2015 LOS ANGELES ASIAN PACIFIC FILM FESTIVAL GRAND JURY PRIZE FOR BEST FEATURE GOES TO JASMINE, DIRECTED BY DAX PHELAN. HERE, THE TEAM FROM JASMINE CELEBRATES ITS FIVE AWARDS. FIFTH FROM LEFT: CHRIS CHAN LEE (WINNER, BEST EDITING); SEVENTH FROM LEFT: JASON TOBIN (WINNER, BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA); THIRD FROM RIGHT: DAX PHELAN (DIRECTOR); SECOND FROM RIGHT: GUY LIVNEH (WINNER, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY). (PHOTO courtesy of STEVEN LAM)
Los Angeles, CA – The 2015 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) held its closing ceremony with Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature JASMINE directed by Dax Phelan. The festival’s Best Director award was given to Jennifer Phang for her film “Advantageous.” Jasmine was also recognized by additional four awards – best cinematography by guy Livneh; best sound for Lisa Fowle; best actor for Jason Tobin; and Chris Lee for best editing. “Advantageous” took home two more awards – best music score for Timo Chen; and best editing for Sean Gillane and Jennifer Phang; Jaqueline Kim, co-writer and lead actress likewise received the Linda Mabalot Renaissance Award. Miss India America was honored with best screenplay written by Ravi Kapoor and Meera Simhan as well as best comedy actor award to Tiya Sircar.
THE TEAM FROM ADVANTAGEOUS, WINNER OF MULTIPLE AWARDS AT THE 2015 LAAPFF, CELEBRATES ON CLOSING NIGHT AT THE DGA. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: ACTRESS JACQUELINE KIM; DIRECTOR JENNIFER PHANG; COMPOSER TIMO CHEN. (PHOTO courtesy of STEVEN LAM)
Best Ensemble Cast went to Ktown Cowboys directed by Daniel Park. Li Lu’s There’s A New World got the best first feature award. Anthony Ma and Brandon Soo Hoo both won respectively for best new actor for Love Arcadia and Everything Before Us. Best animation in a non animated film went to Man Up directed by Justin Chon.
In the documentary competition, directors Samantha Futerman and Ryan Miyamoto won the Grand Jury Prize for the film Twinsters. The film tells the real life story of co-director Futerman finding her twin sister on social media by accident. Futerman and her twin sister were separated in Korea when they were adopted by separate families – one in the US and the other in Europe.
TWINSTERS WON THE GRAND JURY PRIZE FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JENNA USHKOWITZ; DIRECTORS RYAN MIYAMOTO AND SAMANTHA FUTERMAN; PRODUCER KANOA GOO; EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JEFFREY CONSIGLIO. (PHOTO courtesy of STEVEN LAM)
Best Documentary Director award was given to Jim Choi for Changing Season; Best Cinematographer prize was bestowed on Patrick McLaughlin for his work on Everything Will Be; and Best Editing went to Sara Newens and Summers Henderson for Top Spin. A special jury prize was awarded to Kimberlee Bassford for Winning Girl.
The Killing Of Dr. Haing S. Ngor from award winning filmmaker Arthur Dong took home the Audience Award in the documentary arena; and How To Win At Checkers (Every Time) by Josh Kim won the Audience Award for Best Fiction Feature.
The LAAPFF presented over 102 short films. The dramatic film of Patrick Yeung 90 DAYS received the Golden Reel Award, while Ken Ochiai was honored with the Linda Mabalot New Directors/New Visions Award for his musical short Juliet Juliet – The Sound Of Love Musical.