Spotlight on Films from Asia at #WFA2016 #WFASoDiverse

NEW YORK - Feb. 4, 2016 - PRLog -- New York City’s rapidly growing Winter Film Awards Indie Film Festival (http://winterfilmawards.com), now in its fifth year, is establishing itself as a dynamic and exciting event in the heart of the City.  Winter Film Awards focuses on diversity in Independent Film, with a special emphasis on highlighting women and minority filmmakers. Films from emerging filmmakers from around the world in all genres are screened.

Among the 86 Official Selections to be screened at Cinema Village in the heart of Greenwich Village (22 East 12th Street, New York, NY 10003), the WFA team is proud to showcase an exciting slate of eight films from Asia, providing a fascinating overview of the best of the Region’s indie film community.

*  Achiraka World Animated / 20 mins / Japan. Screens Sunday Feb 21, Block 7: 4:30PM-7:30PM. Directed by Atsushi Mishima. The scientist who works at a robot laboratory is an utterly incorrigible slob. His workspace is a mountain of clutter and trash. One day he falls in love at first sight with a woman who comes to his lab. To win her over he builds a cleaning robot to spruce up the place. But things don’t go as planned…

*  Cesium and a Tokyo Girl Feature / 111 mins / Japan. Screens Monday Feb 22, Block 9: 8PM-11:30PM. Directed by Ryo Saitani. Mimi is a 17 year old high school girl who lives with her parents in the Tokyo suburb of Asagaya on the Chuo Line. Mimi is always asking herself “Where do I belong and what is the truth?” Three days after the Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident, Mimi’s fate changed drastically.

*  Colors of Life Documentary / 14 mins / Japan. Screens Saturday Feb 20, Block 4: 4:30PM-7:00PM. Directed by Goro Ushijima. The Shimuras, mother Fukumi and daughter Yoko, devote their daily lives in a lifelong pursuit to understanding and preserving the national treasure that is Japanese textiles,

*  Ivan Ivan Documentary / 9 mins / Japan. Screens Tuesday Feb 23, Block 10: 8PM-11:30PM. Directed by Kosai Sekine. Ivan Ivanovych is a farmer who was evacuated from and subsequently returned to his village of Pripyat in 1986. This poetic account sheds light on the Chernobyl disaster and heeds warning to learn from our mistakes.

*  The Real Miyagi Documentary / 84 mins / US, Japan and Canada. Screens February 20 10PM-12AM. Directed by Kevin Derek. A true story of a man behind the biggest hollywood action heroes! This long-awaited documentary, captures the life of master Fumio Demura, the man who has influenced a bevy of Hollywood’s elite over the last 50 years. This is the story of a man they call The Real Miyagi.

*  Shabu-Shabu Spirit Short / 11 mins / Japan. Screens Friday Feb 19, Block 2A: 9:30PM-11:30PM. Directed by Yuki Saito. A fiancé, Keita, goes to meet the family, the father, Shozo, begins his secret appraisal – a test to see whether this fiancé is worthy or not of marrying his daughter. Trying to reduce the distance between them, the mother prepares a single nabe (cooking pot) for the shabu-shabu meal. As Shozo’s eyes glint brightly, Keita reaches towards the shabu-shabu.

*  The Journey Feature / 103 mins / Malaysia. Screens Sunday Feb 21, Block 7: 4:30PM-7:30PM. Directed by Chiu Keng Guan. Uncle Chuan is an old-fashioned and conservative man staying alone in Cameron Highlands leading a lonely retired life. When his daughter comes back home, she brings her foreign boyfriend Benji with her with plans to marry. Uncle Chuan agrees to their marriage reluctantly, with a condition to be fulfilled- their wedding ceremony must be a Chinese ceremony.

*  Tuyul: Part 1 Horror / 89 mins / Indonesia. Screens Thursday Feb 25, Block 12: 8:00PM-11:30PM. Directed by Billy Christian. TUYUL tells a reimagined story about the Indonesian urban mythical spirit. Husband and Wife, Daniel and Mia move to an old house given by Mia’s mother after she passed away. After cleaning up one of the rooms, Daniel finds a bottle hidden mysteriously underneath the broken wooden floor, which might be a home to a scary creature.

Corporate and local support of Winter Film Awards plays an critical role in the life of the Festival and underscores WFA’s commitment to quality, adventure and diversity in the art of cinema. WFA is privileged to continue our collaboration with Gray Line New York, Ride of Fame, B&H Photo & Video, Video Blocks/ AudioBlocks/ GraphicStock, Sony Creative Software, Jungle Software, Cyberlink, Glidecam, JT Talent, Gotham Mini Storage, Museum of Sex, PSPrint, Van Diemens NYC Restaurant & Bar, Yelp, Zacuto film rigs and ProductionHUB.

WFA is delighted to welcome new partners Carmel Car & Limousine Service, Big Apple Con, Citi Bike NYC, NYC Post Group, Bliss Spa, CourseHorse.com, Distribber, Film Collaborative, IndiePix Films, Rhino Camera Gear, our exclusive ticketing partner Eventcombo, Women’s Film Critic Circle (WFCC), Shake Share Media and Success with Teamwork.

Winter Film Awards (WFA) is a volunteer-run and operated 501(c)3 organization dedicated to showcasing emerging filmmakers and the celebration of the diversity of local and international film-making. For more information on tickets, schedules, sponsors, film descriptions and more, please visit www.WinterFilmAwards.com and find us on Facebook.