Tag Archives: Eric Elizaga

BACKSTAGE PASS with Lia Chang: My Films, ROM-COM GONE WRONG, BELONGINGNESS AND WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG, air on March 19 at 1:30pm and 6:30pm and March 22 at 6:00pm on FIOS 34, RCN 83, and Spectrum 56/1996, and will stream on MNN2

The 26th episode of BACKSTAGE PASS with Lia Chang, executive produced and hosted by Lia, airs on March 19 at 1:30pm and 6:30pm and March 22 at 6:00pm on FIOS 34, RCN 83, and Spectrum 56/1996, and streams on MNN2. If you miss the episode, it is archived on my youtube channel.

I’m celebrating Asian American women in leading roles by sharing three of Bev’s Girl Films short films, written and directed by Garth Kravits – When the World Was Young starring Virginia Wing, Jason Ma, Lia Chang which deals with how siblings deal with their mother’s memory loss; Belongingness starring Isabela Sanchez and Lia Chang which follows a young girl’s search for identity and a sense of belonging, which comes from an expected source; Rom-Com Gone Wrong starring Lia Chang, Eric Elizaga and Brian Kim McCormick. 

Rom-Com Gone Wrong is a short produced by Bev’s Girl Films and Cut & Dry Films. Written and directed by Garth Kravits, the films stars Lia Chang, Eric Elizaga and Brian Kim.

A romantic encounter, ten years in the making.

Official Selection of Disorient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon and 10th Annual Queens World Film Festival.

Eric Elizaga and Brian Kim. Photo by Lia Chang

Eric Elizaga quit his medical sales and marketing job in his home state of Hawaii to go to acting school in New York. Since then, he has appeared in over a dozen television shows including Elementary, Orange Is The New Black, Hawaii 5-0, FBI, as well as recurring roles on Law & Order: SVU and Gotham. Eric also wrote and directed a short film called  The Beach House for which he won the best short film director award at the Bergen International Film Festival. The Beach House was also an official selection at the 2019 Disorient Film Festival.

Lia Chang in Rom-Com Gone Wrong.

Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers,  musicians and corporations. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman, Balancing Act, Belongingness, When the World was Young and Hide and Seek.

Isabela Sanchez makes her film debut in BELONGINGNESS.
Isabela Sanchez makes her film debut in BELONGINGNESS.

Bev’s Girl Films presents Belongingness, a new short film starring Isabela Sanchez and Lia Chang.

Written, directed and edited by Cut & Dry Films’ Garth Kravits, Belongingness follows a young girl’s search for identity and a sense of belonging, which comes from an expected source.

Original Score by John Tyler Kent.

Official Selection of the Asian Film Festival.


Bev’s Girl Films presents WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG, starring Virginia Wing, Jason Ma and Lia Chang. The cast also features Jo Yang, Daniel Dunlow, Michelle Miller and Mark York.

Jo Yang, Garth Kravits, Virginia Wing, Jason Ma and Lia Chang attend Asian American Night of CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND at Pershing Square Signature Center in New York on February 9, 2020. Photo by Alex Sanchez

When siblings Benjamin and Audrey return home to confront their Mother’s memory loss, they discover a hidden key to her past.

Jason Ma, Virginia Wing and Lia Chang in WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG. Photo by Garth Kravits

Written and directed by Garth Kravits, the film is Executive Produced by Bev’s Girl Films, with producers Garth Kravits of Cut & Dry Films and Eric Elizaga. Hair and makeup by Dorothy Bhadra. Special thanks to Karen Elizaga and Daniel Dunlow.

Virginia Wing. Photo by Lia Chang

Virginia Wing (Virginia) is a Chinese-American actress whose ancestors came to the “Gold Mountain” from Canton (now Guangdong) in the mid-1800s, lured  by the Gold Rush and the building of the railroads. She is currently writing about growing up Southern in the Mississippi Delta, where she was born and raised.

