CHICAGO – Excelsior! Comic book legend Stan Lee’s famous exclamation puts a fine point on the third and final play of Mark Pracht’s FOUR COLOR TRILOGY, “The House of Ideas,” presented by and staged at City Lit Theater in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. For tickets/details, click HOUSE OF IDEAS.
Feature: Ten Memories from Sophia Wong Boccio Celebrates Season Ten of Asian Pop-Up Cinema
Japanese Movie Star Yuki Furukawa
Japanese Actor Yuki Furukawa on APUC’s Season Six Opening Night
Photo credit: APUC
March 18th, 2018: One of the more memorable Opening Nights was for Season Six, which featured popular Japanese movie star Yuki Furukawa for his film “Colors of Wind.” With millions of fans all around the world, Yuki drew in many out-of-town guests for the first time to the film festival.
HollywoodChicago.com coverage: CLICK HERE
Midwest Premiere of ‘Best Foreign Language’ Selection ‘Village Rockstars’
‘Village Rockstars,’ Directed by Rima Das
Photo credit: APUC
April 18th, 2018: “Village Rockstars,” a film that screened in Season Six, was another Asian Pop-Up Cinema first. Later that year, it became the official selection of India for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar consideration … although it didn’t make the final list of nominees. Director Rima Das appeared on behalf of the film that night.
Lee Jae-in, First ADG BRIGHT STAR AWARD Honoree
ADG BRIGHT STAR AWARD Recipient Lee Jae-in
Photo credit: APUC
September 12th, 2018: The South Korean film “Adulthood,” which opened Season Seven of Asian Pop-Up Cinema, had another distinction. We presented our first ADG BRIGHT STAR AWARD to the film’s young co-star, Lee Jae-in. The actor was accompanied by director Kim In-Seon, and we celebrated with another sold-out crowd.
HollywoodChicago.com coverage: CLICK HERE
APUC on Tour
Director Akiyo Fujimura of ‘Ten Years Japan’ with Sophia Wong Boccio
Photo credit: Patrick McDonald for HollywoodChicago.com
March, 2019: Right after the Chicago premiere of “Ten Years Japan” at Asian Pop-Up Cinema Season Eight, we took the film “on the road” to Toronto, Canada, to screen it there. One of the short film segments in the film was “The Air We Can’t See” by filmmaker Akiyo Fujimura, who represented the film during the tour. APUC was now international!
HollywoodChicago.com coverage: CLICK HERE
ADG BRIGHT STAR AWARD For Christian Bables
Awardee Christian Bables of ‘Signal Rock’ with Sophia Wong Boccio
Photo credit: APUC
October 3rd, 2019: Another ADG BRIGHT STAR AWARD was given in the recent Season Nine to Filipino actor Christian Bables for “Signal Rock,” and the film was part of a the Filipino American History Month celebration. May the next five years provide more memorable moments.
HollywoodChicago.com coverage: CLICK HERE
BONUS: ‘One Cut of the Dead’
Sophia Wong Boccio and Takayuko Hamatsu
Photo credit: APUC
November 14, 2018: The Season Seven Closing Night featured the outrageous Japanese film ‘One Cut of the Dead,” director Shinichiro Ueda’s now cult classic. Actor Takayuki Hamatsu came to Chicago to represent the film, and made sure that I received a personally autographed copy of the iconic poster. In all the Seasons, that was the most rewarding moment for me.
By PATRICK McDONALD |