The first Singafest Asian Film Festival will be presented from Sept. 29th – Oct. 2nd, 2011 at Bigfoot’s Majestic Crest, a beautiful Art Deco-inspired movie palace in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.
The festival focuses on new Asian and Asian-American films from the U.S., China, Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines and more — and will include features, shorts, documentaries, 3D cinema and animation, plus in-person guests and seminar panels with visiting filmmakers and Hollywood industry professionals.
A celebration of Asian culture as a whole, presenting the best films from across Asia to engage audiences to new ideas and perspectives, Singafest aims to promote different Asian cultures, each with their own unique worldview and different methods of storytelling. Singafest is a cinematic melting pot, merging Eastern and Western cultures to showcase the best of both worlds to the Asian community and beyond.
The goal is to introduce films and emerging filmmakers to an L.A. audience that wouldn’t normally have a chance to experience them.
The 4-day event will be judged by a panel of internationally-renowned professionals. This inaugural showcase welcomes the participation of filmmakers across Asia and the U.S. to premiere their films in in the film industry’s capital. Singafest will serve as an international platform to celebrate Asian culture, showcasing the works of established and up-and-coming Asian and Asian-American filmmakers, introducing their films to an L.A. audience that wouldn’t normally have a chance to experience them.
The Bigfoot Crest Theater in Westwood, recently hailed by Los Angeles Magazine as one of the best screens in town, was lovingly restored by the Walt Disney company. First constructed by Frances Seymour Fonda, the second wife of Henry Fonda and mother of Peter and Jane Fonda, it intended as a showcase for live theater, the onset of World War II brought with it the need for a venue where local residents could watch newsreels about the battles happening overseas. Robert Bucksbaum, purchased the building and took over theatre operations January 2003 and let it go earlier this year. It is currently a 3D capable theatre.
The SINGAFEST OPENING KICKOFF PARTY
Thursday September 29th THE W HOTEL WESTWOOD at The Whisky Blue 8PM – 1AM presented by LA WEEKLY. Sponsored by FilAm Creative, C.A.P.E., AP RISING, and Meniscus Magazine.
Friday September 30th from 5:30-7:30PM
SINGAFEST FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR MIXER Presented by Sapporo Beer, Ty Ku Sake at The Napa Valley Grille. Advanced RSVP requested. Complimentary Beer and Sake plus Asian Fusion Tapas from 5:30PM -6:30PM.
Friday September 30th at 7:30PM
BUDDHA MOUNTAIN – LA PREMIERE presented by USC U.S.-China Institute
Three aimless 20-somethings lives are transformed by meeting a solitary ex-Peking Opera star ( a breakout performance by actress and singer Fan Bingbing who won the Best Actress Tokyo Film Festival.)
China-Taiwan. Directed by Li Yu 104 min) Please present Student I.D. at box office upon entry.
YOUR TICKET GAINS YOU AUTOMATIC RSVP VIP ENTRANCE TO THE SAPPORO BEER TYKU SAKE SOLD OUT HAPPY HOUR EVENT AT NAPA VALLEY GRILLE
Friday September 30th at 9:30PM
MY WEDDING AND OTHER SECRETS presented by Final Draft and UCLA’s Asian Pacific Coalition
Directed by Roseanne Liang, starring Michelle Ang and Matt Whelan. Comedy. 88mins., New Zealand.
MY WEDDING AND OTHER SECRETS, Students, Seniors – presented by Final Draft and UCLA’s Asian Pacific Coalition more info
Friday September 30th at 9:30PM 88mins., New Zealand. Please present student I.D. upon entry.
Friday September 30th at 11:00PM.
KIDNAPPER (BANG FEI) – LA PREMIERE presented by UCLA’s Asian Pacific Coalition
98 mins., Singapore. Directed by Kelvin Tong, starring Christopher Lee.
Students, Seniors presented by UCLA’s Asian Pacific Coalition Please present student I.D. upon entry.
Saturday October 1st at 11AM,
NEW FACES/NEW FRONTIERS – SINAGFEST SHORTS PROGRAM presented by FilAm Creative and sponsored by Sapporo Beer and CAPE
This showcase features elegant vampire tales, gorgeous hand-drawn pencil animation, experimental filmmaking, a startling documentary on Muslim female boxers in India, amongst others.