Professionally, she has run the gamut from opera, theatre, cabaret, TV, film, playwriting, directing and producing to script analysis. She modeled in her youth and is in the Breck Girl Hall of Fame. She was the model in the Mitsouko by Guerlain ad in the 60s, which won awards internationally. She was a nominee for Best Actress in the Hollywood NAACP Image Awards. She is most proud of this film because the characters did not have to have Chinese accents, did not have to speak Chinese or refer to themselves as being Chinese. They were not written as Exotic or Other, but as Americans who happen to be Chinese, caught up in a universal story. At last! She can be seen in NYTW’s production of Three Sisters in the Spring of 2020. Click on the  Performing Arts Legacy Website for more about Virginia Wing.

Jason Ma (Benjamin) is a son of an immigrant family, and a grateful descendant of a long line of those who were able to persist, overcome and succeed on their way to becoming Americans. He wrote book, music and lyrics for Gold Mountain and is the 2017 recipient of the ASCAP Foundation’s Cole Porter Award for his work as a composer/lyricist. Along with writing, he is an actor who has been seen on Broadway and Off-Broadway stages, in regional theaters and many international venues. Please visit: www.goldmountainthemusical.com

Garth Kravits is an actor, singer, musician, composer and award winning filmmaker, director and editor. He made his Broadway debut in the Tony award winning musical The Drowsy Chaperone and originated the role of Ritchie in the Broadway show Gettin’ the Band Back Together’.

His Off-Broadway credits include Old Jews Telling Jokes, Toxic Audio and Smart Blonde. He has appeared regionally in Gettin’ The Band Back Together, Meet Me in St. Louis: A Live Radio Play, and It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, (Bucks County Playhouse) Kravits has appeared on TV in “Mr. Robot,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” HBO’s “Divorce,” “30 Rock,” “The Blacklist,” “Nurse Jackie,” “The Carrie Diaries,” “Hostages” and in the new TV shows “The Hunters” (Amazon Prime) and “Tommy” (CBS).

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2023 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at backstagepasswithliachang@gmail.com.

Aug. 25: Sinehan sa Konsulado 2022 to Present World Premiere of Garth Kravits’ THE LANGUAGE LESSON Starring Jaygee Macapugay and Deven Kolluri at Philippine Center

Jaygee Macapugay stars in THE LANGUAGE LESSON.

Sinehan sa Konsulado 2022 will feature the World Premiere screening of The Language Lesson, starring Jaygee Macapugay as Jenny and Deven Kolluri as Professor Nadal, on Thursday, August 25, 2022 at Philippine Center, 556 Fifth Avenue between 45th and 4th Sts in New York. Alem Ang and Enrico Po of Out of Body will also screen as part of the Shorts Program.

6pm Free admission, free food and drinks on the ground floor lobby 6:30pm: Screening and talkback at the Kalayaan Hall

Register by sending an email to newyorkpcg.events@dfa.gov.ph with the Subject Line:  Sinehan sa Konsulado:  Shorts Night 1.

The Sinehan so Konsulado, formerly called Sinehan sa Summer, is a flagship project of the New York Philippine Consulate and volunteer panelists and participants from the Philippine film industry. It is held annually from August to September at the Philippine Center on Fifth Avenue.

The Sinehan is the only annual event that regularly showcases Philippine classic and indie filmmakers in New York City. Since it began over fifteen years ago, it has become the most well-attended regular event of the Consulate/’s calendar, often drawing SRO crowds to the 125-capacity Kalayaan Hall.

Executive Produced by Lia Chang and Garth Kravits (co-founders of Bev’s Girl Films), The Language Lesson was directed by Mr. Kravits (Gettin’ the Band Back Together, The Drowsy Chaperone) and features choreography by Karla Puno Garcia (Hamilton).

Jaygee Macapugay. Photo by Lia Chang

School of Rock’s Jaygee Macapugay (Soft Power, Here Lies Love) wants to tell Filipino American stories through musical theatre. She is thrilled to share The Language Lesson, her debut musical short film  based on the music & lyrics of Paulo K Tiról;  it follows Jenny, a Filipino immigrant who has a crush on her ESL teacher. Tiról’s Filipino immigrant song cycle, On This Side of the World, was recently presented by Prospect Theatre Company at the Greenwich House Theater last February. Scroll down for behind the scenes photos.

