water Tossing Boulders. Her feature script Newton in China also advanced to the second round in the 2019 Sundance Development Lab. She is represented by CAA, actively developing both Chinese and English projects focusing on comedy and female-centric topics. Vanessa is also passionate about standup comedy and has performed at Ha Ha Comedy Club and Hollywood Hotel.
Yancey Wang
Yancey Wang: Writer, Director
Born in Beijing, China, Yancey Wang completed her undergraduate degrees in Finance and Theater at USC and started her career as a reader in Hollywood. After working as an assistant on such films as Looper and Iron Man 3, she moved back to her hometown in Beijing to work as a junior Creative Executive for A-list Chinese director Lu Chuan. She was soon promoted to Associate Director and later Director of International Productions, working closely with the director’s CAA team to develop feature film projects in the U.S. She spent 3 years producing Lu Chuan’s Born in China for Disneynature, which became a critical and financial success. Soon after, Yancey was offered to join Walt Disney Studios China as a production executive, supervising physical production for the studio’s Mandarin language local content between 2015 and 2017.
Yancey relocated back to Los Angeles in 2018 to explore screenwriting and directing. As a first-generation immigrant filmmaker caught between cultural and political rifts between her native and adoptive countries, she explores stories about identity crisis, disillusionment, and the rebuilding of belief systems. Her first TV pilot, South Sea, won Grand Prize in the 2020 WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Lab and ScreenCraft Action Adventure Competition. It ranked No.1 among some 45000 scripts written by new writers in the Coverfly new script database. Her short film directorial debut, Amicus, won Best First-Time Director at LA Film Awards. Yancey writes in both English and her native Mandarin. She is a member of the Producers Guild of America.
David Li
David Li has 12 years of experience in programming planning, strategic investment, and production management for TV series and films. David began his career at Warner Bros, managed talent deals, and supported the financial greenlighting for major titles such as The Black Swan. He then joined NBCUniversal during the Comcast merger and oversaw the global sales planning for digital distribution. David then joined HBO to manage the network’s multi-billion slate operation, including hits such as Westworld and Game of Thrones. He played a critical role in helping the senior leadership navigate HBO’s programming strategy in the streaming era. In 2019, David started his own producing endeavor, specializing in cross-cultural and genre-bending scripted content for a global audience.
3) 19:00 – 21:15 - Screenwriting Competition Finalists Pitch Session - Chinese
From late spring to early winter, Los Angeles Chinese Film Festival Script Contest (LACFFSC) has been a sustained and dedicated effort for six months. More than 40 professional judges proudly selected our finalists from a large group of very competitive candidates. Staying true to our mission to promote emotionally evocative stories and encourage creative talents, this event invites selected screenwriting finalists to pitch their projects to industry leaders.
We are honored to present Ms. Wenhong Yang, chairman of XG Entertainment, Mr. Yunfeng Jiang, founder of a TV-insight platform, Mr. Xiaodong Guo, award-winning actor and director, and Mr. Yu Chen, well-known screenwriter and director, as judges for this event. Each group of writers will have 10 minutes to present their projects and the judges will have 10 minutes to provide feedback.
An interesting idea may be born out of an individual, but a well-executed end product always results from collective efforts. We hope that this event can help writers improve their ability to sell their vision to those who can take their stories to their audiences.
Guests: Wenhong Yang, Yunfeng Jiang, Guo Xiaodong, Yu Chen
Wenhong Yang
Wenhong Yang founded XG Entertainment in 2015 and currently serves as the Chairman of XG Entertainment. She was the former chief of Dragon TV, Vice President of Shanghai Media Group, Vice Chairman of Huaxia Distribution Company, and Vice President of Shanghai Film Group. Yang focuses on the production and distribution of high-quality TV dramas, variety shows, and live entertainment, XG Entertainment has produced outstanding TV dramas such as WOMEN IN SHANGHAI, GETTING MARRIED OR NOT, OH MY GENERAL, NOVALAND: THE CASTLE IN THE SKY, and CITY WITHIN THE CITY, MISS TRUTH, HENGSHAN HOSPITAL, and MOM'S WAR.
Yunfeng Jiang
Yunfeng Jiang was the youngest senior advisor at the largest media consultancy in China, serving 10+ top-tier stations and channels such as the renowned Hunan TV and Dragon TV for 8 years. He founded one of the most influential Chinese film and TV industry media platforms, TVInsight. The platform has held the Insight Artisan List for four consecutive years, and successfully established a widely acknowledged industry standard. With the vision of "building a respectable cultural and entertainment platform," he founded Yingyuan Culture and Technology to develop and promote China's culture industry.
