The Asian American Film Lab and Asian CineVision to Co-Host Award Winning Screenplay Reading

NEW YORK - July 16, 2013 - PRLog -- Asian CineVision and the Asian American Film Lab are delighted to announce that Isaac Ho, author of the screenplay, THE CHINESE DELIVERY MAN, is the winner of the 2013 Asian American International Screenplay Competition.  Out of well over 30 scripts that were submitted this year, the jurors selected the dramatic feature THE CHINESE DELIVERY MAN as the winner.  The jurors included Ms. Lee Skaife, film director, producer, video artist; Ms. Clarisa de los Reyes, film director and producer, Ms. Nancy Bulalacao, Director of Public Programs at Museum of Chinese in America; Ms. Lily Mariye, award-winning director, actress, producer; ad Mr. Chris Tashima, academy-award winning actor, director.

THE CHINESE DELIVERY MAN will be presented as a reading at 5:00pm of August 1st at the A/P/A Institute at New York University, 8 Washington Mews, NY, NY 10003 as part of the Asian American International Film Festival Special Events program.  The reading will be presented in the Asian American Film Lab’s signature “Unfinished Works” style, which allows the audience to participate in the creative process.   Unfinished Works Coordinator, Lorna Nowve, who will be moderating the event, enthused, “The audience will be riveted by this year's screenplay reading. Isaac Ho's The Chinese Delivery Man has the winning combination of drama, social relevance, and brilliant dialogue.  We are honored to bring this important new work to light.”  Those interested in attending can contact Asian CineVision.

An author and screenwriter, Isaac Ho’s debut novel is the fast paced, science fiction thriller The Repatriation of Henry Chin, a unique post apocalyptic vision of China’s dark influence on the United States. Isaac is also the author of Death in Chinatown, a gritty crime drama about an erupting gang war in San Francisco. His novel Hell is Full of Strippers is a dark, noir comedy about sex and loss.

His most recent novel THE CHINESE DELIVERY MAN is inspired by the true-life murders of Chinese deliverymen in New York City.  Says Ho, “Understanding begins by demanding the right to tell our own stories both as a community and as individuals.”  His books are published by Digital Fabulists and are available on Amazon.com.

As a screenwriter, Isaac’s first feature film, 1,001 Ways to Enjoy the Missionary Position, is based on his original stage play, is directed by Alan Chu, and stars Amanda Plummer. The screenplay was a semi-finalist in the BlueCat Screenwriting Competition. The film premiered at the Arizona Underground Film Festival and was screened as part of the Chinese American Film Festival and the FirstGlance Film Festival. "This is truly a work of art that illuminates a complex understanding of humanity few films can match." — Eric Shlapack, examiner.com

As a playwright Isaac received the AT&T/Asian American Arts Foundation Grant for his play, Along for the Ride, which also received the SF Weekly Black Box Award for Outstanding Play. "[Isaac Ho] might become the new leader for Asian American theatre in San Francisco." — Mark Nishimura, The Hokubei Mainichi.

Isaac Ho earned his MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA and was a semi-finalist for the ABC/Disney Writing Fellowship and is a recipient of the Stephen N. Gershenson Award for Screenwriting. He also holds a BFA in Drama from New York University, Tisch School of the Arts.

About The Asian American Film Lab

The Asian American Film Lab (Film Lab) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to the promotion and support of gender and ethnic diversity in film and television through free monthly educational and outreach programming and the acclaimed annual 72 Hour Shootout filmmaking competition (www.asianamericanfilmlab.org).  This annual competition has inspired hundreds of filmmakers by helping nascent talent take brave steps towards a filmmaking career. The Film Lab was formed in 1998 by collaborative of New York-based filmmakers whose goals were to hone their craft and to share their knowledge, experience and resources. The membership has grown to comprise professionals, artists and other talented individuals who all share the common goal of creating great film and promoting all filmmakers of color, with a focus on Asian Americans, and the visibility of their stories and characters in film and television.

The Film Lab's Unfinished Works program constitutes its longest running program, ongoing for 15 consecutive years.  Unfinished Works allows writers to workshop, in a structured and constructive environment, unfinished plays, screenplays and television scripts.  It also serves as a bridge between actors, writers and directors of color, particularly Asian Americans.  Writers are welcome to bring in a director for the table read and absolutely must cast a certain number of roles from the Asian American Film Lab’s actor members.   To submit your screenplay for a free reading and workshop, please email UnfinishedWorks@film-lab.org with your name, email, telephone number, logline, synopsis, and a brief statement of why you feel Unfinished Works will be useful to developing and improving your screenplay.

The Film Lab is run under the direction of President Jennifer Betit Yen.  The Unfinished Works program is coordinated through Lorna Nowve.  Acting and Advisory Board members include Aaron Woolfolk, Eric Lin, Bea Soong, John Woo, Erik Lu, and James Kyson.

The Film Lab is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Membership and all contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

www.asianamericanfilmlab.org

UnfinishedWorks@film-lab.org (mailto:shootout@film-lab.org) / info@film-lab.org

About Asian CineVision (ACV) and the Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF)

Asian CineVision, Inc is a not-for-profit national media arts organization committed to the development, exhibition, promotion and preservation of film and video by artists of Asian descent.  Founded in 1975 ACV continues to serve the Asian American media arts community by promoting the works of Asian independent and Asian American filmmakers to the broadest possible audiences, providing a window to the diverse experiences of the Asian Diaspora.  

Founded in 1978, AAIFF is the first and longest running festival in the U.S. to exhibit the film and video work by media artists of Asian descent and about the Asian American experience. Now in its 36th year AAIFF continues to be a leading showcase for Asian American and Asian independent film and video. For more information about ACV and AAIFF visit: www.asiancinevision.org.