HBO Selects Finalists For Fourth Annual Asian Pacific American Visionaries Short Film Competition

HBO today announced the three finalists of the fourth annual Asian Pacific American Visionaries, a short film competition which showcases cinematic storytellers of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. The finalists were selected from hundreds of submissions and were judged by a distinguished panel of HBO executives, industry leaders and fellow APA filmmakers. The three winning films exemplified this year's competition theme: "Breaking Barriers." Filmmakers Johnson Cheng ("Lonely Blue Night"), Thomas Percy Kim ("Si"), and Tiffany So ("Fine China"), will premiere their films online during the 2020 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, on September 25 at 5:00 p.m. PT/8:00 p.m. ET via HBOVisionaries.com.

In addition to screenings of the winning films, the virtual premiere will also feature special appearances from 2020 HBO APA Visionaries Ambassador Shannon Lee, Lovecraft Country's Jamie Chung, as well as a performance by 88Rising artist NIKI and more.

APA Visionaries competition was established by HBO in 2016 to provide a platform for Asian Pacific American stories to further the dialogue about representation in Hollywood and the importance of diversity in entertainment.

"At HBO, we are proud to see how much the APA Visionaries competition has grown and the impact it has created in the industry," said Jackie Gagne, SVP Multicultural Marketing, WarnerMedia. "Heading into a year where we saw a vast increase in submissions, we are excited to continue elevating unique experiences and highlighting the unsung talent and diversity of storytellers that exists within the Asian Pacific American community."

About the finalists

Tiffany So ("Fine China") is a Chinese-Canadian writer and director who is passionate about sharing personal stories in unexpected ways. She studied filmmaking at the University of Southern California. Her musical pilot, Limited Space, was featured in the New York Television Festival where it was granted the Development Deal Award from Bento Box Entertainment. "Fine China" follows a determined daughter as she uses music and dance to express ALL THAT goes unsaid in her Chinese household.

Johnson Cheng ("Lonely Blue Night") is a Chinese American filmmaker whose films have screened at over 100 international film festivals, including Tribeca, TIFF Kids, Atlanta, and Palm Springs (Best Student Film Award). He is a recipient of the Princess Grace Award, AT&T InspirASIAN Student Film Award, and HBO Visionaries. Johnson is an alumnus of Film Independent's Project Involve, NYFF Artist Academy, Telluride Student Symposium, Reykjavík Talent Lab, Armed With a Camera Fellowship, and Columbia University's M.F.A. Film Directing/Screenwriting program. "Lonely Blue Night is" a portrait of a Chinese family in which a mother and daughter reunite on one lonely blue night. Starring Diana Lin ("The Farewell")

Thomas Percy Kim ("Si") started working on his first stop-motion animated short film, "Trejur" at the age of 14. By 17, it went on to receive over $11k in cash rewards from festivals and arts organizations. Currently, at 19, Thomas finished his live-action short film, "Si", starring Ki Hong Lee, and is in development for a feature while attending USC for Film Production. "Si" is a story of an Asian-American boy who navigates micro-aggression with his friends through seemingly innocent jokes and games after baseball practice.

"Visual Communications is grateful to HBO for their commitment to amplifying our stories through HBO APA Visionaries," said Francis Cullado, Executive Director of Visual Communications. "From navigating microaggressions to intergenerational family dynamics, each film is a nuanced portrait of our experiences in America. We are excited to present the works of Johnson Cheng, Thomas Percy Kim, and Tiffany So with our creative communities."

"I am so excited and giddy at the range and depth of talent for this year's finalists. I hope this is only the first step for them toward successful careers in media!" Shannon Lee, Executive Producer of "Warrior" and CEO of the Bruce Lee Family Companies.

In addition to the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, HBO will debut the films on HBO and available to stream on HBO Max on September 29th.

Watch the official trailer here:

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