Xiaodong Guo
Xiaodong Guo is a renowned Chinese actor and director who has also been widely recognized by the international film community for his work both in front of and behind the camera. He was nominated for best actor for his portrait of Zhou Wei in the feature Summer Palace at the 56th Cannes Film Festival. He then starred in the 2014 film, Blind Massage, which was awarded Silver Bear of Artistic Contribution at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival and Best Feature Prize at the 51st Golden Horse Film Festival. In 2016, he starred in Pleasure.Love, which won the best feature prize at the 16th Tokyo International Film Festival.
Yu Chen
Yu Chen graduated from the Directing Department of Beijing Film Academy and obtained his doctorate degree from the Directing Department of Central Academy of Drama. Since 2002, Chen has been teaching at the Art School of Peking University.
As an academic, Chen has published many influential papers such as Comparative Theory of Film and Drama Ontology and Reading Film in Yanyuan: The Industry and Aesthetics of Time-Image. His work focused on the theory of film ontology, the theory of screenwriting and director authorship, and the theory of film narration. His work further expanded to genre research and industry analysis. Chen received numerous awards and wide recognition within the industry for his contributions. As a creative, Chen participated in many projects across film, TV, and digital space. He wrote two films directed by the famed auteur Zhang Yimou, Strong as a Rock and Sniper. Chen’s TV series, Hero of The Gate, also won the first prize in the Chinese TV series Flying Apsaras Award.
4）21:30 - 22:45 - Anita Film Panel: Conversation with the Filmmakers
A household name in Hong Kong and a queen of Cantopop, Anita Mui was the very definition of a cultural icon during Hong Kong’s golden age in the 80s and 90s. With a career that began at the age of 4 in an amusement park, Mui dedicated almost her whole life to music. Behind stardom, her personal life, passion at work, and love for friends made her an irreplaceable role model of "The Daughter of Hong Kong." The film opens with her final concert and looks back on her life and legacy.
Guests: Longman Leung, Bill Kong, Jack Ng, Louise Wong
Host: Ann Zhang
Bill Kong
Bill Kong – Producer
Bill Kong is one of the most influential and successful film producers in Asia, with frequent collaborations with some of the most renowned talents worldwide, including Zhang Yimou, Ang Lee, and Yuen Woo Ping. His groundbreaking martial arts epic, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), won the Best Feature award in the Independent Spirit Awards and was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, BAFTA Awards, Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA) and the Golden Horse Awards. Other producing credits include Hero (2002), House of Flying Daggers (2004), Fearless (2006), Lust, Caution (2007), Cold War series, the mega blockbuster Monster Hunt series and Soul Snatcher (2020).
Longman Leung
Longman Leung – Director / Screenwriter
Already an award-winning production designer, Longman Leung’s first directorial (co-directed with Sunny Luk) feature, Cold War (2012), was a commercial and critical success. It was the highest-grossing Hong Kong film of the year and went on to receive 9 major awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Leading Actor. The sequel Cold War II (2016) out-grossed part 1 in the box office, amassing over HK$65 million to become the highest-grossing Chinese film of all time in Hong Kong. Anita (2021) is Leung’s solo directorial debut.
Jack Ng
Jack Ng – Screenwriter
A four-time HKFA nominee, Jack Ng is a frequent collaborator of filmmaker Dante Lam, writing some of his best action thrillers such as The Beast Stalker (2008), The Sniper (2009), Fire of Conscience (2010), The Stool Pigeon (2010), The Viral Factor (2012), and Unbeatable (2013. He also co-wrote the action blockbuster SPL (2005) with Wilson Yip and Szeto Kam Yuen and Monster Hunt 2 (2018). He received Best Screenplay nomination at the HKFA for the action blockbuster Cold War 2 (2016).
Louise Wong
Louise Wong (as Anita Mui) - Model/Actress
Louise Wong started her modeling career after winning the Elite Model Look Asia at the age of 17. She has since joined Elite Model Management and walked the runways for international luxury brands such as Chanel and Dior. Anita (2021) is Louise’s acting debut.
Ann Zhang
Ann Zhang is a producer, dedicated to telling universal stories for the international audience. After graduating from NYU in 2018, she produced the film, PARALLEL FOREST, which was released in China in 2021. She has also collaborated with famed directors such as Justin Lin and Lei Zheng on various feature projects. She has led the efforts of Beijing Pu Luo Media to acquire several high-end science-fiction IPs, including stories written by the Hugo Award winner, Jingfang Hao. In her spare time, Ann is a social media influencer with 4 million followers in China.
