Asian World Film Festival Announces Panel, October 26th

The 4th Annual Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) has announced the Global and Asian Entertainment Forum to be held as part of the Film Festival on October 26, at the historic Culver Hotel. The theme of the 2018 AWFF celebrates women in film, a nod to the growing role of women in the Asian entertainment business and the #metoo movement. As previously announced, 14 Oscar Foreign Language Film submissions and seven Golden Globe Foreign Language Film contenders will be screened as part of the festival's schedule at the Arclight Cinemas in Downtown Culver City (9500 Culver Blvd) which runs from October 24 to November 1, 2018. To purchase tickets

The panel schedules are as follows:

STREAMING: THE FUTURE OF GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT

DATE: Friday, October 26

TIME: 10:00 AM ? 11:15 AM

LOCATION: Culver Hotel

Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Youtube, iQiyi, Youku Tudou, HotStar, Jio, Iflix and countless other OTT platforms are able to reach more viewers around the world than ever before. How does this rapidly growing distribution technology and the voracious appetite for content shape the future of entertainment? How will 'old' media respond?

PANELISTS:

Sophia Yen, Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Rajeev Kheror, President & Head of Programming, Zee TV / Zee Entertainment Enterprises

Selyna Warren, Actress, Writer, Producer, ShowRunner on YouTube/ AwesomenessTV's Foursome

Marissa Read, Actress, Writer, Producer and ShowRunner on YouTube/ AwesomenessTV's Foursome

Moderator: Meral Duran, Montage E - Founder and President, WECTAC Executive Director, WECTAC Entertainment Committee President.

ASIA ? HOLLYWOOD: WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES AND RISKS FOR FUTURE COLLABORATION WITH CHINA AND GREATER ASIA IN FILM, TELEVISION AND DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT

DATE: Friday, October 26

TIME: 11:30 AM ? 12:45 PM

LOCATION: Culver Hotel

China remains of strategic importance to Hollywood. However, much has changed since the euphoria of the last few years. Asia is where the growth is, whether for Hollywood product or local language production. This panel will explore which collaboration models have worked and what the challenges are going forward. Topics will include content and IP, production, talent, financing, distribution including new digital platforms, sports, investment, legal considerations, censorship and how to overcome cross-cultural challenges.

PANELISTS:

Bennett Pozil, Executive Vice President, East West Bank

Lindsay Conner, Partner and Co-Chair, Entertainment & Media, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Xian Li, Senior Vice President, Production, SK Global/Ivanhoe Pictures, Crazy Rich Asians

Alex Dong, CEO, Sun Entertainment Culture, Ltd.

Shane Duffy, CEO, Stan Lee's POW! Entertainment / Camsing Global Entertainment

Adam Presser, Senior Vice President, Warner Bros. Entertainment

Moderator: Rick Ambros, Principal, Pacific Horizon Pictures & Consultant, Ivanhoe Pictures

FILMMAKER PANEL: FEATURING DIRECTORS ATTENDING THIS YEAR'S AWFF

DATE: Friday, October 26

TIME: 1:30 PM ? 2:45 PM

LOCATION: Culver Hotel

Directors of the Foreign Language Oscar and Golden Globe submitted films taking part in this year's AWFF discuss their films and the challenges, opportunities and new trends of filmmaking in their specific regions.

PANELISTS:

Tabrez Noorani, Director, Producer, Writer, Love Sonia

Mustafa Karadeniz, Director, Cinar

Justin Chon, Director, Man Up and Gook

Moderator: Meral Duran, Montage E - Founder and President, WECTAC Executive Director, WECTAC Entertainment Committee President.

WOMEN IN ASIAN FILM

DATE: Friday, October 26

TIME: 3:00 PM ? 4:15 PM

LOCATION: Culver Hotel

2018 is the Year of Women in Film and Asians in Film. Whether Crazy Rich Asians or local language films from Asian countries, this panel will explore the increasing role Asian and Asian-American women have been playing as actors, producers, writers, directors and executives in shaping the future of film.

PANELISTS:

Aviva Bergman, Partner, The Point Media

Deepti Chawla, Head NFDC ? Distribution/Syndication/Marketing

Sasha Gradiva, Singer, Songwriter, Producer and Award Winning Director

Melodi Tuna, Assistant Director, Warner Bros Entertainment

Julie Harris Walker, Speaker, Producer Host of the Podcast The Other 50%

Moderator: Meral Duran, Montage E - Founder and President, WECTAC Executive Director, WECTAC Entertainment Committee President.

BLOCKCHAIN: A NEW WAY OF ENTERTAINMENT FINANCING WHICH HAS TAKEN OFF IN ASIA

DATE: Friday, October 26

TIME: 4:30 PM ? 5:45 PM

LOCATION: Culver Hotel

Blockchain is a new method of entertainment financing. In Asia, particularly Korea and China, it has taken off. This panel will explore the opportunities, benefits and risks associated with this innovative technology.

PANELISTS:

Ki Eob Park, Founder, Soom Foundation

Antoine Guinot, CEO, Soompay USA

Moderator: Charles Choe

AWFF has previously announced the honorees for this year's festival. FREIDA PINTO (Love Sonia) will receive the the American Red Cross/Tiffany Circle Courage to Dream Award at the Festivals Opening Night Awards Ceremony. On the AWFF closing night, LISA LU will be honored with the Snow Leopard Lifetime Achievement Award and AWKWAFINA will be given the Snow Leopard Rising Star Award. AWFF is once again partnering with The Snow Leopard TRUST to raise awareness for the endangered snow leopard and its ecosystem in the high mountains of Asia.

In addition, Turkish superstar Türkan ?oray will be accepting a special tribute award honoring Chingiz Aitmatova as the AWFF spotlights the 90th anniversary of the Soviet/ Kyrgyz author and statesman. Aitmatov is known for such films as Pervyy uchitel (1965), The Girl with the Red Scarf (1977) and Jamila (1994). His literary works have been translated into more than 150 languages. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Aitmatov's novels found a new audience in the West and gained popularity in Germany.

The Asian World Film Festival is proudly sponsored by SOOM FOUNDATION, City of Culver City, Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), Arclight Theaters, SC Johnson, JK Holdings, MoRedii, Sun Entertainment Culture Limited, MDSUN Skin Care, CTX Club, Korean Cultural Center (Los Angeles), CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment), CJ Entertainment, SAMSSON GROUP, Variety, The Korea Daily-JoongAng Ilbo, RK Media, AKIpress News Agency (Kyrgyzstan), Novartizan, WECTAC (West Coast Turkish Chamber of Commerce), PROCOLO.CO, Emporium Thai (Westwood), Fifty One Chinese Kitchen (Culver City), Gaby's Mediterranean, Tiger Beer, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Pechanga Resort & Casino, SC Global, LOTTE and Nutrivista. The AWFF host venue is the historic Culver Hotel.

ABOUT THE ASIAN WORLD FILM FESTIVAL

The Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) brings the best of a broad selection of Asian World cinema to Los Angeles to draw greater recognition to the region's wealth of filmmakers, strengthening ties between the Asian and Hollywood film industries. Uniting through cross-cultural collaboration, our festival CHAMPIONS films from over 50 countries across Asia spanning from Turkey to Japan and Russia to India and the Middle East. All films that participate in the Festival will have a unique chance to be guided through the challenging awards season, and showcased for the Motion Picture Academy, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and all Guilds for enhanced exposure, media attention and awards consideration. AWFF is a non-profit organization under Aitysh USA. http://www.AsianWorldFilmFest.org