Unit Production Manager Jessica Wu, Executive Producer Lia Chang, 1st Assistant Director Eric Elizaga, Jaygee Macapugay, Production Assistant Ali Ewoldt and Director Garth Kravits. Photo by Jorge Robayo

The suppporting cast of The Language Lesson includes Carol Angeli, Taylor DeNapoli, Aaron Jay Green, Rashaan James II, Jessie Lawyer, Natalie Leonard, Kaleo Nadal, Luana Psaros, Anastasia Shulgina, Katie Shults, Michael Sylvester, Miles Wilkie, Virginia Wing and Minami Yusui are featured as students/dancers.

Deven Kolluri,Jaygee Macapugay. Photo by Lia Chang
Jaygee Macapugay. Photo by Corinne Louie

According to Macapugay, “Working on Paulo’s music has been one of the greatest privileges of my career.  I wasn’t sure if I should release the film because I didn’t want to be insensitive to the coronavirus crisis affecting the world.  But this film, shot on location in New York City, celebrates diversity in the arts right now- a Filipino American story written by a Filipino American composer and featuring a FilAm choreographer, Asian American leads, and fourteen gorgeously diverse actor/dancers.  Even our producer, band, hair/make-up team, and craft service are comprised mainly of artists of color.

Back Row: Dorothy Bhadra, Virginia Wing, Caylie Rose Newcom, Minami Yusui, Aaron Jay Green, Carol Angeli, Jaygee Macapugay, Paulo K Tiról, Garth Kravits, Eric Elizaga, Michael Sylvester, Jessie Lawyer, Kaleo Nadal, Deven Kolluri.
Front row: Ali Ewoldt, Luana Psaros, Natalie Leonard, Jorge Robayo, Anastasia Shulgina, Taylor DeNapoli, Katie Shults, Miles Wilkie, Jessica Wu. Photo by Lia Chang

While in the editing room with director/editor Garth Kravits prior to today’s release made me nostalgic for last month, where my friends and I were all in a room, creating in a space where we weren’t worried about social distancing, hand sanitizing, or even hugging. But no virus is going to stop artists from creating. I see that every time I look at my Facebook or Instagram timelines.  Most importantly, our film is about the feeling you get when you fall in love, and I think there’s never a bad time for the world to hear a message about love.”

The creative team includes Garth Kravits (Director, Director of Photography, Editor), Paulo K Tiról (Music & Lyrics), Karla Puno Garcia (Choreographer), Jessica Wu (Unit Production Manager, Live Sound Recording), Eric Elizaga (1st Assistant Director), Jorge Robayo (Grip), Dorothy Bhadra, Giuliana Brandon (Hair/Make-Up), Caylie Rose Newcom (Associate Choreographer), Ali Ewoldt (Production Assistant), Lia Chang (BTS Photography), Jen Dadivas Hong (ESL Consultant) with catering provided by Jeepney.

Paulo K Tiról and Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang

The film score was recorded live at Yes It Is! Studios by Engineer and Mixer Garth Kravits, with Music Director Ian Miller on Piano, Chris Peters on Guitar, Billy Smolen on Bass, Garth Kravits on Drums and Jonathan Cuevas on Cello.

Jaygee Macapugay, Paulo K Tiról, Deven Kolluri. Photo by Lia Chang

Special thanks to Kevin Nadal, David McQueen and Nicole Ponseca.

Jaygee Macapugay, Deven Kolluri. Photo by Lia Chang
Dorothy Bhadra and Jaygee Macapugay. Photo by Lia Chang
Jaygee Macapugay and Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang
Jaygee Macapugay, Lia Chang, Deven Kolluri. Photo by Lia Chang
Jaygee Macapugay. Photo by Lia Chang
Deven Kolluri. Photo by Lia Chang
Eric Elizaga. Photo by Lia Chang
Jaygee Macapugay. Photo by Lia Chang
Virginia Wing, Associate Choreographer Caylie Rose Newcom, Carol Angeli, Miles Wilkie. Photo by Lia Chang
Virginia Wing, Jaygee Macapugay, Carol Angeli, Miles Wilkie. Photo by Lia Chang
Paulo K Tiról. Photo by Lia Chang

