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The Verge of Seas and Incarnations Advance to Second Round in Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition

October 11, 2024 — Screenplays The Verge of Seas and Incarnations advanced to the Second Round in the Drama Feature Category in the Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition. Each year, the Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition typically receives over 14,000 script submissions.

For over two decades, Austin Film Festival has been one of the most acclaimed contests within the industry for establishing the careers of up-and-coming writers. Past competition entrants have signed with major agencies and have had their scripts optioned, acquired, and produced by signatory production companies. Wes Brown, 2014 winner of the AMC One-Hour Pilot Award, has staffed on the AMC television series Goliath; Troy Miller, the 2013 winner of the Horror Screenplay Award, had his winning script optioned by Frank Darabont's Darkwoods Productions; at the 2014 Austin Film Festival, the world premiere of Dawn Patrol was presented, a film produced from a 2008 finalist script written by Rachel Long and Brian Pittman that was acquired by Enderby Entertainment; and Amy Aniobi, 2011 semifinalist, has been hired to write for HBO's Silicon Valley.

The Verge of Seas, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a struggling alcoholic in a failing marriage who returns to his childhood home in Montana, where his husband and children inexplicably vanish. Realizing he's in an alternate reality, he seeks help from his husband's parallel - a straight man - and must choose between rewriting his troubled past or risking everything to reunite with his loved ones.

The Black List:

"WITH A BRILLIANT PREMISE, POIGNANT RELATIONSHIPS AND THEMES AT PLAY, AND STRONG WRITING THROUGHOUT, THIS SCRIPT DELIVERS A THOUGHT-PROVOKING AND ENGAGING READ... COMPELLING AND EXCITING FROM START TO FINISH... THE QUEER LOVE STORY AT THE CORE IS REFRESHING AND HEARTFELT."

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is a "Black List Endorsed/Recommended" script about a brilliant Ivy League biologist desperate to reunite with his deceased four-year-old son. He journeys to Tibet, sacrificing his career and marriage to obsessively pursue the meaning of a mysterious epigenetic marker—the "fingerprint of the soul"—that may be proof of reincarnation. Incarnations was recently selected for a 2022 Humanitas New Voices Fellowship, as a work that explores the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way. The project also won First Place in the Best Screenplay competition at the Oscar-accredited 2021 Rhode Island International Film Festival, and was a finalist for the Tracking Board Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

The Black List:

"THOUGHT-PROVOKING, MINDBLOWING, AND HEARTFELT, INCARNATIONS BLENDS SCIENCE-FICTION, SPIRITUALITY, AND PATHOS TO CREATE SOMETHING WHOLLY NEW AND MEMORABLE... INCARNATIONS HOOKS OUR ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY WITH ITS MINDBLOWING HIGH CONCEPT. THE EXECUTION THAT FOLLOWS IS THOUGHTFUL AND HUMAN... INCREDIBLY POWERFUL AND STIRRING, A UNIQUE CATHARSIS ONLY THIS SCRIPT AND THIS CONCEPT CAN DELIVER."

"CLEVER, ORIGINAL, INTELLECTUALLY STIMULATING, AND GRIPPING, A HIGH CONCEPT IDEA THAT TRANSLATES INTO A SMART CHARACTER- AND IDEA-DRIVEN STORY... THE PLOT TWISTS ARE CONSISTENTLY SURPRISING... THE KIND OF LOW-BUDGET, INTELLECTUAL THRILLER THAT PLAYS AT SUNDANCE... THE IDEAS ARE KING HERE."

Bluecat:

"SOARS EMOTIONALLY WITHOUT EVER FEELING SENTIMENTAL, CLOYING, OR FALSE... THE SCRIPT IS TRULY UNIQUE. IT'S UNLIKE ANYTHING THE READER HAS SEEN BEFORE: A FASCINATING PREMISE WITH AN ENTHRALLING WORLD."

WeScreenplay:

"INCARNATIONS DELIVERS ON ALL THE BEST PARTS OF A GOOD CEREBRAL SPECULATIVE FICTION PIECE. IT DOESN'T SHY AWAY FROM THE HUMAN QUESTIONS RAISED BY THE PREMISE, INSTEAD USING THE CONCEPT TO GROUND A COMPELLING CHARACTER-DRIVEN NARRATIVE FRONT TO END... A WELL-CRAFTED AND DEEPLY INTELLIGENT PIECE OF FICTION, THOUGHT-PROVOKING IN ALL THE RIGHT WAYS."

"THE CHARACTERS AND RELATIONSHIPS ARE THE STRONGEST PART OF THIS STORY AND IT SETS A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR PLOT... SO MUCH OF THE DIALOGUE IS POWERFUL... REFRESHINGLY HONEST... THE ENDING WAS INCREDIBLY EMOTIVE... THERE ARE MEANINGFUL MESSAGES THAT WE'RE LEFT WITH, THAT WE'VE LEARNT ALONG THE JOURNEY WITH THE CHARACTERS."

Welcome to the World to Screen in London at Queer Asia

July 27, 2024 — Welcome to the World will screen on Sunday, July 28, 2024, from 12:30-3:30pm, at Pelican House in Bethnal Green, London, as part of Queer Asia's program Rebooting the Body Queer. This program of films will be followed by a creative workshop facilitated by poet and writer Jhani Randhawa.

Welcome to the World previously screened at ONCA Gallery in Brighton, UK, as part of Queer Asia Film Festival 2022, where the theme was Survival.

As an annual celebration of films from across Asia, including Asian diasporas, Queer Asia Film Festival has showcased a wide diversity of films from across Asia, including Azerbaijan, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Myanmar, The Philippines, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and Viet Nam in Central London venues including The British Museum, SOAS, King's College London, and University College London. Queer Asia Film Festival has also collaborated with different organisations, including The British Museum, Club Kali, CINEMQ, SOAS, University of London, University of Warwick, and King's College London.

Queer Asia is a collective of early career researchers, doctoral researchers, and activists, striving to create a global platform to challenge dominant ideas, forms, and representations of gender and sexuality, while sharing, showcasing, promoting, and inspiring a plethora of voices from Asia and its vast diasporas.

During its existence, Queer Asia has also attracted extensive media coverage including BBC Impact and BBC World News, Rife Magazine, Gay Star News, CUNTemporary, The Guardian, and Attitude Magazine.

Welcome to the World is a daring film about a troubled man who records a video message for his pregnant sister. Drawing its power and immediacy from its first-person, confessional style, the film presents, in one continuous shot, the journey of one man's awakening from isolation back to humanity. The film stars Albert M. Chan and is directed by Albert M. Chan and Anthony Grasso.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

"LEADING MAN ALBERT M. CHAN... PLAYS AN EMOTIONALLY RAW MAN WITH A GRACE AND EASE THAT IS OFTEN ONLY SEEN WITHIN SOME OF THE MOST HIGH END ACTORS... PACKS A HUGE PUNCH... TO CREATE SUCH AN IMPACT ON A VIEWER IN ONLY SEVEN MINUTES WITH JUST ONE MAN, A SCRIPT AND A CAMERA CERTAINLY SPEAKS VOLUMES OF THE SKILLS THAT CHAN HAS AS A DIRECTOR, WRITER AND PERFORMER."

The Verge of Seas Named a Quarterfinalist in Emerging Screenwriters Action & Adventure Screenplay Competition

June 19, 2024 — The sci-fi romance feature screenplay The Verge of Seas has been selected as a quarterfinalist in the Emerging Screenwriters Action & Adventure Screenplay Competition. Semifinalists will be announced on July 10, 2024.

The grand prize winner will receive $1,500 cash and be considered for acceptance onto the ISA Development Slate, where the development team will get scripts in front of top industry pros from companies like MGM, Gidden Media, ICM, plus ISA-vetted literary agents and managers.

The Black List:

"THE SCRIPT BEAUTIFULLY COMBINES THE GENRES OF SCI-FI AND ROMANCE INTO AN INNOVATIVE NARRATIVE ABOUT THE POWER OF LOVE AND CHOSEN DESTINY... THERE IS A VERY PROFICIENT TALENT BEHIND THIS SCREENPLAY... ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING ELEMENTS... IS THE INTRICATE NUANCES CULTIVATED WITHIN THE DIALOGUE. THIS ALLOWS THE SCENES TO TEEM WITH SUBTLE EMOTION, MAKING FOR WILDLY ENTERTAINING EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE CHARACTERS... IT'S PRETTY EASY TO ENVISION THIS BECOMING A HIGHLY SOUGHT-AFTER SCRIPT IN A COMPETITIVE MARKET... AN IMMENSELY ENTERTAINING STORY THAT DESERVES TO FIND SUCCESS IN A CINEMATIC MEDIUM!"

The Verge of Seas Selected as Top 15 Finalist for Shore Script's OutHere Contest

May 17, 2024 — The sci-fi romance feature screenplay The Verge of Seas has been selected as a Top 15 Finalist for Shore Scripts' 2024 OutHere: An LGBTQIA+ Screenwriting Contest. The Top 5 Finalists will be announced on May 24, 2024.

Shore Scripts has helped launch the careers of 100+ writers, including deals with Sony, Blumhouse, Warner Bros., Film4, and Hulu. Shore Scripts created OutHere: A LGBTQIA+ Screenwriting Contest as a platform dedicated to spotlighting and championing contemporary LGBTQIA+ stories that resonate with joy, community, and family.

The Black List:

Incarnations Named a Semifinalist in Emerging Screenwriters Drama Screenplay Competition

May 1, 2024 — The grounded sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has been named a semifinalist in the Emerging Screenwriters Drama Screenplay Competition. Finalists will be announced on May 15, 2024.

The Black List:

Bluecat:

WeScreenplay:

Incarnations Moves on as Semifinalist in Emerging Screenwriters Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenplay Competition

May 1, 2024 — The grounded sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has moved on as a semifinalist in the Emerging Screenwriters Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenplay Competition. Finalists will be announced on May 15, 2024.

The Black List:

Bluecat:

WeScreenplay:

Incarnations is a Quarterfinalist in Emerging Screenwriters Drama Screenplay Competition

April 17, 2024 — The grounded sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has moved on as a quarterfinalist in the Emerging Screenwriters Drama Screenplay Competition. Semifinalists will be announced on May 1, 2024.

The Black List:

Bluecat:

WeScreenplay:

Incarnations is a Quarterfinalist in Emerging Screenwriters Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenplay Competition

April 17, 2024 — The grounded sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has moved on as a quarterfinalist in the Emerging Screenwriters Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenplay Competition. Semifinalists will be announced on May 1, 2024.

The Black List:

Bluecat:

WeScreenplay:

The Verge of Seas Named Quarterfinalist for The Script Lab's 2024 Screenplay Contest

April 5, 2024 — The sci-fi romance feature screenplay The Verge of Seas has been named a quarterfinalist for The Script Lab's 2024 Screenplay Contest, the top 8% selected from over 15,000 submissions. Semifinalists will be announced on May 3, 2024.

The Script Lab and Coverfly are offering this screenplay competition to help open talent-discovery to anyone and everyone, regardless of financial ability. Coverfly is an online script database that hosts over 25,000 scripts from around the world.

The Black List:

The Verge of Seas Selected as Semifinalist at Philip K. Dick Film Festival

April 4, 2024 —

The sci-fi romance feature screenplay The Verge of Seas has been selected as one of 13 screenplay semifinalists for the Philip K. Dick Film Festival, taking place April 4-7, 2024 at the Musuem of the Moving Image and The Producers Club Cinemas in New York City.

"We are looking at scripts that focus on the nuts and bolts of creating an entire sci-fi world," said Daniel Abella, the founder and director of the event. Abella wants to show festival-goers the precision and accuracy necessary to the craft of screenwriting. "Rather than just prioritizing high concept premises, each of these screenplays deal with originality, characterization, and psychological dimensions on a more granular scale. It is important to note that when telling a good story, the smallest of details truly do matter."

The mission of the festival is to promote original or adapted material inspired by the works of Philip K. Dick, Jorge Luis Borges, Italo Calvino, Robert Anton Wilson, Franz Kafka and others, particularly films that challenge the viewers' reality with ideas and concepts not normally found in conventional stories.

Philip Kindred Dick (December 16, 1928 – March 2, 1982) was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist and philosopher whose published works mainly belong to the genre of science fiction. The novel The Man in the High Castle bridged the genres of alternate history and science fiction, earning Dick a Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1963.

In addition to 44 published novels, Dick wrote approximately 121 short stories, most of which appeared in science fiction magazines during his lifetime. Although Dick spent most of his career as a writer in near-poverty, eleven popular films based on his works have been produced, including Blade Runner, Total Recall, A Scanner Darkly, Minority Report, Paycheck, Next, and The Adjustment Bureau. In 2007, Dick became the first science fiction writer to be included in the Library of America Series.

The Black List:

The Verge of Seas Named Semifinalist for Stowe Story Labs / The Black List Artist Development Fellowship

March 12, 2024 — After being nominated by The Black List to apply for the inaugural Stowe Story Labs / The Black List Artist Development Fellowship, Albert's sci-fi romance feature screenplay The Verge of Seas has been selected as a semifinalist.

The Stowe Story Labs / The Black List Artist Development Fellowship will be awarded to one top emerging screenwriter to attend the Stowe Story Labs Narrative Lab in Stowe, Vermont, which will be followed by a longform online writing program (film or TV), or a custom built one-on-one mentoring program, depending on what would be most helpful to the Fellow. The fellowship will cover the fee to attend the Stowe Narrative Lab, a travel/lodging stipend of up to $1,500, plus all additional fellowship benefits.

The Black List is a platform for film and TV writers to showcase their screenplays for industry members. Since 2005, each December, The Black List releases its annual list, a survey of the most liked unproduced screenplays of that year. The annual lists, aggregated using votes from film executives working in the film industry, have included such Oscar winning films as JUNO, THE KING'S SPEECH and ARGO.

The Black List:

Atlanta Film Festival Selects The Verge of Seas as Screenplay Competition Quarterfinalist

January 29, 2024 — The 16th Annual Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition has selected the sci-fi romance feature screenplay The Verge of Seas as a quarterfinalist. Semifinalists will be announced February 16, 2024.

Now approaching its 48th year, the Atlanta Film Festival–an Academy Award®-qualifying festival–is the Southeast's preeminent celebration of cinema and the flagship production of the Atlanta Film Society. One of the largest and longest-running festivals in the country, the Atlanta Film Festival showcases both emerging and established artists' works. Recent festivals have seen audiences of over 28,000 film-lovers joining over 300 attending filmmakers in support of moving images that push the boundaries of independent cinema.

The 2024 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition is devoted to finding the best screenplays from around the world and offering their authors the opportunity to take part in a once in a lifetime writing workshop and mentorship with professionals in the film industry. Winners of the Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition have gone on to be honored by The Black List, selected for the Sundance Directors' Lab, sign with representation, option their winning scripts, and write/direct critically and commercially successful indie films.

The Verge of Seas, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a depressed, alcoholic father in a failing marriage who returns to his childhood home in Montana, where his husband and children mysteriously vanish. In a frantic search for them, he uncovers the shocking truth about himself and the universe, forcing him to reevaluate his troubled relationships.

The Black List:

Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future to Premiere in North Carolina

January 10, 2024 — Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future will premiere in North Carolina at the North Carolina South & East Asian International Film Festival in Cary, NC, on Sunday, May 5, 2024. The event will take place at the historic Cary Theater, once home to the town's first indoor movie theater.

The film tells the tale of Andrew (Albert M. Chan), the son of Chinese immigrants, who is about to become a father to a baby girl. Before she is born, however, Andrew desperately needs to understand how his mother (Golden Globe, Emmy, and Drama Desk nominated actress Tina Chen) and her own father could have lived apart for most of their lives. Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future won Best Screenplay and Best Actress at the 2015 NYC Downtown Short Film Festival.

Philip Smolen (Rogue Cinema):

"THE ACTING IS PITCH PERFECT AND CHAN AND CHEN TURN IN WONDERFUL PERFORMANCES... CHAN'S CAREFUL COMPOSITIONS CARRY A WONDERFUL EMOTIONAL IMPACT... A BEAUTIFUL CINEMATIC TONE POEM."

Theo Alexander (Unsung Films):

"SUBTLE AND POETIC"

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic):

"EMOTIONALLY RESONANT... PACED BEAUTIFULLY AND TOLD WITH INTELLIGENCE AND WISDOM."

The Verge of Seas Selected by The Black List as Weekend Read

November 8, 2023 — The sci-fi romance feature screenplay The Verge of Seas has been chosen by the influential The Black List as a "Weekend Read".

Industry members with an active account on The Black List can download the script here.

The Black List:

The Verge of Seas, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a depressed and alcoholic father in a failing marriage who visits his childhood home in Montana, where his husband and adopted children mysteriously vanish. In a desperate attempt to reunite with them, he discovers the shocking truth about himself and the universe, forcing him to reexamine his troubled relationships... and the very nature of his own existence.

Incarnations Selected by The Black List as Weekend Read

October 25, 2023 — The feature screenplay Incarnations has been chosen by the influential The Black List as a "Weekend Read".

Industry members with an active account on The Black List can download the script here.

The Black List:

"SIMULTANEOUSLY SMART, DIFFERENT, EXPERTLY RENDERED AND ULTIMATELY PROFOUND."

The Verge of Seas and Incarnations Advance to Second Round in Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition

October 5, 2023 — Screenplays The Verge of Seas and Incarnations advanced to the Second Round in the Drama Feature Category and Sci-Fi Award in the Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition. The Verge of Seas also advanced to the Second Round for the Enderby Entertainment Award. Each year, the Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition typically receives over 14,000 script submissions.

The Verge of Seas, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a despondent gay Asian-American man whose husband and adopted children mysteriously vanish during a trip to his childhood home in Montana; in a desperate attempt to reunite with them, he discovers the shocking truth about himself and the universe, forcing him to reexamine his troubled relationships... and the very nature of his own existence.

The Black List:

Bluecat:

WeScreenplay:

Welcome to the World Nominated for Best Micro-Short

September 7, 2023 — Welcome to the World has been nominated for Best Micro-Short (USA) at the Merced Queer Film Festival.

Welcome to the World will screen at the Merced Queer Film Festival on Saturday, September 9, 2023, 12:50pm, as part of Block 2 on Screen 2 at the Merced Multicultural Arts Center. Tickets are FREE and can be reserved here.

The Merced Queer Film Festival is presented by Central Valley Pride and Workshop 44.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

The Verge of Seas Selected as Semifinalist at Rhode Island International Film Festival

August 1, 2023 — The screenplay for the gay sci-fi love story The Verge of Seas has been selected as a semifinalist in the screenplay competition of the Oscar-accredited 2023 Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival. Finalists will be announced on October 9, 2023.

The Verge of Seas, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a troubled gay man who discovers the shocking truth about himself and of the universe when his husband and adopted children mysteriously vanish on a trip to his childhood home in Montana.

The Black List:

Albert M. Chan's previous screenplay Incarnations won First Place in the Best Screenplay competition at the 2021 Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival.

Ranked as one of the top 10 festivals in the United States, Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival is a qualifying festival for the Live Action, Animation, and Documentary Short Film Academy Awards through its affiliation with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and the Canadian Screen Awards. Eighty-four films that were either premiered or discovered at Rhode Island International Film Festival have gone on to receive Oscar nominations. From this pool, 14 have gone on to win the coveted award.

Welcome to the World to Screen in Merced Queer Film Festival

July 25, 2023 — Welcome to the World will screen as part of the Merced Queer Film Festival on Saturday, September 9, 2023. The film screens as part of Block 2 on Screen 2 at the Merced Multicultural Arts Center, starting at 12:50pm. Tickets are FREE and can be reserved here.

The Merced Queer Film Festival is presented by Central Valley Pride and Workshop 44.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

The Verge of Seas Chosen as Quarterfinalist for Screencraft Feature Screenwriting Competition

July 12, 2023 — The screenplay for the gay sci-fi love story The Verge of Seas has been announced as a quarterfinalist in ScreenCraft Feature Screenwriting Competition, out of almost 2000 submissions. Semifinalists will be announced on August 9, 2023.

Three Grand Prize Winners will be selected for this year's competition: One by writer Meg LeFauve (Captain Marvel, Inside Out), one by writer Stephany Folsom (Toy Story 4, The Rings of Power), and one by Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale). Each Grand Prize Winner will receive from their respective mentor: a virtual meeting and project development insight. The Grand Prize Winners will also be welcomed to the ScreenCraft Development Program and receive personal introductions and calls with one or more top Hollywood literary manager(s) who are looking for talented emerging writers.

The Black List:

Incarnations is Top 10 Finalist in Emerging Screenwriters Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenplay Competition

May 3, 2023 — The grounded sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has moved on as a Top 10 finalist in the Emerging Screenwriters Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenplay Competition. Winners will be announced on May 17, 2023.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is a "Black List Endorsed/Recommended" script about a brilliant Ivy League biologist desperate to reunite with his deceased four-year-old son. He journeys to Tibet, sacrificing his career and marriage to obsessively pursue the meaning of a mysterious epigenetic marker—the "fingerprint of the soul"—that may be proof of reincarnation. Incarnations was recently selected for a 2022-2023 Humanitas New Voices Fellowship, as a work that explores the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way. The project also won First Place in the Best Screenplay competition at the Oscar-accredited 2021 Rhode Island International Film Festival, and was a finalist for the Tracking Board Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

The Black List:

Bluecat:

WeScreenplay:

The Butler and the Ball Selected for Whimsical Times Film Festival

May 1, 2023 — The Butler and the Ball will screen at the 2023 Whimsical Times Film Festival on Sunday, May 7, 2023, from 5:30-7:00 PM, at Jengo's Playhouse in Wilmington, NC.

Whimsical Times Film Festival is a family-friendly, one-day festival for kids of all ages. Shorts in this showcase include comedy, drama and animation. All films were selected by the students participating in Movie Madness: Making a Film Festival class at DREAMS Center for Arts Education, facilitated by Cucalorus. Short films in this series are not rated but are appropriate for all audiences. Tickets start at just $5 and help make this program possible. Additional ticket levels are available to provide even more support for the Movie Madness class at DREAMS.

Established in 1997, DREAMS of Wilmington is a youth development organization that is dedicated to creating a culture of confidence for youth and teens, through equitable access to arts education, supported by the values of respect, family, and community. In 2007, DREAMS received the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, given annually by the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities to the nation's top after-school and out-of-school arts and humanities programs. Today, DREAMS provides free-of-charge arts programming to more than 600 young people and their families each year, offering more than 40 classes per week at 6 different sites in the Wilmington, NC, area, including the newly renovated, 12,000-square-foot inner-city center on Wilmington's North Side. This space features the 4,000-square-foot performance venue and multipurpose space, The Garage at DREAMS.

The Butler and the Ball is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer. The film was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film has screened in France, Wales, India, Iran, Romania, Estonia, The Czech Republic, England, South Korea, Australia, Serbia, Greece, Canada, and the United States. Awards include Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film at the Children's International Film Festival of Wales, Best Young Director - Live Action at the Atlanta Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, Best Junior Filmmaker at Sanctuary International Film Festival in Australia, Best Narrative Film, Under 12 at the International KidsNFilm Festival, First Prize in the Fictional Movie Made by Filmmakers up to 10 Years of Age category at A-FilmTeensFest in the Czech Republic, the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay of a Short Film and Jury Special Mention—Child Actor at Children Short Film Festival in England and France, and Best Youth - 18 at Alder International Short Film Festival.

Incarnations Moves on to Semifinals in Emerging Screenwriters Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenplay Competition

April 19, 2023 — The grounded sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has moved on as a semifinalist in the Emerging Screenwriters Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenplay Competition. Finalists will be announced on May 3, 2023.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is a "Black List Endorsed/Recommended" script about an agnostic biologist grieving the death of his four-year-old son who discovers a mysterious marker that could be scientific proof of the afterlife, launching him on a quest to prove his theory and reunite with his son. Incarnations was recently selected for a 2022-2023 Humanitas New Voices Fellowship, as a work that explores the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way. The project also won First Place in the Best Screenplay competition at the Oscar-accredited 2021 Rhode Island International Film Festival, and was a finalist for the Tracking Board Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

The Black List:

Bluecat:

WeScreenplay:

Humanitas Prizes to Stage Reading from Albert M. Chan's Incarnations

March 16, 2023 — Humanitas will hold a staged reading of an excerpt from writer Albert M. Chan's feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations as part of New Voices Live on Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 1:00pm PT, with writer Albert M. Chan in attendance. Hosted by writer Carter Covington (10 Things I Hate About You, Faking It), the event celebrates the 2022-2023 Humanitas New Voices Fellows, emerging writers whose work explores the human condition in a nuanced way.

New Voices Live will take place at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here. 100% of proceeds from this event will benefit the Humanitas New Voices Fellowship Program.

Humanitas has partnered with the USC School of Dramatic Arts's Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) to present the work of the Fellows in a concert staged reading, directed by Anita Dashiell-Sparks, USC School of Dramatic Arts's Associate Dean of EDI & Vice Chair of Performance. The stories will be embodied and imagined by graduate and undergraduate student-performers across the USC School of Dramatic Arts's BA, BFA, and MFA programs. Featured performers are: Grayson Abdalla, Jordan Anderson, Parker Bond, Alcides Costa, Coby Hawkins, Beryl Liu, Aneesa Monet, Rihanna Rios, Kalalapa Winter, Sammie Zenoz, Kaixiang Zhang.

Humanitas New Voices Fellowship is a four-month mentorship program for emerging television and screenwriters. Through mentorship, workshops, conversations on professional development, and networking opportunities, New Voices equips writers with the tools needed to advance their careers. As Fellows, they are paired with award-winning writers or showrunners for one-on-one mentorship focused on their project and professional development. Fellows receive a $7,500 stipend, a suite of software including Final Draft 12, and access to classes through UCLA Extension Writers' Program, Roadmap Writers, and MasterClass.

Former mentors include: Alan Ball (American Beauty, Six Feet Under, True Blood, Banshee), Jenny Bicks (Sex and the City, The Big C, The Greatest Showman, Rio 2, Carter Covington (Greek, Charmed, 10 Things I Hate About You), Marc Guggenheim (Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, Green Lantern, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow), Winnie Holzman (My So-Called Life, Wicked), David Hudgins (FBI: Most Wanted, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights), Jason Katims (Roswell, Parenthood), Jay Kogen (Frasier, The Simpsons, The Tracy Ullman Show), Bill Lawrence (Scrubs, Cougar Town, Spin City, Ted Lasso), Ali LeRoi (Everybody Hates Chris), David Shore (House, The Good Doctor), Robin Swicord (Little Women, Matilda, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Pam Veasey (CSI: NY, CSI: Cyber), and David Zuckerman (Family Guy, King of the Hill, American Dad!).

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is a "Black List Endorsed/Recommended" script about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project won First Place in the Best Screenplay competition at the Oscar-accredited 2021 Rhode Island International Film Festival, and was a finalist for the Tracking Board Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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Welcome to the World to Screen in New Brunswick's Premier LGBTQIA+ Film Festival

March 15, 2023 — Welcome to the World will screen as part of the Pink Lobster Film Festival in the Local and Canadian Stars program, as part of the Opening Night Gala on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at 8pm at Monarch Night Club.

Pink Lobster Film Festival is New Brunswick's first and premier LGBTQIA+ film festival, presented by The University of New Brunswick Department of English, Frictive Pictures, and the New Brunswick Filmmakers' Cooperative.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Incarnations Places as Quarterfinalist in Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition

February 14, 2023 — The grounded sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has placed as a quarterfinalist in the Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition. Semifinalists will be announced on March 7, 2023.

Named "Best Screenwriting Magazine" by the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times, Creative Screenwriting Magazine is the premiere magazine for TV and feature film writers since 1994.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is a "Black List Endorsed/Recommended" script about a brilliant Ivy League biologist desperate to reunite with his deceased four-year-old son, sacrificing his career and marriage to journey to Tibet to obsessively pursue the meaning of a mysterious epigenetic marker - the "fingerprint of the soul" - that may be proof of reincarnation. Incarnations was recently selected for a 2022-2023 Humanitas New Voices Fellowship, as a work that explores the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way. The project also won First Place in the Best Screenplay competition at the Oscar-accredited 2021 Rhode Island International Film Festival, and was a finalist for the Tracking Board Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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Welcome to the World to Screen in Mexico at Orchid International Queer Film Festival ROSARITO

January 31, 2023 — Welcome to the World will screen as part of the Orchid International Queer Film Festival ROSARITO, in partnership with Instituto Municipal del Arte y Cultura (IMAC) in Tijuana, Mexico. The film screens Friday, February 3, 2023, at Archivo Histórico Rosarito (984 Boulevard Benito Juárez, Plaza Comercial Ejido Mazatlan, Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico 22710).

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Incarnations Named Finalist in Emerging Screenwriters Genre Screenplay Competition

January 25, 2023 — The grounded sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has moved on as one of 10 finalists in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre for the Emerging Screenwriters Genre Screenplay Competition. Genre winners and the Grand Prize winner will be announced on February 7, 2023.

The winner of each genre category will receive $2,500 cash and be considered for acceptance onto the ISA Development Slate, where the development team will get scripts in front of top industry pros from companies like MGM, Gidden Media, ICM, plus ISA-vetted literary agents and managers. Of the seven scripts selected, one will go on to win the Grand Prize and receive an additional $7,500 for a total of $10,000. The seven genres are: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family/Holiday, Historical/Bio, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, and Suspense (Mystery/Crime /Thriller/Horror).

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is a "Black List Endorsed/Recommended" script about an agnostic biologist grieving the death of his four-year-old son who discovers a mysterious marker that could be scientific proof of the afterlife, launching him on a quest to prove his theory and reunite with his son. Incarnations was recently selected for a 2022 Humanitas New Voices Fellowship, as a work that explores the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way. The project also won First Place in the Best Screenplay competition at the Oscar-accredited 2021 Rhode Island International Film Festival, and was a finalist for the Tracking Board Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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Welcome to the World Awarded 2nd Prize at Suicide Prevention Film Festival

January 10, 2023 — For the second year in a row, Welcome to the World screened in Spain during the December 9-11, 2022, weekend as part of the annual Rol Por La Esperanza, a role-playing marathon organized by the role-playing community Éxito Crítico which raised over 10,000 € for Agarra la vida (Grab Life) and Teléfono de la Esperanza (Telephone of Hope), a permanent toll-free telephone line for suicide prevention.

On the last day of the weekend, Welcome to the World was awarded 2nd prize out of all 20 films screened at Agarra la vida over the past 3 years. The special sculpture producer Albert M. Chan received in the mail represents a self-hug, which symbolizes the importance of emotional self-care.

For World Suicide Prevention Day in 2020, Welcome to the World was one of five films selected by a jury and a team of experts in psychology and psychiatry for Agarra la vida, a short film festival with a mission to prevent suicide and combat its stigma.

Founded in 1971, Teléfono de la Esperanza (Telephone of Hope) is an NGO with 29 centers in Spain for crisis intervention and the promotion of social-emotional health.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Child Actor Andrew Chan-Possemato Nominated for Best Actor/Actress for The Butler and the Ball

January 6, 2023 — Child actor Andrew Chan-Possemato received a nomination today for Best Actor/Actress at the 2023 Fentress Film Fest for his performance in The Butler and the Ball.

The Butler and the Ball is one of ten films to screen online at the 2023 Fentress Film Fest from January 2-7, 2023. All films can be viewed here for $2.

Child director Andrew Chan-Possemato previously won the award for Best 1st Time Filmmaker for The Butler and the Ball at the 2022 Fentress Student Film Festival. Festival director Samantha Bozin remarked, "This film is so awesome... super-original concept... so well done, super creative." Andrew was also nominated for Best Director (Youth Student) and Best Youth Actor/Actress.

Incarnations Moves on to Semifinals in Emerging Screenwriters Genre Screenplay Competition

January 3, 2022 — The grounded sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has moved on as one of 25 semifinalists in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre for the Emerging Screenwriters Genre Screenplay Competition. Finalists will be announced on January 24, 2023.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is a "Black List Endorsed/Recommended" script about an agnostic biologist grieving the death of his four-year-old son who discovers a mysterious marker that could be scientific proof of the afterlife, launching him on a quest to prove his theory and reunite with his son. Incarnations was recently selected for a 2022 Humanitas New Voices Fellowship, as a work that explores the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way. The project also won First Place in the Best Screenplay competition at the Oscar-accredited 2021 Rhode Island International Film Festival, and was a finalist for the Tracking Board Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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The Butler and the Ball Selected for Fentress Film Fest

January 2, 2023 — The Butler and the Ball is one of ten films to screen online at the 2023 Fentress Film Fest from January 2-7, 2023. All films can be viewed here for $2.

Incarnations Named Quarterfinalist for Emerging Screenwriters Genre Screenplay Competition

December 6, 2022 — The grounded sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has moved on as a quarterfinalist for the Emerging Screenwriters Genre Screenplay Competition. Semifinalists will be announced on January 3, 2023.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is a "Black List Endorsed/Recommended" script about an agnostic biologist grieving the death of his four-year-old son who discovers a mysterious marker that could be scientific proof of the afterlife, launching him on a quest to prove his theory and reunite with his son. Incarnations was recently selected for a 2022 Humanitas New Voices Fellowship, as a work that explores the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way. The project also won First Place in the Best Screenplay competition at the Oscar-accredited 2021 Rhode Island International Film Festival, and was a finalist for the Tracking Board Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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Welcome to the World to Raise Funds for Suicide Prevention Film Festival

December 9, 2022 — This year, Welcome to the World will once again be screened during the December 9-11, 2022, weekend as part of the annual Rol Por La Esperanza, a role-playing marathon organized by the role-playing community Éxito Crítico to raise funds for the 2022 Agarra la vida and Teléfono de la Esperanza (Telephone of Hope), a permanent toll-free telephone line for suicide prevention. In the past two years, over 25,000 € was raised.

For World Suicide Prevention Day in 2020, Welcome to the World was one of five films selected by a jury and a team of experts in psychology and psychiatry for Agarra la vida (Grab Life) in Spain, a short film festival with a mission to prevent suicide and combat its stigma.