5) 23:00 – 00:30 - Panel on How Young Creatives Can Better Stand Out + Short Scripts Pitch - Chinese
With the trifecta of economic development, technological advancement, and metaverse-space expansion, it’s never been easier to become a content creator. However, this also brings unprecedented competition and challenge for creators to be seen. Talent alone is only a starting point; how to make use of this talent is the key to success in this media landscape.
In this session, Miss Vivian Bao, the head of the Los Angeles Chinese Film Festival China, Ms. Ningyuan Ding, the producer behind the 2021 Locarno International Film Festival Jury Award winner for his work A New Old Play, Mr. Lian Duan, the former director of FIRST International Film Festival, and Mr. Jin Zhao, the producer of Midnight Blur Films and the distribution partner of Parallax Films, will have a candid conversation about their experiences and insights. This conversation will focus on the challenges and opportunities that young filmmakers face today. We will also invite three writers from our screenwriting competition to pitch their projects to these industry leaders.
Guests: Ningyuan Ding, Lian Duan, Jin Zhao
Host : Vivian Bao
Lian Duan
Lian Duan, a former director of the FIRST festival, is currently curating content for multiple media companies. He has been engaged in documentary productions, contributing to projects such as MAMA and FOREIGN LAND. His experience also includes publication of books and magazines.
Ningyuan Ding
Ningyuan Ding is known for producing A NEW OLD PLAY, which won the 2021 Locarno International Film Festival Jury Prize. He previously worked for Hong Kong - Asian Film Financing Forum (HAF) and the Dirty Monkey Studio.
Jin Zhao
Jin Zhao is a film critic, co-founder and former editor-in-chief of DEEP FOCUS. He is also a producer and partner at MIDNIGHT BLUR FILMS and PARALLAX FILMS international sales. His production credits include YANAGAWA (Pingyao, Busan), THE NEO-NEW ADVENTURES (Locarno), ALL ABOUT ING (First), VANISHING DAYS (Berlinale).
Vivian Bao
Vivian Bao, former producer at Linmon Pictures, is one of the co-founders of LACFF and serves as the Head of Operation in China. She has been involved in the production and development of several feature films and was selected for the 2021 Ties that Bind Eurasian Producers Workshop and SIFF Next Venture Cam. Vivian has co-produced a hit culinary reality series Family Style in China, which was also released on the global streaming juggernaut HBO Max. Her feature developments, She's in the Middle of the Water and Sheep Three, were selected by several investment programs including Shanghai Film Festival, FIRST Film Festival, Green Onion Project and HAF Film Lab of the Hong Kong Asian Film Financing Association.
5) All-Day: Film Screenings of Features + Shorts
Summit Day 3:
US Pacific Standard Time: Saturday (Nov. 13th)
1) 16:30 - 17:45 - Narrative in Metaverse - A Fireside Chat with Sony Senior Executives - English
This fireside chat will dive into the very nuanced space between business and creative, providing a bird’s eye view of a large studio’s operation. As the major players in this space dramatically alter their business models as a response to the new streaming landscape, we discuss how digital IP is now in the driver seat along the traditional literary gems to compete for global audiences. Speakers of this panel include Tohru Iokibe (Sony Pictures Senior Vice President of IP acceleration), Vincent Cheng (Playstation, Film & TV producer), and David Li (former HBO, & Co-founder of Nine Tails Pictures). We are very excited about this event, as we believe it will benefit LACFF’s bilingual and bicultural filmmakers living all over the world.
Tohru Iokibe
Senior Vice President, IP Acceleration
Mr. Tohru Iokibe is a seasoned executive with 22 years of experience managing various aspects of content operation at Sony Pictures. Tohru first joined Sony to oversee teams in LA, London, Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Sao Paulo for digital supply chain and advanced technology management. In 2018, he was tapped to lead the newly created content IP acceleration group to exploit games and untapped IPs across Sony Studio and PlayStation divisions. Tohru is tasked to conduct industry analysis on IP adaptation, seek best practices on development/production/distribution process, and establish internal and external communication protocols and KPI to ensure unified brand/franchise vision is sustained across entities. He is fluent in English and Japanese.
Vincent Cheng
Vincent Cheng is a producer for PlayStation Productions, the film and television division at PlayStation. His focus is on growing the existing community and fan base by adapting PlayStation’s video game library into new and expanding mediums (movies, television shows, etc.). Their catalog includes some of the most highly rated AAA video game titles in the industry: Uncharted, Last of Us, God of War, Gran Turismo, Horizon Zero Dawn, Bloodborne, and many more. Previously, he was a development executive at Millennium Media, where he was working on blockbuster action films such as Expendables 3, Hitman’s Bodyguard, London Has Fallen, Rambo: Last Blood and Hellboy.