Paulo K Tiról Paulo K Tiról is a composer, lyricist, and bookwriter from Manila, Philippines. He received the inaugural Benjamin Indick Award for lyricists and bookwriters in 2021, and was a Dramatist Guild Foundation Fellow from 2019 to 2020. Projects include On This Side of the World (Rhinebeck Writers Retreat ‘22, NAMT Festival ’20, Prospect Theater Co.’s IGNITE concert series ’20, all dir. Noam Shapiro); Called (DGF Fellows showcase, dir. May Adrales); Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen, adapted from journalist Jose Antonio Vargas’ acclaimed memoir (Drama League Next Stage Residency, dir. Noam Shapiro); and commissions for Prospect Theater Co.’s Notes from Now and Rattlestick Theater’s Gen Speak. He is also an award-winning composer of liturgical music, with work published by Oregon Catholic Press. Training: Ateneo de Manila University, Berklee, NYU’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program (full-tuition scholarship), BMI. paulophonic.com.

Deven Kolluri, Garth Kravits, Eric Elizaga. Photo by Lia Chang
Deven Kolluri. Photo by Lia Chang
Deven Kolluri. Photo by Lia Chang
Aaron Jay Green and Minami Yusui. Photo by Lia Chang
Ali Ewoldt, Jessica Wu, Jorge Robayo, Paulo K. Tiról, Garth Kravits and Deven Kolluri. Photo by Lia Chang
The cast and creative team of THE LANGUAGE LESSON. Photo by Lia Chang
Back row: Rashaan James II, Aaron Jay Green, Miles Wilkie, Luana Psaros, Katie Shults, Minami Yusui, Kaleo Nadal, Giuliana Brandon, Anastasia Shulgina.
Front row: Virginia Wing, Caylie Rose Newcom, Carol Angeli, Natalie Leonard, Jessie Lawyer, Michael Sylvester, Taylor DeNapoli. Photo by Lia Chang

Broadwayworld: Photo Flash: Jaygee Macapugay, Garth Kravits Sings And Paulo K Tiról On The Set Of THE LANGUAGE LESSON 

BroadwayWorld​: Jaygee Macapugay Celebrates Diversity and Love With Musical Short Film THE LANGUAGE LESSON 

Broadway.com: School of Rock Alum Jaygee Macapugay Releases Musical Short Film The Language Lesson

The FilmAm.net: Jaygee Macapugay sings of love and ‘kilig’ in short film

Lia Chang

Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers,  musicians and corporations. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman, Balancing Act, Belongingness, When the World was Young and Hide and Seek.

Garth Kravits’ Short Film WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG Starring Virginia Wing, Jason Ma, Lia Chang and Jo Yang is an Official Selection of The 16th Annual DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon

Garth Kravits’ short film WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG starring Lia Chang, Jason Ma, Virginia Wing and Jo Yang is an official selection of The 16th Annual DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon. The Festival will be held virtually this year from March 19-28, 2021. Click here to purchase tickets to view the film.

Jason Ma, Virginia Wing and Lia Chang in WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG. Photo by Garth Kravits

In WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG, siblings Benjamin (Jason Ma) and Audrey (Lia Chang) return home to confront their Mother’s (Virginia Wing) memory loss and discover a hidden key to her past. The cast also features Daniel Dunlow, Michelle Simone Miller and Mark York.

Jo Yang, Garth Kravits, Virginia Wing, Jason Ma and Lia Chang attend Asian American Night of CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND at Pershing Square Signature Center in New York on February 9, 2020. Photo by Alex Sanchez

Written and directed by Garth Kravits, the film is Executive Produced by Lia Chang’s production company Bev’s Girl Films, with producers Garth Kravits of Cut & Dry Films and Eric Elizaga. The film was shot on location in New York. The production team includes 1st A.D. Eric Elizaga, 2nd A.D. Anastasia Shulgina, Key Hair and Make-up by Dorothy Bhadra; Kristen Lee Rosenfeld on Piano, Emma Svetvilas on Cello, Garth Kravits on Guitar recorded live at Yes It Is Productions.

Watch the trailer for WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG below:

Special thanks to Karen Elizaga and Jay Ptashek, Daniel Dunlow, Richie Sullano, Liesl Hara and Mike and Sully.