Founded in 1971, Teléfono de la Esperanza (Telephone of Hope) is an NGO with 29 centers in Spain for crisis intervention and the promotion of social-emotional health.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Welcome to the World to Screen at Boston University School of Public Health

December 2, 2022 — Welcome to the World will screen as part of the Health in Focus Film Festival, a program of Population Health Exchange at Boston University School of Public Health. Co-director, writer, and actor Albert M. Chan will participate in a live virtual Q & A.

Welcome to the World screens on Friday, December 2, 2022, at 2pm, as part of the short film block Inequities, which focuses on marginalized populations, e.g. economic, gender, race, LGBTQIA+, transgender, immigrants, refugees. The screening takes place in the Auditorium (Room 101) of the Rajen Kilachand Center for Integrated Life Sciences and Engineering (610 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215).

The screening is free for current Boston University students, faculty, and staff. The Health in Focus Film Festival is pleased to participate in the Card to Culture program, a collaboration between Mass Cultural Council and the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Massachusetts Health Connector, and the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Nutrition Program by extending a 75% discount to EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholders. Tickets, regularly $12, can be obtained here.

The Health in Focus Film Festival, which takes place December 1-3, 2022, strives to improve the health of populations by pairing compelling visual stories with thoughtful discussion. Programming consists of two invited feature-length films, a panel discussion, and three blocks of short films.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

The Commitment Screens at Silicon Valley Asian American Pacific Film Festival

October 28, 2022 — The Commitment screens at the Silicon Valley Asian American Pacific Film Festival, which runs in-person and online October 28-November 6, 2022. The in-person portion is October 28-29 at the AMC Dine-In Sunnyvale 12 & IMAX in Sunnyvale, CA, and the online portion will be from October 28 - November 6, 2022, with selected live streaming Q&As.

The Commitment screens in the online package of shorts Family, which can be ordered for $5. An online pass to access all 60+ films can be purchased for $25.

The Silicon Valley Asian American Pacific Film Festival provides a platform for the artistry of storytelling of the Asian and Pacific Islander through the lens of the American experience. The Silicon Valley Asian American Pacific Film Festival (formerly, San Jose J-Town FilmFest) is a project Contemporary Asian Theater Scene (CATS), a 501c3 non-profit organization founded over 20 years ago by three visionaries who realized that Asian American artists needed a voice. Dr. Jerry Hiura, Steve Yamaguma, Miki Hirabayashi created CATS with the dream of supporting, mentoring and, ultimately, presenting Asian American artists and cultural disciplines to the South Bay.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 50 film festivals on six continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs and on the Queerbee streaming platform. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

Incarnations Selected as Quarterfinalist in Shore Scripts Feature Contest

October 25, 2022 — The screenplay for the grounded sci-fi drama feature Incarnations has been selected as a quarterfinalist for the 2022 Shore Scripts Feature Contest. Semifinalists will be announced on November 10, 2022.

Acclaimed screenwriter and New York Times Bestseller Antony Johnston will mentor 2022's Grand Prize Feature Winner. Antony Johnston is the creator of Atomic Blonde and writer of Resident Evil.

Shore Scripts Feature Contest has helped launch the careers of 100+ writers, including deals with Sony, Blumhouse, Warner Bros., Film4, and Hulu.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is a "Black List Endorsed/Recommended" script about an agnostic biologist grieving the death of his four-year-old son who discovers a mysterious marker that could be scientific proof of the afterlife, launching him on a quest to prove his theory and reunite with his son. Incarnations was recently selected for a 2022 Humanitas New Voices Fellowship, as a work that explores the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way. The project also won First Place in the Best Screenplay competition at the Oscar-accredited 2021 Rhode Island International Film Festival, and was a finalist for the Tracking Board Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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Incarnations Chosen as Quarterfinalist for Screencraft Drama Screenwriting Competition

October 19, 2022 — The screenplay for the grounded sci-fi drama feature Incarnations has been announced as a quarterfinalist in ScreenCraft Drama Screenwriting Competition, out of almost 1600 submissions. Semifinalists will be announced on November 16, 2022.

The overall grand prize winner in either feature or TV will be welcomed to the ScreenCraft Writer Development Program and receive personal introductions and phone calls with industry professionals who are looking for talented emerging film & TV screenwriters.

ScreenCraft writers from the Drama Competition have signed with CAA, Brillstein, Circle of Confusion and more. They've gone on to be nominated for Emmys and work on TV shows with Warner TV.

This year's jury is behind Oscar and Emmy-nominated dramas that include shows and films like Yellowstone, Judas and the Black Messiah, Grey's Anatomy, Creed, Pose, Mudbound, Scandal, and many more.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is a "Black List Endorsed/Recommended" script about an agnostic biologist grieving the death of his four-year-old son who discovers a mysterious marker that could be scientific proof of the afterlife, launching him on a quest to prove his theory and reunite with his son. Incarnations was recently selected for a 2022 Humanitas New Voices Fellowship, as a work that explores the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way. The project also won First Place in the Best Screenplay competition at the Oscar-accredited 2021 Rhode Island International Film Festival, and was a finalist for the Tracking Board Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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The Butler and the Ball Wins Best Short Film Youth at Albany FilmFest

October 15, 2022 — Child filmmaker and actor Andrew Chan-Possemato won Best Short Film Youth (6-12) for The Butler and the Ball at Albany FilmFest, which wrapped its in-person portion this past weekend at the Landmark's Albany Twin Theatre.

The Butler and the Ball screens in the virtual portion of Albany FilmFest this week through October 23, 2022, in the session On the Edge. The online screening is free of charge, but donations are accepted.

Albany FilmFest is a juried film festival that takes place each year in Albany, California, showcasing original, compelling, independent short films from emerging and established Bay Area, national, and global filmmakers. Albany FilmFest works in collaboration with the City of Albany, the Landmark Twin Theatre, Albany's Community Media Access Committee, Albany's Arts Committee, and the staff of KALB Channel 33.

The Butler and the Ball is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer. The film was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film has screened in France, Wales, India, Iran, Romania, Estonia, The Czech Republic, England, South Korea, Australia, Serbia, Greece, Canada, and the United States. Awards include Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film at the Children's International Film Festival of Wales, Best Young Director - Live Action at the Atlanta Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, Best Junior Filmmaker at Sanctuary International Film Festival in Australia, Best Narrative Film, Under 12 at the International KidsNFilm Festival, First Prize in the Fictional Movie Made by Filmmakers up to 10 Years of Age category at A-FilmTeensFest in the Czech Republic, the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay of a Short Film and Jury Special Mention—Child Actor at Children Short Film Festival in England and France, Best 1st Time Filmmaker at Fentress Student Film Festival, and Best Youth - 18 at Alder International Short Film Festival.

Albert M. Chan Discusses The Commitment on Filmmaker Panel for Silicon Valley Asian American Pacific Film Festival

October 13, 2022 — Tonight at 9pm ET / 6pm PT, writer/director Albert M. Chan will talk about his gay parrenthood drama The Commitment on a live filmmaker panel about Motherhood/Parenthood for the upcoming Silicon Valley Asian American Pacific Film Festival. Join the conversation either on the Contemporary Asian Theater Scene Facebook page or on Zoom.

The upcoming Silicon Valley Asian American Pacific Film Festival runs in-person and online October 28-November 6, 2022. The in-person portion is October 28-29 at the AMC Dine-In Sunnyvale 12 & IMAX in Sunnyvale, CA, and the online portion will be from October 28 - November 6, 2022, with selected live streaming Q&As.

The Commitment screens in the online package of shorts Family, which can be pre-ordered for $5. An online pass to access all 60+ films can be purchased for $25.

The Butler and the Ball to Screen at Albany FilmFest

October 4, 2022 — The Butler and the Ball will screen at Albany FilmFest in the Youth category, running in-person October 4-13 at the Landmark's Albany Twin Theatre and virtually October 15-23 on the festival's website. The Butler and the Ball will screen in-person at the Landmark's Albany Twin Theatre on Thursday, October 6, from 7:30-9pm as part of the session On the Edge. Tickets will be available for $13 at the Landmark Twin Theatre box office. The online screening will be free of charge or a sliding-scale donation.

The Butler and the Ball is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer. The film was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film has screened in France, Wales, India, Iran, Romania, Estonia, The Czech Republic, England, South Korea, Australia, Serbia, Greece, Canada, and the United States. Awards include Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film at the Children's International Film Festival of Wales, Best Young Director - Live Action at the Atlanta Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, Best Junior Filmmaker at Sanctuary International Film Festival in Australia, Best Narrative Film, Under 12 at the International KidsNFilm Festival, First Prize in the Fictional Movie Made by Filmmakers up to 10 Years of Age category at A-FilmTeensFest in the Czech Republic, the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay of a Short Film and Jury Special Mention—Child Actor at Children Short Film Festival in England and France, Best 1st Time Filmmaker at Fentress Student Film Festival, and Best Youth - 18 at Alder International Short Film Festival.

Incarnations Advances to Second Round in Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition

September 15, 2022 — Incarnations advanced to the Second Round in the Drama Feature Category in the Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition. Each year, the Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition typically receives over 14,000 script submissions.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is a "Black List Endorsed/Recommended" script about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. Incarnations was recently selected for a 2022 Humanitas New Voices Fellowship, as a work that explores the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way. The project also won First Place in the Best Screenplay competition at the Oscar-accredited 2021 Rhode Island International Film Festival, and was a finalist for the Tracking Board Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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Albert M. Chan Receives Screenwriting Award at 46th Annual Humanitas Prizes

September 9, 2022 — Albert M. Chan was at the 46th Annual Humanitas Prizes at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles to receive his award for the prestigious 2022 Humanitas New Voices Fellowship. He was recognized for his work on the feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations.

The 2022 Humanitas Prizes Luncheon was hosted by Larry Wilmore. Nkechi Okoro Carroll (All-American, The Resident, Bones) led the New Voices Fellowship presentations. Among the winners were the writers behind ABC's Black-ish, Apple TV+'s Pachinko, Disney's Oscar-winning Encanto, Adam McKay's satire Don�t Look Up. Other winners included Nanfu Wang for her documentary In the Same Breath, Ted Harris for writing Ted Melfi's The Starling starring Melissa McCarthy and Kevin Kline, and Marissa Jo Cerar for penning the "Mother and Son" episode of ABC's anthology series Women of the Movement. Humanitas Prizes have been handed out since 1973 to empower television and film writers whose work explores the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way. Writers across 10 categories receive $10,000 cash prizes.

Humanitas New Voices Fellowship is a four-month mentorship program for emerging television and screenwriters. Through mentorship, workshops, conversations on professional development, and networking opportunities, New Voices equips writers with the tools needed to advance their careers. As Fellows, they will each be paired with award-winning writers or showrunners for one-on-one mentorship focused on their project and professional development. Fellows will also receive a $7,500 stipend, a suite of software including Final Draft 12, and access to classes through UCLA Extension Writers' Program, Roadmap Writers, and MasterClass.

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Welcome to the World Screens in Online Isolation Film Festival

August 27, 2022 — Welcome to the World will screen as part of the 4th Annual Online Isolation Film Festival, an event dedicated to the fight against the global coronavirus situation. The main aim of the festival is to support people in their self-isolation during these difficult times. At the same time, the festival is also dedicated to human psychological isolation due to loneliness or betrayal. Selected videos must have some concrete message and tell some story of isolation, describing a way of life in the present-day situation.

The best three videos will not only be screened online, but will be screened live in a cinema theatre. The top ten films will be screened online on the website and on social media.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

San Francisco Premiere for Welcome to the World at SF Queer Film Fest

August 18, 2022 — Welcome to the World will premiere in San Francisco as part of the SF Queer Film Fest, running in-person August 26-28, 2022, at the Delancey Street Screening Room on the Embarcadero and online August 31-September 4, 2022.

The Delancey Street Screening Room is the venue for the Director's Guild monthly screenings, dailies of films produced in San Francisco, and Academy of Motion Pictures screenings. The screening room has been rented by film industry professionals including Sean Penn, Robin Williams, Dennis Quaid, Charlize Theron, Bonnie Raitt, Ron Howard, and Emilio Estevez.

The SF Queer Film Fest is a showcase for innovative and ground-breaking movies by queer filmmakers, offering an alternate platform for out-of-the-box thinkers and content creators. The festival is created by filmmakers to provide opportunities to queer filmmakers who are over-looked by the mainstream LGBTQI+ festivals.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Humanitas Announces Albert M. Chan as 2022 New Voices Fellow

August 16, 2022 — Albert M. Chan has been announced as a Fellow for the prestigious 2022 Humanitas New Voices Fellowship for his work on the feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations. The other announced Fellows are Myra Aquino, Shannon TL Kearns, Devon Kerr, and Maurizio A. Ledezma.

Through mentorship, workshops, conversations on professional development, and networking opportunities, New Voices equips writers with the tools needed to advance their careers. As Fellows, they will each be paired with award-winning writers or showrunners for one-on-one mentorship focused on their project and professional development. Fellows will also receive a $7,500 stipend, a suite of software including Final Draft 12, and access to classes through UCLA Extension Writers' Program, Roadmap Writers, and MasterClass. Fellows will also be invited to attend the 2022 Humanitas Prizes Luncheon, hosted by Larry Wilmore at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on September 9th, 2022. Nkechi Okoro Carroll (All-American, The Resident, Bones) will lead the New Voices Fellowship presentations.

Humanitas honors and empowers film and televisions writers whose work explores the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way. Humanitas recognizes that each human being is a world to be discovered, celebrating the stories that explore the human experience, because the act of acknowledging our common humanity is transformational. Humanitas (The Human Family Educational and Cultural Institute) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with no religious affiliation.

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Humanitas Announces Incarnations as a Finalist for Prestigious New Voices Fellowship

August 2, 2022 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has been announced as one of the 11 finalists for the prestigious 2022 Humanitas New Voices Fellowship. Five fellows will be announced on August 15, 2022.

Humanitas New Voices Fellowship is a four-month mentorship program for emerging television and screenwriters. The program is committed to identifying and empowering five writers each year who are unrepresented and are currently working on a 30- or 60-minute pilot or feature film screenplay that upholds the mission of Humanitas. Through mentorship, workshops, conversations on professional development, and networking opportunities, New Voices equips writers with the tools needed to advance their careers. Fellows will also be invited to attend the 2022 Humanitas Prizes Luncheon, which is currently planned as an in-person event in Beverly Hills, California on September 9th, 2022.

Since 2010, 50 fellows have completed the New Voices program and advanced to become showrunners, producers, directors, and staff writers. Former New Voices fellows include Will Pascoe (Absentia), J. Holtham (Supergirl, Jessica Jones), Jeanine Daniels (Snowfall), Rashaad Ernesto Greene (The Chi, Searching for Alaska), Carlito Rodriguez (Empire), Emily Silver (Finding Carter), Martin Zimmerman (Ozark), and more. Former mentors include: Alan Ball, Jenny Bicks, Janine Sherman Barrois, Matt Carlson, Carter Covington, Liz Craft, Sarah Fain, Tom Fontana, Gary Glasberg, Gary David Goldberg, Marc Guggenheim, Hart Hanson, Chris Harris, Felicia Henderson, Winnie Holzman, David Hudgins, Jason Katims, Jay Kogen, Bill Lawrence, Ali LeRoi, Melanie Marnich, Nancy Pimental, Rashad Raisani, Robin Schiff, David Shore, Patrick Sean Smith, Robin Swicord, Pam Veasey, Ben Watkins, and David Zuckerman.

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Andrew Chan-Possemato Win Best 1st Time Filmmaker for The Butler and the Ball

August 1, 2022 — At an award ceremony this past weekend, ten-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato won the award for Best 1st Time Filmmaker for The Butler and the Ball at the NYC-based Fentress Student Film Festival. Festival director Samantha Bozin remarked, "This film is so awesome... super-original concept... so well done, super creative." Andrew was also nominated for Best Director (Youth Student) and Best Youth Actor/Actress.

The Butler and the Ball, which was one of 25 films selected from hundreds of submissions from 20 countries, is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer. The film was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film has screened in France, Wales, India, Iran, Romania, Estonia, The Czech Republic, England, South Korea, Australia, Serbia, Greece, Canada, and the United States. Awards include Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film at the Children's International Film Festival of Wales, Best Young Director - Live Action at the Atlanta Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, Best Junior Filmmaker at Sanctuary International Film Festival in Australia, Best Narrative Film, Under 12 at the International KidsNFilm Festival, First Prize in the Fictional Movie Made by Filmmakers up to 10 Years of Age category at A-FilmTeensFest in the Czech Republic, the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay of a Short Film and Jury Special Mention—Child Actor at Children Short Film Festival in England and France, and Best Youth - 18 at Alder International Short Film Festival.

The Butler and the Ball Nominated for Three Awards at NYC-Based Fentress Student Film Festival

July 29, 2022 — At an award nomination ceremony last night, ten-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato was nominated for three awards at the NYC-based Fentress Student Film Festival for The Butler and the Ball: Best Director (Youth Student), Best 1st Time Filmmaker, and Best Youth Actor/Actress. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Saturday, July 30, 2022, at 6pm EDT on the festival's Youtube channel.

Incarnations Selected as Top 10 Finalist for Table Read My Screenplay Genre Screenplay Competition

July 26, 2022 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations is a Top 10 finalist in the Table Read My Screenplay Genre Screenplay Competition in the Horror/Scifi genre. Finalists will now be considered for genre awards and the grand prize, as well as the Legion M Film Scout Award, which will be announced on August 16, 2022.

In previous years, the Grand Prize Winner received a professional table read in Austin, Chicago, Hollywood, London, New Orleans, and Park City. Past winners have been staffed, premiered at Cannes and been nominated for an Oscar among other successes. Six Genre Winners will receive $1000 cash each and meet with an exec from UTA, Gramercy Park, 120E Films, Circle of Confusion and more to be announced.

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Humanitas Announces Incarnations as One of 25 Semifinalists for Prestigious New Voices Fellowship

July 12, 2022 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has been announced as one of the twenty-five semi-finalists for the prestigious 2022 Humanitas New Voices Fellowship. Finalists will be announced on August 1, 2022.

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Incarnations Chosen as Quarterfinalist for Screencraft Feature Screenwriting Competition

July 12, 2022 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has been announced as a quarterfinalist in ScreenCraft Feature Screenwriting Competition, out of almost 2000 submissions. Semifinalists will be announced on August 10, 2022.

Two Grand Prize Winners will be selected for this year's competition: one by Oscar-winning writer Diana Ossana (Brokeback Mountain) and the other by Matthew Lieberman (Free Guy). Each Grand Prize Winner will receive from their respective mentor: a personalized round of notes, virtual meeting, and project development insight. The Grand Prize Winners will also be welcomed to the ScreenCraft Development Program and receive personal introductions and calls with one or more top Hollywood literary manager(s) who are looking for talented emerging writers.

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The Butler and the Ball to Screen in NYC-Based Fentress Student Film Festival

July 11, 2022 — The Butler and the Ball screens online at the NYC-based Fentress Student Film Festival from July 25-30, 2022, here, where all films in the festival can be viewed for a $2 fee. On Thursday, July 28, 2022, at 9pm, Samantha Bozin, the festival director, will be on their Youtube channel talking about The Butler and the Ball and four other films screening this week.

Incarnations Chosen as Quarterfinalist for Screencraft Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenwriting Competition

July 6, 2022 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has been announced as a quarterfinalist in ScreenCraft Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenwriting Competition, out of almost 1500 submissions. Semifinalists will be announced on August 3, 2022.

The jury of the competition features the showrunner of The Expanse and executives from companies behind Stranger Things, The Witcher, Upgrade, and Shadow & Bone.

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The Butler and the Ball Returns to Screen in the UK

July 5, 2022 — The Butler and the Ball screens in the United Kingdom at the 5th annual Swindon Independent (International) Film Festival on Monday, July 18, 2022, at 6pm BST, at the Shoebox Theatre in Swindon, UK. The Butler and the Ball screens in the first session of the festival, devoted to Young Filmmakers & Youth Films and Local Showcase & More. Tickets are available here.

The Butler and the Ball will participate in the Youth Film (Under 18) category. The Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts (PQA), the largest provider of film and television training for young people in the UK, is sponsoring the Youth Film (under 18) category, which is open to all young filmmakers, youth groups, and schools internationally.

Initially part of Swindon Fringe Festival, the Swindon Independent (International) Film Festival is now a sister event running separately.

The Butler and the Ball previously screened in the UK at the Children's International Film Festival of Wales where it won Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film and at the Children Short Film Festival where it won Best Original Screenplay of a Short Film and Jury Special Mention—Child Actor.

Incarnations Selected as Semifinalist for Table Read My Screenplay Genre Screenplay Competition

July 5, 2022 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations is one of 16 semifinalists the Table Read My Screenplay Genre Screenplay Competition in the Horror/Scifi genre. Semifinalists will now be considered for genre awards and the grand prize, as well as the Legion M Film Scout Award. The top 10 finalists will be announced on July 26, 2022.

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Incarnations Moves on to Quarterfinals of Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Competition

June 30, 2022 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has moved on to the quarterfinal round of the Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Competition . All writers that advanced were identified with either a stand-out project and/or a voice that is being sought in Hollywood. Semifinalists will be announced on July 8, 2022.

The Nashville Film Festival (NashFilm) is a globally-recognized non-profit organization and cultural event presenting the best in world cinema, American independent films and documentaries by veteran masters, up-and-coming directors, and first-time filmmakers. With Academy Award® qualifying status, the Nashville Film Festival celebrates innovation, music and the many voices of the human spirit through the art of film. Originally founded in 1969, the Nashville Film Festival is one of the first film festivals in the United States and will present its 53rd annual festival September 29 - October 5, 2022. NashFilm discovers, elevates, and honors filmmakers, screenwriters and music makers from Tennessee and around the world while engaging, connecting and strengthening the Nashville community.

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The Butler and the Ball Airs on Regional TV in Oklahoma

June 28, 2022 — The Butler and the Ball airs on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, from 7-10pm CST on a special Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival Showcase on RSUTV, a regional public television station at Rogers State University in Oklahoma.

The Butler and the Ball premiered in Oklahoma last year at the Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival in the historic town of Claremore on Route 66, the hometown of Will Rogers, who was the #1 movie star in America in 1934.

The Butler and the Ball is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer. The film was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film has screened in France, Wales, India, Iran, Romania, Estonia, South Korea, Australia, Serbia, Greece, Canada, and the United States. Awards include Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film at the Children's International Film Festival of Wales, Best Young Director - Live Action at the Atlanta Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, Best Junior Filmmaker at Sanctuary International Film Festival in Australia, First Prize in the Fictional Movie Made by Filmmakers up to 10 Years of Age category at A-FilmTeensFest in the Czech Republic, the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival, and Best Youth - 18 at Alder International Short Film Festival.

Incarnations Selected as Quarterfinalist for Table Read My Screenplay Genre Screenplay Competition

June 23, 2022 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has moved on to the quarterfinal round of the Table Read My Screenplay Genre Screenplay Competition in the Horror/Scifi genre. Semifinalists will be announced on July 5, 2022.

In previous years, the Grand Prize Winner received a profession table read in Austin, Chicago, Hollywood, London, New Orleans, and Park City. Past winners have been staffed, premiered at Cannes and been nominated for an Oscar among other successes. Six Genre Winners will receive $1000 cash each and meet with an exec from UTA, Gramercy Park, 120E Films, Circle of Confusion and more to be announced.

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Welcome to the World to Screen in London at Queer Asia

June 16, 2022 — Welcome to the World will screen on Friday, June 17, at the University of Oxford from 12:30-2:30pm BST and at ONCA Gallery in Brighton, UK, from 7-9pm BST as part of Queer Asia Film Festival 2022, where this year's theme is Survival. Tickets are available for free here. The festival runs June 16-30, 2022, at venues including the British Museum, London School of Economics and Political Science, University of Warwick, and University of Oxford.

During its existence, Queer Asia has also attracted extensive media coverage including BBC Impact and BBC World News, Rife Magazine, Gay Star News, CUNTemporary, The Guardian, and Attitude Magazine.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Announces Incarnations as Quarterfinalist

June 1, 2022 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has been announced as a quarterfinalist in the Fall 2022 WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Screenwriting Lab.

WeScreenplay Diverse Voices encourages stories told by writers of color, women writers, writers with disabilities, writers over 40, writers in the LGBTQ+ community, and any other voices that have historically been ignored by Hollywood. Semifinalists will be announced on June 24, 2022. Three to four winners will participate in mentorship and meetings with industry professionals in the Screenwriting Lab.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is a "Black List Endorsed" script about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project won First Place in the Best Screenplay competition at the Oscar-accredited 2021 Rhode Island International Film Festival, and was a finalist for the Tracking Board Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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The Butler and the Ball Awarded Best Short Film at European Youth Film Festival

May 31, 2022 — The Butler and the Ball has been awarded Best Short Film (up to 15 years old) at the May 2022 European Youth Film Festival, which encourages youngsters to create, to innovate, and to communicate amongst themselves regarding art.

The Butler and the Ball is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer. The film was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film has screened in France, Wales, India, Iran, Romania, Estonia, South Korea, Australia, Serbia, Greece, Canada, and the United States. Awards include Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film at the Children's International Film Festival of Wales, Best Young Director - Live Action at the Atlanta Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, Best Junior Filmmaker at Sanctuary International Film Festival in Australia, First Prize in the Fictional Movie Made by Filmmakers up to 10 Years of Age category at A-FilmTeensFest in the Czech Republic, the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival, and Best Youth - 18 at Alder International Short Film Festival.

Incarnations Named Quarterfinalist for Emerging Screenwriters Drama Screenplay Competition

May 3, 2022 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has moved on as as a quarterfinalist for the International Screenwriters' Association (ISA) and Emerging Screenwriters Drama Screenplay Competition. Semifinalists will be announced on May 24, 2022.

One Grand Prize Winner will be a standard drama, and the other will be a "genre busting drama"—part drama, part other genre(s) that makes it an overall exciting, marketable script; they are works that defy traditional genre definitions and are prized within the industry, as such works reach out to diverse, often underserved audiences.

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The Butler and the Ball Premieres in Pennsylvania

April 23, 2022 — After being postponed for almost two years, The Butler and the Ball finally premieres in Pennsylvania at the West Chester Film Festival, on April 23, 2022, at 11am, as part of the Young Filmmaker Film Festival at the Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center Bravo Mainstage Theater.

The Butler and the Ball, which was one of over 60 films selected from around the world, is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer. The film was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film has screened in France, Wales, India, Iran, Romania, Estonia, South Korea, Australia, Serbia, Greece, Canada, and the United States. Awards include Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film at the Children's International Film Festival of Wales, Best Young Director - Live Action at the Atlanta Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, Best Junior Filmmaker at Sanctuary International Film Festival in Australia, First Prize in the Fictional Movie Made by Filmmakers up to 10 Years of Age category at A-FilmTeensFest in the Czech Republic, the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival, and Best Youth - 18 at Alder International Short Film Festival.

The 16th Annual West Chester Film Festival consists of three festivals in one: the West Chester Film Festival, West Chester Family Film Festival, and West Chester Young Filmmaker Film Festival. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the West Chester Film Festival's goal is to present a self-sustaining annual film festival giving a voice to up-and-coming artists.

Incarnations Selected as Semifinalist in New York International Screenplay Awards

April 20, 2022 — The feature screenplay Incarnations has been selected as a semifinalist in the New York International Screenplay Awards. The award ceremony will be at DROM in the East Village, on May 5th, 2022.

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Incarnations Named Semifinalist for Inroads Screenwriting Fellowship

April 15, 2022 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has been named a semifinalist for Season 5 of the Inroads Screenwriting Fellowship. Writers will receive an invitation to Filmmatic's annual Sundance networking event.

The competition, sponsored by InkTip, Screenwriting Staffing, and Filmmatic.com, locates, exposes and nurtures up-and-coming screenwriters who have yet to receive their invitation to the mainstream industry.

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The Butler and the Ball Screens in San Francisco Bay Area

April 5, 2022 — The Butler and the Ball has been officially selected for the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival, named one of the Top 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee in 2021 by MovieMaker Magazine. The screening for Youth and Student Films will be on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, at 3pm, in Gilroy, California at the historic District Theater in Downtown Gilroy. Tickets are available here.

The Poppy Jasper International Film Festival takes place April 6-13, 2022, just south of Silicon Valley in San Benito County, California, in the historic downtown districts of Morgan Hill, Gilroy, San Martin, Hollister, and San Juan Bautista. The festival's name is drawn from a semiprecious mineral found only in this region.

The Poppy Jasper International Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been entertaining audiences in the greater San Francisco Bay area for more than 15 years. Their missions is to promote inclusion, diversity, and women empowerment; educate people of all ages about filmmaking; and encourage everyone to find their voice through film.

The Butler and the Ball, an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film has screened in France, Wales, India, Iran, Romania, Estonia, South Korea, Australia, Serbia, Greece, Canada, and the United States. Awards include Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film at the Children's International Film Festival of Wales, Best Young Director - Live Action at the Atlanta Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, Best Junior Filmmaker at Sanctuary International Film Festival in Australia, First Prize in the Fictional Movie Made by Filmmakers up to 10 Years of Age category at A-FilmTeensFest in the Czech Republic, the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival, and Best Youth - 18 at Alder International Short Film Festival.

The Commitment to Premiere in Home Country of Canada

March 15, 2022 — The Commitment will premiere in writer/director Albert M. Chan's native country of Canada at the 2022 Muskoka Queer Film Festival, running March 18-20, 2022.

The Commitment will be livestreamed on Friday, March 18, at 7pm, along with 3 other films. The livestream will remain available for 24 hours in the private group.

The Commitment is one of 14 films that will be broadcast online for the duration of the festival. Pay-what-you-can tickets ($25 recommended donation) can be purchased here.

The Muskoka Queer Film Festival aims to bring a queer brightness to Muskoka and to make diverse queer life more visible in the region, showing the public all the bright sides of queer life and to inspire and support the local LQBTQI2S community with positive role models. The Muskoka Queer Film Festival champions queer film stories that carry an uplifting attitude and show the examples of overcoming the challenges of existing in the cis-gendered heterosexual (cis-hetero) world or that demonstrate the beauty and spirit of lesbian, gay, bi or trans life, culture, and relationships.

Muskoka Queer Film Festival is a joint project of Muskoka Pride, the Government of Canada's FedNor (Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario), and Sanctuary Studios. Located in the heart of Ontario's cottage country, the Muskoka Queer Film Festival attracts audiences from Toronto to North Bay, from Haliburton to London, and far beyond.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 40 film festivals on six continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs and on the Queerbee streaming platform. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

The Butler and the Ball to Premiere in Bangladesh

March 4, 2022 — The Butler and the Ball has been selected in the Child Filmmakers' Section for the 2022 International Children's Film Festival Bangladesh, running March 5-11, 2022, at the Bangladesh Film Archive in Agargaon, Dhaka, as the main venue. The Butler and the Ball will screen on Thursday, March 10, 2022, at 11am (local time), in a session alongside films from France, Poland, and the Russian Federation.

There will be additional screenings in 8 divisional cities of Bangladesh, which are Dhaka, Chattagram, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Sylhet, Rangpur and Rajshahi. The screening dates of other venues will be announced soon.

International Children's Film Festival Bangladesh is an annual film festival held countrywide, which showcases full-length features, shorts, experimental films made for and by children, from around the world. Founded in 2008, it is the biggest film festival in Bangladesh and also the only international film festival for children and young adults in the country.

The festival is a program of the Children's Film Society Bangladesh (CFS), a youth-led organization working for children on the issue of the film. CFS seeks to impact the entire film industry of Bangladesh by inspiring the upcoming generation of filmmakers and offering them a bigger platform to exercise and exhibit their talent.

The Butler and the Ball, an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film has screened in France, Wales, India, Iran, Romania, Estonia, South Korea, Australia, Serbia, Greece, Canada, and the United States. Awards include Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film at the Children's International Film Festival of Wales, Best Young Director - Live Action at the Atlanta Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, Best Junior Filmmaker at Sanctuary International Film Festival in Australia, First Prize in the Fictional Movie Made by Filmmakers up to 10 Years of Age category at A-FilmTeensFest in the Czech Republic, the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay of a Short Film and Jury Special Mention—Child Actor at Children Short Film Festival in England and France, and Best Youth - 18 at Alder International Short Film Festival.

The Butler and the Ball to Premiere in Maryland

March 2, 2022 — The Butler and the Ball will screen in the Youth Shorts category for the 2022 Ocean City Film Festival in Ocean City, Maryland.

The film will screen on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at 5:30pm, at Fox Theatres in Ocean City, and also online from Thursday, March 3, 12pm through Wednesday, March 9 on the Eventive platform. Passes can be reserved here.

The festival is hosted by the Art League of Ocean City, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to bringing the visual arts to the community through education, exhibits, scholarship programs and public service projects. Financial support is provided by the Worcester County Arts Council, Maryland State Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Butler and the Ball, an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film has screened in France, Wales, India, Iran, Romania, Estonia, South Korea, Australia, Serbia, Greece, Canada, and the United States. Awards include Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film at the Children's International Film Festival of Wales, Best Young Director - Live Action at the Atlanta Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, Best Junior Filmmaker at Sanctuary International Film Festival in Australia, First Prize in the Fictional Movie Made by Filmmakers up to 10 Years of Age category at A-FilmTeensFest in the Czech Republic, the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay of a Short Film and Jury Special Mention—Child Actor at Children Short Film Festival in England and France, and Best Youth - 18 at Alder International Short Film Festival.

Fate Scores Sent to Ukraine-Poland Border for Ukrainian Refugee Families

February 28, 2022 — Albert M. Chan's first film as director, Fate Scores, has been sent to the Ukraine-Poland border where families with children are waiting long hours to cross the border and get transport.

