17th Annual Asian Film Festival of Dallas Announces First Titles
The Asian Film Festival of Dallas is celebrating its 17th year with a first: a Kashmiri drama film.
In Laughing Under the Clouds, a Kashmiri conflict is the backdrop of a young woman’s journey to overcome the disappearance of her doting husband while embarking on a harrowing journey of self-discovery.
Returning with its presenting sponsor Well Go USA Entertainment, from July 19 through July 26 at the Angelika Film Center at Mockingbird Station, the festival also will bring with it a women’s showcase of Asian directed and produced films by women.
Sixty-six films will be screened throughout the week: 6 short blocks (Drama, Experimental, Women’s, Student’s, Late Night and Documentary) and 31 feature films.
Since its creation in 2002, the annual film festival has grown to become the South’s largest showcase of Asian and Asian-American cinema. Over the past 16 years, the festival has provided opportunities for nearly 600 Asian and Asian-American filmmakers and documentarians
to share their vision, often providing the only venue for their films to be shown in Dallas.
Attendees can expect films from the U.S., Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Indian, Japan, S. Korea and Tibetan. Film genres include action, comedy, crime drama, documentary, drama, martial arts, psychodrama, thriller, romantic comedy and horror
The first films being shown are as follows:
- SHALOM BOLLYWOOD
Dallas Premiere
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2017
Country: Australia
Language: English
Director: Danny Ben-Moshe
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSn7XIy0yHc
Film Synopsis: When Indian cinema began 100 years ago it was taboo for Hindu and Islamic women to perform on screen, so Indian Jewish women, who were more liberal and progressive, took on female lead roles, which they then dominated for decades. However, because of their stage names, people thought they were Muslims or Christians. Until now….
- ANGELS WEAR WHITE
Dallas Premiere
Genre: Drama
Released: 2017
Country: China/Taiwan
Language: Chinese/ English subtitles
Director: Vivian Qu
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-t0YbdzKdw
Film Synopsis: In a small seaside town, two schoolgirls are assaulted by a middle-aged man in a motel. Mia, a teenager who was working as the receptionist that night, is the only witness. For fear of losing her job, she says nothing. Meanwhile, 12-year-old Wen, one of the victims, finds that her troubles have only just begun. Trapped in a world that offers them no safety, Mia and Wen will have to find their own way out.
- HALF WIDOW
Southwest Premiere
Genre: Drama
Country: India/Kashmir
Language: Urdu/Kashmiri / English subtitles
Director: Danish Renzu
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_ITMZMsdwU
Film Synopsis: Amid the backdrop of the Kashmiri conflict, a young woman must come to grips with the disappearance of her doting husband and embarks on a harrowing journey of self-discovery.
- LAUGHING UNDER THE CLOUDS
U.S. Premiere
Genre: Action
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese / English subtitles
Director: Katsuyuki Motohiro
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUPKf_830O4
Film Synopsis: Orochi is a giant snake with enormous power. The giant snake revives once every 300 years and brings disaster to the people. This year is the year of Orochi’s revival.
The Kumo family, who succeeds the Kumo shrine, have 3 sons. The eldest son is Tenka ( Sota Fukushi), the second is Soramaru and the youngest Chutaro. The 3 brothers attempt to block the power of Orochi. Meanwhile, special forces Yamainu try to seal again the power of Orochi to bring peace to Japan, but the ninja group “Anyaku” from the Fuma clan begin their move to gain the power of Orochi to overthrow the government.
Surrounding the Orochi’s revival a three-way battle takes place between the brothers, special forces Yamainu and ninja group Anyaku from Fuma clan.
- GONJIAM: HAUNTED ASYLUM
Well USA Entertainment film
Genre: Horror
Released: 2017
Country: S. Korea
Language: Korean / English subtitles
Director: Jung Bum-Shik
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h0eH7MRFRs
Film Synopsis: Based on the local legends and stories of people who’ve visited the real-life abandoned hospital, GONJIAM: HAUNTED ASYLUM follows the crew of a horror web show who plan to stream live from inside the asylum. To attract more viewers, the show’s host arranges some scares for the team, but as they move further into the nightmarish old building, they begin to encounter much more than expected.
Passes and tickets are currently available at www.asianfilmdallas.com