Asian World Film Festival Announces 2017 Opening and Closing Night Films

The Third Annual Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) has selected Turkey's official 2018 Oscar entry, Ayla: The Daughter of War as the Festivals opening night film on October 25. Filmed in South Korea, Ayla: The Daughter of War tells a touching story of an orphan girl and a Turkish soldier set during the Korean War.

The Festival runs Oct 25 - Nov 2, 2017. All films will be screened at the Arclight Cinema in Downtown Culver City (9500 Culver Blvd.) Both the opening and closing night screenings will be followed by a cocktail reception. To purchase tickets.

Director Can Ulkay commented, "It is very important for us to be chosen for the opening night. It's also an honor to be a part of this prestigious festival. Ayla is not just a film about war, it is about love and compassion. We hope to share this message with the rest of the world. Thank you." Executive and Program Director, Georges Chamchoum said, "We chose Ayla: Daughter of War to open the Festival because it is both human and deep in emotion. It is a perfect cross-cultural movie. With a cast of Turks, Koreans and Americans, Ayla supports our mission of diversity and inclusion."

George Takei's Allegiance, The Broadway Musical on the Big Screen will close the Film Festival on November 2. Based upon Takei's childhood experience, Allegiance tells the story of the Japanese American internment camps during the Second World War. In addition, George Takei will be honored with the AWFF Lifetime Achievement Award in the Award ceremony that precedes the screening of Allegiance.

"George Takei," said Chamchoum, "is an American actor, director, author, and activist. But above all an amazing human being, which is why we consider him the perfect candidate for our Lifetime Achievement Award. His work for human rights, Japan-United States relations including the Japanese American National Museum is what I call the right stuff!"

Synopsis: Ayla: The Daughter of War In 1950, amidst the ravages of the Korean War, Sergeant Süleyman stumbles upon a half-frozen little girl. Frantic, scared and on the verge of death, this little girl captures the heart of Süleyman, who risks his own life to save her, smuggling her into his Army base and out of harms way. As the war comes to a close, Süleyman's brigade is told that they will be returning home. He is forced to give Ayla to an orphanage, but doesn't give up on the hope of one day reuniting with her.
Synopsis: Allegiance Allegiance tells the story of one family's extraordinary journey in a troubling time for the nation. A mysterious envelope leads Sam Kimura back 60 years to a time when he and his sister Kei strive to save their family from the wrongful imprisonment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Sam enlists in the army to prove his family's loyalty, while Kei joins the draft resisters fighting for the rights of their people. Their paths take them from the lush farmlands of California to the wastelands of Wyoming to the battlefields of Europe, and their divided loyalties threaten to tear them apart forever.

All films selected by their countries as Oscar or Golden Globes contenders are automatically invited to participate. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizes selected showings as the required official screenings for their members who vote on the Golden Globes. At last year's event, some 30 films from 27 countries participated.

Sponsors include Presenting Partner Ha Phuong Foundation, as well as the city of Culver City, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Variety, East West Bank, RK Media (Radio & TV Korea), the Arclight Theatres and Emporium Thai Restaurant (Los Angeles) and AWFF host venue the historic Culver Hotel.

AWFF recently partnered with The Snow Leopard Trust to raise awareness for the endangered snow leopard and its ecosystem in the high mountains of Asia. The Film Festival's main cinematic award is named after the snow leopard.

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.

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