The nonprofit Psaroloco Media Literacy Project/Labs, winner of a 2021 UNESCO Global Media and Information Literacy Award, is requesting films for children with NO DIALOGUE, ANY LENGTH, RIGHTS AND FEES WAIVED to play in Przemyśl, Medyka, and other points along the Poland-Ukraine border. Downloadable films can be sent to: bccffpoland@gmail.com

Soultana Tatiana Koumoutsi, CEO and Founder of the Psaroloco Media Literacy Project/Labs, writes, "Many mothers/ families are currently waiting in line at the border with their children for 12 hrs at a time in the cold. Once they cross, they have to wait further for transport. Exhausted, having to keep it together for their kids. Everything is progressing dramatically and we are trying to move fast. We are scrambling to set up a points in Przemyśl, Medyka, and literally along the crossing where mothers wait either to cross or for transport with their children. Holding screenings and distractions for children is crucial in giving the little ones a moment of light through the trauma, and the mothers a moment to breathe. And hopefully see a smile on some of the children's faces."

Fate Scores was written, directed, and produced by Chan, and edited and shot by Aaron Howland of 7 Fluid Oz. Productions. Albert M. Chan and Heidi Rhodes star in this experimental silent film about isolation, connection, and chance. Two strangers, a guitarist (Chan) and an introspective young woman (Rhodes), cross paths at a city park bench. One by one, additional strangers join the pair on the bench - a distressed woman in a foot cast, an insecure jogger, a famished pregnant woman, an insecure businessman, a curious child with an ice cream cone, two quarrelsome women, and a dignified collector of soda cans. Amidst a whirlwind of interactions that lead to both harmony and discord, the guitarist and the young woman eventually discover they have something special in common.

Fate Scores was recognized by the National Film Board of Canada and is distributed by Moving Images Distribution.

Incarnations Moves on as Semifinalist in Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition

February 27, 2022 — The feature screenplay Incarnations moves on as a semifinalist in the 14th Annual Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition. Finalists will be announced March 11, 2022.

Now approaching its 46th year, the Atlanta Film Festival–an Academy Award®-qualifying festival–is the Southeast's preeminent celebration of cinema and the flagship production of the Atlanta Film Society. One of the largest and longest-running festivals in the country, the Atlanta Film Festival showcases both emerging and established artists' works. Recent festivals have seen audiences of over 28,000 film-lovers joining over 300 attending filmmakers in support of moving images that push the boundaries of independent cinema.

The 2022 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition is devoted to finding the best screenplays from around the world and offering their authors the opportunity to take part in a once in a lifetime writing workshop and mentorship with professionals in the film industry. Winners of the Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition have gone on to be honored by The Black List, selected for the Sundance Directors' Lab, sign with representation, option their winning scripts, and write/direct critically and commercially successful indie films.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is a "Black List Endorsed" script about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project won First Place in the Best Screenplay competition at the upcoming Oscar-accredited 2022 Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival, and was a finalist for the Tracking Board Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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The Butler and the Ball Premieres in the United Arab Emirates

February 22, 2022 — The Butler and the Ball will screen at Expo 2020 Dubai as part of The Great Indian Film Festival, running March 7-9, 2022, in Dubai.

The Butler and the Ball will screen on March 7 at 10:25pm in the Indian Pavilion. The session will kick off at 8pm with India's Bittu, one of ten shortlisted films in the Live Action Short Film category for last year's 93rd Academy Awards.

Over 50 short films and documentaries from 18 countries will be presented over 3 days. This year's jury consists of Indian actors Gajraj Rao, Gulshan Grover and Jaaved Jaaferi, French producer Bruno Smadja, Dr Rebecca, and Richard Trombly who has worked for The Hollywood Reporter.

The Butler and the Ball Wins Best Junior Filmmaker Award in Australia

February 22, 2022 — Director Andrew Chan-Possemato received his trophy today for winning Best Junior Filmmaker at the recent Sanctuary International Film Festival in Australia for his film The Butler and the Ball.

Incarnations Achieves "The Black List Endorsed/Recommended" Status

February 19, 2022 — The feature screenplay Incarnations has achieved "Endorsed/Recommended" status on the influential The Black List.

According to The Black List readers:

"INCARNATIONS IS A SUPERBLY WRITTEN, RICHLY COMPELLING MEDICAL DRAMA, WHICH TOYS WITH THE MAGIC OF SPIRITUALITY FROM A STANDPOINT OF SCIENCE IN A WAY THAT ACTUALLY FEELS FEASIBLE. THE DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION IS PERFECTLY TIMED AND PACED, CREATING AN ENGROSSING MYSTERY, DELIVERED WITH A CURT ELOQUENCE... THE FINAL SEQUENCE IN FRANCE IS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING; EMOTIONALLY GUTTING; WHILE DEEPLY LIFE-AFFIRMING... SIMULTANEOUSLY SMART, DIFFERENT, EXPERTLY RENDERED AND ULTIMATELY PROFOUND... THIS IS THE TYPE OF WORK THAT SHOULD HAVE AN EASY TIME FINDING CHAMPIONS, AND WOULD FIT PERFECTLY WITHIN THE CATALOGUES OF ANY ONE OF THE MAJOR STREAMERS."

Industry members with an active account on The Black List can download the script here.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project won First Place in the Best Screenplay competition at the upcoming Oscar-accredited 2022 Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival, and was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

Atlanta Film Festival Selects Incarnations as Screenplay Competition Quarterfinalist

February 17, 2022 — The 14th Annual Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition has selected the feature screenplay Incarnations as a quarterfinalist. Semifinalists will be announced February 25, 2022.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is a "Black List Endorsed" script about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project won First Place in the Best Screenplay competition at the upcoming Oscar-accredited 2022 Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival, and was a finalist for the Tracking Board Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

The Black List:

Bluecat:

WeScreenplay:

The Butler and the Ball to Return to Greece

February 14, 2022 — The Butler and the Ball has been selected for the 2022 Psaroloco International Children's & Young People's Film Festival, running April 16-17, 2022, in Pireas, Greece, a port city in the Athens urban area. The film will be screened with Greek subtitles in the session Short Films Made by Children, which will be shown online for free on the Psaroloco website.

Psaroloco International Children's & Young People's Film Festival is a program of the nonprofit Psaroloco Media Literacy Project/Labs, winner of a 2021 UNESCO Global Media and Information Literacy Award.

The Butler and the Ball previously screened in Greece last December in the International Competition of the 21st Annual Camera Zizanio in the city of Pyrgos, Greece.

The Butler and the Ball, an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film has screened in France, Wales, India, Iran, Romania, Estonia, South Korea, Australia, Serbia, Greece, Bangladesh, Canada, and the United States. Awards include Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film at the Children's International Film Festival of Wales, Best Young Director - Live Action at the Atlanta Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, Best Junior Filmmaker at Sanctuary International Film Festival in Australia, First Prize in the Fictional Movie Made by Filmmakers up to 10 Years of Age category at A-FilmTeensFest in the Czech Republic, the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay of a Short Film and Jury Special Mention—Child Actor at Children Short Film Festival in England and France, and Best Youth - 18 at Alder International Short Film Festival.

Incarnations Continues to Trend on The Black List

February 11, 2022 — The feature screenplay Incarnations continues to be a "TRENDING SCRIPT" on the influential The Black List. According to a Black List reader, "INCARNATIONS is a superbly written, richly compelling medical drama, which toys with the magic of spirituality from a standpoint of science in a way that actually feels feasible. The dissemination of information is perfectly timed and paced, creating an engrossing mystery, delivered with a curt eloquence... The final sequence in France is absolutely stunning; emotionally gutting; while deeply life-affirming... Simultaneously smart, different, expertly rendered and ultimately profound... This is the type of work that should have an easy time finding champions, and would fit perfectly within the catalogues of any one of the major streamers."

Industry members with an active account on The Black List can download the script here.

The Black List:

Bluecat:

WeScreenplay:

The Butler and the Ball to Premiere in Hawai‘i

February 11, 2022 — The Butler and the Ball has been selected for the 2022 University of Hawai‘i at Manoa KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, presented by DreamWorks and Outreach College, running February 12-21, 2022. Screening of 100+ award-winning films from 25 nations made by and for children ages 2 to 18+ will take place on the Eventive platform, with age-appropriate groupings of films. All films stream free of charge. Passes can be reserved here.

The Butler and the Ball will screen in the film block All Kine Kids, delightful tales of kids being kids, everywhere -- from the US, Canada, Belgium, Iran, and Mongolia. All Kine Kids is available to screen February 18-21, 2022.

KIDS FIRST! adult and child jurors write: "Absolutely charming... a wonderful fantasy... Andrew Chan-Possemato's performance is really quite good and believable... 4.5 out of 5 stars".

Affiliated with KIDS FIRST!, the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa KIDS FIRST! Film Festival has entertained families with free screenings of quality film and television programming since 2007. The KIDS FIRST! program is an initiative of The Coalition for Quality Children's Media, a national, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1991 whose mission is to teach children critical viewing skills and to increase the visibility and availability of quality children's media.

The Butler and the Ball, an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film has screened in France, Wales, India, Iran, Romania, Estonia, South Korea, Australia, Serbia, Greece, Canada, and the United States. Awards include Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film at the Children's International Film Festival of Wales, Best Young Director - Live Action at the Atlanta Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, Best Junior Filmmaker at Sanctuary International Film Festival in Australia, First Prize in the Fictional Movie Made by Filmmakers up to 10 Years of Age category at A-FilmTeensFest in the Czech Republic, the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay of a Short Film and Jury Special Mention—Child Actor at Children Short Film Festival in England and France, and Best Youth - 18 at Alder International Short Film Festival.

Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest Selects Incarnations as Quarterfinalist

February 3, 2022 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has been selected as a quarterfinalist by the Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest.

For over 25 years, Final Draft has been the industry standard, used by 95% of film and television productions. Final Draft continues to unearth the best new talent through the Big Break Screenwriting Contest, which every year awards over $100,000 in cash and prizes, and has launched the careers of countless new screenwriters.

The Black List:

Bluecat:

"THE WRITER DOES A GREAT JOB OF KEEPING THE READER OFF KILTER FROM THE VERY BEGINNING... FROM THAT MOMENT ON, THE READER IS FULLY INVESTED IN THE SCRIPT AND WON'T STOP READING TILL THE END... THE DIALOGUE IN THE SCRIPT ABSOLUTELY CRACKLES... THE WRITER DOES SO WELL TO WRITE SOMETHING THAT SOARS EMOTIONALLY WITHOUT EVER FEELING SENTIMENTAL, CLOYING, OR FALSE... THE SCRIPT IS TRULY UNIQUE. IT'S UNLIKE ANYTHING THE READER HAS SEEN BEFORE: A FASCINATING PREMISE WITH AN ENTHRALLING WORLD."

WeScreenplay:

Incarnations Trends on The Black List

January 5, 2022 — The feature screenplay Incarnations is now a "TRENDING SCRIPT" on the influential The Black List. According to a Black List reader: "Thought-provoking, mindblowing, and heartfelt, Incarnations blends science-fiction, spirituality, and pathos to create something wholly new and memorable... Incarnations hooks our attention immediately with its mindblowing high concept. The execution that follows is thoughtful and human... incredibly powerful and stirring, a unique catharsis only this script and this concept can deliver."

Industry members with an active account on The Black List can download the script here.

The Black List:

Bluecat:

WeScreenplay:

Andrew Chan-Possemato to be Featured in Daily Online Magazine News-o-Matic

January 3, 2022 — The Butler and the Ball has been selected for the 2022 KIDS FIRST!/News-O-Matic Film Festival, presented by News-o-Matic, the Daily News Just for Kids, which publishes a daily online magazine for 600,000 middle-school students. Each day during the week of January 10, a variety of films from the festival and their creators will be spotlighted to showcase the filmmaking process and help inspire kids to be their own storytellers someday. The Butler and the Ball will start streaming online for free on Friday, January 14, 2021, at 3am EST, when the theme will be Foreign Insights. To pre-order your free access and watch films on other days, visit here. The audience will be able to vote for their favorite film until the end of the festival on January 17.

Thousands of U.S. schools read News-o-Matic texts as part of their nonfiction literacy curriculum. Articles cover global politics, history, sports, science, tech, arts, and entertainment.

The festival is affiliated with KIDS FIRST!, an initiative of The Coalition for Quality Children's Media, a national, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1991 whose mission is to teach children critical viewing skills and to increase the visibility and availability of quality children's media.

The Butler and the Ball, an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film has screened in France, Wales, India, Iran, Romania, Estonia, South Korea, Australia, Serbia, Greece, Canada, and the United States. Awards include Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film at the Children's International Film Festival of Wales, Best Young Director - Live Action at the Atlanta Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, Best Junior Filmmaker at Sanctuary International Film Festival in Australia, First Prize in the Fictional Movie Made by Filmmakers up to 10 Years of Age category at A-FilmTeensFest in the Czech Republic, the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay of a Short Film and Jury Special Mention—Child Actor at Children Short Film Festival in England and France, and Best Youth - 18 at Alder International Short Film Festival.

Welcome to the World Wins Golden Elephant for Best Mental Health Short Film

December 27, 2021 — Welcome to the World, which was part of the 2021 lineup for the Europe-based Short Film Breaks, has won the Golden Elephant for Best Mental Health Short Film, which comes with a cash prize. The Silver Elephant went to As a Fish Out of Water from Italy, and the Bronze Elephant went to Spoon from the United States.

Short Film Breaks is the only film festival taking place within private companies, public and non-profit organizations, in a bid to offer smart break opportunities while promoting the independent movie industry around the world. Created by filmmakers and human resources people, Short Film Breaks creates a bridge between hard to distribute films (especially independent short films) and hard to reach audiences (employees and beneficiaries from our partner companies and NGOs and people living in remote villages around the world).

For this edition, Short Film Breaks is taking place in the following organizations: UBIS Club, DXC Technology, Estuar Foundation, Fortuna, Casa Pariurilor, Total, IBM, Intelactsoft and DataDiggers. There will also be screenings in 19 rural communities from 7 countries (Nepal, Indonesia, Kenya, Tanzania, Romania, Senegal and Guatemala) with EduCab and their local partners. Finally, there will be a public Action. On Mental Health event for the Romanian mental health community, organized in partnership with Estuar Foundation and Mental Health Europe.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

The Butler and the Ball Wins Special Jury Mention in India

December 24, 2021 — Andrew Chan-Possemato and The Butler and the Ball earned a Special Jury Mention for being the youngest director at the third edition of the Ahmedabad International Children Film Festival, which ran December 24-25, 2021, in India. The Butler and the Ball was one of 49 films selected by the jury and festival director from submissions originating from 31 countries.

The Butler and the Ball, an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film has screened in France, Wales, India, Iran, Romania, Estonia, South Korea, Australia, Serbia, Greece, Canada, and the United States. Awards include Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film at the Children's International Film Festival of Wales, Best Young Director - Live Action at the Atlanta Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, Best Junior Filmmaker at Sanctuary International Film Festival in Australia, First Prize in the Fictional Movie Made by Filmmakers up to 10 Years of Age category at A-FilmTeensFest in the Czech Republic, the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay of a Short Film and Jury Special Mention—Child Actor at Children Short Film Festival in England and France, and Best Youth - 18 at Alder International Short Film Festival.

The Butler and the Ball Wins Screenplay and Acting Awards at British/French Film Festival

December 19, 2021 — Andrew Chan-Possemato won a Jury Special Mention—Child Actor for his starring performance in The Butler and the Ball at the recent 2021 Children Short Film Festival, an annual competitive film festival held in Paris and London on December 8-10, 2021, that featured films about, for, or by children. Co-writers Andrew Chan-Possemato and Albert M. Chan also picked up the award for Best Original Screenplay of a Short Film. The Butler and the Ball was one of 43 films selected for the festival from over 3,000 entries.

Second Indian Festival for The Butler and the Ball

December 19, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball has been selected for the third edition of the Ahmedabad International Children Film Festival, running December 24-25, 2021, in India. The Butler and the Ball is one of 49 films selected by the jury and festival director from submissions originating from 31 countries, and will screen only once online at 8:30am EST (7pm IST) on Christmas Day here. The screening is free.

The Butler and the Ball is also currently screening in India at the 2021 Kidz Cinema in Mumbai, as part of the Kids-Made Films (JUNIORS) competition. From November 20 through December 20, The Butler and the Ball can be viewed on the MovieSaints platform here.

The Butler and the Ball, an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film has screened in France, Wales, India, Iran, Romania, Estonia, South Korea, Australia, Serbia, Greece, Canada, and the United States. Awards include Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film at the Children's International Film Festival of Wales, Best Young Director - Live Action at the Atlanta Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, Best Junior Filmmaker at Sanctuary International Film Festival in Australia, First Prize in the Fictional Movie Made by Filmmakers up to 10 Years of Age category at A-FilmTeensFest in the Czech Republic, the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival, Best Original Screenplay of a Short Film and Jury Special Mention—Child Actor at Children Short Film Festival in England and France, and Best Youth - 18 at Alder International Short Film Festival.

French Premiere for The Butler and the Ball at Children Short Film Festival

December 7, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball has been selected for the official competition at the 2021 Children Short Film Festival, an annual competitive film festival held in Paris and London on December 8-10, 2021, that features films about, for, or by children. The Butler and the Ball is one of 43 films selected from over 3,000 entries.

The Butler and the Ball will be screened on December 8, 2021, at 10am London time, at Magica Cinémathequè, an online arthouse theater showing films that have been screened and awarded at film festivals, with a library containing more than 10,000 international films.

The Butler and the Ball Wins Jury Special Mention in India at Kidz Cinema

December 1, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball received a Jury Special Mention in India at the 2021 Kidz Cinema in Mumbai, as part of the Kids-Made Films (JUNIORS) competition. From November 20 through December 20, The Butler and the Ball can be viewed on the MovieSaints platform here.

The start of Kidz Cinema coincides with World Children's Day, which is celebrated on November 20 each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children's welfare. The theme of this year's festival will be Stories of Positivity.

Greek Premiere for The Butler and the Ball at Camera Zizanio

December 1, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball has been officially selected for the International Competition of the 21st Annual Camera Zizanio, which shows films created by children and young people under 20 years of age. The 21st Camera Zizanio takes place in-person from November 27-December 4, 2021, in the city of Pyrgos, Greece. The Butler and the Ball screens on December 2, 2021, at 10:30am local time, at the Pyrgos Conference Hall.

The festival will also take place digitally from December 4-14, 2021, on their online platform along with the 24th Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People.

The European Meeting of Young People's Audiovisual Creation – Camera Zizanio began in 2001 as an initiative for youth in the framework of the Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People. More than 80 young filmmakers, mostly from Europe, attend the Festival in order to present their films and participate in the international film workshop Mythos Project.

The Butler and the Ball Wins First Prize in Czech Republic

November 30, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball has won first prize in Category 1A – Fictional Movie Made by Filmmakers up to 10 Years of Age in the Czech Republic at the A-FilmTeensFest International Online Children and Youth Film Festival, running November 14-December 5, 2021. The film screens in the film block DÁRECKY OD NEJMLADŠÍCH (Gifts from the Youngest).

The award ceremony will take place in the Prague cinema Kino Pilotû on Saturday, December 4, and will be moderated by Czech celebrity. On December 5, the most successful award-winning films will be screened.

A-FilmTeensFest started in December 2019 in the Kino Světozor art cinema in Prague as Teenfilmfest.cz, and in 2020 continued with screenings for schools.

The Butler and the Ball Wins Best Junior Filmmaker Award in Australia

November 29, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball won the award for Best Junior Filmmaker at the recently wrapped Sanctuary International Film Festival, which took place at The Village Theatre in Sanctuary Cove, Queensland, Australia.

Welcome to the World to Raise Funds for Suicide Prevention Film Festival

Novemeber 24, 2021 — Last year for World Suicide Prevention Day, Welcome to the World was one of five films selected by a jury and a team of experts in psychology and psychiatry for Agarra la vida (Grab Life) in Spain, a short film festival with a mission to prevent suicide and combat its stigma.

This year, Welcome to the World will be screened during the December 10-12, 2021, weekend as part of Rol Por La Esperanza, a role-playing marathon organized by the role-playing community Éxito Crítico to raise funds for the 2022 Agarra la vida and Teléfono de la Esperanza (Telephone of Hope), a permanent toll-free telephone line for suicide prevention. Last year, nearly 10,000 € was raised.

Founded in 1971, Teléfono de la Esperanza (Telephone of Hope) is an NGO with 29 centers in Spain for crisis intervention and the promotion of social-emotional health.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Incarnations Wins Best Screenplay - First Place at Rhode Island International Film Festival

November 22, 2021 — An international team of adjudicators has awarded the feature-length screenplay Incarnations with Best Screenplay - First Place at the upcoming 2022 Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival. George T. Marshall, RIIFF Executive Director/CEO, made the announcement of the awards that featured 583 entries in competition.

Ranked as one of the top 10 festivals in the United States, Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival is a qualifying festival for the Live Action, Animation, and Documentary Short Film Academy Awards through its affiliation with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and the Canadian Screen Awards. Sixty-six films that were either premiered or discovered at Rhode Island International Film Festival have gone on to receive Oscar nominations. From this pool, ten have gone on to win the coveted award. In 2019, nine films from the 2018 Festival competed in the Best Live Action, Documentary, and Animated Short categories.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

Bluecat:

WeScreenplay:

The Black List:

"THE SCRIPT'S BEST ASSET IS THOMAS: A CAPABLE, SYMPATHETIC PROTAGONIST WITH A TRAGIC PAST WEIGHING HIM DOWN AND DRIVING HIS OBSESSION, EVEN AS HIS COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS TRY TO GET HIM BACK ON TRACK — THE PUSH-AND-PULL BETWEEN CHARACTERS GIVES THE SCRIPT MUCH OF ITS HEART."

The Commitment Selected for The Fatherhood Image Film Festival in NYC

November 21, 2021 — The Commitment has been officially selected to screen in the 2021 Fatherhood Image Film Festival running December 3-4, 2021, which highlights and showcases films from the past and present with the goal to impact, gauge, and assess the images of fathers in media.

Proceeds of the Fatherhood Image Film Festival, go to the Fatherhood Image Film Project, which offers ways to assist fathers in growth and address the 24 million absent-father homes. In particular, the project exposes parents and youth to a program that enhances the understanding and practical applications of parenting in the form of their own documentary film. Participants are aided by a full curriculum and workbook that are all bolstered by the use of digital clips to drive home the emotional maturity, time management, intentions, and perseverance required to be an impacting caregiver.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 40 film festivals on six continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs and on the Queerbee streaming platform. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

The Butler and the Ball Honored in South Korea

November 20, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball was honored in South Korea at the opening ceremony of the Gimpo International Youth Film Festival, running November 20-28, 2021. The film won an International 9–12 Year Old Encourage award, and director Andrew Chan-Possemato gave a pre-recorded thank you speech.

The Butler and the Ball previously premiered in Korea at Chuncheon Film Festival.

The Butler and the Ball to Premiere in India at Kidz Cinema

November 15, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball will premiere in India at the 2021 Kidz Cinema in Mumbai, as part of the Kids-Made Films (JUNIORS) competition. From November 20 through December 20, The Butler and the Ball can be viewed on the MovieSaints platform here.

The Butler and the Ball Accepted into Boston International Kids Film Festival

November 15, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball has been accepted into the 2021 Boston International Kids Film Festival, running November 19-21, 2021, and featuring family-friendly films, both professionally and student-made, hailing from countries that span the globe. The Butler and the Ball screens in Student Narrative Films, Part 2, screening online from November 19, 7pm, to November 23, 12am. Tickets available here.

The Boston International Kids Film Festival is presented by the nonprofit 501(c)3 organization Filmmakers Collaborative, in partnership with GBH, a member station of National Public Radio and affiliate of Public Radio International. By screening student-made films from around the world while at the same time offering these young filmmakers a look at professionally-made films created just for them, Boston International Kids Film Festival enables the next generation of filmmakers to realize the power and potential of media.

The Butler and the Ball to Premiere in Serbia

November 13, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball will premiere in the Serbia at the 12th MikroFAF - International Festival of DIY and Independent Short in Belgrade, on Sunday, November 14, 2021, at 3pm local time, in the Junior Competition Programme 1. Andrew Chan-Possemato, the director of The Butler and the Ball, is the youngest director featured in this year's competitive programme of 68 films at the festival; the oldest director is 77 years old. Films are screened at the Yugoslav Film Archive, founded in 1949 and a founding member of the International Federation of Film Archives.

Since 2010, MikroFAF - International Festival of DIY and Independent Short works as a festival platform that closely follows dynamic development of non-professional creativity. The festival welcomes everyone interested in film, especially those who create film in restricted technical and/or financial conditions. Through various programs, the festival promotes and celebrates creative freedom by focusing on enthusiasm, independence, guerrilla film, inovation, amateurism, art brut, lo-fi, experimental forms, and self-organising in creativity. MikroFAF - International Festival of DIY and Independent Short inspires people of all backgrounds to learn and make experiments within the framework of film art. Selected films differ very much by the form, approach and topics covered, but many of them share similar engagement and passion in addressing social issues transcending boundaries of countries and regions.

MikroFAF - International Festival of DIY and Independent Short is organized by Satibara Association, a voluntary, non-profit and non-governmental organization founded to fight prejudices and discrimination through the art of film, promote film activism, and raise awareness of the importance of art and culture for a healthy society. The festival is also supported by the Ministry of Culture and Information of The Republic of Serbia.

The Butler and the Ball to Rescreen at International KidsNFilm Festival as First-Place Winner

November 12, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball, which was awarded Best Narrative Film in the "12 and under" category at the 2020 International KidsNFilm Festival in California, will rescreen at the 2021 International KidsNFilm Festival as a first-place winner from last year. The Butler and the Ball will anchor Screening 2, which occurs virtually on November 13, 2021, at 2pm PST (5pm EST). The screening will also be available on demand from November 13, 2021, 7pm PST (10pm EST) through November 15, 2021, 4am PST (7am EST). Tickets are $6 and available here.

The Butler and the Ball, an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film previously won Best Young Director - Live Action at Kids Video Connection Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, and the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival.

The International KidsNFilm Festival celebrates both youth actors and filmmakers. It is an opportunity and forum for youth to showcase their work and express their creativity. The festival is a production of Kids N Film, which encourages self-esteem, confidence building, and creativity through on-camera and behind the scene production training.

The Butler and the Ball Receives Young Filmmaker Outstanding Achievement Award

November 10, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball has been awarded a Young Filmmaker Outstanding Achievement Award at the 23rd season World Film Carnival – Singapore.

Chicago Premiere for Welcome to the World at PrideArts Film Fest

November 7, 2021 — Welcome to the World will stream the week of November 8-15, 2021, as part of PrideArts Film Fest in Chicago, featuring fresh stories that reflect on all the many complexities of the queer communities. The film screens in the package PrideArts Fall Film Fest Week 2 - International Shorts, and tickets can be purchased here.

PrideArts is a non-profit theater company founded in 2010 to change lives by improving the quality of LGBT theater and film, utilizing stories with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender characters or themes.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

The Butler and the Ball wins Best Youth - 18 in Chicago

October 31, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball won the award for Best Youth - 18 at the 2021 Alder International Short Film Festival, an annual competitive film festival held in the heart of Chicago. The awards ceremony can be viewed here.

Oscar-nominated actress Adriana Barraza was also presented with the Alder Award at the ceremony. In 2006, she collaborated with director Alejandro G. Iñárritu in Babel, for which she received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Iñárritu also cast her as the mother of Gael García Bernal's character in Amores perros, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

The Butler and the Ball to Screen in Australia at Sanctuary International Film Festival

October 29, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball has been officially selected for the 7th annual Sanctuary International Film Festival. Films will be screened on Sunday, November 21, 2021, at 5:30pm local time, at The Village Theatre in Sanctuary Cove, Queensland, Australia. The festival is sponsored by Screen Queensland and the Queensland Government.

The Commitment Wins Honorable Mention at PRIDEFILM.online in Ukraine

October 28, 2021 — The Commitment won an honorable mention at PRIDEFILM.online in the Ukraine, which ran October 17-21, 2021. The festival showcases LGBTQ+ works from across the world, in all genres that confront stereotypes, push boundaries, and strive for change.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 40 film festivals on six continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs and on the Queerbee streaming platform. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

Rhode Island International Film Festival Selects Incarnations as Finalist

October 24, 2021 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has been selected as a finalist by an international team of adjudicators for the 2022 Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival. After one last review, the Award Winners will be announced on October 30, 2021.

Every year, approximately 40 features, 65 feature documentaries and 195 shorts are screened at Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival. Sixty-six films that were either premiered or discovered at Rhode Island International Film Festival have gone on to receive Oscar nominations. From this pool, ten have gone on to win the coveted award. In 2019, nine films from the 2018 Festival competed in the Best Live Action, Documentary, and Animated Short categories.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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Chicago Premiere for The Butler and the Ball at Alder International Short Film Festival

October 22, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball has been accepted into the Youth Section for filmmakers under 18 at the 2021 Alder International Short Film Festival, an annual competitive film festival held in the heart of Chicago. The Butler and the Ball screens in Programming Block 3, available online all day on October 23, 26, and 29, on their website.

The Commitment Selected for PRIDEFILM.online in Ukraine

October 17, 2021 — The Commitment has been officially selected to screen in PRIDEFILM.online in the Ukraine. The film is available to watch for FREE from October 17-21, 2021, in the collection Medium-Length Films (The Commitment starts at 1:20:40). The festival showcases LGBTQ+ works from across the world, in all genres that confront stereotypes, push boundaries, and strive for change.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 40 film festivals on six continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs and on the Queerbee streaming platform. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

The Butler and the Ball Wins Best of Festival Award in Wales

October 16, 2021 — At tonight's Awards Night Gala at the 2021 Children's International Film Festival of Wales, The Butler and the Ball took home the Best of Festival Award for Best International Young People's Film. In his acceptance speech, director Andrew Chan-Possemato thanked the Children's International Film Festival of Wales and told that audience, "The Butler and the Ball is about being courageous, finding your heart, and finding connections with other people. I hope you all do that."

Andrew Chan-Possemato, who was also the lead actor, was also nominated for Best Actor in the 7-12 year old category at the 2021 Children's International Film Festival of Wales for his performance in The Butler and the Ball.

The Children's International Film Festival of Wales ran October 14-16, 2021, in Tredegar, Wales, at the historic early-19th century Bedwellty House and Park.

The Children's International Film Festival of Wales is an annual, competitive, international film festival presented by Cymru Creations, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting community projects.

British Permiere for The Butler and the Ball in Wales

British Premiere for The Butler and the Ball in Wales

October 15, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball will premiere in the United Kingdom at the 2021 Children's International Film Festival of Wales, running October 14-16, 2021, in Tredegar, Wales. The film will screen on October 15, 2021, at 1:50pm, in the Carriage House at the historic early-19th century Bedwellty House and Park, which is also the venue for the red carpet awards night.

The Commitment Selected for Las Vegas Queer Arts Film Festival

October 15, 2021 — The Commitment has been officially selected to screen in the 2021 Las Vegas Queer Arts Film Festival, an all-inclusive, diversity-driven film festival for LGBTQ+ filmmakers and artists running October 15-18, 2021. The Commitment streams online in Shorts Block 6 on the Eventive platform. All-access passes are available for $20 and can be purchased here.

Las Vegas Queer Arts Film Festival, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, will exhibit a variety of visual media work with each project having had a member of the LGBTQ+ community playing a prominent role in its production, or a message that speaks directly to the community through story and art.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 40 film festivals on six continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs and on the Queerbee streaming platform. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

The Butler and the Ball to Premiere in Iran

October 15, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball will premiere in the Iran at the 7th Madrese International Short Film Festival in Tehran, running October 30-November 4, 2021, for filmmakers aged 7-18 from around the world. The Butler and the Ball is one of 24 films that will be screened. Films will be mutually screened with Serbia on October 30, Azerbaijan on October 31, Russia on November 1, and Wales on November 2. The closing night ceremony will be on November 4.

The Madrese International Short Film Festival was started in 2013 by a group of teachers and artists. Initially, they focused on a number of schools in Tehran, but gradually expanded their work through the whole country after the 5th festival, establishing themselves as the most important short film festival for students under the age of 19. The 6th edition of the festival was the first international edition, receiving 2,157 submissions from Iran and an additional 100 submissions from 14 other countries.

The Butler and the Ball Returns to Korea

October 12, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball will return to Korea at the Gimpo International Youth Film Festival, running November 20-28, 2021. The film screens in the 9–12 year old/Elementary category and was selected from more than 2,300 works from 90 countries.

The Butler and the Ball recently premiered in Korea at Chuncheon Film Festival.

Incarnations Named Top 50 Script for ISA Fast Track Fellowship

October 5, 2021 — The feature-length drama screenplay Incarnations has been named a Top 50 script for the International Screenwriters' Association (ISA) Fast Track Fellowship. Seven genre finalists (Action, Comedy, Drama, Family, Rom-Com, Historical, Horror, and Crime) and two Fast Track Fellows will be announced on October 19, 2021.

Fast Track Fellows participate in eight general meetings with studio/development executives and literary agents and receive year-long script development and guidance. Fast Track Fellows are also automatically accepted onto the ISA Development Slate for a full year of support.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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The Commitment Selected for Twisted Arts Film Festival in Tulsa

October 1, 2021 — The Commitment has been officially selected to screen in the 2021 Twisted Arts Film Festival running November 11-19, 2021, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Twisted Arts Film Festival screens first-run LGBTQ-themed full-length films and 20 to 30 short films of all genres.

Twisted Arts is dedicated to advancing, celebrating, elevating, and amplifying LGBTQ+ artists by showcasing the best independent films, music, performances and all forms of mixed media. Twisted Arts is an all-volunteer run organization that was created to highlight local, national, and international LGBTQ+ artists through year-round programs which include an annual Fall film festival, a Spring multi-arts festival, a LGBTQ+ youth filmmaking Summer camp, members-only sneak peeks, access to year-round short films, special events, and private screenings with directors, actors, and other queer media icons.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 40 film festivals on six continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs and on the Queerbee streaming platform. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

Hometown NYC Premiere for The Butler and the Ball

October 1, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball will premiere in NYC at Astoria Film Festival, sponsored by Kaufman Astoria Studios and the Kaufman Arts District. The film will screen on Saturday, October 1, 2021, 6:30-7:30pm, in the Backyard Theater at Heart of Gold Bar. Director and lead actor Andrew Chan-Possemato will participate in a filmmakers' panel prior to the screening.