Part I: “Libertas” (3 min., Kan Lume & Megan Wonowidjoyo, Singapore), “Savasana” (17 min.,Gerry Cutris, USA),
“Dad’s Picture” (8 min., Uruphong Raksasad, Thailand),
“Kumpisal Ng Birhen (Confessions Of A Virgin)” (12 min.,Martin Engracia, Philippines)
“The Four Immeasurables,” (7 min., Keith Johnson, Australia)
“Lyrical Empire: Hip Hop in Metro Manila” (23 min., Mark Villegas, USA/Philippines)
INTERMISSION BETWEEN PARTS 1 & 2 Part II —
“Interview With The Vampire” (30 min., Un-ok Min, Korea)“
A Tale Of Heaven” (6 min.,Phuttipong Aroonpheang, Thailand)
“D-volution” (6 min., Walter Beholst, USA)
“Portrait Of Leonore” (19 min., Peter Jin, USA)
“Ring Laila,” (25 min., Anuradha Rana, USA)
“Spunk” (4 min., Patrick , USA)
SINGAFEST INDUSTRY LUNCHEON -(PATIO NAPA VALLEY GRILLE)
SPECIAL EVENT presented by BIGFOOT
Saturday October 1st at 2:15PM (Pre-fix or Buffet 2 Panels at 45 mins each) 2 Panels back-to-back during a pre-fix lunch. A colorful, no-holds-barred discussions about US-Asian filmmaking issues with a stellar line-up of filmmaking talent including Orb Media Group CEO Peter Shiao, director/writer Quentin Lee (“The People I’ve Slept With”, “Drift”), Tony Vitale (Director-“One Last Ride”) actress Gwendoline Yeo (“Star Wars: The Clone Wars”) Sonny Chiba (Martial Arts legendary filmmaker) Walter Beholst (Image Entertainment) Ashley JOrdan (CEO Bigfoot Entertainment) Clifford Lo (Entertainment Attorney) Sponsored drinks available, all drinks not included.
Saturday October 1st at 2:45PM.
MONGA – LA PREMIERE – presented by the USC U.S.-China Institute
Doze Niu’s 2-1/2 hour Scorsese-like crime epic portrays about gangs fighting for control of a stretch of Taiwan in the 1980’s,
Taiwan/China. Directed by Doze Niu, starring Mark Chao. 140 min.,
(In Min Nan with English subtitles.)
Student Price – presented by USC U.S.-China Institute Please present student I.D. upon entry.
Saturday October 1st at 5:45PM, 90 mins,
MINDFULNESS & MURDER – LA PREMIERE
Waller’s fascinating, Agatha Christie-like murder mystery is set inside the holy precincts of a Buddhist monastery in Bangkok.
Thailand. Directed by Tom Waller, starring Vithaya Pansringarm. 90 mins,
Please present student I.D. upon entry.
Saturday October 1st at 8:00PM.
SONNY CHIBA EVENT: screening of SAMURAI REINCARNATION presented in association with the L.A. Asian Pacific Film Festival
SPECIAL EVENT. Please join us for a discussion and martial arts demonstration with the legend Sonny Chiba and his daughter, actress Juri Manase. With special guests. YOUR TICKET GETS YOU VIP ACCESS TO THE SINGAFEST AFTER-HOURS EVENT.
Saturday October 1st at 10:00PM.
SINGAFEST AFTER-HOURS PARTY presented by KIIS FM INVITATION ONLY. LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE. Enjoy a complimentary Asian-Fusion Tapas as Festivalgoers celebrate at one of Westwood’s best outdoor venues as KIIS 102.7FM DJ SHY guides the turntables. Sponsored drinks from 10-11PM
Sunday, October 2nd at 12:30 PM.
THE LITTLE GHOSTLY ADVENTURES OF TOFU BOY – IN 3-D, Dir. Gisaburo Sug. 88 min. Japan. Animation Kids Screening! (In Japanese with English subtitles.)Students, Seniors Please present student I.D. upon entry.
Sunday October 2nd at 2:30PM.
FILMS OF FURY: THE KUNG FU MOVIE MOVIE presented by Meniscus Magazine and California Academy of Martial Arts
Documentary. USA. Dir. Andrew Corvey & Andrew Robinson. 80 min.
Andrew Corvey & Andrew Robinson’s flying guillotine-/one-armed swordsman-packed history is a feast of the greatest (and most obscure) in martial arts cinema. 
Discussion following with directors and Producer Tom Coleman (schedules permitting). Sponsored by the California Academy of Martial Arts.
Student Price – presented by Meniscus Magazine and California Academy of Martial Arts Must present Student I.D. upon entry.
Sunday, October 2nd at 4:45 PM
Eli Roth’s Pick: GETTING ANY? (MINNA-YATTERUKA!)
108 min., Japan. Dir. Beat Takeshi Kitano. Subtitled. 35mm print. RARE !!
Sunday, October 2nd at 7:15pm.
LA WEEKLY AND KPFK 90.7FM present THE GIRL WITH NO NUMBER a Benefit Screening for APEX and CPAF
100 min., Vietnam/U.S. Directed by Michael Gleissner Proceeds going towards Asian Professionals Exchange (APEX) and Center for the Pacific Asian Family (CPAF). Immediately followed by Closing Party. Ticket also includes RSVP for the Singafest Kickoff Party Invitation Only event at The W Hotel Westwood.
Bigfoot Crest Theatre
1262 Westwood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90024-4801
For more information go to http://singafest.com/tickets.php