Asian World Film Festival Sets Awards Submitted Films and Names Vivian Wu Jury President

The 4th Annual Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) has named internationally renowned actress, producer VIVIAN WU as the head of the festival's official jury. Wu's credits include the Oscarwinning The Last Emperor, Heaven and Earth, The Soong Sisters and the iconic The Joy Luck Club. In addition, the AWFF 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) from Oct. 24 - Nov 1, 2018.

Wu will be joined by other international jury members including SILVIA BIZIO, Artistic and Co-Director of the Taormina Film Festival (Italy); JUSTIN CHON (Twilight, Twilight Saga: Eclipse) Actor/Writer/Director (USA); KIMBERLY CHENG, Actress/Reporter for KTLA5 (USA); ALEX DONG, Producer/Executive Producer and CEO of Sun Entertainment Culture Ltd., (Hong Kong); ELEONORA GRANATA JENKINSON, Producer (USA); SAM LAHOUD, Founder/Chairman of Beirut Film Society (Lebanon); DALMIRA TILEPBERGEN (Under Heaven) Writer/Director (Kyrgyzstan). For further information on the Jurors

All films selected by their countries as Oscar or Golden Globe Foreign Film submissions are automatically invited to participate at the Film Festival. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) recognizes selected showings as the required official screenings for their members who vote on the Golden Globes.

The 14 Oscar-submitted films in this year's AWFF schedule at this time are: in competition - Sobibor (Russia), Cake (Pakistan), Buffalo Boys (Singapore), Namme (Georgia), Ghost Hunting (Palestine), The Signal Rock (Philippines), THE JOURNEY (Iraq), No Date, No Signature (Iran), Operation Red Sea (Hong Kong), Village Rockstars (India), Panchayat (Nepal); out of competition - Burning (South Korea), No Bed of Roses (Bangladesh), and The Great Buddha+ (Taiwan). Additional films will be announced shortly.

The 2018 Golden Globe submissions are: Love Sonia (India), The Lord Eagle (Russia), Butterflies (Turkey), The River (Kazakhstan), Night Accident (Kyrgyzstan), Million Loves in Me (Malaysia/Hong Kong) and The Road Not Taken (China). Click Here for A Complete List of Festival Screenings

Sadyk Sher-Niyaz, founder and chairman said, "I am pleased that more and more Asian filmmakers are now screening their Oscar and Golden Globe submissions for Best Foreign Language Film at the AWFF. It heartens me that we are reaching out to such a diverse mix of countries whose filmmakers are producing films with unique styles and wide-ranging topics representing their country's customs, traditions and culture."

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. The Film Festival's main cinematic award is named after the snow leopard. Snow Leopard Trust

The Asian World Film Festival is proudly sponsored by SOOM FOUNDATION, City of Culver City, Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), Arclight Theaters, 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, 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 and AWFF host venue, 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. www.AsianWorldFilmFest.org

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