Tickets are available here (the session is titled Astoria YOUTH- Workshops - PS166, Film Club, GK Middle School, Selected Youth Films). Mandatory proof of vaccination for 12+ and mandatory masks for everyone.

Kaufman Astoria Studios is one of the oldest continuously used movie studios in the world.

The Butler and the Ball to Screen in Czech Republic

September 30, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball will screen in the Czech Republic at the A-FilmTeensFest International Online Children and Youth Film Festival running November 14-December 5, 2021, for filmmakers aged 7-21 from around the world.

A-FilmTeensFest started in December 2019 in the Kino Světozor art cinema in Prague as Teenfilmfest.cz, and in 2020 continued with screenings for schools.

The Butler and the Ball to Premiere in Korea

September 30, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball will have its Korean premiere at Chuncheon Film Festival on Friday October 1, 2021. The film screens in Shorts Session 2 of the International Children and Youth Competition taking place at 2:10pm local time (1:10am ET) in theatre L4 at the Lotte Cinema multiplex in Chuncheon City. Films will also be shown online here from October 1-8, 2021, on the Online Film Festival Network (ONFIFN).

Only 28 films from 18 countries were selected from a total of 1,383 submissions for the International Competition in the Children and Youth Film category. The film listing for The Butler and the Ball can be found here. The complete list of official selections can be found here.

Chuncheon Film Festival aims to listen to the messages that children and youth filmmakers want to express through movies and focus on delivering their values to the world.

The Butler and the Ball to Premiere in Oklahoma at Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival

September 28, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball will premiere in Oklahoma at the 2021 Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival in the historic town of Claremore on Route 66. The film has been selected in the Short Film category for ages 14 and under and will screen in the Will Rogers Theater at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum and Birthplace Ranch on November 4, 2021, at 2:38pm. The film will also be screened online on Festivee from November 1-8, 2021. Each film selected for the festival will also receive the opportunity to air on RSUTV, a regional public television station at Rogers State University. Winners will be announced on Saturday, November 6, at 7pm, at the Dog Irons Awards Ceremony.

The Butler and the Ball, an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film previously won Best Young Director - Live Action at Kids Video Connection Children's Film Festival, Best Kids-Made Film at the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, and the Under 10 category at the Prague Youth Film Festival.

The Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival is a program of the Will Rogers Memorial Museum and Birthplace Ranch and coincides with the 142nd birthday of Oklahoma's Favorite Son. The festival celebrates motion pictures from a number of different genres and age groups, including showings of films featuring Will Rogers. Claremore was the hometown of Will Rogers, who was the #1 movie star in America in 1934. Claremore was also home to Lynn Riggs, who wrote the play that eventually became the movie, Oklahoma!

Welcome to the World to be Broadcast in October for World Mental Health Day

September 24, 2021 — Welcome to the World will be broadcast throughout the month of October by ASAENES Salud Mental Sevilla in Spain, to commemorate World Mental Health Day on October 10. The film will screen on ASAENES' YouTube channel.

Welcome to the World was originally selected in May 2021 for the fifth edition of Festival de Cortos y Salud Mental in Spain, an event to raise awareness and fight against the stigma related to mental health problems. Welcome to the World was among 17 works from France, Iran, India, Canada, Italy, the United States, Colombia, Cuba, and Brazil, among other countries, to be selected from a total of 393 submissions, the highest number since the festival was founded in 2014.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Festival de Cortos y Salud Mental is a program of ASAENES Salud Mental Sevilla, originally founded in 1987 as Asociación de Allegados de Enfermos Esquizofrénicos (Association of Relatives of the Schizophrenic Patients). The organziation is committed and dedicated to families, professionals, volunteers and people with mental illness, working to move from a reality marked by stigma, exclusion, and charity, to another where people with mental illness are accepted by society and have services and resources that are essential for their quality of life.

Festival de Cortos y Salud Mental is sponsored by los Hospitales Universitarios Virgen Macarena y Virgen del Rocío, AGS Sur Sevilla, la Universidad de Sevilla, FAISEM, la Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública y el Programa de Salud Mental de la Junta de Andalucía, among others.

Andrew Chan-Possemato Scores Best Actor Nomination for The Butler and the Ball in Wales

September 21, 2021 — Lead actor Andrew Chan-Possemato has landed a nomination for Best Actor in the 7-12 year old category at the 2021 Children's International Film Festival of Wales for his performance in The Butler and the Ball.

The Children's International Film Festival of Wales runs October 14-16, 2021, in Tredegar, Wales. The film will screen on October 15, 2021, at 1:50pm, in the Carriage House at the historic early-19th century Bedwellty House and Park, which is also the venue for the red carpet awards night.

The Butler and the Ball Premieres in Texas

September 17, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball will premiere in Texas at the GTX Film Festival in Georgetown, just 30 miles north of Austin. The film will screen on Saturday, September 18, 2021, at 10am (CT), at the City Lights Theatre in the Youth Made Short Films category for filmmakers who are age 18 and under and enrolled in grade school. Films in this category compete for the Youth Short Film awards. Tickets for the live screening at City Lights Theatre are $15 and available here.

Once The Butler and the Ball has screened live at City Lights Theatre, the film will be available for on-demand viewing until Sunday, September 19, 2021, 11:59pm (CT) here. Tickets are $25 and allow access to all of the festival's virtual screenings.

The Butler and the Ball Nominated for Best Children's Short

September 15, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball has been nominated for Best Children's Short in the August 2021 edition of the SHORT to the Point International Short Film Festival, based in Bucharest, Romania. The Butler and the Ball is competing with other films from Belgium, the United States, Taiwan, and Canada. Winning films will be screened next summer at the open-air cinema Uzina Foto in Transylvania.

The festival is produced by SHORT to the Point, an international network for the distribution, broadcast, and promotion of short films and their creators.

The Commitment Invited for Film Retrospective at Online New England Film Festival

September 10, 2021 — The Commitment has been invited to screen in a Film Retrospective for the 2021 Online New England Film Festival. All of the cast and crew were New England locals at the time the film was made in 2012, and the film was shot in the Massachusetts towns of Boston, Norwell, and Needham.

The Commitment screens in the showcase Way Back When, a selection of films featured in NewEnglandFilm.com during the 1990s and early 2000s. All films will be available to watch for free until October 15, 2021. The Commitment can be viewed here.

Writer and director Albert M. Chan was interviewed about The Commitment by NewEnglandFilm.com in an article published in April 2013, Making The Commitment: Behind the Short Film about an Interracial Gay Couple Adopting a Child.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 40 film festivals on six continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs and on the Queerbee streaming platform. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

Founded in 1997, NewEnglandFilm.com is an online community and resource for film and video production in the region, featuring jobs and opportunities, an industry production directory, local film industry news, and the Online New England Film Festival.

Incarnations Named Second-Round Selection for ISA Fast Track Fellowship

September 7, 2021 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has moved on to the second round for the International Screenwriters' Association (ISA) Fast Track Fellowship. The Top 50 will be announced on October 5, 2021. Seven genre finalists (Action, Comedy, Drama, Family, Rom-Com, Historical, Horror, and Crime) and two Fast Track Fellows will be announced on October 19, 2021.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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The Butler and the Ball Premieres in Estonia

September 3, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball has been selected for the official competition at the 2021 International Festival of Short Film: The Unprecendented Cinema, an annual competitive film festival held in Tallinn, Estonia, since 2001. The Butler and the Ball, or Ülemteener ja ball in Estonian, competes in the Best Amateur Film category. The festival takes place September 3-5, 2021, at the Russian Cultural Centre in Tallinn, a venue for various events, theatre performances, and music shows, housed in a neo-classical building that was formerly a residence for naval officers.

Incarnations Chosen as Quarterfinalist for 2021 Finish Line Script Competition

September 2, 2021 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has been chosen as a quarterfinalist for the 2021 Finish Line Script Competition. Semifinalists will be announced on October 12, 2021.

The Finish Line Script Competition redefines the screenwriting competition; embracing the rewrite as an essential component in any successful screenplay and incentivizing every entrant to dig deeper, find their best draft and win. Finish Line's winners and runners-up will receive extensive notes (and have the opportunity to rewrite and resubmit new drafts at no additional cost) from industry professionals, as well as getting valuable facetime with 35 mentors from the film & TV industry. This year's mentor list includes Head of Television Caitlin Foito Bleiweiss of John M. Chu's Chu Studios, writer/producer/director Bradley Bredeweg of The Fosters (Freeform) and Good Trouble (Freeform), SVP of Comedy Jim Donnelly of NBC Universal, co-producer David Gambino of Perry Mason (HBO), executive producer Ron Golenberg of Your Honor (CBS/Showtime), President of Berlanti Productions David Madden, and SVP of Drama Series at HBO Chris Salvaterra.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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Incarnations Named Quarterfinalist for The Script Lab's 2021 Screenplay Contest

August 18, 2021 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has been named a quarterfinalist for The Script Lab's 2021 Screenplay Contest, selected from almost 12,900 submissions. Semifinalists will be announced on September 15, 2021.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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Incarnations Named Quarterfinalist for Filmmatic Drama Screenplay Awards

July 19, 2021 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has been named a quarterfinalist for Season 6 of the Filmmatic Drama Screenplay Awards. Writers will receive an invitation to Filmmatic's annual Sundance networking event.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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Incarnations Moves on to Semifinals of Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Competition

July 18, 2021 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has moved on to the semifinal round of the Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Competition. All writers that advanced were identified with either a stand-out project and/or a voice that is being sought in Hollywood.

The Nashville Film Festival (NashFilm) is a globally-recognized non-profit organization and cultural event presenting the best in world cinema, American independent films and documentaries by veteran masters, up-and-coming directors, and first-time filmmakers. With Academy Award® qualifying status, the Nashville Film Festival celebrates innovation, music and the many voices of the human spirit through the art of film. Originally founded in 1969, the Nashville Film Festival is one of the first film festivals in the United States and will present its 52nd annual festival September 30 - October 6, 2021. NashFilm discovers, elevates, and honors filmmakers, screenwriters and music makers from Tennessee and around the world while engaging, connecting and strengthening the Nashville community.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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Screenplay Incarnations Selected for Philip K. Dick Science Fiction and Supernatural Film Festival

July 18, 2021 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has been selected as a finalist for the Philip K. Dick Science Fiction and Supernatural Film Festival, taking place September 17-19, 2021 at the Musuem of the Moving Image in New York City. Of the 11 feature screenplay finalists, Incarnations is the only one that is a finalist in two categories: Best Science Fiction Screenplay and Best Sci-Fi Prototyping/World Building Screenplay.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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Incarnations Moves on to Quarterfinals of Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Competition

July 10, 2021 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has moved on to the quarterfinal round of the Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Competition . All writers that advanced were identified with either a stand-out project and/or a voice that is being sought in Hollywood. Semifinalists will be announced on July 16, 2021.

The Nashville Film Festival (NashFilm) is a globally-recognized non-profit organization and cultural event presenting the best in world cinema, American independent films and documentaries by veteran masters, up-and-coming directors, and first-time filmmakers. With Academy Award® qualifying status, the Nashville Film Festival celebrates innovation, music and the many voices of the human spirit through the art of film. Originally founded in 1969, the Nashville Film Festival is one of the first film festivals in the United States and will present its 52nd annual festival September 30 - October 6, 2021. NashFilm discovers, elevates, and honors filmmakers, screenwriters and music makers from Tennessee and around the world while engaging, connecting and strengthening the Nashville community.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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Incarnations Tops The Red List This Month as #1 Sci-fi Feature

June 15, 2021 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has topped The Red List as this month's #1 sci-fi feature.

The Red List is a list of the screenplays with the highest industry scores on Coverfly, an online script database that hosts over 25,000 scripts from around the world.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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Welcome to the World Fights Suicide with Telefono de la Esperanza (Telephone of Hope)

Welcome to the World Fights Suicide with Teléfono de la Esperanza (Telephone of Hope)

June 15, 2021 — Last year for World Suicide Prevention Day, Welcome to the World was one of five films selected by a jury and a team of experts in psychology and psychiatry for Agarra la vida (Grab Life) in Spain, a short film festival with a mission to prevent suicide and combat its stigma.

The screening of Welcome to the World was so successful that it will now be permanently streaming here for Teléfono de la Esperanza (Telephone of Hope).

World Suicide Prevention Day is an initiative of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). Observed on September 10th, every year, World Suicide Prevention Day provides the opportunity for people, across the globe, to raise awareness of suicide and suicide prevention.

Agarra la vida (Grab Life) is presented in association with Teléfono de la Esperanza (Telephone of Hope). Founded in 1971, Teléfono de la Esperanza (Telephone of Hope) is an NGO with 29 centers in Spain for crisis intervention and the promotion of social-emotional health.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Incarnations Named Top 100 Semifinalist for ISA Drama and Genre Busting Screenplay Competition

June 15, 2021 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has moved on as a Top 100 Semifinalist for the International Screenwriters' Association (ISA) Drama and Genre Busting Screenplay Competition. Ten finalists and two Grand Prize Winners will be announced on July 15, 2021.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

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WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Announces Incarnations as Quarterfinalist

June 15, 2021 — The feature-length sci-fi drama screenplay Incarnations has been announced as a quarterfinalist in the Fall 2021 WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Screenwriting Lab.

Judges' comments include: "INCARNATIONS DELIVERS ON ALL THE BEST PARTS OF A GOOD CEREBRAL SPECULATIVE FICTION PIECE. IT DOESN'T SHY AWAY FROM THE HUMAN QUESTIONS RAISED BY THE PREMISE, INSTEAD USING THE CONCEPT TO GROUND A COMPELLING CHARACTER-DRIVEN NARRATIVE FRONT TO END... THIS IS A WELL-CRAFTED AND DEEPLY INTELLIGENT PIECE OF FICTION, THOUGHT-PROVOKING IN ALL THE RIGHT WAYS."

WeScreenplay Diverse Voices encourages stories told by writers of color, women writers, writers with disabilities, writers over 40, writers in the LGBTQ+ community, and any other voices that have historically been ignored by Hollywood. Semifinalists will be announced on July 7, 2021; and the Grand Prize and category winners will be announced on August 15, 2021. Three to four winners will participate in mentorship and meetings with industry professionals in the Screenwriting Lab.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about an agnostic biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition, and Screencraft Film Fund.

Incarnations Places as Finalist in Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition

June 9, 2021 — The feature-length screenplay Incarnations has placed as one of 20 finalists in the Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition. Although Incarnations did not ultimately win the Drama category, the script was one of the few Drama runners-up, as the ten genre winners were selected from the 20 finalists. The ten genres were: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family/Holiday/Young Adult, Mystery/Crime, Historical/Biopic, Horror/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Sports, and Western.

Named "Best Screenwriting Magazine" by the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times, Creative Screenwriting Magazine is the premiere magazine for TV and feature film writers since 1994.

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Incarnations Moves on to Semifinals in StoryPros Awards Screenplay Contest

June 2, 2021 — The feature-length sci-fi screenplay Incarnations has moved on to the semifinals in the 14th Annual StoryPros Awards Screenplay Contest. Ten finalists per genre will be announced Tuesday, June 8, 2021.

Script compete in five genre categories: Action/Adventure/Thriller, Drama, Comedy, Family/Teen/Animation, and Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror. Prizes will be awarded to the First through Third Place Winners in each of these categories, and one screenplay will be chosen from all of the entries as the Grand Prize Winner. The Grand Prize Winner and all five First Place Winners get guaranteed reads from Elements Entertainment, The Radmin Company, and Category 5 Entertainment. The Grand Prize winner also gets a guaranteed read from Foremost Films.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition and the Screencraft Film Fund.

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Incarnations Moves on to Quarterfinals in StoryPros Awards Screenplay Contest

May 26, 2021 — The feature-length sci-fi screenplay Incarnations has moved on to the quarterfinals in the 14th Annual StoryPros Awards Screenplay Contest. Semifinalists will be announced Tuesday, June 1, 2021.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition and the Screencraft Film Fund.

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Incarnations Named Semifinalist for Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition

May 21, 2021 — The feature-length sci-fi screenplay Incarnations has been named a semifinalist for the Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition. Finalists and ten genre winners, along with a grand prize winner, will be announced on June 8, 2021. The ten genres are: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family/Holiday/Young Adult, Mystery/Crime, Historical/Biopic, Horror/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Sports, and Western.

Founded in 1994, Creative Screenwriting Magazine is an educational, online resource to inform screenwriters on the path to sustaining flourishing careers.

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Welcome to the World Selected for Festival of Shorts and Mental Health in Spain

May 19, 2021 — Welcome to the World has been selected for the fifth edition of Festival de Cortos y Salud Mental in Spain, an event to raise awareness and fight against the stigma related to mental health problems. The film screens alongside four other shorts on Thursday, May 20, 2021, from 11am-1pm local time (5-7am ET), and the session will include a post-screening discussion.

Welcome to the World is among 17 works from France, Iran, India, Canada, Italy, the United States, Colombia, Cuba, and Brazil, among other countries, to be selected from a total of 393 submissions, the highest number since the festival was founded in 2014. The selected works will stream from May 18-21, 2021, on the Association's YouTube channel.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Incarnations Named Quarterfinalist for Inroads Screenwriting Fellowship

May 15, 2021 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has been named a quarterfinalist for Season 4 of the Inroads Screenwriting Fellowship. Writers will receive an invitation to Filmmatic's annual Sundance networking event.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition and the Screencraft Film Fund.

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The Commitment Wins Award at UK's Sappho Film Festival

May 4, 2021 — At today's awards ceremony, The Commitment director Albert M. Chan won Best BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) Filmmaker at the UK-based Sappho Film Festival. The film was also nominated for Best Short Film (Aaron Howland, Seth Howland, Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato), Best Director (Albert M. Chan), and Best Sound Design (John Gage).

All films will be available to watch for free on the festival's website for the next week.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 40 film festivals on six continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs and on the Queerbee streaming platform. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

The Sappho Film Festival is an LGBTQ+ film festival in the UK, with its key focus on diversity within the community and exploring films made by, for, and about the LGBT community, especially films and filmmakers that are focussed on women, LGBT+ and BIPoC subjects. The festival's goal is to give a platform to the best LGBT films that highlight new and established filmmakers, providing a network and community for everybody.

The Commitment Selected as Finalist for Four Awards at UK's Sappho Film Festival

April 21, 2021 — The Commitment is an official finalist for Best Short Film, the most prestigious award at the UK-based Sappho Film Festival, running May 4-10, 2021. Additionally, Albert M. Chan is a finalist for Best Director and Best BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) Filmmaker, and John Gage is a finalist for Best Sound.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 40 film festivals on six continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs and on the Queerbee streaming platform. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

Fargo-Moorhead KIDS Fantastic Film Festival Screens The Butler and the Ball

April 9, 2021 — After a significant delay due to COVID-19, the Fargo-Moorhead KIDS Fantastic Film Festival will finally screen The Butler and the Ball on Saturday, April 17, 2020, at 9:30am [tickets]. The Fargo-Moorhead KIDS Fantastic Film Festival, a sidebar of the Fargo Fantastic Film Festival, highlights films that are either made BY kids or FOR kids and that embrace all the "fun" genres, such as sci-fi, fantasy, action, adventure, comedy, and horror. The festival takes place concurrently with Fargo-Moorhead Comic-Com at the Ramada Fargo in Fargo, North Dakota.

The Fargo-Moorhead KIDS Fantastic Film Festival aims to help youth become critical media users as well as gain a voice thru media and also learn about filmmaking and media literacy. For 12 years, the Fargo Fantastic Film Festival was a part of ValleyCon, the area's largest science fiction, fantasy and popular culture convention. Over the course of 12 years, the film festival grew and evolved to a point where it needed to be broken away from the host convention and made an event of its own.

Incarnations Named Top 50 Semifinalist for ISA Fast Track Fellowship

March 17, 2021 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has moved on as a Top 50 Semifinalist for the International Screenwriters' Association (ISA) Fast Track Fellowship. Seven genre finalists (Action, Comedy, Drama, Family, Rom-Com, Historical, Horror, and Crime) and two Fast Track Fellows will be announced on April 15, 2021.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition and the Screencraft Film Fund.

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Welcome to the World Selected for FilmÓptico Festival in Spain

March 16, 2021 — Welcome to the World has been selected for the FilmÓptico Visual Art and Film Festival in Spain, which will take place April 23-May 2, 2021. The festival showcases films, short films, documentaries, and video-art works with an experimental, artistic and personal perspective outside of the commercial world. Styles include auteur, sci-fi, horror, gore, poetic, and found footage.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Albert M. Chan Wins Best Directing for The Commitment at UK's Flikkers Queer Film Festival

March 2, 2021 — Albert M. Chan, the director of The Commitment, won the award for Best Directing at the UK-based Flikkers Queer Film Festival, which screened 32 films this past weekend.

Flikkers aims to provide a platform for films that are representative of the fantastically diverse queer community, with a special emphasis on films directed and/or produced by Queer/Trans/Intersex People of Colour (QTIPOC), who are underrepresented in the film industry.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 40 film festivals on six continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs and on the Queerbee streaming platform. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

The Butler and the Ball Selected for Children's Film Festival Seattle

February 18, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball has been selected for the 16th Annual Children's Film Festival Seattle, presented by Northwest Film Forum. This competitive festival, with childrens' jury and audience prizes, will be held virtually February 18 to 28, 2021, and feature four feature films and 16 short film programs representing 36 countries. The Butler and the Ball screens in the short film program Radolescents! Films by Youth (Ages 8+), which can be pre-ordered here with sliding-scale, pay-what-you-can ticketing. Children's Film Festival Seattle programs will also be offered to school groups through March.

Since 2005, Children's Film Festival Seattle has grown to become the largest and most respected film festival on the West Coast dedicated to children ages 3-14 and their families. Each year, Northwest Film Forum has selected international children's films from dozens of countries, reaching more than 10,000 people during festival screenings in Seattle and a subsequent festival tour of 20-25 U.S. cities.

Children's Film Festival Seattle prioritizes stories that have been underrepresented in the mainstream media, which inspire empathy, understanding, and a nuanced view of the world. Their core values are racial and gender equity, inclusivity, social justice, global awareness, and the best in age-appropriate, visual storytelling for young people.

Welcome to the World Screens at Argentinian LGBT+ Film Festival

February 17, 2021 — Welcome to the World screens in Argentina at the "Amor es Amor" International LGBT+ Film Festival, which will take place February 17-20, 2021. In addition to an online component, the films in the Official Competition will be screened at Gran Rex Cinemas in the city of Córdoba.

Welcome to the World is one of eight films selected for the International Fiction Competition, which includes films from South Korea, Chile, Spain, Brazil, and Mexico. There are a total of 36 films in the Fiction, Documentary, and Animation competitions.

"Amor es Amor" International LGBT+ Film Festival belongs to the Argentine Network of Festivals and Audiovisual Media.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

The Butler and the Ball Premieres in Boston at Scout Film Festival

February 16, 2021 — The Butler and the Ball will premiere in Boston as part of the Scout Film Festival, a festival for filmmakers age 24 and under. The Butler and the Ball, which was selected from over 1300 submissions from 80 countries, is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer. The film was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan.

Originally scheduled to have its world premiere at the Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston in April 2020, The Butler and the Ball will now screen online on the Eventive platform in the session Keeping alongside films from the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, Sweden, Canada, Slovakia, and Denmark. The session becomes available Sunday, February 21, 2021, at 9am. The listing for The Butler and the Ball on the festival website can be accessed here, and passes are available here.

Scout Film Festival is a 501c3 non-profit organization that produces an annual international event celebrating emerging filmmakers—aged 24 and under—through film. Scout Film Festival partners with the Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston, who for over 20 years, has worked with young filmmakers in its award-winning program, Fast Forward. Founded in 1936 as a sister institution to New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston was conceived as a laboratory where innovative approaches to art could be championed. The museum established a reputation for identifying important new artists, and in pursuit of this mission, eventually parted ways with MoMA and changed its name to the Institute of Contemporary Art in 1948. For more than 80 years, the Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston has presented contemporary art in all media—visual arts, performance, film, video, and literature.

The Commitment Officially Selected For UK's Flikkers Queer Film Festival

February 12, 2021 — The Commitment will screen in the United Kingdom at Flikkers Queer Film Festival, which runs February 26-March 1, 2021. The film screens in Strand C: Queer Journeys, which will be available to watch on the Flikkers Queer Film Festival website.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 40 film festivals on six continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs and on the Queerbee streaming platform. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

The Butler and the Ball Wins Best Kids-Made Film in San Diego

February 9, 2021 — Last night, The Butler and the Ball won the award for Best Kids Made Film at the 2020 San Diego International Kids' Film Festival. The film, which is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan.

With a mission to promote positive educational impact on children and the youth, the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival actively supports innovative films made by filmmakers from around the globe. Each year, the festival screens over 150 films from 30+ countries. American filmmakers as well as film delegations from China, India, Korea, Taiwan, Canada, Mexico, Russia, Japan, India, France, UK, and Germany appear at the event. The San Diego International Kids' Film Festival promotes the idea of entertainment with education and gives young, aspiring filmmakers a channel to communicate to an international community.

The Butler and the Ball Wins at Prague Youth Film Festival

January 8, 2021 — At its European premiere, The Butler and the Ball has been named the winner in the Top 10 Under 10 category at the recent Prague Youth Film Festival in The Czech Republic, which screened 25 film from 18 countries. Winners were chosen by accomplished filmmakers such as Kevan Van Thompson, the producer of the Oscar-winning JoJo Rabbit.

The Prague Youth Film Festival (PYFF) is an annual event dedicated to the celebration of emerging international filmmakers. Their mission is to highlight and provide a boost to new filmmaking talents.

The Butler and the Ball Wins Best Narrative at International KidsNFilm Festival

January 8, 2021 — Director Andrew Chan-Possemato received his trophy today for winning first place in the Best Narrative &ndash 12 & Under category at the recent International KidsNFilm Festival in California for his film The Butler and the Ball.

Welcome to the World Part of Europe-Based Short Film Breaks' 2021 Lineup

January 6, 2021 — Welcome to the World is part of the 2021 lineup for Short Film Breaks in the Best Mental Health Short Film category.

The 2021 Short Film Breaks awards will be announced during the month of December.

Part of Europe-Based Short Film Breaks' 2021 Lineup

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

The Butler and the Ball Selected for Just Be You Performing Arts Youth Film Festival

December 23, 2020 — The Butler and the Ball has been selected for the Just Be You Performing Arts Youth Film Festival in the youth division. This festival will be held later in 2021 in New Jersey.

The Just Be You Performing Arts Youth Film Festival is an entirely youth driven and youth focused festival that brings filmmakers, playwrights, directors, artists, and industry professionals together, to celebrate works that are relevant to today's youth. The festival serves as a "champion for children", with the position that children deserve to be heard, and uninterrupted!

The Butler and the Ball Premieres in The Czech Republic

December 21, 2020 — The Butler and the Ball premieres in The Czech Republic at the Prague Youth Film Festival. The film screens in the Young Directors Block, in which the films are directed by kids aged 8-15 years. The film is available on demand for free here from December 21, 2020, 5pm ET to December 28, 2020, 3pm ET.

Among the PYFF 2019 members were American film producer Rick McCallum (Star Wars, Britannia, In Love and War, Borgia), British director Kirk Jones (Waking Ned Devine, Everybody's Fine, and What to Expect When You're Expecting), as well German cinematographer Rene Richter (Head Full of Honey, Zone Rouge), and Czech production designer Petr Kunc (Lea, Day of the Dog, The Hypnotist).

The Butler and the Ball Named Finalist in Melbourne, Australia

December 4, 2020 — The Lantern & Light International Children's Film Festival, taking place December 5-6, 2020, in Melbourne, Australia, has named The Butler and the Ball as a finalist.

The Lantern & Light International Children's Film Festival is a major international festival of short films made by young people between the ages of 6-18. The festival hosts stories from children in all cultures and from varying ways of life, encouraging empathy and understanding. Typically, the Lantern & Light International Children's Film Festival runs parallel to the Belgrave Lantern Parade held on the solstice each year, where thousands gather to display and parade their lanterns, and the streets of Belgrave are flooded with extraordinary lantern creatures and other imaginative lanterns.

The Lantern & Light International Children's Film Festival is a program of Ranges Academy of Performing Arts (RAPA) Inc., a non-profit organization that encourages youth to go beyond being passive uncritical media content consumers to becoming creative participants and thinkers of media content.

Incarnations Moves on to Semifinals in StoryPros International Screenplay Contest

December 1, 2020 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has moved on to the semifinals in the 14th Annual StoryPros International Screenplay Contest. Finalists will be announced Tuesday, December 8, 2020.

Winning scripts get guaranteed reads from Elements Entertainment, The Radmin Company, and Category 5 Entertainment. The Grand Prize winner also gets a guaranteed read from Foremost Films.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition and the Screencraft Film Fund.

Incarnations Named Quarterfinalist for StoryPros International Screenplay Contest

November 24, 2020 — The 14th Annual StoryPros International Screenplay Contest has selected the feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations as a quarterfinalist. Semifinalists will be announced Tuesday, December 1, 2020.

Winning scripts get guaranteed reads from Elements Entertainment, The Radmin Company, and Category 5 Entertainment. The Grand Prize winner also gets a guaranteed read from Foremost Films.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was previously named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition and the Screencraft Film Fund.

The Butler and the Ball Wins Best Narrative Film

November 15, 2020 — The Butler and the Ball was awarded Best Narrative Film in the "12 and under" category tonight at the International KidsNFilm Festival in California.

The Butler and the Ball, an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, was directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan. The film previously won Best Young Director - Live Action at Kids Video Connection Children's Film Festival.

International KidsNFilm Festival to Screen The Butler and the Ball

November 13, 2020 — The Butler and the Ball has been selected in the "12 and under" category by professional and kid jurors for the International KidsNFilm Festival in California. The film screens online on Sunday, November 15, 2020, at 7pm ET, in Screening Session 4. The screening is free, but pre-registration is required. The winners announcement reel will immediately follow the screening.

The Butler and the Ball to Premiere in India

November 12, 2020 — The 14th International Chinh India Kids Film Festival & Forum, which runs November 9-14, 2020, will screen The Butler and the Ball. Selection of the films is entirely at the discretion of the Children Advisory Board of the Chinh Early Education Web Channel. Award winners will be announced on November 14.

Films selected for awards and competitive categories become part of Chinh International Film Cooperative, which screens the films in schools, educational institutions, libraries, NGOs working for disadvantaged children groups, and Chinh chapters.

Chinh supports social initiatives promoting causes of children and marginalized nomadic communities through harnessing traditional wisdom, art and culture and rediscovering them in contemporary contexts.

Fargo-Moorhead KIDS Fantastic Film Festival Selects The Butler and the Ball

October 14, 2020 — The Fargo-Moorhead KIDS Fantastic Film Festival will screen The Butler and the Ball on Saturday, October 17, 2020, at 9:30am [tickets]. The Fargo-Moorhead KIDS Fantastic Film Festival, a sidebar of the Fargo Fantastic Film Festival, highlights films that are either made BY kids or FOR kids and that embrace all the "fun" genres, such as sci-fi, fantasy, action, adventure, comedy, and horror. Films screen this year at the Ramada Fargo.

The Butler and the Ball Selected for All American High School Film Festival in NYC

October 9, 2020 — The Butler and the Ball screens in the Comedy category for the 2020 All American High School Film Festival, presented by IFC Films. Traditionally held at AMC Theaters in Times Square, the festival will instead be held online this year during the weekend of October 9-11, 2020. The Butler and the Ball screens in the Saturday, October 10, 2020, 3:30-5pm session (tickets). The festival includes screenings, workshops, panels, a technology showcase, a college fair, networking events, and the Teen Indie Awards Show, where over $400,000 in prizes and scholarships are handed out. Festival judges include Kristen Stewart, John Oliver, Brittany Snow, John Legend, Ed Burns, Dylan McDermott, Eli Roth, Alysia Reiner, Toni Meyers, Henry Winkler, and Andrew Jenks.

The Butler and the Ball is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, and is directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan.

Billed as the largest student film festival in the world, the All American High School Film Festival is the premier destination for talented high school filmmakers and media arts enthusiasts from around the world. Their mission is to provide immersive education with a profound impact, connecting the filmmakers of the future with the rewards, respect and recognition they deserve. The festival empowers young artists to share their stories and we transform their world through digital media. Each year they offer a grand stage in New York City for the next generation of talented filmmakers, where they can screen their amazing creations, learn from top industry professional, connect with the latest technology, explore myriad higher education opportunities, receive scholarships and technology prizes, and create a community of shared passions and lifelong relationships.

Newark International Film Festival to Screen The Butler and the Ball

September 12, 2020 — The Butler and the Ball screens at the Newark IFF Youth Festival, the youth component of the Newark International Film Festival in New Jersey, starting today at 2pm on the Vault streaming network.

The Butler and the Ball is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, is directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan.

The Newark International Film Festival is the first international film festival hosted in Newark and features the Hannibal Goodwin Award for Innovation in Filmmaking in homage to Hannibal Goodwin, the Episcopal priest who invented celluloid film 1887 in Newark, NJ.

Welcome to the World Screens in Spain for World Suicide Prevention Day

September 10, 2020 — Welcome to the World is one of five films that screens in Spain at Agarra la vida (Grab Life) for World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10, 2020. Welcome to the World can be viewed here for the duration of the campaign, which closes on October 10, 2020.

Agarra la vida (Grab Life) is a short film festival with a mission to prevent suicide and combat its stigma. Five films were selected by a jury and a team of experts in psychology and psychiatry to encourage desperate, abandoned, or lonely people to continue fighting for life, renounce their suicide plans, and go to institutions that can support them.