2) 18:15 - 20:30 - Screenwriting Competition Finalists Pitch session - English
From late spring to early winter, Los Angeles Chinese Film Festival Script Contest (LACFFSC) has been a sustained and dedicated effort for six months. More than 40 professional judges proudly selected our finalists from a large group of very competitive candidates. Staying true to our mission to promote emotionally evocative stories and encourage creative talents, this event invites selected screenwriting finalists to pitch their projects to industry leaders.
We are honored to present Ms. Wenhong Yang, chairman of XG Entertainment, Mr. Yunfeng Jiang, founder of a TV-insight platform, Mr. Xiaodong Guo, award-winning actor and director, and Mr. Yu Chen, well-known screenwriter and director, as judges for this event. Each group of writers will have 10 minutes to present their projects and the judges will have 10 minutes to provide feedback.
An interesting idea may be born out of an individual, but a well-executed end product always results from collective efforts. We hope that this event can help writers improve their ability to sell their vision to those who can take their stories to their audiences.
Guests：Patrick Mao Huang, Jason Lin, Juefang Zhang
Patrick Mao Huang
Patrick Mao Huang - Founder of Flash Forward Entertainment | Producer
Patrick Mao HUANG studied Creative Film Producing at Columbia University Graduate Film School. He founded production/distribution/sales company Flash Forward Entertainment in 2002. Being praised for his distinguished eyes to spot new talents, HUANG’s films were selected by renowned film festivals worldwide and released globally. HUANG specializes in international co-production between the east and the west. Huang is often invited to be the mentor at various international labs and project markets. His filmography includes MONEYBOYS (2021) – Cannes Un Certain Regard, A FIRST FAREWELL (2018) - Berlinale Generation Kplus – Grand Prix of International Jury, SUBURBAN BIRDS (2018) - Locarno Film Festival Filmmakers of the Present Competition, AN IMPOSSIBLY SMALL OBJECT (2018) - IFFR Big Screen Competition, THE ROAD TO MANDALAY (2016) - Venice Film Festival FEDEORA Award for Best Film, and A FISH WITH A SMILE (2005) - Berlinale Generation Kplus Best Short Film Awards.
Jason Lin
Jason Lin - Founder of Story Arch Pictures | Producer
Jason Lin is a film producer and executive with deep knowledge in both Chinese and American markets. He started his film career at Jet Li Production Studios and held executive positions at UTA and Alibaba Pictures. His producing credits include Academy Award winner Green Book, and box office hits such as A Dog’s Journey, A Dog's Purpose, The Forbidden Kingdom, and Jet Li’s Fearless. In 2019, Lin founded Story Arch Pictures to develop and produce mainstream, cross-cultural, and socially-relevant film and TV series for a global audience. As an Asian American, Lin is dedicated to bringing visibility to underrepresented Asian talents both in front of and behind the camera.
Juefang Zhang
Juefang Zhang - Director of Film & TV Development | Producer | Director
Juefang Zhang is an NYU-Tish graduate, producer, and director, currently working as the Director of Development at EST Media. A former creative executive at Starlight Media (Crazy Rich Asians), Zhang worked on "MALIGNANT" and "MIDWAY" and initiated the “Stars Collective” diversity fund to support BIPOC and female filmmakers. In 2018, she worked in the directing team of “THE DIARY” by Jackie Chan. With that experience, she directed “DETOUR” in 2019, and the film was selected into the Top 12 HFPA Snow Leopard Scholarship and won the Best Film Award at Space And Time Film Festival. In 2020, she produced a documentary "WUHAN WUHAN" with Academy Award winner Donna Gigliotti and Academy Award nominee Diane Quon.
3) 21:00 – 22:00 - Award Ceremony - Bilingual
The much-anticipated award ceremony of the Los Angeles Chinese Film Festival Screenwriting Competition will conclude here. The winners from all three screenplay categories of narrative feature, TV pilot, and shorts in both English and Chinese will be announced and awarded live. Please join us in honoring and celebrating these outstanding storytellers!
4) All-day - Film Screenings: Closing Feature - My Love + Other Features + Shorts
My Love
Back in high school, Zhou Xiaoqi (Greg Hsu) was a student with swimming speciality. You Yongci (Zhang Ruonan) was a transfer student of the same high school. At the first sight, Zhou fell in love with You. Before Zhou expressed his true feelings, You left without saying goodbye. Zhou holds and protects this young and ignorant pure love inside his heart for over 15 years.
Summit Day 4:
US Pacific Standard Time: Sunday (Nov. 14th)
All-day: Free Activities (Screening + Games + Networking)