DURFEE FOUNDATION AWARD
Hollywood Chinese received an Artists’ Resource for Completion grant to assist final post production sound. The goal of the ARC program is to enhance the careers of Los Angeles artists by enabling them to take the best advantage of imminent opportunities to present their work, thereby fostering a climate of optimism in the Los Angeles arts community.
For more information, please visit www.durfee.org
DIALOGUE: FLOWER DRUM SONG
The 2007 Toronto International Film Festival has invited filmmaker Arthur Dong to participate in their Dialogues section, where directors present and discuss a film of their choice. Dong selected Flower Drum Song and Nancy Kwan will also attend under the sponsorship of the Visiting Artist Program at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. This program is scheduled for Sept 8 (date subject to change). Dong will also be presenting his newest film, Hollywood Chinese, at the festival.
For more information, please visit www.tiff07.ca
FORD FOUNDATION GRANT AWARDED
The Ford Foundation awarded Hollywood Chinese a post-production grant, including funds for a 35mm film print. The grant was approved by the Media, Arts and Culture unit, which seeks to strengthen the arts and media as important contributors to the communities and societies in which they function,
For more information, please visit www.fordfound.org
mPRm JOINS HOLLYWOOD CHINESE TEAM
DeepFocus Productions has retained mPRm Public Relations to handle publicity for the launch of Hollywood Chinese at the Toronto International Film Festival. The Los Angeles based firm specializes in helping a wide range of films break into the national dialogue and has mounted campaigns for films like Brokeback Mountain, March of the Penguin, Boys Don’t Cry, Shine and many others.
Press contact for Hollywood Chinese at the Toronto International Film Festival: Alice Zou, 323/933-3399 x 4248, azou@mprm.com
For more information on mPRm Public Relations, please visit www.mprm.com
THE VIEW FROM HERE
In the book, The View from Here: Conversations with Gay and Lesbian Filmmakers, directors and screenwriters speak passionately about the medium. Author Matthew Hays interviews 37 influential filmmakers, including John Waters, Pedro Amodovar, Gus Van Sant, Rosa Von Prauheim, Greg Araki, and Arthur Dong. The Advocate raves: “ What’s not to love about a film book with Divine in a red dress on the cover?”
For more information, please click here.
THE CURSE OF QUON GWON SELECTED FOR NATIONAL FILM REGISTRY
The Curse of Quon Gwon, the earliest known feature film produced by Chinese Americans in 1916-17, has been selected by the National Film Preservation Board for the National Film Registry. The two surviving nitrate reels were brought to the attention of filmmaker Arthur Dong while conducting research for his Hollywood Chinese documentary, and as a result, were subsequently preserved by the Academy Film Archive.
For more information about The Curse of Quon Gwon, please click here.
SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY SELECTS ARTHUR DONG FOR DOUBLE HONORS: ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR & HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
Filmmaker Arthur Dong has been selected for double honors this year by his ala mater, San Francisco State University. At a campus ceremony on May 25, 2007, Dong will first be inducted into the SF State Alumni Hall of Fame, which recognizes alumni who have earned the respect of their peers through professional, cultural and civic achievements.
On May 26, 2007, Dong, a summa cum laude film graduate (1982), will receive the SFSU Alumnus of the Year award during the university’s 106th Commencement where he will address a crowd of 20,000. The Alumnus/a of the Year award goes to former students who have gained recognition for significant contributions to their field of work.
For more information, please visit the SFSU website, www.sfsu.edu.
INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION SALES REP FOR HOLLYWOOD CHINESE
DeepFocus Productions, Inc. and Louise Rosen, Ltd. have reached an agreement for LRL to represent Hollywood Chinese in foreign television sales outside the U.S. From the beginning, LRL has developed a reputation for representing strong history and social issue films, as well as incisive cultural documentaries.
For more information, please visit the LRL website, www.louiserosenltd.com.
FAIR USE PROJECT FOR DOCUMENTARIANS LAUNCHED
The Fair Use Project of the Center for Internet & Society at Stanford Law School announced that it has teamed with Media/Professional Insurance and leading intellectual property attorney Michael Donaldson to provide critical support for documentary filmmakers who rely on the “fair use” of copyrighted material in their films. The initiative will be guided by an advisory board that includes documentary filmmakers Kirby Dick, Davis Guggenheim, Arthur Dong and Haskell Wexler; professors Peter Jaszi and Lawrence Lessig; and intellectual property attorneys Michael Donaldson and Anthony Falzone.
For more information, click here.
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES: LOVE, SEX, AND WORLD WAR II
Thanks for the Memories: Love, Sex, and World War II, a new book by Jane Mersky Leder, exposes the sexual and romantic escapades of “The Greatest Generation.” Featuring stories and photographs from Arthur Dong’s documentary, Coming Out Under Fire, it covers World War II as a time of sexual experimentation and a general loosening of morals.
For more information, please click here.
A NEW HISTORY OF DOCUMENTARY FILM
Betsy McLane and Jack Ellis’ book, A New History of Documentary Film, is a lively guide to the documentary and it’s history. A comprehensive survey of the genre, including a segment on filmmaker Arthur Dong, “This thoughtful appraisal will be useful to students as well as moviegoers who want to learn more about the history of nonfiction filmmaking” — Leonard Maltin.
For more information, please click here.
DOCUMENTING GAY MEN
“Documenting Gay Men,” a new book by Christopher Pullen, charts an evolution in gay identity within American reality television and documentary film. Productions like Family Fundamentals, An American Family, Tongues United, Silverlake Life, and many others, explore how gay people as teens, devoted couples, parents, inspiring individuals and influential producers have contributed to the progression of gay identity in domestic arenas.
For more information, click here.
INDEPENDENT FILM DISTRIBUTION
Independent Film Distribution, a new book by Phil Hall, is an insider’s view to the world of independent film distribution. Insider tips include those from such independent filmmakers as Mark Cuban, Hal Hartley, Eric Byler, Christopher Munch, and Oscar-nominated filmmakers, Kirby Dick, Arthur Dong, and Bill Plympton.
For more information, click here.
FAMILY FUNDAMENTALS STUDY GUIDE PUBLISHED
A comprehensive study and discussion guide for Family Fundamentals is now available. This 45-page companion to the film includes practical suggestions on how to use the film effectively in classrooms, churches, libraries, and other community settings. The guide also features resources, a reading list, glossaries, and historical background.
For more information and to see sample pages, click here.
LICENSED TO KILL STUDY GUIDE: 3rd EDITION PUBLISHED
A newly designed third edition of the study and discussion guide for Licensed to Kill is now available. Illustrated and with updated resources and listings, this 35-page manual is written for use in a variety of settings, such as: community organizing, diversity training, courses in gender studies, sociology, criminal law, psychology, urban studies, and gay and lesbian studies.
For more information and to see sample pages, click here.