Welcome to the World previously had its Spanish premiere at the 2019 Shorty Week Film Festival at the historic Castillo de Santa Catalina in Cádiz.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

The Butler and the Ball to Screen in Melbourne, Australia

September 1, 2020 — The Lantern & Light International Children's Film Festival in Melbourne, Australia will screen The Butler and the Ball, taking place December 5-6, 2020. Typically, the Lantern & Light International Children's Film Festival runs parallel to the Belgrave Lantern Parade held on the solstice each year, where thousands gather to display and parade their lanterns, and the streets of Belgrave are flooded with extraordinary lantern creatures and other imaginative lanterns.

The Lantern & Light International Children's Film Festival is a major international festival of short films made by young people between the ages of 6-18. The festival hosts stories from children in all cultures and from varying ways of life, encouraging empathy and understanding. The Lantern & Light International Children's Film Festival is a program of Ranges Academy of Performing Arts (RAPA) Inc., a non-profit organization that encourages youth to go beyond being passive uncritical media content consumers to becoming creative participants and thinkers of media content.

The Butler and the Ball Officially Selected for American Youth Film Festival

August 30, 2020 — Today, the American Youth Film Festival in Atlanta announced The Butler and the Ball as one of this year's official selections.

The American Youth Film Festival is a program of The American Youth Arts Society and an opportunity for elementary school, middle school, high school, and college filmmakers and actors to showcase their movie making skills.

The Butler and the Ball To Premiere in Los Angeles at Dances with Films

August 10, 2020 — The Butler and the Ball will premiere on the west coast at the 23rd Annual Dances with Films in Los Angeles, recognized as a Top 10 North American Film Festival by USA Today readers and a Top Ten Best Reviewed Festival on FilmFreeway. Traditionally taking place at the famed TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood, this year's screenings, Q&As, panels, and social events will take place virtually.

The Butler and the Ball screens as part of Dances with Kidz!, a side bar festival that celebrates films made for kids and films made by kids. The film screens on Saturday, August 29, 2020, at 11:30am, and again on Sunday, August 30, 2020, at 11:30am in a session dedicated to kid filmmakers. A live Q&A with director Andrew Chan-Possemato and producer Albert M. Chan is scheduled at the end of the Saturday session.

Since 1998, Dances with Films has been held each year in the heart of Los Angeles and is one of the highest attended film fests in Southern California with more than 20,000 attendees each year. Additionally, the festival is regularly tracked by industry in Los Angeles with deals made each year. Dances with Films has been hailed as "the premiere showcase of innovative independent cinema, presenting amazing undiscovered talent to an industry audience in Hollywood" by Indiewire, "the future of independent film" by The Huffington Post, and as "an innovator and leader in positioning raw and new talented directors" by CNN.

Real to Reel Kids Fest in North Carolina to Screen The Butler and the Ball

July 24, 2020 — The 21st Annual Real to Reel International Film Festival will screen The Butler and the Ball as part of its Real to Reel KIDS FEST!, sponsored by KidSenses Children's Interactive Museum. The Real to Reel KIDS FEST!, which screens films made for kids 14 and under as wells as films made by kids 14 and under, will take place on September 12th, 2020, at 10am-12pm, at the historic Joy Performance Center in Kings Mountain, NC, between Asheville and Charlotte.

The Real to Reel International Film Festival is an initiative of the Cleveland County Arts Council. The mission of the Real to Reel International Film Festival is to offer a forum for independent film, video and multi-media artists from around the world to showcase their talents and expose the works of these artists to our region.

Welcome to the World Participates in Spanish Project El Grito de los Sin Voz

July 12, 2020 — Welcome to the World will participate in the Spanish project El Grito de los Sin Voz (The Cry of the Voiceless), which showcases social films that denounce hate crimes and discrimination against refugees, ethnic minorities, religion, and the LGBT community, and expose the consequences of racism, social exclusion, and human trafficking. Films are available for viewing on YouTube. The top ten films will screen in Madrid on December 2, 2020.

Welcome to the World previously had its Spanish premiere at the 2019 Shorty Week Film Festival at the historic Castillo de Santa Catalina in Cádiz.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Andrew Chan-Possemato Wins "Best Young Director—Live Action" for The Butler and the Ball

June 28, 2020 — Eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato won the prize for Best Young Director—Live Action at tonight's awards ceremony at the 2020 Kids Video Connection Children's Film Festival in Atlanta.

In awarding the cash prize to Andrew and his film The Butler and the Ball, festival coordinator Daniel Kitron remarked, "This short film was really kind of an inspiration—just a stunning example of what an eight-year-old director is capable of and an inspiration to other young people looking for an outlet, considering film, to show that you don't need a huge amount of resources or even a huge amount of experience to create a film with a Willy Wonka-like story with a hippo."

The Butler and the Ball, an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, is directed by Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan.

Kids Video Connection is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational media arts organization that specializes in teaching media literacy, video production, and communication skills to educate and empower today's youth, particularly underserved youth, and to help them become independent thinkers and creators of tomorrow.

The Butler and the Ball Featured in Virtual Film Festival

June 27, 2020 — Due to COVID-19, the 2020 Kids Video Connection Children's Film Festival has canceled its live festival. Instead, selected films will be showcased in a Virtual Film Festival June 26-28, 2020. The Butler and the Ball will screen in Youth and Student Selections here between 11am on Saturday, June 27, and 11pm on Sunday, June 28. A live-streamed awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, June 28, at 8pm.

In selecting The Butler and the Ball, the festival's review panel applauded the film's original story and production value. The film, which is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, is directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan.

The Commitment Wins Best LGBT Film in India

June 6, 2020 — The Commitment has been awarded Best LGBT Film at the 12th monthly season of the Tagore International Film Festival, and is automatically nominated for the prestigious Sun of the East Award, the winner of which will be announced at the end of 2020.

Tagore International Film Festival is located in one of India's most important centers of modern art, Shantiniketan, Bolpur. The monthly live screenings take place at Gitanjali Cultural Complex.

Tagore International Film Festival is named after Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, who wanted to create a space where people can interchange their ideas about art, culture and life.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 40 film festivals on six continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs and on the Queerbee streaming platform. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

KIDS FIRST! Film Festival Reviews The Butler and the Ball

June 4, 2020 — The Butler and the Ball has been selected by the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival. As a result, The Butler and the Ball will be made available to more than 50 venues affiliated with KIDS FIRST! including established film festivals, museums, film societies, and other similar venues. The listing on the KIDS FIRST! website for The Butler and the Ball can be found here.

Selene W., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, and Julie S., KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror, write, "This is a completely charming short film produced by an 8-year-old boy. The Butler and the Ball follows a young, lonely boy that enters a contest to become the butler of a lonely artist. Ashton, the young boy, is a believable character. He is played by Andrew Chan-Possemato, an eight-year-old, who is also the writer and director. Ashton is self-reliant, lives in New York City and, it is fun to watch him navigate life on his own.

"The story is a wonderful fantasy. Ashton's ability to navigate the city on his own is only surpassed when he travels to Africa on his own. Obviously, that's a fantasy, but it's a good one and well executed. I have to say that my heart goes out to this young boy whose mom leaves him a note saying she is out speed-dating and to grab dinner for himself. We never see the mom's presence at any time. Fortunately, this kids seems to have his wits about him. However, some viewers might be concerned about the lack of safety here in this whimsical tale. So, be forewarned.

"This film is very well produced. The story flows very well from scene to scene. It is well shot, with excellent lighting in the various locations. The audio is very clear. I have seen a lot of adult productions that are not half as well produced. I enjoyed the camera work, especially the close-ups where you can see the emotion on people's faces. The sets and locations are excellent. The mansion where Bob Chan lives is beautiful on the outside although the interior shots are somewhat underwhelming. The film footage in Africa is a fun addition; especially the shots with the hippopotamus. I like the sound effects, especially the sounds of Snickers at the beginning and the hippo sounds. I liked seeing the ball travel from the city to Africa. Andrew Chan-Possemato's performance is really quite good and believable. For a first time filmmaker, I'm impressed.

"The message of this film is about finding a way to overcome loneliness and make connections. I give this sweet short film 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12."

The Butler and the Ball is directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan.

The KIDS FIRST! program is an initiative of The Coalition for Quality Children's Media, a national, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1991 whose mission is to teach children critical viewing skills and to increase the visibility and availability of quality children's media.

The Butler and the Ball Shortlisted as Semi-Finalist for Children Cinema Awards

May 29, 2020 — The Children Cinema Awards has shortlisted The Butler and the Ball as a semi-finalist for Best Short Film by a Young Filmmaker. The awards ceremony takes place at Pathé Tuschinski Cinema in Amsterdam.

The Butler and the Ball, an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, is directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan.

Children Cinema Awards is an international film festival which showcases and promotes films for children and teenagers with the goal to entertain young audiences with fun, colorful, diverse, positive and stimulating films that broaden their imagination, creativity and development. Children Cinema Awards is overseen by the Cinematography Awards Foundation, an association of film festivals that highlight excellence in cinematography.

Children Cinema Awards is a member of the European Children's Film Association, helping to provide access to a wider variety of European cinema to children worldwide. ECFA has more than 125 members comprised of companies and organisations from 36 different countries.

French Distributor to Represent Welcome to the World For Commercial Distribution

May 8, 2020 — French distributor Gonella Productions has entered into an agreement to represent Welcome to the World for commercial distribution on TV, VOD, theaters, airlines and other platforms.

Founded by Cédric Gonella in 2009, Gonella Productions has distributed a wide variety of international short films all over the world and currently represents more than 500 short films.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

The Commitment Now Streaming at Queerbee Films

May 1, 2020 — The Commitment is one of Queerbee Films' new releases for the month of May. The streaming platform's page dedicated to The Commitment can be viewed here.

Founded by Angie West and Jac Nunns, Queerbee is an LGBTIQ community enterprise set up by filmmakers to curate queer short films and show them to new audiences in a fun and informative way. Their streaming platform presents expertly curated short films from a queer perspective, straight from the directors themselves, so wider audiences can see them. Monthly and annual subscriptions are available here. QueerBee is an LGBTQI Community Interest Company registered with Social Enterprise UK and Cinema For All.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 40 film festivals on six continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

World Premiere of The Butler and the Ball in San Diego

May 1, 2020 — The Butler and the Ball will have its world premiere at the 2020 San Diego International Kids' Film Festival, which runs August 21-23, 2020. The film, which is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, is directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan.

Venues for the San Diego International Kids' Film Festival include the Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium and Howard Brubeck Theatre.

Atlanta Premiere of The Butler and the Ball

March 27, 2020 — The Butler and the Ball will premiere in Atlanta at the 2020 Kids Video Connection Children's Film Festival. In selecting The Butler and the Ball, the festival's review panel applauded the film's original story and production value. The film, which is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer, is directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan.

The Butler and the Ball Premieres at Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston

March 6, 2020 — The Butler and the Ball will premiere at the Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston as part of the Scout Film Festival, which will take place in Fall 2020. The Butler and the Ball, which was selected from over 1300 submissions from 80 countries, is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer. The film is directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan.

Founded in 1936 as a sister institution to New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston was conceived as a laboratory where innovative approaches to art could be championed. The museum established a reputation for identifying important new artists, and in pursuit of this mission, eventually parted ways with MoMA and changed its name to the Institute of Contemporary Art in 1948. For more than 80 years, the Institute of Contemporary Art / Boston has presented contemporary art in all media—visual arts, performance, film, video, and literature.

Scout Film Festival is a 501c3 non-profit organization that produces an annual international event celebrating emerging filmmakers—aged 24 and under—through film.

Canadian Premiere for The Butler and the Ball

March 5, 2020 — The Butler and the Ball will have its Canadian premiere at the Hamilton Youth Film Festival on Friday, September 11, 2020. The film screens in Showcase 4 at Staircase Theatre, which runs from 9:45-10:45pm. Tickets are available here.

The Butler and the Ball is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer. The film is directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan.

Founded in 2017, the annual Hamilton Youth Film Festival is the first film festival in Hamilton to showcase only youth created films. The festival is run completely by students, from high school to college.

The Butler and the Ball Premieres in Pennsylvania

March 4, 2020 — The Butler and the Ball premieres in Pennsylvania at the West Chester Film Festival, running November 13-15, 2020. The Butler and the Ball, which was one of over 60 films selected from around the world, is an urban fairy tale about a lonely boy who enters a contest to become the new butler of a grieving, reclusive singer. The film is directed by eight-year-old Andrew Chan-Possemato, who wrote and produced it with Albert M. Chan.

The Commitment Premieres on Sixth Continent: Australia

March 1, 2020 — The Commitment will premiere on its sixth continent, Australia, at the 4th PRIDE Queer Film Festival in Perth on March 7, 2020, 4pm, at The Backlot Studios Perth. The Commitment screens in the session Short Films Mixed Bag alongside films from Brazil, United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey, and the United States.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 40 film festivals on six continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

Welcome to the World, also directed by Albert M. Chan, will also screen at the 4th PRIDE Queer Film Festival on March 7, 2020, 6:30pm, in the session Shorts From Around the World.

Welcome to the World Returns to Australia

March 1, 2020 — Welcome to the World returns to Australia for the 4th PRIDE Queer Film Festival in Perth on March 7, 2020, 6:30pm, at The Backlot Studios Perth. Welcome to the World screens in the session Shorts From Around the World alongside films from the United Kingdom, France, The Netherlands, Canada, Greece, Taiwan, Italy, and the United States.

Welcome to the World previously had its Australian premiere at the 2018 Short + Sweet Film Festival Queensland at the Queensland Academy for Creative Industries.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

The Commitment, also directed by Albert M. Chan, will also screen at the 4th PRIDE Queer Film Festival on March 7, 2020, 4pm, in the session Short Films Mixed Bag, marking its Australian premiere.

Incarnations Advances to Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition Semifinals

February 27, 2020 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has advanced to the 12th Annual Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition semifinals. Winners will be announced Thursday, March 19, 2020.

Now approaching its 44th year, the Atlanta Film Festival–an Academy Award®-qualifying festival–is the Southeast's preeminent celebration of cinema and the flagship production of the Atlanta Film Society. One of the largest and longest-running festivals in the country, the Atlanta Film Festival showcases both emerging and established artists' works. Recent festivals have seen audiences of over 28,000 film-lovers joining over 300 attending filmmakers in support of moving images that push the boundaries of independent cinema.

The 2020 Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition is devoted to finding the best screenplays from around the world and offering their authors the opportunity to take part in a once in a lifetime writing workshop and mentorship with professionals in the film industry. Winners of the Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition have gone on to be honored by The Black List, selected for the Sundance Directors' Lab, sign with representation, option their winning scripts, and write/direct critically and commercially successful indie films.

Atlanta Film Festival Selects Incarnations as Screenplay Competition Quarterfinalist

February 13, 2020 — The 12th Annual Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition has selected the feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations as a quarterfinalist. Winners will be announced Thursday, March 19, 2020.

Incarnations Highlighted in 2019 Young & Hungry List and 2019 Hit List

January 30, 2020 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has been highlighted in a special section of The Tracking Board's 2019 Young & Hungry List and 2019 Hit List.

Each year, The Tracking Board works with industry voters to compile the Young & Hungry List, a list of the top 100 up-and-coming writers across the entertainment industry, and the Hit List, a list of the best spec scripts of the year.

Incarnations was recently a finalist in The Tracking Board's 2018/2019 Launch Pad Feature Competition, in exclusive partnership with Verve, Good Fear Film + Management, and Romark Entertainment.

Screenplay for Incarnations Wins 2nd Place at Hamilton Film Festival

November 10, 2019 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has won 2nd place in the screenwriting contest at the 14th Annual Hamilton Film Festival. Winners were announced tonight at the Staircase Theatre where Incarnations also participated yesterday in the Canadian Film Market.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The project was also recently named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition and the Screencraft Film Fund.

Welcome to the World Premieres in Mexico

November 7, 2019 — Welcome to the World will premiere in Mexico at the 6th Festival Mundial de Cine de Veracruz (World Film Festival of Veracruz), running November 12-16, 2019. The film screens in Fiction Short Films Program 1 on Monday, November 11, 2019, 10am, at Instituto Tecnológico de Veracruz; Tuesday, November 12, 2019, 5pm, at both the Instituto Tecnológico de Boca del Rio and Casa Ejidal Zempoala; and Wednesday, November 13, 2019, 9pm, at La Moderna Xalapa.

The festival is presented in association with Fundación 500 años de la Vera Cruz A.C., a foundation commemorating the founding of the city of Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz by Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés when he arrived in Mexico on April 22, 1519. The foundation features commemorative activities that cover science, technology, fine arts, and popular culture.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Incarnations Selected as Screenplay Finalist for Hamilton Film Festival

November 6, 2019 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has been selected as one of 9 finalists for the 14th Annual Hamilton Film Festival. Winners will be announced Sunday, November 10, 2019, at 6pm, at the Staircase Theatre in Hamilton. Incarnations will also participate in the Canadian Film Market on Saturday, November 9, 2019, also at the Staircase Theatre.

Argentinian Premiere of Welcome to the World

November 1, 2019 — Welcome to the World will premiere in Argentina at the 3rd Short Long World Festival, running November 7-10, 2019. The festival takes place at the Museo de Bellas Artes de Corrientes and the Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. The film screens alongside other LGBT+ short films from Puerto Rico, France, the Philippines, Brazil, and the United States.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Croatian Premiere for The Commitment at Centre for Promotion of Tolerance and Preservation of Holocaust Remembrance

October 28, 2019 — The Commitment will premiere in Croatia on Wednesday, November 27, 2019, hosted by the Centre for Promotion of Tolerance and Preservation of Holocaust Remembrance.

Every month, the Centre for Promotion of Tolerance and Preservation of Holocaust Remembrance hosts a public forum called "Why do we hate each other?", where special guests and audience members talk about the problem of hatred in contemporary Croatian society. This month's discussion topic will be adoption for gay people in Croatia.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at 40 film festivals on five continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

The Jewish Film Festival Zagreb, in partnership with the City of Zagreb, established the Centre for Promotion of Tolerance and Preservation of Holocaust Remembrance in May 2017. The mission is to create an environment for growth and development of an individual inspired by tolerance and acceptance of diversity, in particular the preservation of Holocaust remembrance. Through the power of social engagement and the arts, the center hopes to influence and change beliefs and opinions and raise awareness of intolerance and hatred when it comes to racism, discrimination, xenophobia, homophobia, migrant issues, assimilation, and integration.

Pakistani Premiere of Welcome to the World at iSmart Film Festival

October 26, 2019 — Welcome to the World, shot on an iPhone 6 in one continuous 7-minute take for less than $140, will premiere in Pakistan on June 17, 2020, 7pm, in Karachi at the iSmart Film Festival, an international festival dedicated to celebrating work shot on smartphones.

iSmartfilms, Asia's first and the world's ninth smartphone filmmaking company, was created by Abid Beli in 2015 with the goal to discover, encourage, and accompany the talents of the world to share the stories they have captured on mobile devices and to provide smartphone filmmakers with a platform to exhibit these stories to a wider audience. iSmartfilms is committed to the democratization of cinema, supporting the use of the smartphone as an alternative means for an idea of quality to end on the screen.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Incarnations Selected as Quarterfinalist in Shore Scripts Screenplay Contest

October 25, 2019 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has been selected as a quarterfinalist for the 2019 Shore Scripts Screenplay Contest. Semifinalists will be announced on November 10, 2019, and winners will be announced on November 25, 2019.

With 36 Oscar, Golden Globe, Emmy, and BAFTA winning judges, the contest's focus is to discover the best new screenwriting talent from around the world. Shore Scripts Screenplay Contest has helped launch the careers of 60+ writers through the feature contest, including deals with Sony, Blumhouse, Warner Bros., and Hulu.

Incarnations Selected as Screenplay Finalist for Atlanta Festival

Actors Cast for Table Read of Incarnations, Screenplay Finalist for Atlanta Festival

October 24, 2019 — Atlanta-based actors Toya M. Nelson, Hosea M DeMarzino, and Kenisha Johnson have been cast for the table read of the feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations, a finalist for the 14th Annual Peachtree Village International Film Festival. The table read will take place on Saturday, October 26, 2019, at 10am, at the Hotel Indigo Atlanta Downtown.

Peachtree Village International Film Festival is hosted by The African American Cinema Gallery (AACG) & Gipp. Museums, Inc. PVIFF was created in 2006 under the previous name Sweet Auburn International Film Festival and has served as the launching pad for many successful filmmakers and other artists in the film and entertainment industry. Artists such as actor/director Mario Van Peebles, actress Ruby Dee, director/writer Rob Hardy of Rain Forest Films, producer Roger Bobb of Tyler Perry Studios, director Malcolm Lee, casting director Alpha Tyler formerly of Tyler Perry Studios, casting director Kim Hardin, Emmy Award winning producer Dean Hargrove, casting director & producer Reuben Cannon formerly of Tyler Perry Studios, best-selling author Omar Tyree, actor Bill Nunn, director Kenny Leon, humanitarian Afeni Shakur, and more have all participated in various aspects of PVIFF over the years.

Welcome to the World Screens at Film Festival with Themes of Survival and Triumph Over Adversity

October 23, 2019 — Welcome to the World has been selected for the 2019 Overcome Film Festival, running October 23-29, 2019. Films and trailers can be viewed during the festival here.

The Overcome Film Festival is the international event for all storytellers, filmmakers, and artists to tell the world their stories of survival and triumph over adversity. The Overcome Film Festival especially encourages and welcomes the entries of filmmakers all over the world who want to share their experiences in overcoming adversity or any other factor that has contributed to their growth as a person and motivated them to celebrate their existence. It is the focus of the film festival to give survivors a voice and a venue to share their life experiences and provide hope to others regardless of where they come from in the world.

Subtitles are requested of all selected films as the focus of the festival is to include everyone, including hearing and physically impaired audience members.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Incarnations Selected as Screenplay Finalist for Atlanta Festival

September 10, 2019 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has been selected as a finalist for the 14th Annual Peachtree Village International Film Festival. A table read of Incarnations will take place during the festival, which runs October 24-27, 2019.

British Premiere of Welcome to the World

September 10, 2019 — Welcome to the World will premiere in Britain at the 2019 Last Frame Smartphone Film Festival. The film screens Sunday, September 29, 2019, at 3:45pm at Leytonstone Library in London as part of the Queer DIY Filmmaking with Industry Professionals programme. Welcome to the World, shot on an iPhone 6, will screen alongside Sean Baker's Spirit-winning modern classic Tangerine, shot entirely on an iPhone 5S. Following the screenings, there will be a panel discussion with queer filmmakers and programmers looking at the relationship between DIY and queer filmmaking.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

The Finish Line Script Competition Selects Incarnations as Semifinalist

The Finish Line Script Competition Selects Incarnations as Quarterfinalist

September 10, 2019 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has been selected as a quarterfinalist for the 2019 Finish Line Script Competition. Semifinalists will be announced on October 22, 2019, and winners will be announced on October 29, 2019.

Finish Line's winners and runners-up will receive extensive notes (and have the opportunity to rewrite and resubmit new drafts at no additional cost) from industry professionals, as well as getting valuable facetime with 35 mentors from the film & TV industry. This year's mentor list includes House of Lies writer Matthew Carnahan, development executive Owen Shiflett of Shudder & Sundance Now (AMC Networks), and HBO Entertainment Drama Co-Head Francesca Orsi.

UK Premiere for The Commitment at Queerbee LGBT Film Festival

September 7, 2019 — The Commitment will have its UK premiere at London's Queerbee LGBT Film Festival on Saturday, September 7, 2019, at Genesis Cinema and Hackney Showroom.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at 40 film festivals on five continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

Queerbee is an LGBTIQ community enterprise set up by filmmakers to curate queer short films and show them to new audiences in a fun and informative way. QueerBee is an LGBTQI Community Interest Company registered with Social Enterprise UK and Cinema For All.

Sundance Institute Selects Incarnations for Second-Round Consideration for 2020 Development Track

August 19, 2019 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has been selected for second-round consideration for the Sundance Institute's 2020 Development Track of its Feature Film Program. Incarnations is under consideration for the Sundance Screenwriters Lab, Sundance Screenwriters Intensive, Sundance Institute Asian American Fellowship, and Sundance Institute Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship and Commissioning Grant (for projects with scientific and/or technological content).

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan and creatively produced by Alice Cox Neff, is about a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death.

Final selections for the 2020 Development Track will be made by December 16, 2019.

The Sundance Institute is a non-profit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981 that actively advances the work of filmmakers and storytellers worldwide.

Scriptapalooza Screenplay Competition Announces Incarnations as Quarterfinalist

August 1, 2019 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has been announced as a quarterfinalist in the 2019 Scriptapalooza Screenplay Competition, selected from 3,157 entrants.

Around since 1998, the Scriptapalooza Screenplay Competition's past past winners have won Emmys, been signed by agents, managers, had their scripts optioned, and even made into movies.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about an agnostic biologist unable to come to terms with the death of his four-year-old son. After discovering startling scientific evidence of reincarnation, he sets off in search of him. The project was recently named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition and the Screencraft Film Fund.

Rhode Island International Film Festival Selects Incarnations as Semifinalist

July 28, 2019 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has been selected as a semifinalist for the 2020 Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival.

Sixty-six films that were either premiered or discovered at hode Island International Film Festival have gone on to receive Oscar nominations. From this pool, ten have gone on to win the coveted award. In 2019, nine films from the 2018 Festival competed in the Best Live Action, Documentary, and Animated Short categories.

Spanish Premiere of Welcome to the World

June 28, 2019 — Welcome to the World will premiere in Spain at the 6th Annual Shorty Week Film Festival. The film screens Saturday, June 29, 2019, at 12:45pm at the historic Castillo de Santa Catalina in Cádiz as part of the Red de BARaderos programme.

In 1993, the Castillo de Santa Catalina in Cádiz was declared Bien de Interés Cultural, a category of the heritage register in Spain. Now an exhibition center, this star-shaped 16th-century fortress was built after the Anglo-Dutch sacking of the city in 1596. Within stands a tiny 1683 chapel, and outside are beautiful panoramas across Playa de la Caleta.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Teaser for Incarnations Wraps Production

June 14, 2019 — The teaser for the upcoming feature-length science-based film Incarnations has wrapped production.

The teaser features Anthony Robert Grasso as Dr. Thomas Hunter, a grieving biologist who discovers startling scientific evidence revealing the fate of his deceased four-year-old son, launching him on a spiritual quest where life meets death. The teaser also features Albert M. Chan as Dr. Leo Chen, a hip biostatistician and former student of Thomas.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, was recently named a finalist for the Launch Pad Feature Competition and the Screencraft Film Fund.

Welcome to the World Returns to New York City

June 11, 2019 — After screening on six continents, Welcome to the World returns home to New York City for the 6th Annual The Americas Film Festival of New York, running June 13-22, 2019. Welcome to the World is one of nine fiction short films in competition and will be presented in a block of shorts films alongside ones from Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Panama, and Guatemala, on Saturday, June 15, 2019, at 3pm, at the Center for Worker Education (CWE), 7th Floor Auditorium, at The City College of New York. The screening is free.

Welcome to the World previously screening in New York at NewFilmmakers New York, Asian American International Film Festival, The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival, My True Colors Festival, Crown Heights Film Festival, Williamsburg Independent Film Festival, and Long Island International Film Expo.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

The Americas Film Festival of New York represents the rich diversity of the cultures, languages and stories of North America, Central America, and South America along with their associated islands. The festival is a project of the Division of Interdisciplinary Studies at the Center for Worker Education (CWE) of The City College of New York (The City University of New York - CUNY), in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. The Americas Film Festival of New York aims to create a new culture of cinematography appreciation by providing a dynamic space for the public and artists to meet, reflect on multiculturalism and diversity in our society, while promoting the work of new and emerging filmmakers.

Welcome to the World Premieres in Peru

June 10, 2019 — Welcome to the World will premiere in Peru at Independientes Festival de Cortometrajesin Arequipa on Saturday, June 15, 2019, at 5pm, at the Casa Blanca Centro Cultural. Casa Blanca Centro Cultural is a space for an avant-garde art in the Peruvian south, with exhibitions, festivals, screenings, talks, workshops, contests as well as an artist residency program where Peruvian and foreign artists can participate.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Central American Premiere of Welcome to the World

May 28, 2019 — Welcome to the World will premiere in Central America at the 2nd Annual Espacio Seis Festival de Cultura LGBTIQ+ in Panama City, running June 1-6, 2019. The theme this year is "Abriendo Caminos", or "Opening Roads".

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

The educational framework of Espacio Seis consists of three main pillars: LGBTIQ+ cinema; LGBTIQ+ art, such as drawings, paintings and photographs, installations and performances; and cultural talks, workshops, and panels on topics of current interest for LGBTIQ people and the general population.

Albert M. Chan Wins the Award for Best Performance at OutlantaCon for Welcome to the World

May 23, 2019 — OutlantaCon has awarded lead actor Albert M. Chan Best Performance for his portrayal of a troubled man in . OutlantaCon, an Atlanta-based event for LGBTQIA geek audience, ran from May 10-12, 2019, at the Renaissance Concourse Atlanta. The award-winning films at this year's festival will have a special additional screening in the historic Plaza Theater, Atlanta's oldest operating cinema.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) writes, "RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS". Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises, "CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY". Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves, "CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT". And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes, "LEADING MAN ALBERT M. CHAN... PLAYS AN EMOTIONALLY RAW MAN WITH A GRACE AND EASE THAT IS OFTEN ONLY SEEN WITHIN SOME OF THE MOST HIGH END ACTORS... PACKS A HUGE PUNCH... TO CREATE SUCH AN IMPACT ON A VIEWER IN ONLY SEVEN MINUTES WITH JUST ONE MAN, A SCRIPT AND A CAMERA CERTAINLY SPEAKS VOLUMES OF THE SKILLS THAT CHAN HAS AS A DIRECTOR, WRITER AND PERFORMER".

Now in its 11th year, OutlantaCon is Atlanta's LGBTQIA convention for sci-fi, pop-culture, multi-media, and gaming. The festival is for people who are not only coming to watch films but engage in discussion on issues relating to film, fandom and LGBTQIA issues around the globe.

WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Announces Incarnations as Semifinalist

May 15, 2019 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has been announced as a semifinalist in the Spring 2019 WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Screenwriting Lab.

Judges' comments include: "The concept is original and intriguing... The characters and relationships are the strongest part of this story and it sets a strong foundation for plot... Dialogue is natural and conversational... powerful... refreshingly honest... The ending was incredibly emotive... It's satisfying in the way that it gives a sense of resolution for storylines and characters. There are meaningful messages that we're left with, that we've learnt along the journey with the characters... This is a well-written script by a talented writer. Overall the story is heartfelt, intriguing and entertaining."

WeScreenplay Diverse Voices encourages stories told by writers of color, women writers, writers with disabilities, writers over 40, writers in the LGBTQ+ community, and any other voices that have historically been ignored by Hollywood. Finalists will be announced on June 15, 2019; and the Grand Prize and category winners will be announced on July 15, 2019. Four winners will be flown out to Los Angeles for mentorship and meetings with industry professionals in the Screenwriting Lab.

OutlantaCon Includes Welcome to the World in Lineup

May 9, 2019 — OutlantaCon has selected Welcome to the World as part of its lineup this year. OutlantaCon, an Atlanta-based event for LGBTQIA geek audience, will screen the film on Saturday, May 11, 2019, at 9pm, at the Renaissance Concourse Atlanta in the Narratives Block. After the festival ends and the winners are announced, those films will have a special additional screening in the historic Plaza Theater, Atlanta's oldest operating cinema.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Last October, Welcome to the World had its Georgia premiere at the 31st Out on Film: Atlanta's LGBT Film Festival.

BlueCat Screenplay Competition Announces Incarnations as Quarterfinalist

March 26, 2019 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has been announced as a quarterfinalist in the 21st Annual BlueCat Screenplay Competition. Semifinalists will be announced on April 9, 2019; finalists will be announced on April 30, 2019; and the winner will be announced on May 7, 2019.

Now in its 21st year, the BlueCat Screenplay Competition's past winners and finalists have been signed by major talent agencies like UTA, CAA and WME, sold their work to studios like Warner Bros., Paramount, and Universal, and won major awards at the Sundance, Berlin, and Tribeca film festivals.

Welcome to the World Premieres in Ecuador

March 16, 2019 — Welcome to the World will have its Ecuadorian premiere at FESCISA - Festival de Cine Independiente de San Antonio, running March 21-24, 2019. Welcome to the World is one of three short films in the social issue category, joining Bully from India and Dancing Without a House from Colombia. The festival takes place at Centro Cultural Daniel Reyes in San Antonio De Ibarra.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

FESCISA - Festival de Cine Independiente de San Antonio presents films of diverse genres, where subjects of humanity, social, solidarity, childhood, women, among others predominate.

Philadelphia Premiere for Welcome to the World

March 13, 2019 — Welcome to the World will screen Thursday, March 28th, 2019, at qFLIX Philadelphia. Welcome to the World will play at 7:30pm in the session of LGBTQ+ short films by local Philly filmmakers and adopted qFLIX Philly filmmakers, called Philly Phamily Philms, in Connelly Auditorium at The University of the Arts. Co-director and lead actor Albert M. Chan is scheduled to be in attendance for a talkback.

Last October, Welcome to the World won the Audience Award for Favorite Short Film at sister festival qFLIX Worcester. Albert M. Chan's interracial gay adoption film The Commitment also screened at qFLIX Philadelphia last year.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

qFLIX Philadelphia is a production of qFLIX USA, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit corporation, and is rooted in 24 years of LGBTQ+ film festival leadership. Film as an international language allows qFLIX USA to foster, support, and give access to independent filmmakers and to encourage and nurture younger ones in the art of filmmaking.

Incarnations Named Finalist for Tracking Board Launch Pad Feature Competition

March 6, 2019 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has been announced as a Top 100 finalist in the 2018/2019 Launch Pad Feature Competition by The Tracking Board, in exclusive partnership with Verve, Good Fear Film + Management, and Romark Entertainment. The Top 25 will be announced on March 27, 2019; the Top 10 will be announced on April 9, 2019; and the 3 grand prize winners will be announced on April 23, 2019.

Now in its sixth year, the Launch Pad Competition has led to more than 403 signings, 134 projects set up, 61 writers staffed, 150 appearances on annual best of lists such as The Black List, Blood List, Hit List, and the Young & Hungry List, as well as 6 bidding wars.

Incarnations Named Finalist for Screencraft Film Fund

February 20, 2019 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has advanced to the finals for the Fall 2018 Screencraft Film Fund. Incarnations was amongst the 25 finalists, culled from over 1,000 entries. The top finalists may be contacted by interested industry representatives, such as managers, agents or producers. Up to two filmmakers will be awarded this production grant of up to $30,000 in production funds. Winners will be announced March 6, 2019.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about an agnostic biologist unable to come to terms with the death of his four-year-old son. After discovering scientific evidence of reincarnation, he embarks on a journey to find his son.

Screencraft is a media consultancy that connects screenwriters with their network of industry pros.

Boston Cultural Council Awards Grant to Screen Welcome to the World

February 13, 2019 — The non-profit organization MAP for Health has received a grant from the Boston Cultural Council to screen Welcome to the World and have a discussion and talk-back with LGBTQ youth and young adults about mental health, coming out, and suicide. Now in its 25th year of service, MAP for Health is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that promotes healthy outcomes for Asian and Pacific Islander (API) youth and their communities in the greater Boston area. In addition to being a key resource for building HIV/AIDS awareness and delivering HIV prevention and education in the Asian community, MAP for Health is focused on youth development and safety of API youth, especially LGBTQ youth, and the widespread epidemic of hepatitis B in the API community.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

The Boston Cultural Council works under the umbrella of the Mayor's Office of Arts & Culture Boston and distributes funds annually from the City of Boston and Mass Cultural Council that support innovative arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences programming with the goal of enhancing the quality of life in Boston.

Incarnations Advances to Semifinals for Screencraft Film Fund

February 2, 2019 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has advanced to the semifinals for the Fall 2018 Screencraft Film Fund. Incarnations was amongst the approximately 20% of quarterfinalists that moved on to the next round. Up to two filmmakers will be awarded this production grant of up to $30,000 in production funds. Winners will be announced March 6, 2019.

Screencraft is a media consultancy that connects screenwriters with their network of industry pros.

Welcome to the World Premieres on Sixth Continent: South America

January 21, 2019 — Welcome to the World will premiere on its sixth continent, South America, at Festival Internacional de Cine del Mar Caribe (Caribbean Sea International Film Festival), on Saturday, January 26, 2019, 10am, on the island of Margarita in Venezuela. The film screens at Cines Unido Sambil Margarita in the LGBT Short Film category.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes:

"RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS"

Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as:

"INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY"

Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves:

"CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT"

And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes:

Screencraft Film Fund Selects Incarnations as Quarterfinalist

January 2, 2019 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has been selected as a quarterfinalist in the Fall 2018 Screencraft Film Fund, culled from over a thousand applications. Up to two filmmakers will be awarded this production grant of up to $30,000 in production funds. Winners will be announced March 6, 2019.

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, is about a successful biologist unable to come to terms with the death of his four-year-old son. After discovering scientific evidence of reincarnation, he embarks on a journey to find his son.

Screencraft is a media consultancy that connects screenwriters with their network of industry pros.

Welcome to the World Nominated for Lead Actor and Smartphone Awards

December 24, 2018 — Welcome to the World has been nominated for Best Lead Actor in an English Language Short for Albert M. Chan's performance and for Best Smartphone Film at the upcoming Southern States Indie FanFilmFest in Biloxi, Mississippi. The film screens January 2, 2019, at 1:15pm at the Palace Casino Resort. Winners will be announced at the red carpet dinner and awards ceremony.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes, "RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS". Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as "INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY". Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves, "CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT". And Rachel Pullen (UK Film Review) writes, "LEADING MAN ALBERT M. CHAN... PLAYS AN EMOTIONALLY RAW MAN WITH A GRACE AND EASE THAT IS OFTEN ONLY SEEN WITHIN SOME OF THE MOST HIGH END ACTORS... PACKS A HUGE PUNCH... TO CREATE SUCH AN IMPACT ON A VIEWER IN ONLY SEVEN MINUTES WITH JUST ONE MAN, A SCRIPT AND A CAMERA CERTAINLY SPEAKS VOLUMES OF THE SKILLS THAT CHAN HAS AS A DIRECTOR, WRITER AND PERFORMER".

Italian Premiere of Welcome to the World at OMOVIES

December 7, 2018 — Welcome to the World premieres in Italy at the 11th annual OMOVIES Festival Internazionale di Cinema LGBT e Questioning. The film kicks off the afternoon screenings on Thursday, December 13, 2018, at 4pm, at Run Comunicazione in Naples. Free admission.

OMOVIES is the first LGBT festival in southern Italy, and is a program of the i Ken ONLUS LGBT Association founded by Carlo Cremona and Marco Taglialatela. OMOVIES is a founding member of the CFCC (Coordinamento dei Festival Cinematografici della Campania).

Brooklyn Screening of Welcome to the World at Williamsburg Independent Film Festival

November 15, 2018 — Welcome to the World returns to Brooklyn, its shooting location, for at the 9th Annual Williamsburg Independent Film Festival, a festival in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. The film screens November 16, 2018, at 6:45pm, at the historic Wythe Hotel Cinema in the shorts session It Runs in the Family. Co-director and actor Albert M. Chan will be in attendance.

Founded in 2010, the mission of the Williamsburg Independent Film Festival is to nurture and celebrate new and independent film makers in the mecca of hipster and progressive culture. Over the years, some of our participants have included Neil LaBute, Linda Hamilton, Jane Lynch, Carol Leifer, Michael Urie, Frank Whaley, Billie Joe Armstrong, Debra Messing, Julia Ormand, Fran Kranz, Cheyenne Jackson, Illeana Douglas, Skeet Ulrich, Cathy Moriarty, Keir Gilchrist, Chloe Dahl, Gail Lerner, Rene Balcer, Josh Hamilton, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Rob McClure, Aaron Lazar, Sean Young, Jordan Roth and Daryl Roth.

Welcome to the World Wins Award for Best LGBT Film

November 10, 2018 — Welcome to the World won the award for Best LGBT Film at this weekend's EyeCatcher Film Festival, a FilmFreeway Top 100 Best Reviewed Festival. The film screened at Great Balls of Fire Entertainment Center and the award was announced at Fat Mary's Lounge & Cabaret, southeast Oklahoma's only LGBT venue, in McAlester, Oklahoma.

The Commitment Premieres in the Caribbean at Santo Domingo OutFest

October 23, 2018 — The Commitment, known in Spanish as El compromiso, will have its Caribbean premiere at Santo Domingo OutFest on Friday, November 30, 2018, at 4:30pm, at the Centro Cultural de España en Santo Domingo. The film will be shown with Spanish subtitles translated by Marina Catalán.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at 40 film festivals on five continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

The festival is coordinated by the Red de Voluntarios de Amigos Siempre Amigos (RevASA) and Amigos Siempre Amigos (ASA) and has the support of public, private and international cooperation institutions, as well as national community groups.

Screencraft Drama Screenplay Competition Selects Incarnations as Quarterfinalist

October 22, 2018 — The feature-length science-based screenplay Incarnations has been selected as a quarterfinalist in the 2018 Screencraft Drama Screenplay Competition. Winners will be announced December 21, 2018.

Screencraft is a media consultancy that connects screenwriters with their network of industry pros.

Documentary MAP for Health: 25 Years of Asian Pride to Premiere in Boston

October 20, 2018 — The documentary MAP for Health: 25 Years of Asian Pride will premiere at the Boston Asian American Film Festival on Sunday, October 21, 2018, at 12pm, at The Paramount Center. The film screens in the session Shorts: Out of Boston in the Bright Family Screening Room. Director, producer, and editor Albert M. Chan is scheduled to be in attendance, as well as director of photography Boguslaw Zdzieblo.

Immediately following the screening, Albert M. Chan will moderate a talkback with MAP for Health founding members Quynh Dang and Jennifer Matias at a wine and cheese reception at MAP for Health (322 Tremont Street).

At the height of the AIDS epidemic, the rate of HIV infection among Asian-Pacific Islanders was the fastest growing among all ethnic groups, and yet there were no prevention and education programs targeting them in Massachusetts. MAP for Health: 25 Years of Asian Pride tells the inspirational story of a group of young Asian-Pacific Islanders who banded together in a grassroots effort to address a critical need in the Massachusetts Asian-Pacific Islander community during the AIDS crisis.

Albert M. Chan's previous films Welcome to the World, Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future, and The Commitment also screened at the Boston Asian American Film Festival in 2017, 2014, and 2012.

BAAFF empowers the Asian American community through film by showcasing Asian American experiences and serving as a resource to filmmakers and the Greater Boston Community. BAAFF's film selections highlight both historic and contemporary stories in an effort to deepen understanding and appreciation of Asian American experiences. Hosted in Boston, Massachusetts, this festival attracts people from all over the country every year. In 2018, the Boston Asian American Film Festival celebrates 10 years of "Connecting through Film."

European Premiere of Welcome to the World in Marseilles, France

October 20, 2018 — Welcome to the World premieres in its fifth continent, Europe, at the 11th annual ZeFestival - Festival du Film LGBT de Polychromes. The film screens in Marseilles, France, on Sunday, October 21, 2018, 11am, at Cinéma Pathé Madeleine. Click here for more details. ZeFestival is a program of Polychromes.

Welcome to the World Wins Audience Award at New England's LGBTQ+ Film Festival

October 14, 2018 — Welcome to the World won the Audience Award for Favorite Short Film at qFLIX Worcester, New England's LGBTQ+ Film Festival, which was held October 11-14, 2018, at the historic 2,300-seat Hanover Theater, where co-director and lead actor Albert M. Chan was in attendance. Last year, Albert M. Chan's film The Commitment also won the Audience Award at qFLIX Worcester for Best Men's Short.

Welcome to the World to Screen at San Antonio QFest

World to the World to Screen at San Antonio QFest

October 13, 2018 — Welcome to the World continues its festival run at San Antonio QFest, and will screen Saturday, October 13, 2018, at 7:15pm, at City Base Cinema in the short film session Special Topics Shorts Package. Previously, co-director Albert M. Chan's film The Commitment screened at San Antonio QFest in 2016, where it was also nominated for Best Drama Short Film, Best Male Performance (Albert M. Chan) and Best Portrayal of an LBGT Minority (Albert M. Chan).

San Antonio QFest is committed to bringing awareness of the LGBTQ community to the greater San Antonio region by featuring cinematic works recognizing and celebrating a multicultural world. Tickets are on sale here. San Antonio QFest operates under the umbrella organization of Pride: San Antonio which is a 501c3 organization. Originally established 7 years ago, this festival is held during LGBTQ History Month in order to promote the understanding and multicultural community that is the LGBTQ community.

Welcome to the World Returns to Massachusetts for qFLIX Worcester

October 12, 2018 — Welcome to the World will return to Massachusetts for qFLIX Worcester at the historic 2,300-seat Hanover Theater, in the Mixed Shorts Program�on October 14, 2018, at 11am. Co-director and lead actor Albert M. Chan is scheduled to be in attendance.

Last year, Albert's film The Commitment won the Audience Award for Best Men's Short at qFLIX Worcester.

Georgia Premiere of Welcome to the World at Atlanta's Out on Film

October 3, 2018 — Welcome to the World will premiere in Georgia at the 31st Out on Film: Atlanta's LGBT Film Festival, on Thursday, October 4, 2018, at 1:30pm, at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema. The film anchors a collection of short films in a session Welcome to the World, named after Albert's film.

Founded in 1987, Out on Film: Atlanta's LGBT Film Festival is one of the oldest and leading LGBT film festivals in the United States. A non-profit, tax-exempt 501c3 organization, Out On Film was created to inform, entertain, educate, and enrich the regional LGBT community by recognizing the creative work of these artists and professionals, many with local connections. Out On Film's popularity is accomplished in part by offering multi-racial and multi-cultural films, and over the years has been recognized locally, nationally, and globally for showcasing films by, for, and about the LGBT community.

Welcome to the World Returns to Oklahoma for Top Reviewed Festival

October 1, 2018 — Welcome to the World returns to Oklahoma for the EyeCatcher Film Festival, a FilmFreeway Top 100 Best Reviewed Festival. The film screens Thursday, November 8, 2018, at 10am, at Great Balls of Fire Entertainment Center in McAlester, Oklahoma. Previously, Welcome to the World screened at GLITTER! Oklahoma LGBTQ Film Festival.

Brooklyn Screening of Welcome to the World at Crown Heights Film Festival

September 30, 2018 — Welcome to the World returns to Brooklyn, its shooting location, for at the 31st Crown Heights Film Festival, a festival in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. The film screens on Friday, October 19, 2018, at 7pm, at FiveMyles an exhibition and performance space. The film screens in a collection of short films from Canada, USA, Iran, and Ireland. Co-director and actor Albert M. Chan will be in attendance. Admission is free.

The Crown Heights Film Festival (CHFF) brings exceptional local and international short films to the Brooklyn audience. Founded in 2009 to bring the community together as it was rapidly changing due to gentrification, the festival attracts large, enthusiastic audiences to Crown Heights, one of Brooklyn's most beautiful and diverse neighborhoods.

African Premiere for Welcome to the World in Durban, South Africa

September 22, 2018 — Welcome to the World will have its African premiere at the Durban Gay & Lesbian Film Festival on Saturday, September 22, 2018, 12:30pm, in Durban, South Africa, in the session Queer Drama Short Film Mix. The session will repeat on Tuesday, September 25, 2018, 5:30pm. Previously, co-director Albert M. Chan's film The Commitment screened at Durban Gay & Lesbian Film Festival in 2013.

As an independent platform for filmmakers from South Africa and across the world to specifically deal with issues relating to the LGBTI community, the DGLFF will showcase new and innovative motion pictures, documentaries, shorts and related productions whilst conducting workshops, debates and talks on past LGBTI movies, productions processes, film writing and how the visual medium affects and is affected by the pink community across the world. Special emphasis is placed on Durban and KwaZulu-Natal filmmakers, especially those that deal with human rights and issues of human sexuality in their work. Proceeds from the festival will benefit both the KZNSA and the KwaZulu-Natal Gay & Lesbian Tourism Association (KZNGALTA).

Sundance Institute Selects Incarnations and The Elucidation of Dr. Park for Second-Round Consideration for 2019 Development Track

August 13, 2018 — The feature-length science-based screenplays Incarnations and The Elucidation of Dr. Park have been selected for second-round consideration for the Sundance Institute's 2019 Development Track of its Feature Film Program. Incarnations and The Elucidation of Dr. Park are under consideration for the Sundance Screenwriters Lab, Sundance Screenwriters Intensive, Sundance Institute Asian American Fellowship, and Sundance Institute Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship and Commissioning Grant (for projects with scientific and/or technological content).

Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan and creatively produced by Alice Cox Neff, is about a successful biologist unable to come to terms with the death of his four-year-old son. After discovering scientific evidence of reincarnation, he embarks on a journey to find his son.

The Elucidation of Dr. Park, written by Alice Cox Neff and creatively produced by Albert M. Chan, focuses on Gena Park, an Asian-American academic super-star in the final throes of her doctoral program in cancer biology. Driven to succeed, she schedules her defense in time to be eligible for a coveted research position, but hits a crisis of faith after a series of failed experiments and disagreements with her advisor. Gena embarks on a journey to help a student overcome his struggle with depression and in the process rediscovers her joy for science.

Final selections for the 2019 Development Track will be made by December 14, 2018.

The Sundance Institute is a non-profit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981 that actively advances the work of filmmakers and storytellers worldwide.

Welcome to the World Premieres in New Mexico at Taos Pride

August 8, 2018 — Welcome to the World will premiere in New Mexico at Taos Pride Film Festival, part of a series of pride parties, events and performances in a vibrant and internationally famous arts community. The film screens on Thursday, August 9, 2018, at 8pm as part of the shorts program at the Taos Community Auditorium at the Taos Center for the Arts. Tickets are $6.

Welcome to the World Picked Up by Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre

August 2, 2018 — Produced and co-directed by Canadian Albert M. Chan, Welcome to the World has been picked up for distribution by the Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre (CFMDC). The listing for Welcome to the World on CFMDC's website can be viewed here.

Established in 1967, CFMDC is a not-for-profit, artist-run centre that has since grown and evolved into a world-renowned distributor of independent media art. CFMDC serves as an ambassador for Canadian artists and their work, creating distribution networks and opportunities at the local, national and international levels. The centre honours the collective history of avant-garde art film, while playing a key-role in determining a more contemporary definition of distribution in the digital milieu. Now in our 50th year, with 3700+ films in their catalogue by over 1000 members, CFMDC is one of the most enduring, respected, forward thinking, and engaged, distribution centres in Canada. CFMDC is supported in part by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Toronto Arts Council.

Welcome to the World Screens at Asian American International Film Festival in NYC

August 1, 2018 — Welcome to the World will screen at the Asian American International Film Festival in NYC, the first and longest running festival in the country devoted to films by and about Asians and Asian Americans. The film screens on Wednesday, August 1, 2018, at 6pm as part of the shorts program Family Affairs, showcasing films that run the gamut of what it means to deal with family. The screening takes place at Village East Cinema, one of New York's last remaining Yiddish theatre buildings and a New York city designated landmark, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Co-director and actor Albert M. Chan and actress Mary Niederkorn will be in attendance. Tickets are $12 for seniors and students and $16 for general admission, available here.

Chan's first film, Fate Scores, screened at the Asian American International Film Festival back in 2009.

Welcome to the World Premieres in Oklahoma

July 26, 2018 — Welcome to the World will screen at GLITTER! Oklahoma LGBTQ Film Festival on Friday, July 27, 2018, at 12pm, at Fat Mary's Lounge & Cabaret, southeast Oklahoma's only LGBT venue.

GLITTER! Oklahoma LGBTQ Film Festival provides a diverse outlet for art in southeastern Oklahoma, showcasing micro shorts, shorts, documentaries, features, music videos, screenwriting, and photography. A legendary awards show hosted by one of the best female impersonators in the state, along with other amazing performers caps four days of events.

Long Island International Film Expo to Screen Welcome to the World

July 14, 2018 — Welcome to the World will screen at the 12th Annual Long Island International Film Expo on Sunday, July 15, 2018, at 3:45pm (Day 3, Screening Block 2), at the historic Bellmore Movies in Bellmore, New York. Co-director and actor Albert M. Chan and actress Mary Niederkorn are scheduled to be in attendance. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors/children/students and are available here.

Welcome to the World is a daring film about a troubled man who records a video message for his pregnant sister. Drawing its power and immediacy from its first-person, confessional style, the film presents, in one continuous 7-minute shot, the journey of one man's awakening from isolation back to humanity. The film stars Albert M. Chan and is directed by Albert M. Chan and Anthony Grasso.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes, "RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS". Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as "INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY". Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves, "CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... HOW HE SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT MAKES THIS THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY TO SPEND–AND PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE–THE NEXT SEVEN MINUTES OF YOUR LIFE."

Presented by the Long Island Film/TV Foundation and the Nassau County Film Commission, the Long Island International Film Expo has been named one of the Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World by MovieMaker Magazine. This year's festival will include over a hundred short and feature-length independent films from all over the world. Past guests include Ed Asner (Mary Tyler Moore Show), Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Billy Baldwin (Backdraft), Ed Burns (Saving Private Ryan), Danny Aiello (Moonstruck), Edie Falco (The Sopranos, Nurse Jackie), Steve Guttenberg (Cocoon), Ralph Macchio (The Karate Kid), Karen Allen (Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Perfect Storm), Dan Lauria (The Wonder Years), Nikki Blonsky (Hairspray, Huge), Ally Sheedy (The Breakfast Club), and Robert Vaughn (Man from U.N.C.L.E.).

The Commitment Premieres on Fifth Continent: South America

July 9, 2018 — The Commitment will premiere on its fifth continent, South America, at Festival Internacional de Cine LesBiGayTrans on July 12, 2018, at 7:20pm, at the Centro Cultural Juan De Salazar in Asunción, Paraguay. The film will be shown with Spanish subtitles translated by Marina Catalán. The film has previously screened in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 35 film festivals on five continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

Founded in 2005, Festival Internacional de Cine LesBiGayTrans is the only LGBT festival in Paraguay, and has the support of more than 30 feminist, human rights and artists organizations.

Welcome to the World Selected as Finalist for Short Film Competition

June 27, 2018 — Welcome to the World has been selected to compete in the 2018 OUT HERE NOW SHORT FILM COMPETITION on the closing night of the 19th Annual OUT HERE NOW: Kansas City LGBT Film Festival. This popular annual closing night event takes place on Thursday, June 28, 2018, at 5:45pm, at Tivoli Cinemas and features eleven short films, each under 10 minutes, that were selected to be this year's finalists by the jury. The audience in attendance that evening will watch and then rank each of the finalists. The filmmaker whose film earns the highest overall ranking will be awarded a cash prize.

The filmmaking team's previous effort The Commitment screened at OUT HERE NOW: Kansas City LGBT Film Festival back in 2013.

OUT HERE NOW: Kansas City LGBT Film Festival is presented by the Tivoli Cinemas and Arts Center and the Westport Regional Business League with support from the Kansas City Neighborhood Tourism & Development Fund.

Welcome to the World and The Commitment Both Selected for Official NYC Pride Event

March 17, 2018 — Welcome to the World and The Commitment will both screen during national LGBT Pride Month at My True Colors Festival, an official NYC Pride event. Both films screen on Friday, June 15, 2018, at 6:45pm at The Brick Theater (579 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211). Welcome to the World co-director and The Commitment director Albert M. Chan is scheduled to be in attendance for a talkback after the screenings. Tickets are $15 and are available here.

The My True Colors Festival is an annual event fighting for social justice and promoting cultural diversity through the arts by presenting works in multiple disciplines that are for and by underrepresented multicultural LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, asexual) storytellers. This year's festival will take place at various venues throughout Brooklyn, NY, including DUMBO's Made In NY Media Center by IFP.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at 35 film festivals on four continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

Since its launch in June 2015 as an official NYC Pride Event Partner, MTCF has presented over 100 screenings of film shorts, narratives, documentaries, and web series; stage plays; music performances; dance acts; visual arts; and, talkbacks/one-on-one conversations with high profile artists like ABC Black-ish co-star Jennifer Lewis.

Welcome to the World Screens in Home Province of Co-Director

June 4, 2018 — Welcome to the World will screen in co-director and writer Albert M. Chan's home province of Ontario, Canada, at the Queer North Film Festival in Sudbury, Ontario. The film screens on Friday, June 15, at 5:15pm, at the McEwen School of Architecture as part of the Best Of Queer Shorts 1 programme. For tickets and more information, visit here.

One member of the festival selection committee writes, "I had the privileged of reviewing your video as one of the submissions... I wanted to tell you that I personally found it to be quite moving. As a survivor of suicide myself I identified strongly with the main character. I want to personally commend you for being extremely courageous in how raw you made the film. I hope that you can accept my sincerest congratulations on a job extremely well done. Bravo!"

Queer North Film Festival is the only queer film festival in northern Ontario and also supports the development of Northern Ontario's aspiring and emerging LGBT filmmakers through a youth digital storytelling workshop and an industry programme. The festival is produced by Sudbury Indie Cinema, a not-for-profit co-op incorporated in 2014 that brings world-class independent cinema to northern Ontario on a year-round basis.

Hometown Premiere in Brooklyn for Welcome to the World

June 7, 2018 — Welcome to the World will premiere in Brooklyn on Thursday, June 7, 2018, at 8:30pm as part of the The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival at Maroney Theatre at St. Francis College. The film screens as part of the Oh, The Humanity shorts session, featuring revealing films about deep and personal struggles, joyous moments, and the vulnerabilities that connect us all. Brooklyn-based co-director and actor Albert M. Chan and actress Mary Niederkorn will be in attendance. Tickets are $15 and available here; use the code 18AOBFF to receive 20% off.

Founded in 2011, The Art of Brooklyn is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization that curates a conversation between the new, Brooklyn-based art community, immigrants, transplants and those born and raised in the borough. The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival is the flagship indie film event of Brooklyn and is the ONLY international, independent festival in the world exclusively devoted to Brooklyn's vibrant film and media scene. Work from all over the world is accepted, as long as it's connected to the borough in some way (e.g. cast/crew, production, content, theme, setting, etc.). The Art of Brooklyn is also the only indie film festival to build and program our own video-on-demand streaming platform: Brooklyn On Demand, where we broadcast festival favorites, original series and more, online and on a Roku channel with over 17,000 subscribers, alongside Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime.

NewFilmmakers New York to Screen Welcome to the World At Anthology Film Archives

June 6, 2018 — Welcome to the World will screen at the internationally recognized screening series NewFilmmakers New York on Wednesday, June 6, 7pm, at Anthology Film Archives on the Lower East Side. The film will screen in a program of four short films running from 7-8pm. Tickets are $7 and are good for the whole night. Tickets go on sale at 5:30PM the night of screening at the Anthology Box Office and are available all night; there is no advanced or online sales.

NewFilmmakers is New York's longest running and most popular screening series. The NewFilmmakers Screening Series selects films and videos often overlooked by traditional film festivals. NewFilmmakers NY screens every week and sometimes more at Anthology Film Archives and usually has its Documentary Series at 6pm, Short Film Program at 7pm, and Feature Presentations at 8pm. The NewFilmmakers Series began in 1998 and over the past eighteen teen years has screened over 800 feature and 2,500 short films. In 2000, they brought the Havana Film Festival to New York and 2002 they started NewFilmmakers Los Angeles. Many well-known shorts and features including Blair Witch and Too Much Sleep have had their initial screenings at NewFilmmakers.

Founded in 1969, Anthology Film Archives is an international center for the preservation, study, and exhibition of film and video, with a particular focus on independent, experimental, and avant-garde cinema. Since its founding, Anthology has grown far beyond its original concept to encompass film preservation; the formation of a reference library containing the world's largest collection of books, periodicals, stills, and other paper materials related to avant-garde cinema; and a remarkably innovative and eclectic film exhibition program. Anthology screens more than 900 programs annually, preserves an average of 25 films per year (with 800 works preserved to date), publishes books and DVDs, and hosts numerous scholars and researchers.

Houston to Host Texas Premiere of Welcome to the World

June 1, 2018 — Welcome to the World will premiere in Texas at the 2018 Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival on Monday, June 4, at 6:30pm at the Performing Arts Center at Houston Community College–Spring Branch. The film screens in the session Strength Through Intimacy. Admission is free. For tickets and more information, visit here.

Started in 2004 by OCA-Greater Houston, the Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival, or HAAPIFEST, was created to highlight and celebrate the diversity of AAPI culture, food, and family, to support AAPI artists and filmmakers, and to share the untold AAPI experience for the Greater Houston metropolitan area through "edutainment". Today, HAAPIFEST is an immersive, multi-day celebration of film, music, and art, showcased by a dedicated committee of volunteers. The mission of HAAPIFEST is to promote and develop Asian and Asian American innovators in the film and entertainment industry, promote Houston as a cultural destination for the arts, and educate the AAPI and wider communities through the visual storytelling of Asians and Asian Americans.

Sacramento Premiere of Welcome to the World at California Museum

May 18, 2018 — Welcome to the World will screen at the Sacramento Asian Pacific Film Festival on Saturday, May 26, 2018, at 7:30pm, at the California Museum, the official California state history museum. The film screens in a segment of narrative short films from 7:30-8:20pm within Show 2 – RESISTANCE which runs from 5-10pm. Tickets provide access to all films within Show 2, and can be purchased here.

Since 2013, the Sacramento Asian Pacific Film Festival has been a champion of independent films featuring the works of Asian Pacific Islanders in front of and behind the camera. The signature event of the Sacramento Asian Pacific Cultural Village, the Sacramento Asian Pacific Film Festival serves alongside a continuum of events and programming in support of traditional and contemporary Asian and Pacific Islander artistic expression within the Sacramento Region.

A self-supporting 501(c)3 non-profit, the California Museum — home of the California Hall of Fame — engages, educates and enlightens people about California's rich history, its diversity and its unique influence on the world of ideas, innovation, art and culture. Through interactive experiences, the Museum inspires visitors to make a mark on history.

Rhode Island Screening of Welcome to the World

April 27, 2018 — Welcome to the World will screen in Rhode Island tonight at the Southeast New England (SENE) Film, Music & Arts Festival in Providence, RI at Rhodywood Studio. The film screens on Friday, April 27, 2018, at 8:30pm as part of the LGBT Shorts session. Co-director and actor Albert M. Chan and actress Mary Niederkorn will be in attendance.

The filmmaking team's previous efforts Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future, The Commitment and Fate Scores screened at Southeast New England (SENE) Film, Music & Arts Festival back in 2015, 2013 and 2009 respectively. The festival awarded Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future with Best Regional Film and The Commitment with both the Jury Award and Audience Award for Best LGBT Film.

As one of the longest-running film, music and arts festivals in the country, the Southeast New England Film, Music & Arts Festival has established itself as one of the premier festivals in New England dedicated to giving life to independent cinema, music and art. The festival was recently selected as one of MovieMaker Magazine's Top 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee.

The Commitment to Premiere in Poland

April 19, 2018 — The Commitment is an Official Selection of the 9th LGBT Film Festival, taking place at venues across Poland. The Commitment screens in the session Gay Shorts II on April 22, 2018, 8pm, in Warsaw's Kinoteka; on April 25, 2018, 5pm, in Katowice's Kosmos Cinema; on April 26, 2018, 6pm, in Warsaw's Kinoteka; and on May 11, 2018, 7:30pm, at Łódź-Przytulne's Kino Przytulne.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at over 35 film festivals on four continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

The LGBT Film Festival is one of the most important events on the cultural map of Poland. It takes place every year and became the biggest celebration of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) cinema in the country.

Northwest Premiere of Welcome to the World in Oregon

April 19, 2018 — Welcome to the World will have its northwest premiere at the 13th Annual DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon on Saturday, April 21, 2018, at 2:40pm, at the University of Oregon Redwood Auditorium. The film screens in the session Shorts Session #1: The Asian Man.

Co-director Albert M. Chan's previous films Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future and The Commitment also screened at DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon in 2015 and 2013.

DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon is a social justice film festival that takes place in Eugene, Oregon. It is dedicated to deconstructing the media stereotypes of Asians and Asian Americans as "Orientals", and promoting the power of film-as-art to educate, heal and improve the lives of people by giving voice to our experiences. Started in 2006 by artists, educators, and activists, DisOrient is a grassroots and volunteer-run film festival committed to presenting honest portrayals of the diversity of the Asian and Pacific Islander American experience. DisOrient is a program of the Chinese American Benevolent Association (CABA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit cultural arts organization that also runs a youth group (Chinese Lion Dance Troupe), which is comprised of middle school, high school, and college age students. CABA also offers college scholarships for local Asian American youth and aspiring filmmakers.

Welcome to the World is a daring film about a troubled man who records a video message for his pregnant sister. Drawing its power and immediacy from its first-person, confessional style, the film presents, in one continuous 7-minute shot, the journey of one man's awakening from isolation back to humanity. The film stars Albert M. Chan and is directed by Albert M. Chan and Anthony Grasso.

Richard Propes (The Independent Critic) gives it four stars and writes, "RIVETING... CHAN'S PERFORMANCE IS DEEPLY MOVING... LINGERS IN YOUR BRAIN LONG AFTER THE CLOSING CREDITS". Kirk Fernwood (One Film Fan) praises the film as "INTELLIGENT, INVENTIVE, AND INSPIRED... CHAN DOES A FANTASTIC JOB... DRAWING YOU IN WITH EVERY WORD... THE FINALE IS A STROKE OF CREATIVE BRILLIANCE AND ARTISTRY". Max White (OC Movie Reviews) raves, "CHAN GIVES A GRIPPING, HEARTFELT AND SINCERE PERFORMANCE WHICH PLUNGES YOU INTO THE MURKY WATERS OF MODERN HUMANITY AND MASCULINITY... HOW HE SQUEEZES SO MUCH RAW EMOTION INTO A SINGLE SHOT MAKES THIS THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY TO SPEND–AND PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE–THE NEXT SEVEN MINUTES OF YOUR LIFE."

Filmmakers Return to Boston International Film Festival for Welcome To The World Screening

Filmmaker Returns to Boston International Film Festival for Welcome to the World Screening

April 15, 2018 — Filmmaker Albert M. Chan will return to the Boston International Film Festival on April 15, 2018, to present Welcome to the World. The film screens in Session 27 at Kendall Square Cinema prior to the feature film Juveniles. Scheduled to be present for a Q&A are Chan, who wrote and co-directed the film, and actress Mary Niederkorn.

Chan has a long-standing relationship with the festival, now in its 16th year. In 2015, the festival screened Chan's Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future; Chan attended the screening that year along with lead actress and Golden Globe nominee Tina Chen. In 2013, the festival screened Chan's The Commitment. In 2009, Chan attended the festival's Boston premiere of Fate Scores, written, directed, and produced by Chan. In 2006, the festival premiered the psychological thriller Interrogation, featuring Chan in the supporting role of Lieutenant Charles David Han.

Welcome to the World Returns to Missouri for Kansas City FilmFest

April 12, 2018 — Welcome to the World will screen at Kansas City FilmFest on Friday, April 13, 2018, at 12:20pm, in the session Short Narrative: World Around Us, at Cinemark Palace at the Plaza. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased here.

Co-director Albert M. Chan's previous film The Commitment also screened at Kansas City FilmFest in 2013.

Formerly known as the Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee, the event has grown steadily since its humble beginnings in 1997, now spanning five days in one of Kansas City's premiere theatres. Over the years, he FilmFest has received thousands of entries from all over the world, and more than $200,000 in cash and prizes have been awarded in the juried competition.

Asian Premiere for Welcome to the World in India

March 13, 2018 — Welcome to the World will have its Asian premiere in India at Out & Loud: International Queer Film Festival on April 7, 2018, at 12:33pm, at The Monalisa Kalagram.

The Out & Loud: International Queer Film Festival, powered by MIST, is an annual event showcasing handpicked queer films from over the world. The festival will also be an open platform for the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Queer) to voice their concerns in a social-friendly environment.

Mist is a 8-year-old LGBTQ collective. Started in Bengaluru in 2010, it now has members in and Hyderabad. Mist organizes events in various cities in collaboration with local groups. It also has a vibrant online presence supporting its events on the ground. Mist aims to build stronger bonds within the queer community and with our allies.

Australian Premiere for Welcome to the World

March 27, 2018 — Welcome to the World will have its Australian premiere at Short + Sweet Film Festival Queensland at the Queensland Academy for Creative Industries. The film will screen in the first of two heats, taking place on Saturday, April 7, 2018, at 7pm. Gala Finalists will be announced after each heat and will screen at the Gala Finals the weekend of May 11-13, 2018, at New Farm Cinemas. Winners of the Best Film and People's Choice will receive the opportunity to showcase their films at the International Gala Final that is to be held at the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard on August 24, 2018.

Welcome to the World Wins Award in Alabama

April 2, 2018 — Welcome to the World was one of two award winners at this year's Troy International Film Festival, which took place on March 29, 2018, at the Claudia Crosby Theater in Troy, Alabama. Out of 19 films from the US, Iran, Belgium, Ireland, Canada, Brazil, Greece, Japan, and the UK, Welcome to the World won the award for Best Smartphone Film. The festival is organized by the Troy University Cinematography Society.

Welcome to the World to Premiere in the Southern US

March 28, 2018 — Welcome to the World will have its southern US premiere tomorrow, March 29, 2018, at the Troy International Film Festival, held at the Trojan Center Theater in Troy, Alabama. The festival is organized by the Troy University Cinematography Society.

The Commitment Officially Selected for qFLIX Philadelphia

March 22, 2018 — The Commitment will screen Saturday, March 24th, 2018, at qFLIX Philadelphia. The Commitment will play at 5pm prior to Bi China in Connelly Auditorium at The University of the Arts. Director and lead actor Albert M. Chan is scheduled to be in attendance for a talkback.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at 30 film festivals on four continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

Midwest Premiere for Welcome to the World at QFest St. Louis

February 21, 2018 — Welcome to the World heads to Missouri to screen at QFest St. Louis on April 5, 2018, at 9pm, at the .ZACK Theatre in the Grand Center Arts District. The film will be screened in the short film block Queer Shorts 2: Adam. Co-director Albert M. Chan's award-winning film The Commitiment played at QFest in 2013.

Now in its 10th year, QFest, Saint Louis' LGBTQ Film Festival, creates a convergence of art and the LGBTQ community by bringing the very best in contemporary queer cinema to the St. Louis region. The primary mission of the festival is to use the art of contemporary gay cinema to spotlight the lives of LGBTQ people and celebrate queer culture. QFest is produced by Cinema St. Louis, which also produces the Academy-Award qualifying St. Louis International Film Festival.

Welcome to the World to Premiere in Ontario

February 9, 2018 — Welcome to the World will have its Ontario premiere at the Reelout Queer Film + Video Festival at noon on February 10, 2018, at The Screening Room in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The film plays in the session Queerly Canadian Shorts Program, a collection of experimental and traditional narrative and documentaries that explore queer identities across Canada. Co-director, writer, and actor Albert M. Chan is a native of Ontario, Canada.

Founded in 1999 by Marney McDiarmid, Reelout Queer Film + Video Festival is now in its 18th year. In 2006, the festival was honoured with the Queen's University Human Rights Initiative Award for their contribution to the community. In 2007, the Reelout Arts Project Inc. became a registered charitable organization and a member of Volunteer Canada and in 2008 established the Reelout in Schools Project specializing in diversity and gender diversity education.

Welcome to the World Review: "Packs a Huge Punch"

February 4, 2018 — UK Film Review published a highly favorable review today of Welcome to the World. Rachel Pullen writes, "Leading man Albert M. Chan... plays an emotionally raw man with a grace and ease that is often only seen within some of the most high end actors". She adds that the film "packs a huge punch... to create such an impact on a viewer in only seven minutes with just one man, a script and a camera certainly speaks volumes of the skills that Chan has as a director, writer and performer". Click here for the full review.

Welcome to the World Review: "Chan Gives a Gripping, Heartfelt and Sincere Performance"

January 10, 2018 — Operation Condor reviewer Max White praises Albert M. Chan's performance in Welcome to the World: "Chan gives a gripping, heartfelt and sincere performance which plunges you into the murky waters of modern humanity and masculinity before you get to glimpse the surface light again." Referring to the fact that the film is shot in one continuous 7-minute take, he writes, "How he squeezes so much raw emotion into a single shot makes this the best possible way to spend–and put into perspective–the next seven minutes of your life." Click here for the full review.

Ugandan Organizers Reschedule The Commitment After Police Raid

December 23, 2017 — Determined to complete the second edition of the Queer Kampala International Film Festival after an unlawful police raid, organizers have announced that The Commitment will now have its Ugandan premiere on December 29, 2017. New venue details will be communicated privately to trusted community members. For security purposes, live updates and photos will not be allowed during the event.

On December 9, Ugandan police raided and forcibly closed the Queer Kampala International Film Festival, the first ever and only LGBTQI themed film festival to open up in Uganda. The festival featured films and documentaries portraying the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) people. Police offered no formal legal basis for forcibly shutting down the festival. The festival organizer, Kamoga Hassan, told Human Rights Watch that the opening night was successful. A large audience responded positively to the films, he said, which included stories of LGBTIQ people coming to terms with their identities, fighting discrimination, engaging in activism, and falling in love. Organizers had hoped the stories shown during the festival would help to educate Ugandans about communities that face discrimination and marginalization in their country.

On December 9, shortly before the films began, organizers received a tip-off that police intended to raid the festival and arrest participants if they did not disband. The organizers asked participants to leave. Shortly thereafter, three police officers entered the venue and told organizers that they were shutting down the festival because the films – many of which have received international acclaim – were "pornographic," Hassan said.

Uganda's criminal code includes a colonial-era law prohibiting "carnal knowledge against the order of nature" with possible sentences of up to life in prison. The law very rarely leads to prosecutions, but police have used it as a pretext to shut numerous events targeting LGBT audiences and their allies over the past several years, such as the entire 2017 annual Pride Week scheduled events, parades and a fashion show in previous Pride Weeks, and a human rights education workshop in 2012.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at 30 film festivals on four continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

Previously, The Commitment screened in Africa at the Durban Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.

Ugandan Police Shut Down Festival Before The Commitment Screened

December 15, 2017 — The Commitment did not have its planned Ugandan premiere at Queer Kampala International Film Festival on December 10, 2017. On December 9, Ugandan police raided and forcibly closed the Queer Kampala International Film Festival, the first ever and only LGBTQI themed film festival to open up in Uganda. The festival featured films and documentaries portraying the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) people. Police offered no formal legal basis for forcibly shutting down the festival. Organizers are determined to complete the festival and communicate a new date and venue to trusted community members.

The festival organizer, Kamoga Hassan, told Human Rights Watch that the opening night was successful. A large audience responded positively to the films, he said, which included stories of LGBTIQ people coming to terms with their identities, fighting discrimination, engaging in activism, and falling in love. Organizers had hoped the stories shown during the festival would help to educate Ugandans about communities that face discrimination and marginalization in their country.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at 30 film festivals on four continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

Previously, The Commitment screened in Africa at the Durban Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.

Welcome to the World to Premiere in Canada

Canadian Premiere of Welcome to the World

November 28, 2017 — Welcome to the World will have its Canadian premiere at the Image+Nation Festival Film LGBTQueer Montrealon November 28, 2017, at 6pm. Co-director, writer, and actor Albert M. Chan is a native of Canada.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Image+Nation Festival Film LGBTQueer Montreal is Canada's oldest LGBT film festival. Welcome to the World will be screened at District Vid�o Lounge as part of a celebration of the festival's 30th anniversary.

Romania to Present Eastern European Premiere of The Commitment

November 19, 2017 — The Commitment will have its Eastern European premiere at the Serile Filmului Gay International Film Festival in Cluj-Napoca, Romania on November 20, 2017, at 9:30pm at Flying Circus, an alternative meeting point for people supporting the alternative culture with all its aspects. For a synopsis of The Commitment in Romanian, click here.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at 30 film festivals on four continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

Serile Filmului Gay International Film Festival (known as Gay Film Nights International Film Festival in English) is the first international LGBTQIA+ film festival in Romania, and has been held every November in Cluj-Napoca since 2004. In a country where gay and Roma people are discriminated against, the festival aims to send an accurate and efficient message about cultural diversity and accepting individual values. To fulfill this goal, the program of the festival includes such activities as LGBT film competitions, exhibitions, shows, public debates, as well as outreach and ecological actions. Every year, free entrance is granted to all these events: the purpose of the festival is not to generate profit, but to promote democracy, tolerance and diversity.

Ugandan Premiere of The Commitment

November 7, 2017 — The Commitment will have its Ugandan premiere at Queer Kampala International Film Festival on December 10, 2017, at 7:40pm. Held in the capital city, Queer Kampala International Film Festival is the first ever and only LGBTQI themed film festival to open up in Uganda.

In a country as highly homophobic as Uganda, a number of security measures will be in place, including the security screening of attendees, keeping the venues secret until a few hours before each screening, and changing venues for each screening.

Previously, The Commitment screened in Africa at the Durban Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at 30 film festivals on four continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

East Coast Premiere of Welcome to the World in Boston

October 21, 2017 — Welcome to the World will have its east coast premiere at the Boston Asian American Film Festival on October 21, 2017, at 3:15pm, at The Paramount Center. The film screens in the session Life & Liberty: Resilience and Righteousness in the Bright Family Screening Room. Co-director, writer, and actor Albert M. Chan is scheduled to be in attendance, as well as actress Mary Niederkorn.

The film stars Albert M. Chan and is directed by Albert M. Chan and Anthony Grasso. Albert's previous films Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future and The Commitment also screened at the Boston Asian American Film Festival in 2014 and 2012.

BAAFF empowers the Asian American community through film by showcasing Asian American experiences and serving as a resource to filmmakers and the Greater Boston Community. BAAFF's film selections highlight both historic and contemporary stories in an effort to deepen understanding and appreciation of Asian American experiences. Hosted in Boston, Massachusetts, this festival attracts people from all over the country every year. The 2017 festival theme is Liberty & Justice — a showcase of inspiring stories about self-empowerment, activists, and civic responsibility advocates who find their voice to be a catalyst of change and in turn motivate change within ourselves.

The Commitment Wins Audience Award at qFLIX Worcester

October 3, 2017 — The Commitment won the Audience Award for Best Men's Short at qFLIX Worcester, which was held September 14-17, 2017, at the historic 2,300-seat Hanover Theater, where director and lead actor Albert M. Chan and producer Richard Possemato were in attendance.

Audience awards were determined by festival attendees who rated the films on a newly-introduced phone app that proved popular and resulted in greater participation from the audience. Click here for a full list of award winners.

Previously, The Commitment won Audience Awards at Desperado LGBT Film Festival (Phoenix, AZ), Cinema Diverse: Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival, and Southeast New England Film, Music & Arts Festival.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at 30 film festivals on four continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

Welcome to the World to World Premiere in Palm Springs

September 21, 2017 — Welcome to the World will have its world premiere at Cinema Diverse: Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival at Camelot Theatres. The film screens in the session Life Can Be Tough At Times in Camelot Theatre Two on Friday, September 22, at 11am.

The film stars Albert M. Chan and is directed by Albert M. Chan and Anthony Grasso. Albert's previous film The Commitment also had its world premiere at Cinema Diverse: Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival in 2012 and won an Audience Award for Best Short Series alongside Groom's Cake and Little Ones.

Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, the festival is a presentation of the Palm Springs Cultural Center and is dedicated to presenting the best in LGBTQ cinema. With the current gay and lesbian population in Palm Springs estimated to be about seven times the national average, a concentration even greater than that of San Francisco, Palm Springs is a fitting location for the premiere of Welcome to the World.

The Commitment Returns to Home State for qFLIX Worcester

September 13, 2017 — The Commitment will return to its home state of Massachusetts for qFLIX Worcester at the historic 2,300-seat Hanover Theater. The film screens on September 17, 2017 at 11am in the shorts program Diversity Rules: LGBTQ Shorts "We Are Everyone and Everywhere". Director and lead actor Albert M. Chan and producers Aaron Howland and Richard Possemato are scheduled to be in attendance.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at 30 film festivals on four continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

LGBTQ Mental Health Conference to Screen The Commitment

August 19, 2017 — The LGBTQ Peoples of Color Mental Health Conference will screen The Commitment on October 5, 2017 at the Stewart Hotel in New York City.

This annual conference examines concerns, acknowledges developments and looks to the future for LGBTQ peoples of color, especially in the current political climate, as rhetoric threatens to further destabilize the mental well-being of members of these communities. This year's conference focuses on mental health care: navigating concerns, acknowledging developments and looking to the future for LGBTQ peoples of color, through the collective strengths and wisdom of clinicians, consumers, academics, and advocates to confront the issues affecting these communities. Visit here for more details.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at 30 film festivals on four continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

The Commitment to Premiere in Korea

July 19, 2017 — The Commitment is an Official Selection of the 17th Korea Queer Film Festival in Seoul. The film will screen at Lotte Cinema Broadway on July 21st at 11am and July 23rd at 2pm in Theatre 6. The film will be presented with Korean subtitles.

The Korea Queer Film Festival was founded with the Korea Queer Culture Festival (KQCF), which has been held since 2001. The Korea Queer Culture Festival has played an important role as a festival for the LGBT community in South Korea, where the general awareness of LGBT remains low. Together with the Korea Queer Culture Festival, the Korea Queer Film Festival has striven to offer the general a recognition of diversity through screening various LGBT films from all over the world.

Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future Featured in Asian Hertiage Month Film Festival

Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future Featured in Asian Heritage Month Film Festival

May 27, 2017 — Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future screened as part of the Asian Heritage Month Film Festival in Toronto, Canada on Sunday, May 27, 2017. The event took place at Innis Town Hall Theatre at the University of Toronto. The event, with the theme Unity in Diversity: Fusion of Communities in Canada, featured a short film showcase followed by a Q&A with director Albert M. Chan and Golden Globe, Emmy, and Drama Desk nominated actress Tina Chen. The event continued with a panel discussion with director Nayani Thiyagarajah and a screening of her feature documentary Shadeism: Digging Deeper.

The event is presented by the Asian Heritage Month—Canadian Foundation for Asian Culture (Central Ontario) Inc. in partnership with Reelworld Film Festival and is programmed by Gave Lindo, Executive Director of Reelworld Film Festival. Asian Heritage Month Festival is partially funded by the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Richard Propes Calls Welcome to the World a "Riveting Piece of Human Drama"

April 5, 2017 — Richard Propes, The Independent Critic, describes Welcome to the World as a "riveting piece of human drama". He praises Albert M. Chan's performance as "deeply moving without ever seeming to stretch for those deep emotions... an indicator that he's in touch with his character and demands dignity for every step of his journey". He concludes, "Welcome to the World is the kind of find that lingers in your brain long after the closing credits have rolled by, from the illuminating final sequences to the revelation of new life to the honest, heartfelt journey of one young man in a world where he is seemingly surrounded yet feels so incredibly alone." Click here for the full review.

Welcome to the World is a daring film about a troubled man who records a video message for his pregnant sister. Taking place on the brink of a new life, this compelling film explores what it means to be human and the courage it takes to be fully alive. Drawing its power and immediacy from its first-person, confessional style, Welcome to the World presents, in real time, the journey of one man's awakening from isolation back to humanity. The film stars Albert M. Chan and is directed by Albert M. Chan and Anthony Grasso.

First Review Calls Welcome to the World "Intelligent, Inventive, and Inspired"

April 1, 2017 — One Film Fan reviewer Kirk Fernwood praises Welcome to the World as "intelligent, inventive, and inspired". On Albert M. Chan's performance, he writes, "Chan does a fantastic job... drawing you in with every word". He adds, "the finale is a stroke of creative brilliance and artistry, its potency greatly affecting." Click here for the full review.

Gays With Kids Features The Commitment

March 20, 2017 — Gays With Kids, the world's leading digital media company, social network, and safe space for gay dads and gay men considering fatherhood, featured today The Commitment. The article, titled The Commitment: A Film About Love, Loss, and Same-Sex Adoption, discusses writer/director Albert M. Chan's journey as a gay adoptive parent and how his experiences inspired the film.

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at 30 film festivals on four continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

German Premiere of The Commitment

March 7, 2017 — Written and directed by Albert M. Chan, The Commitment will be included in a special program of short films presented by Pride Pictures Queer Film Festival on the opening night of queerKULTUR, which will be held this year from March 31st to April 16th in Karlsruhe, Germany.

Welcome to the World Wraps Principal Photography

January 31, 2017 — Welcome to the World has wrapped principal photography and is in the post-production phase. The film will be edited and mixed in the weeks to come, with the film completed by Spring 2017. The film stars Albert M. Chan and is directed by Albert M. Chan and Anthony Grasso.

Anthony Grasso Signs on as Co-Director of Welcome to the World

January 12, 2017 — Veteran actor, director, and teacher Anthony Grasso has signed on to co-direct Welcome to the World alongside Albert M. Chan.

Some of his primetime television credits include: Blue Bloods (CBS), Untitled Wall Street Project pilot with Jon Cusack (CBS), Unforgettable (CBS), Law & Order (NBC), Law & Order: CI (NBC), and Law & Order SVU (NBC), The Black Donnellys (NBC), and Sex & the City (HBO). Anthony has also been seen in a variety of commercials both regionally and nationally, most notably the American Express campaign directed by M. Night Shamalayan.

Anthony studied at the legendary The Actors Studio with Frank Corsaro, Ellen Burstyn, Lee Grant, Estelle Parsons, Christopher Walken, and the late Arthur Penn. He also studied Meisner technique with Kevin O'Connor at the Neighborhood Playhouse and most recently completed several master classes with the renowned Larry Moss. He also went abroad to continue his studies at The British Academy of Dramatic Arts in Oxford, England, with John Barton, David Leveaux, Fiona Shaw, Debra Warner, and Jane Lapataire.

Anthony's teaching career started back in 1998. His eighteen years of teaching experience includes being on the faculty of the Film and Television Studio at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Paper Mill Playhouse, the New York Film Academy, and The New York Conservatory For The Dramatic Arts, and heading up his own acting school, Anthony Grasso Studio (AGS), formerly Breakthrough Studios.

The Commitment to Screen in India

December 17, 2016 — The Commitment, written and directed by Albert M. Chan, has been accepted into the Chennai Rainbow Film Festival, the film's 30th film festival. The film will screen at M M Preview Theatres on January 5, 2017 at 7:10pm. More than 50 short, documentary and feature-length films will be screened during the five-day festival, to be held January 4-8, 2017. Admission is free.

In India, the public depiction of LGBT people can be considered a political act -- a form of activism that has the power to connect people across boundaries. "The aim of the festival is to raise awareness about LGBT issues among the general public. It also aims at providing a platform to filmmakers who don't get the opportunity to screen their film in theatres. Many of them struggle to get funding," said Vikranth Prasanna, founder, Chennai Dost. This is the third year that CRFF is being held, and the theme is 'Hues of Love.'

The Commitment stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote, "Emotional resonance, joy and heartbreak...indeed, this is a film that would be difficult to pull off if not for its tremendously talented cast." The film has screened at 30 film festivals on four continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated Moonrise Kingdom to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. The film is available at Amazon.com on the compilation Green Briefs. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

Mary Niederkorn Joins Cast of Welcome to the World

December 14, 2016 — Mary Niederkorn has been added to the cast of Welcome to the World, starring Albert M. Chan.

A professional opera singer, Mary made the crossover to film and theater hoping to express herself in a more personal way through acting, and to reach a wider audience beyond classical music. Within months of recovering from ovarian cancer, Mary was cast as Dr. Vivian Bearing in Wit, receiving both popular and critical acclaim. Other career highlights include: her role as the social worker in the independent short film The Commitment which earned a national media film award for Best Film from the National Association of Social Workers, beating out Moonrise Kingdom (Tilda Swinton) and What to Expect When You're Expecting (Kim Fields); her performance in the Boston premiere of Sousa's opera Transformations on the work of Sylvia Plath at The Huntington Theatre; and the short film Homophonia which she wrote and produced, and was an official selection in three Oscar-qualifying short film festivals. She will be appearing in American Repertory Theater's production of Violet in April 2017 under the direction of Sammi Cannold.

The Commitment Nominated for Best Drama Short at San Antonio QFest

October 10, 2016 — In addition to the two acting nominations announced last week, The Commitment has been nominated for the Jose Sarria Memorial Award for Best Drama Short Film at the upcoming San Antonio QFest.

The award is named after Jose Sarria, a drag queen that lead the fight for gay rights from the night club stage. He fought against the corrupt police departments that was extorting bribes from gay clubs and jailing gay men. His acts, normally arias, were tweaked to shed light on this struggle. In 1961 he ran for the SF Board of Supervisors and is thought to be the first openly gay candidate to run for public office anywhere in the world. His most enduring legacy was his establishment of the Imperial Court System which now operates worldwide.

The Commitment was nominated last week for two acting awards: the John Fryer Memorial Award for Best Male Performance and the Marsha P. Johnson Memorial Award for Best Portrayal of an LBGT Minority.

Written and directed by Albert M. Chan, The Commitment screens at City Base Cinema on Friday, October 14th, 2016, at 7:50pm within the program block JOURNEY. According to the festival, "These films comprise the journey that each of us takes in life. Whether it is a journey to acceptance by society at large or a personal journey of finding acceptance of ourselves, each of us journey in life gaining new wisdom and new ways of viewing our world." Tickets are on sale here.

Albert M. Chan Nominated for Two Acting Awards at San Antonio QFest

October 6, 2016 — Albert M. Chan's performance in his adoption drama The Commitment has been nominated for two acting awards at the upcoming San Antonio QFest: the John Fryer Memorial Award for Best Male Performance and the Marsha P. Johnson Memorial Award for Best Portrayal of an LBGT Minority.

The first award is named after John E. Fryer who, in 1972, assumed the persona of Dr. Henry Anonymous and proceeded to present in front of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) a speech detailing the struggles of homosexual people within the organization. Homosexuality was still considered a sickness and therefore homosexuals were barred from being in the mental health field. His speech opened the door for the changing of hearts and minds that led to the APA removing the pathological definition of homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), thus allowing gay rights advocates to begin making advances throughout the world.

The second award is named after Marsha P. Johnson, a transgender performer at drag clubs and early gay liberation activist. She worked closely with ACT UP and was an early advocate for AIDS research and treatment. She was a co-founder of the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries in the 70's. She was also a veteran of the Stonewall Riots, the pivotal point that brought forth the gay rights movement as a national call to action and is rumored to have been the ignition that started the fire of rebellion.

Written and directed by Albert, The Commitment screens at City Base Cinema on Friday, October 14th, 2016, at 7:50pm within the program block JOURNEY. According to the festival, "These films comprise the journey that each of us takes in life. Whether it is a journey to acceptance by society at large or a personal journey of finding acceptance of ourselves, each of us journey in life gaining new wisdom and new ways of viewing our world." Tickets are on sale here.

San Antonio QFest operates under the umbrella organization of Pride: San Antonio which is a 501c3 organization. Originally established 5 years ago, this festival is held during LGBTQ History Month in order to promote the understanding and multicultural community that is the LGBTQ community.

The Commitment to Screen at San Antonio QFest

September 13, 2016 — The Commitment continues its festival run at San Antonio QFest. The film screens at City Base Cinema on Friday, October 14th, 2016, at 7:50pm within the program block JOURNEY. According to the festival, "These films comprise the journey that each of us takes in life. Whether it is a journey to acceptance by society at large or a personal journey of finding acceptance of ourselves, each of us journey in life gaining new wisdom and new ways of viewing our world." Tickets are on sale here. San Antonio QFest operates under the umbrella organization of Pride: San Antonio which is a 501c3 organization. Originally established 5 years ago, this festival is held during LGBTQ History Month in order to promote the understanding and multicultural community that is the LGBTQ community.

Atlanta Asian Film Festival Screens Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future

October 11, 2015 — Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future screened at the Atlanta Asian Film Festival today at Cisco Auditorium at Georgia Gwinnett College. Atlanta Asian Film Festival, Inc is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to educating the Atlanta community about the rich diversity of Asian Pacific culture through films and movies.

Sundance Institute Selects Incarnations for Second-Round Consideration for 2016 Screenwriting Labs

September 11, 2015 — The feature-length sci-fi screenplay Incarnations, written by Albert M. Chan, has been selected for second-round consideration for the Sundance Institute's 2016 Screenwriting Labs, a five-day writer's workshop that gives independent screenwriters the opportunity to work intensively on their feature film scripts with the support of established writers in an environment that encourages innovation and creative risk-taking. The Sundance Institute is a non-profit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981 that actively advances the work of filmmakers and storytellers worldwide.

NewFilmmakers New York to Screen The Commitment At Anthology Film Archives

NewFilmmakers New York Screens Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future At Anthology Film Archives

June 17, 2015 — Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future screened to an over-capacity audience at the internationally recognized screening series NewFilmmakers New York tonight at Anthology Film Archives on the Lower East Side. Writer/director/actor Albert M. Chan and actress Tina Chen were in attendance. Founded in 1969, Anthology Film Archives is an international center for the preservation, study, and exhibition of film and video, with a particular focus on independent, experimental, and avant-garde cinema. Since its founding, Anthology has grown far beyond its original concept to encompass film preservation; the formation of a reference library containing the world's largest collection of books, periodicals, stills, and other paper materials related to avant-garde cinema; and a remarkably innovative and eclectic film exhibition program. Anthology screens more than 900 programs annually, preserves an average of 25 films per year (with 800 works preserved to date), publishes books and DVDs, and hosts numerous scholars and researchers.

Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future Wins Two Awards at NYC Downtown Short Film Festival

June 14, 2015 — Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future won two awards at this weekend's NYC Downtown Short Film Festival at the Duo Multicultural Arts Center. Out of the over 600 films considered, Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future scored honors for Best Screenplay (Albert M. Chan) and Best Actress (Tina Chen). The NYC Downtown Short Film Festival is a program of DMAC-Duo Multicultural Arts Center a (501 c3) non-profit organization located at 62 East 4th Street in New York City's East Village. The mission of DMAC is to create, promote and celebrate multicultural arts through theater, music, dance, art and film.

NYC Downtown Short Film Festival Screens Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future

June 11, 2015 — As a result of audience voting in April, Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future screened at the NYC Downtown Short Film Festival this evening at the Duo Multicultural Arts Center. Writer/director/actor Albert M. Chan and actress Tina Chen were in attendance. Showcasing some of the best short films being produced in America and internationally, the festival's line-up includes provocative dramas, clever comedies, edgy animation, and intriguing documentaries.

Film Jury Awards Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future Best Regional Film at SENE Film, Music & Arts Festival

April 25, 2015 — Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future was presented with the Jury Award for Best Regional Film tonight at the Southeast New England (SENE) Film, Music & Arts Festival in Providence, RI at the historic Columbus Theatre. In his acceptance speech, director/actor Albert M. Chan thanked festival founders Philip Capobres and Don Farias for supporting regional filmmakers over the years and noted how much the festival has grown in scope and quality since his participation in the festival at the 1st Annual SENE Film, Music & Arts Festival back in 2009. The filmmaking team's previous effort The Commitment won both the Jury Award and the Audience Award for Best LGBT Film in 2013 at the festival.

Ithaca Pan Asian American Film Festival Screens Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future

April 23, 2015 — Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future screened at the first-ever Ithaca Pan Asian American Film Festival this evening at Cinemapolis, alongside the short We Are All One and the feature She Lights Up Well. The Ithaca Pan Asian American Film Festival is dedicated to supporting Asian American film, video and media makers both nationwide and throughout the upstate New York area while promoting films created by, starring, and/or about Asian Americans. This festival is a collaboration between the School for the Humanities and Sciences and the Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College.

Second New England Screening of Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future in April Announced: SENE Film, Music & Arts Festival

March 8, 2015 — Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future will screen a second time in New England in the month of April, at the Southeast New England (SENE) Film, Music & Arts Festival in Providence, RI on Saturday, April 25, 2015 at 5:45pm at the historic Columbus Theatre. The film screens in Short Film Program 4. Tickets will be sold at the door for $10 ($8 for Seniors/Students/RIFC Members), cash and credit cards accepted. Scheduled to be present for a Q&A are writer/director/actor Albert M. Chan and Golden Globe nominated actress Tina Chen. The filmmaking team's previous efforts The Commitment and Fate Scores screened at the festival back in 2013 and 2009 respectively.

NYC Downtown Short Film Festival to Screen Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future

March 7, 2015 — Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future will screen at the NYC Downtown Short Film Festival Audience Choice Screenings in New York, NY on Friday, April 17, 2015 at 8pm at the Duo Multicultural Arts Center. The film screens in a program alongside four other short films. Click here for tickets. Scheduled to be present is writer/director/actor Albert M. Chan.

Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future Returns to Hometown for Boston International Film Festival

March 3, 2015 — Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future returns to its hometown for the Boston International Film Festival on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at 8:30pm at The Paramount Center (tickets - click on April 19 on the calendar and select "BIFF: Session 22"). The film screens in Session 22 alongside the short film The Road to Sainte-M�re-�glise and the feature film A Sort of Homecoming. Scheduled to be present for a Q&A are writer/director/actor Albert M. Chan and actress Tina Chen. Filmmakers Albert M. Chan and Aaron Howland have a long-standing relationship with the festival, now in its 13th year. In 2013, the festival screened Chan and Howland's The Commitment. In 2009, Chan and Howland attended the festival's Boston premiere of Fate Scores, written, directed, and produced by Chan and edited and shot by Howland. In 2006, the festival premiered the psychological thriller Interrogation, produced and edited by Howland and featuring Chan in the supporting role of Lieutenant Charles David Han. And back in 2003, the festival selected the Howland-produced short Jack Milton: Fairy Tale Detective as the winner of two awards: Best Storyline and Best Achievement in Creativity.

Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future wins Rising Star Award

February 20, 2015 — Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future has been chosen to receive the Rising Star Award at the Canada International Film Festival. Held each year in the beautiful and cosmopolitan city of Vancouver, British Columbia, the festival brings the very best of world cinema to Canada from over 90 countries around the world. The festival showcases a wide variety of North American and International Feature Films to thought-provoking Shorts, Documentaries, Music Videos, Animations, Experimental Films, Student Films, a Screenplay Competition, and more.

Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future Is Official Selection of DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon

February 11, 2015 — Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future is an official selection of the DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon. The film will screen at Bijou Art Cinemas in Eugene, Oregon, on April 18, 2015, at 10:30am. The film is featured in the shorts program Shorts: Authentically Me; click here for tickets. Started in 2006 by artists, educators, and activists, DisOrient is a grassroots and volunteer-run film festival committed to presenting honest portrayals of the diversity of the Asian and Pacific Islander American experience.

Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future To Screen at Toronto's ReelWorld Film Festival

February 5, 2015 — Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future returns to Toronto at the ReelWorld Film Festival on March 7, 2015 at 4pm at Cineplex Scotiabank Theatre. Director Albert M. Chan and Golden Globe, Emmy, and Drama Desk nominated actress Tina Chen are scheduled to be in attendance. Since 2001, ReelWorld has been bringing the best of racially diverse films to Toronto audiences from around the world.

Tina Chen Receives Best Actress Nomination at Asians on Film Festival 2015

February 3, 2015 — Tina Chen has received a Best Actress nomination at the Asians on Film Festival 2015 for her performance as a mother coming to terms with her own father's absence throughout most of her life in Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future. Asians On Film Festival 2015 will take place at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles in Little Tokyo March 27-29th. The awards ceremony takes place March 29th @ 9PM. Albert M. Chan and Ryan Leach previously received Honorable Mentions from the Asians On Film Festival in the categories of Best Actor and Best Original Score, respectively.

Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future Is Official Selection of Asians on Film Festival in LA

Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future Is Official Selection of Asians on Film Festival in Los Angeles

January 17, 2015 — The judges have selected Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future for screening at this year's Asians on Film Festival. The festival will take place at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles in Little Tokyo March 27-29th. Details about the festival will be forthcoming in the next few weeks. Albert M. Chan, Tina Chen, and Ryan Leach previously received Honorable Mentions from the Asians On Film Festival in the categories of Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Original Score, respectively.

Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future To Screen at Toronto International Short Film Festival

November 9, 2014 — Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future will have its Canadian premiere at the Toronto International Short Film Festival on November 13, 2014 at 5:30pm at Carlton Cinema. Director Albert M. Chan and Golden Globe, Emmy, and Drama Desk nominated actress Tina Chen are scheduled to be in attendance. The film is featured in Program 4; click here for tickets. Toronto Shorts Fest provides a showcase for the best short-form cinema and its creators in the world, showcasing 60 films from 12 countries in 9 theme programs.

Rogue Cinema Calls Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future "A Beautiful Cinematic Tone Poem"

November 4, 2014 — Rogue Cinema reviewer Philip Smolen praises Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future as "a sweet and revealing insight into the complexities of family ties." He describes the acting of Albert M. Chan and Golden Globe nominee Tina Chen as "pitch perfect...Chan and Chen turn in wonderful performances." He lauds the film as "beautifully photographed...Chan's careful compositions carry a wonderful emotional impact...a beautiful cinematic tone poem." Click here for the full review.

Unsung Films Calls Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future Subtle and Poetic

Unsung Films Praises Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future as "Subtle and Poetic"

October 19, 2014 — Theo Alexander of Unsung Films commends Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future as "subtle and poetic." He describes the film as a "hymn to family...a deeper, more holistic concept of an idea that is often thought of more biologically than spiritually." Click here for the full review.

Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future To Premiere at the Boston Asian American Film Festival

October 5, 2014 — Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future will have its world premiere at the Boston Asian American Film Festival on October 26, 2014 at 3pm at The Paramount Center. Director Albert M. Chan and Golden Globe, Emmy, and Drama Desk nominated actress Tina Chen are scheduled to be in attendance. The film is featured in the session "Shorts Program III"; click here for tickets. BAAFF empowers Asian Americans through film by showcasing Asian American experiences and serving as a resource to filmmakers and the Greater Boston Community. BAAFF is a program of the Asian American Resource Workshop, a member-based organization that seeks to document the diverse Asian Pacific American histories, experiences, and social conditions, respond to current Asian Pacific American issues, and promote Asian Pacific American identity.

Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future Wins Honors for Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Original Score

July 14, 2014 — Asians on Film today announced the recipients of its quarterly honors for Asian and Asian-American cinema. Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future received honors in the categories of Best Actor (Albert M. Chan), Best Actress (Tina Chen), and Best Original Score (Ryan Leach). Click here for the full list of winners.

Composer Ryan Leach Completes Original Musical Score for Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future

May 1, 2014 — After an intense two months, Los Angeles based composer Ryan Leach has completed the original musical score for Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future. "It was a great experience collaborating with Ryan," director Albert M. Chan said. "He took the time to listen and understand my suggestions and feedback and to translate them into brilliant pieces of music that subtly complemented the film."

The two previously collaborated on the highly successful film The Commitment, which has screened at over 25 film festival in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America.

A sneak peek of the beautifully moving end theme of the film:

NewFilmmakers New York to Screen The Commitment At Anthology Film Archives

December 13, 2013 — The Commitment will screen at the internationally recognized screening series NewFilmmakers New York on Saturday, January 4, 7pm, at Anthology Film Archives on the Lower East Side. Founded in 1969, Anthology Film Archives is an international center for the preservation, study, and exhibition of film and video, with a particular focus on independent, experimental, and avant-garde cinema. Since its founding, Anthology has grown far beyond its original concept to encompass film preservation; the formation of a reference library containing the world's largest collection of books, periodicals, stills, and other paper materials related to avant-garde cinema; and a remarkably innovative and eclectic film exhibition program. Anthology screens more than 900 programs annually, preserves an average of 25 films per year (with 800 works preserved to date), publishes books and DVDs, and hosts numerous scholars and researchers.

The Commitment To Screen At Chicago Filmmakers

October 23, 2013 — The Commitment will screen at Chicago Filmmakers, a 35 year-old media arts organization with programs in adult and youth education, equipment access and membership services, film distribution, and community outreach, as well as film and video exhibition. The Commitment will screen there on Saturday, November 9, 2013, in the session Queer Family Matters as part of Reeling: The Chicago LGBT International Film Festival. Reeling, the second-oldest LGBT film festival in the world, returns with another slate of movies that showcase not only diversity within the queer community but also diversity in the range of possibilities within film itself.

The Commitment To Premiere in Switzerland in November

October 12, 2013 — The Commitment will premiere in Switzerland on the opening night of QUEERSICHT lesbisch-schwules Filmfestival Bern. The Commitment screens on opening night, November 7, at Kellerkino, the first and oldest independent cinema in Switzerland, founded in 1970. The film screens again on November 10 at Kino Kunstmuseum, which is housed in the Museum of Fine Arts Bern, the oldest art museum in Switzerland with a permanent collection and houses works covering eight centuries.

Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future Completes Principal Photography

September 29, 2013 — Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future wrapped principal photography today and is in the post-production phase. Editor Aaron Howland will be taking the footage and assembling a rough cut in the weeks to come, with the film completed by Spring 2014.

DVD Release Date for The Commitment Set for November 26

September 17, 2013 — The Commitment will be released on the DVD compilation Green Briefs on November 26, 2013. In the meantime, Green Briefs is available for preorder on Amazon.com, TLA and Guest House Films. The new collection will feature a diverse group of gay-themed short films about individuals and couples who are struggling with what family really means. In addition to The Commitment, Green Briefs will include the short films Pride, Shabbat Dinner, Kimchi Fried Dumplings, and The Symphony of Silence.

Leading Distributor to Release The Commitment on DVD and VOD

August 22, 2013 — The Commitment will be distributed on DVD and VOD by leading gay film producer and distributor Guest House Films, as part of the short film compilation Green Briefs. The new collection will feature a diverse group of five gay-themed short films about individuals and couples who are struggling with what family really means. The compilation will be released this holiday season, but can be pre-ordered at www.GuestHouseFilms.com/store and shortly at other online DVD sellers. "Our film has a strong universal message that many people, whether LGBT or not, can identify with," says The Commitment writer/director Albert M. Chan. "We are thrilled to partner with Guest House Films to bring The Commitment to a wide audience."

Golden Globe®, Emmy®, and Drama Desk Nominee Tina Chen To Star in Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future

August 15, 2013 — Film, TV, and theatre veteran Tina Chen will star in Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future. Chen's films include The Hawaiians, playing opposite Charlton Heston, for which she received a Golden Globe® nomination; Alice's Restaurant, opposite Arlo Guthrie; Three Days of the Condor, opposite Robert Redford; the award-winning indie film Face, opposite Bai Ling; and Almost Perfect, playing opposite Edison Chen and Kelly Hu. Chen has guest starred on numerous TV shows including the NBC series Mercy, and has acted with Anthony Quinn, Geraldine Chaplin, Burt Reynolds, Ernest Borgnine, Wayne Rogers, Stefanie Powers, David Janssen, Kim Basinger, and David Carradine. Tina was nominated for an Emmy® Award for her performance in the CBS Playhouse special, The Final War of Ollie Winter.

On stage, Chen has played leading roles in more than twenty productions on and off Broadway including The Shanghai Gesture, Comfort Women, Empress of China, The Joy Luck Club, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Arthur & Leila, The Year of the Dragon, Family Devotions, and many others. Chen has directed plays at various theaters in New York, including Pan Asian Repertory's production of Fairy Bones starring Lucy Liu in her stage debut. Chen co-produced the Broadway production of the Peter Nichols play Passion starring Frank Langella, and received a Drama Desk nomination as part of the producing team of the Broadway production of The Rink by Terrence McNally, starring Chita Rivera and Liza Minnelli.

Over the course of her career, Chen has received numerous awards including the Urban Stages 25th Anniversary Award for Artistic Brilliance, the Women's Projects Women of Achievement Award, the Girl Scouts Woman of Distinction Award, and the Anna Mae Wong Award given by the Asian Fashion Designers of LA.

LA-Area Premiere for The Commitment at Long Beach QFilm Festival

August 5, 2013 — The Commitment will premiere in the LA area at the 2013 Long Beach QFilm Festival. The Commitment will play in the shorts session Men in Briefs on Saturday, September 7th, 2013, at 4:45pm at the Art Theatre of Long Beach. The Center Long Beach Q Film Festival's mission is to present films that embody the LGBTQ community. Along with The Center Long Beach, they advocate the inclusion of all individuals into a free and just community, without judgment or restriction due to sexual orientation or gender expression.

The Commitment Selected to Screen in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Festival

The Commitment Selected to Screen at Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Festival

July 29, 2013 — The Commitment has been selected to screen at the CNKY Film Festival, taking place at the Know Theatre of Cincinnati. The Commitment screens in Block A on Saturday, September 21st, 2013, at 1:30pm. CNKY Film Festival is the premier film festival for Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, fostering a creative outlet for the tri-state area where LGBT issues are expressed and discussed through art of film.

The Commitment to Premiere in East Asia at Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival

July 21, 2013 — The Commitment will have its East Asian premiere at the 24th Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. The Commitment will play in the shorts session Man Shorts on Tuesday, September 24th, 2013, at 9:50pm at Broadway Circuit PALACE Ifc, and again on Sunday, September 29th, 2013, at 3:30pm at Broadway Circuit The One.

The Commitment Accepted to 22nd Woods Hole Film Festival

July 4, 2013 — The Commitment has been accepted to screen at the 22nd Woods Hole Film Festival on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. The Commitment will play in the shorts session SHORTS 08 - Unlikely Encounters on Thursday, August 1st, 2013, at 7pm at the Old Woods Hole Fire Station. The Woods Hole Film Festival has been named one of the top 10 film festivals by Filmmaker Magazine and "One of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World" by Movie Maker Magazine. Scheduled to be present are writer/director Albert M. Chan, producer/editor Aaron Howland, and production designer Alma Aron Baumwoll.

The Commitment Officially Selected for 2013 DC Shorts Film Festival and Competitions

July 1, 2013 — The Commitment is an official selection for the 2013 DC Shorts Film Festival and competitions in Washington, DC. The Commitment is programmed in Showcase 10, which first screens on Saturday, September 21st, 2013, at 4:30pm at Landmark Theatres E Street Cinema. The Commitment's award-winning actress Kerri Patterson will be present at this first screening for a Q&A. The Commitment will repeat again on Monday, September 23rd, 2013, at 7pm at Landmark Theatres E Street Cinema; Wednesday, September 25th, 2013, at 9pm at Angelika Film Center; and Saturday, Septeber 28th, 2013, at 3pm at US Navy Memorial. For 10 years, the DC Shorts Film Festival and Screenplay Competition has screened the world's top short films to audiences throughout the region. This year, we will showcase over 154 films from 23 nations. Hundreds of filmmakers and thousands of audience members will gather to mix, mingle and explore the art of short cinema.

The Commitment Officially Selected for Philadelphia QFest

June 19, 2013 — The Commitment has been officially selected to screen at Philadelphia QFest. The Commitment will play prior to TWO: The Story of Roman & Nyro on Saturday, July 13th, 2013, at 2:30pm at the Landmark Theatres Ritz East Theater 2. Philadelphia QFest is the East Coast's largest GLBT film festival, featuring over 150 films from around the world in addition to parties, award presentations, and panel discussions. The festival is produced by the Philadelphia Cinema Alliance, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 2009 that also produces Philadelphia CineFest as well as year-round international film programming throughout the city.

The Commitment Becomes Audience Choice at Kansas City for LGBT Film Festival

June 17, 2013 — The audience has spoken. The Commitment will screen a second time at the 14th Annual Kansas City LGBT Film Festival as part of the Audience Choice Program. The free screening will take place Tuesday, June 18, 2013 at 7pm at the Like Me� Lighthouse Community Center. The Commitment screened earlier in the festival in the Men's Short Film Program. The audience rated the films, with the top-rated films from the men's and women's programs shown at a third program of viewers' favorites.

The Commitment Returns to Kansas City for LGBT Film Festival

May 23, 2013 — The Commitment will return to Kansas City, Missouri, for the 14th Annual Kansas City LGBT Film Festival on Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 7pm at the Like Me� Lighthouse Community Center. The film is featured in the Men's Short Film Program. Admission is free. Audiences will have the opportunity to rate the films, with the top-rated films from the first two programs shown at a third program of viewers' favorites. The Commitment previously screened in Kansas City earlier this year in April at the Kansas City FilmFest.

The Commitment Wins Both Audience Award and Jury Award for Best LGBT Film at SENE Film, Music & Arts Festival

May 2, 2013 — After counting audience ballots, the 5th Annual SENE Film, Music & Arts Festival today announced that The Commitment has won the Audience Award for Best LGBT Film. In a ceremony last week at the historic Columbus Theatre, The Commitment was also presented with the Jury Award for Best LGBT Film.

The Commitment Wins Jury Award for Best LGBT Film at SENE Film, Music & Arts Festival

April 27, 2013 — The 5th Annual SENE Film, Music & Arts Festival today announced their Film Jury Award winners in a ceremony at the historic Columbus Theatre, with The Commitment winning the Jury Award for Best LGBT Film. Actress Alecia Batson was on hand to accept the award on behalf of The Commitment. The film screened immediately afterwards with a Q&A with writer/director/actor Albert M. Chan and actress Mary Niederkorn.

African Premiere for The Commitment at Durban Gay & Lesbian Film Festival

April 22, 2013 — The Commitment will have its African premiere at the Durban Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, running June 11-30, 2013 at KwaZulu-Natal Society of Arts (KZNSA) Gallery in Durban, South Africa. As an independent platform for filmmakers from South Africa and across the world to specifically deal with issues relating to the LGBTI community, the DGLFF will showcase new and innovative motion pictures, documentaries, shorts and related productions whilst conducting workshops, debates and talks on past LGBTI movies, productions processes, film writing and how the visual medium affects and is affected by the pink community across the world. Special emphasis is placed on Durban and KwaZulu-Natal filmmakers, especially those that deal with human rights and issues of human sexuality in their work. Proceeds from the festival will benefit both the KZNSA and the KwaZulu-Natal Gay & Lesbian Tourism Association (KZNGALTA).

The Commitment to Return to Missouri for QFest St. Louis

The Commitment to Return to Missoui for QFest St. Louis

April 20, 2013 — After screening at Kansas City FilmFest earlier this month, The Commitment will return to Missouri to screen at QFest St. Louis on Saturday, June 8, 2013 at 8pm. The film screens prior to the feature film Tennessee Queer at Winifred Moore Auditorium at Webster University. QFest uses the art of contemporary gay cinema to spotlight the diversity and inherent complexities of living an alternative lifestyle in today's society. This year's event will feature an eclectic slate of contemporary LGBTQ-themed feature films, documentaries, and shorts. Individual tickets are $12 general admission, $10 for students and Cinema St. Louis members with valid and current photo IDs, and free for Webster U. students. Advance tickets will be available through Brown Paper Tickets.

The Commitment Included in 2013 Little Rock Film Festival's World Shorts Competition

April 17, 2013 — The 7th Annual Little Rock Film Festival, running May 15-19, 2013, announced a selection of 34 short films making their Arkansas premiere in the 2013 LRFF World Shorts competition. The Commitment was included in the lineup, and will be screening in the session World Shorts: American Dreams on Thursday, May 16, 2013 at 3:20pm and on Friday, May 17, 2013 at 1:15pm at Cornerstone Pub (tickets). "This year's shorts submissions have been absolutely amazing and nearly impossible to narrow down. The shorts we're showing, narratives and documentaries, run the gamut of emotion and should have a profound affect on every viewer," said Justin Nickels, LRFF Shorts Programmer. The LRFF 2013 World Shorts line-up includes films from more than 7 countries including Brazil, Canada, Sweden, Singapore, Mexico, Switzerland, Denmark and the USA.

The Commitment Acquired By Moving Images Distribution

April 12, 2013 — The Commitment has been acquired for distribution by Moving Images Distribution (formerly Canadian Filmmakers Distribution West). Since its beginnings in 1979, Moving Images Distribution has worked to connect audiences with avant-garde works by some of Canada's internationally acclaimed media artists and with award-winning documentaries, animation, short fiction and personal narrative works. Moving Images Distribution, which also distributes Chanal Productions' earlier film Fate Scores, will handle institutional/community purchases for The Commitment, as well as licenses for rental and exhibition, streaming, or duplication.

The Commitment Set to Premiere in Europe at Torino GLBT Film Festival

April 5, 2013 — The Commitment will have its European premiere at the Torino GLBT Film Festival on Monday, April 22, 2013 at 10:40pm, Saturday, April 13, 2013 at The National Cinema Museum of Torino's Multisala Cinema Massimo (tickets). The film is featured in the section Focus: We Are Family. Now in its 28th year, the Torino GLBT Film Festival is managed by the The National Cinema Museum of Torino, one of the most important of its kind in the world thanks to its vast collection and the many different scientific and educational activities it carries out. But what makes it truly unique is its special exhibit setup. The museum is located inside the Mole Antonelliana, a bizarre and fascinating monument which is the symbol of the City of Torino. Using the various areas inside the Mole Antonelliana, Swiss set designer Fran�ois Confino created a spectacular presentation that offers visitors continuous and unexpected visual and acoustic stimuli, just like when an audience watches a film.

The Commitment Wins 2013 NASW Media Award for Best Film

April 3, 2013 — The Commitment has won the 2013 National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Media Award for Best Film, becoming the first LGBT-themed film to win the award. The Commitment edged out Oscar-nominated Moonrise Kingdom and What To Expect When You're Expecting, in which Tilda Swinton and Kim Fields play social workers, respectively. "It's an incredible honor for our little indie film to be recognized by the National Association of Social Workers," Chan says. "We made the film with a lot of heart, so it's rewarding to see audiences responding so enthusiastically and spreading positive word of mouth." Actress Mary Niederkorn, who played the adoption social worker that resulted in the media award, was estatic. "I'm still pinching myself that we were put in the same category as major Hollywood-backed films with well-respected actresses," Niederkorn says. "The Commitment was a passion project from conception to completion, with many of the cast and crew having been touched by adoption." While The Commitment is about adoption, gay parenting, and cross-cultural families, producer and editor Aaron Howland explains that working on a narrative film that explores important social issues can be tricky. "In order to succeed, it requires a script with full, compelling characters that humanize the issues, and that's exactly what Albert brought to the table when he approached me about producing The Commitment," Howland says. The 2013 NASW Media Awards recognizes reporters, bloggers, columnists, television producers, movie directors and other media professionals who help raise awareness about the social work profession and issues important to social workers. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world, with 145,000 members.

The Commitment Receives Perfect Score from On Location: Memphis International Film & Music Fest

March 21, 2013 — The Commitment will screen at the 14th Annual On Location: Memphis International Film & Music Fest after receiving the maximum score from the selection committee. The film will screen on Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 8:30pm at Malco's Studio on the Square in the session Shorts Program 2. Chanal Productions' earlier film Fate Scores also screened at this festival in 2009. Festival attendees have included Richard Gladstein, Morgan Freeman, Holly Hunter, Isaac Hayes, Caldecott "Cotty" Chubb, Cybill Shepherd, Alan Bloomquist, Leo Fitzpatrick, Robert Mugge, Don Hertzfeldt, Jon Glascoe, Joseph Pierson, Del Shores, and Leslie Jordan. The festival has screened a number of Academy Award nominated films such as Don Hertzfeldt's The Meaning of Life, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Amores Perros, Most (The Bridge) by Bobby Garabedian and William Zabka, and Sam Green and Bill Siegel's The Weather Underground.

Missouri Premiere for The Commitment at Kansas City FilmFest

March 10, 2013 — The Commitment will screen at Kansas City FilmFest on Thursday, April 11, 2013 at 3:25pm, Saturday, April 13, 2013 at 3:30pm, and Sunday, April 14, 2013 at 2:35pm, with all three screenings at Alamo Drafthouse Mainstreet Theater (tickets). The film is featured in the session Random Relationships: US/Int'l Shorts. Formerly known as the Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee, the event has grown steadily since its humble beginnings in 1997, now spanning five days in one of Kansas City's premiere theatres. Over the years, he FilmFest has received thousands of entries from all over the world, and more than $200,000 in cash and prizes have been awarded in the juried competition.

Second New England Screening of The Commitment in April Announced: SENE Film, Music & Arts Festival

March 5, 2013 — The Commitment will screen a second time in New England in the month of April, at the Southeast New England (SENE) Film, Music & Arts Festival in Providence, RI on Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 5:45pm at the historic Columbus Theatre. The film screens in LGBT Short Films. Tickets will be sold at the door for $10 ($8 for Seniors/Students/RIFC Members), cash and credit cards accepted. Scheduled to be present for a Q&A are writer/director/actor Albert M. Chan, producer/editor Aaron Howland, production designer Alma Aron Baumwoll, actress Mary Niederkorn, and executive producer Richard Possemato. The filmmaking team's previous effort Fate Scores screened at the 1st Annual festival back in 2009.

The Commitment wins Award of Excellence

February 28, 2013 — The Commitment has been chosen to receive the Award of Excellence in Filmmaking at the Canada International Film Festival, April 5-6, 2013. Held each year in the beautiful and cosmopolitan city of Vancouver, British Columbia, the festival brings the very best of world cinema to Canada from over 90 countries around the world. The film stars Albert M. Chan and Jason Lane Fenton as gay adoptive parents, Mary Niederkorn as the social worker facilitating the adoption, and Kerri Patterson as the Asian-American birthmother. The film is produced by Albert M. Chan, Richard Possemato, Aaron Howland, and Seth Howland.

DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon Proud to Present The Commitment

February 15, 2013 — April is shaping up to be a pretty busy month for The Commitment. The film will screen at the DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon, running April 27, 2013 at 1:15pm at Bijou Art Cinemas in Eugene, Oregon. The film is featured in the shorts program Fighting for Family; admission is free. The festival's Associate Director Pamela M. Quan writes that The Commitment "is powerful and relatable, and we are proud to present it to the DisOrient audience." Started in 2006 by artists, educators, and activists, DisOrient is a grassroots and volunteer-run film festival committed to presenting honest portrayals of the diversity of the Asian and Pacific Islander American experience.

The Commitment Nominated for 2013 NASW Media Award for Best Film

February 12, 2013 — The Commitment has been nominated for a 2013 National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Media Award for Best Film, alongside Oscar-nominated Moonrise Kingdom (Bruce Willis, Ed Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton) and What To Expect When You're Expecting (Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Dennis Quaid). The 2013 NASW Media Awards recognizes reporters, bloggers, columnists, television producers, movie directors and other media professionals who help raise awareness about the social work profession and issues important to social workers. NASW previously published an article about how The Commitment realistically portrays a social worker (played by actress Mary Niederkorn) helping an interracial gay couple adopt a newborn baby. The public is welcome to cast votes until March 15th. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world, with 145,000 members.

The Commitment Returns to Hometown for Boston International Film Festival

February 7, 2013 — The Commitment returns to its hometown for the Boston International Film Festival on Wednesday, April 17, 2013 at 8pm at AMC Loews Boston Common 19 (tickets). The film screens in Session 24 alongside the feature film Virginity. Scheduled to be present for a Q&A are writer/director/actor Albert M. Chan, producer/editor Aaron Howland, production designer Alma Aron Baumwoll, cinematographer Andrew Nalband, actor Jason Lane Fenton, and executive producer Richard Possemato. Filmmakers Albert M. Chan and Aaron Howland have a long-standing relationship with the festival, now in its 11th year. In 2009, Chan and Howland attended the festival's Boston premiere of Fate Scores, written, directed, and produced by Chan and edited and shot by Howland. In 2006, the festival premiered the psychological thriller Interrogation, produced and edited by Howland and featuring Chan in the supporting role of Lieutenant Charles David Han. And back in 2003, the festival selected the Howland-produced short Jack Milton: Fairy Tale Detective as the winner of two awards: Best Storyline and Best Achievement in Creativity.

The Commitment Wins Audience Award for Best Short Film at Desperado LGBT Film Festival

February 1, 2013 — The Commitment has won the Audience Award for Best Short Film at last weekend's Desperado LGBT Film Festival in Phoenix, Arizona. Meanwhile, Cloudburst, starring Oscar® winners Olympia Dukakis (Moonstruck) and Brenda Fricker (My Left Foot), picked up the Audience Award for Best Feature Film. Desperado LGBT Film Festival showcases the best in LGBT film and fosters diversity and multiculturalism throughout the state of Arizona.

Desperado LGBT Film Festival Adds The Commitment to Lineup in Phoenix

January 15, 2013 — The Commitment has been added to the lineup at the Desperado LGBT Film Festival in Phoenix, Arizona. The Commitment screens in the shorts session Mixed Shorts on Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 12:45pm at the Center for the Performing Arts (tickets). Desperado LGBT Film Festival showcases the best in LGBT film and fosters diversity and multiculturalism throughout the state of Arizona. The festival is presented in collaboration with Paradise Valley Community College's Office of Student Life, P.R.I.D.E Student Organization, the Center for the Performing Arts, and the PVCC Center for International Studies.

The Commitment Nominated for Crystal Cactus Award for Best LGBT Film

January 3, 2013 — The Commitment has been nominated for the Crystal Cactus Award for Best LGBT Film at Out in the Desert: Tucson's International LGBT Film Festival. The Commitment screens on Friday, January 25, 2013 at 9pm at FLUXX Studio & Gallery (tickets), and the winner will be announced at the Closing Night Party on Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 9:30pm at the same location. Out in the Desert is a program of the Southwest LGBT Film Society, which works to celebrate LGBT cinema and seeks to create an affirming atmosphere in which to promote acceptance and tolerance, while showcasing the very best in independent films by LGBT filmmakers and about the LGBT community.

Southwest Premiere for The Commitment at Out In the Desert: Tucson's International LGBT Film Festival

December 20, 2012 — The Commitment will have its Southwest Premiere at Out in the Desert: Tucson's International LGBT Film Festival on Friday, January 25, 2013 at 9pm at FLUXX Studio & Gallery. The film is featured in the session Family Secrets. Click here for tickets. Out in the Desert is a program of the Southwest LGBT Film Society, which works to celebrate LGBT cinema and seeks to create an affirming atmosphere in which to promote acceptance and tolerance, while showcasing the very best in independent films by LGBT filmmakers and about the LGBT community.

The Commitment Selected for PRDIE LGBTQ Film Festival

The Commitment Selected for PRIDE LGBTQ Film Festival

November 7, 2012 — The Commitment has been selected to screen at the PRIDE LGBTQ Film Festival on Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 7pm at the historic Buskirk-Chumley Theater, a renovated silent-era movie house with a capacity of over 600. The film is featured in the session Saturday Shorts. Click here for tickets. PRIDE LGBTQ Film Festival explores a wide variety of issues and situations involving the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer communities, advocating community-wide attitudes of awareness, acceptance and appreciation of diversity. The goal of the festival is to educate and strengthen the local community and celebrate artistic talent and achievement.

The Commitment Actress Kerri Patterson Awarded Best Supporting Actress in a Short Film by Asians in Film: Summer 2012

The Commitment Actress Kerri Patterson Awarded Best Supporting Actress in a Short Film by Asians on Film (Summer 2012)

October 30, 2012 — Actress Kerri Patterson has won Best Supporting Actress in a Short Film in the Asians on Film (Summer 2012) competition for her touching portrayal of a pregnant women choosing adoption for her unborn baby in The Commitment. "This is so amazing and flattering," Kerri wrote. "It has been so amazing to be a part of this (both the real and the dramatized story)." Hear an excerpt of an interview Kerri gave earlier this year on the radio show Citywide Blackout, about the process of creating the character Victoria and how the role related to her own experiences as a real-life adoptee.

Hometown Premiere for The Commitment at Boston Asian American Film Festival

October 5, 2012 — The Commitment will have its hometown premiere at the Boston Asian American Film Festival on October 28, 2012 at 3pm at The Paramount Center. The film is featured in the session "Reel Food: A Shorts Program". Ticket sales will begin soon, so check the BAAFF website regularly. BAAFF empowers Asian Americans through film by showcasing Asian American experiences and serving as a resource to filmmakers and the Greater Boston Community. BAAFF is a program of the Asian American Resource Workshop, a member-based organization that seeks to document the diverse Asian Pacific American histories, experiences, and social conditions, respond to current Asian Pacific American issues, and promote Asian Pacific American identity.

The Commitment Voted as Part of Audience's Favorite Shorts Series at Palm Springs Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

September 24, 2012 — The Commitment, along with Marc Parees' Little Ones and Chad Darnell's Groom's Cake, has been voted as the audience's favorite shorts series at Palm Springs Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. The Commitment screened on Saturday, September 22, 2012 as part of Short Series: All About Gaybies, three very different takes on gay adoption. Celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, the festival is a presentation of the Palm Springs Cultural Center and is dedicated to presenting the best in LGBT cinema. With the current gay and lesbian population in Palm Springs estimated to be about seven times the national average, a concentration even greater than that of San Francisco, Palm Springs is a fitting location for the premiere of The Commitment.

The Commitment Accepted to 60th Annual Columbus International Film + Video Festival

August 28, 2012 — The Commitment has been accepted to the Columbus International Film + Video Festival in Ohio, and will screen on November 14, 2012 at 7pm at the Gateway Film Center. The film plays in the session "Stonewall and the CIFVF: LGBT Shorts"; click here for tickets. Now in its 60th year, CIF+VF is the longest running film festival in the United States. Founded in 1950 by a group of progressive educators, the Columbus Film Council continues their legacy, honoring and screening the work of makers "whose creations of vision, beauty and power help us understand the complexities of our world by using their committed artistry to touch our minds and hearts."

The Commitment to Screen at the 27th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival

August 17, 2012 — The Commitment has been selected to screen in the Shorts Section of the 27th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 6pm. The film plays at Cinema Paradiso in the session "GLBT SHORTS"; click here for tickets. A recipient of The Guinness World Record for the longest film festival, the FLIFF is dedicated to foreign and independent film, annually showcasing over 200 films from over 35 countries. FLIFF takes programming throughout South Florida, including The Weston Foreign Film Series, The Bay Harbor Islands Family Festival, The Hollywood Arts Park screenings, among other satellite operations. FLIFF also tours the state of Florida and Grand Bahama Island, partnering with The Daytona Beach Film Festival, The. St Augustine Film Festival, The Amelia Island Film Festival, and FLIFF On-Location Grand Bahama Island. More details to follow.

The Commitment to Premiere at the Palm Springs Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

August 15, 2012 — The Commitment will premiere at the Palm Springs Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, which runs September 20-23, 2012 at the historic Camelot Theatres (2300 E. Baristo Road in Palm Springs). The Commitment screens on Saturday, September 22, 2012 at 11am in Theatre Two as part of Short Series: All About Gaybies, three very different takes on gay adoption that provide a humorous, and sometimes poignant look into life with and without gaybies; click here for tickets. Celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, the festival is a presentation of the Palm Springs Cultural Center and is dedicated to presenting the best in LGBT cinema. With the current gay and lesbian population in Palm Springs estimated to be about seven times the national average, a concentration even greater than that of San Francisco, Palm Springs is a fitting location for the premiere of The Commitment.

Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future chosen as finalist for Roy W. Dean Film Grant

From the Heart Productions has chosen Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future from over 150 film proposals as a finalist for the 2010 Roy W. Dean Film Grant. From the Heart Productions is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to funding films that are "unique and make a contribution to society...compelling stories about little known subjects, historical films and films that touch hearts...stories that can heal and enrich our lives." The winner will be announced in October. Carole Dean created the Roy W. Dean Grant Foundation in 1992 in honor of her late father. To date, Ms. Dean's grant and mentorship programs have provided filmmakers with millions of dollars in goods and services and have played an instrumental role in establishing the careers of some of the industry's most promising filmmakers.

Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future wins Puffin Foundation Grant

The Puffin Foundation has awarded Chanal Productions a grant for the upcoming film Descendants of the Past, Ancestors of the Future. The Puffin Foundation makes grants to emerging artists working in the fields of art, music, theater, dance, photography, and literature. Since its founding in 1983, the Puffin Foundation has sought to open the doors of artistic expression by providing grants to artists and art organizations who are often excluded from mainstream opportunities due to their race, gender, or social philosophy.

Fate Scores to Screen at Connecticut Film Festival

Fate Scores has been accepted to the 6th Annual Connecticut Film Festival (CTFF), taking place May 4-9, 2010. Fate Scores screens in a program of shorts titled Music and Film on Tuesday, May 4 at 11:30am at the Danbury Music Center (256 Main Street, Danbury, CT) and again on Saturday, May 8 at 12pm at the Common Council Chambers at Danbury City Hall (155 Deer Hill Avenue, Danbury, CT). Tickets are available online. The CTFF will screen 140 films, while also presenting 75 educational workshops, panels and keynotes, more than 70 performances by emerging musical artists and more than a dozen industry networking and party events.

Fate Scores Screens at Sedona International Film Festival

Written, directed, and produced by Albert M. Chan, Fate Scores will screen at the Sedona International Film Festival on Friday, February 26, 2010 at 7pm at Harkins Sedona 6 (2081 West Highway 89A, Sedona, AZ), and again on Sunday, February 28, 2010 at 11:45am. Already recognized by filmmakers and audiences as one of the top festivals in the nation (and named the Fest to Impress by MovieMaker Magazine), the 16th Annual Sedona International Film Festival will continue a tradition of honoring those motivated by passion for their art and driven by a love for making timely, moving and important films. [Tickets]

Fate Scores wins Rising Star Award

Fate Scores, Albert M. Chan's directorial debut, has been chosen to receive the Rising Star Award for Excellence in Filmmaking at the Canada International Film Festival, March 19-21, 2010. Held each year in the beautiful and cosmopolitan city of Vancouver, British Columbia, the festival brings the very best of world cinema to Canada from over 90 countries around the world. Starring Albert M. Chan and Heidi Rhodes, Fate Scores is a charming story about isolation, connection, and chance. Two strangers, a guitarist and an introspective young woman, cross paths at a city park bench and, with the help of eight other colorful strangers, discover something special in common.

The National Film Board of Canada honors Fate Scores

The National Film Board of Canada awards Fate Scores, Albert M. Chan's directorial debut, 3^rd place in the Best Canadian Short Film competition at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival. National Film Board producers Yves Ma and Selwyn Jacob were present to make the announcement. Since 1939, the National Film Board has reflected the major developments in cinema over the years &ndash both technical and creative. With a collection of 13,000 productions, it has earned 5,000 awards, including 12 Academy Awards and 90 Genies. NFB documentaries have influenced major social issues, and NFB feature films and animation have influenced the works of filmmakers around the world.

Fate Scores to Screen at Vancouver Asian Film Festival

Fate Scores has been accepted to the 13th Annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF), taking place November 5-8, 2009 at the Cinemark Tinseltown, a multiplex theatre within the city's Chinatown and Downtown districts. The VAFF is Canada's oldest festival dedicated to exhibiting films and videos by North American artists of Asian heritage. From its beginnings in 1995 and incorporated in the Spring of 1997, VAFF is committed to supporting both emerging talent and established filmmakers. Visiting artists have included Justin Lin (Fast & Furious, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Annapolis, Better Luck Tomorrow), Michael Kang (West 32nd, The Motel), and Jessica Yu (Grey's Anatomy, The West Wing, Ping-Pong Playa), as well as Canadian filmmaker Mina Shum (Double Happiness).