Virginia Wing. Photo by Lia Chang

Virginia Wing (Virginia) is a Chinese-American actress whose ancestors came to the “Gold Mountain” from Canton (now Guangdong) in the mid-1800s, lured  by the Gold Rush and the building of the railroads. She is currently writing about growing up Southern in the Mississippi Delta, where she was born and raised. Professionally, she has run the gamut from opera, theatre, cabaret, TV, film, playwriting, directing and producing to script analysis. She modeled in her youth and is in the Breck Girl Hall of Fame. She was the model in the Mitsouko by Guerlain ad in the 60s, which won awards internationally. She was a nominee for Best Actress in the Hollywood NAACP Image Awards. She is most proud of this film because the characters did not have to have Chinese accents, did not have to speak Chinese or refer to themselves as being Chinese. They were not written as Exotic or Other, but as Americans who happen to be Chinese, caught up in a universal story. At last! She can be seen in NYTW’s production of Three Sisters in the Spring of 2020. Click on the  Performing Arts Legacy Website for more about Virginia Wing.

Jason Ma. Photo by Lia Chang

Jason Ma (Benjamin) is a son of an immigrant family, and a grateful descendant of a long line of those who were able to persist, overcome and succeed on their way to becoming Americans. He wrote book, music and lyrics for Gold Mountain and is the 2017 recipient of the ASCAP Foundation’s Cole Porter Award for his work as a composer/lyricist. Along with writing, he is an actor who has been seen on Broadway and Off-Broadway stages, in regional theaters and many international venues. Please visit: www.goldmountainthemusical.com

Lia Chang
Lia Chang

Lia Chang (Audrey) is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers,  musicians and corporations. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman, Balancing Act, Belongingness, When the World was Young and Hide and Seek.

Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang
Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang

Garth Kravits is an actor, singer, musician, composer and award winning filmmaker, director and editor. He made his Broadway debut in the Tony award winning musical The Drowsy Chaperone and originated the role of Ritchie in the Broadway show Gettin’ the Band Back Together’. His Off-Broadway credits include Old Jews Telling Jokes, Toxic Audio and Smart Blonde. He has appeared regionally in Gettin’ The Band Back Together, Meet Me in St. Louis: A Live Radio Play, and It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, (Bucks County Playhouse) Kravits has appeared on TV in “Mr. Robot,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” HBO’s “Divorce,” “30 Rock,” “The Blacklist,” “Nurse Jackie,” “The Carrie Diaries,” “Hostages” and in the new TV shows “The Hunters” (Amazon Prime) and “Tommy” (CBS).

Bev’s Girl Films’ Hide and Seek and Rom-Com Gone Wrong have also been official selections of Disorient.

Broadwayworld: WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG Set For Virtual World Premiere At The New York Shorts International Film Festival

DisOrient is the premiere Asian American independent film festival of Oregon, celebrating films with authentic Asian Pacific American voices, histories and stories. They highlight social justice themes that translate to universal human experiences. They promote representation, diversity and inclusion to broaden the narrative of who is American, and to strengthen and build community.

Final Day to Watch Virginia Wing, Jason Ma and Lia Chang in Garth Kravits’ Short Film WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG in The New York Shorts International Film Festival


Garth Kravits’ short film WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG Starring Lia Chang, Jason Ma and Virginia Wing is an official selection of The 9th New York Shorts International Film Festival.

Jason Ma, Virginia Wing and Lia Chang in WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG. Photo by Garth Kravits

The World Premiere of WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG will be available to screen online www.nyshorts.net/film-program-4 though August 27.

In WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG, siblings Benjamin (Jason Ma) and Audrey (Lia Chang) return home to confront their Mother’s (Virginia Wing) memory loss and discover a hidden key to her past.

The cast also features Jo Yang, Daniel Dunlow, Michelle Simone Miller and Mark York.

Jo Yang, Garth Kravits, Virginia Wing, Jason Ma and Lia Chang attend Asian American Night of CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND at Pershing Square Signature Center in New York on February 9, 2020. Photo by Alex Sanchez

Written and directed by Garth Kravits, the film is Executive Produced by Lia Chang’s production company Bev’s Girl Films, with producers Garth Kravits of Cut & Dry Films and Eric Elizaga. The film was shot on location in New York.

The production team includes 1st A.D. Eric Elizaga, 2nd A.D. Anastasia Shulgina, Key Hair and Make-up by Dorothy Bhadra; Kristen Lee Rosenfeld on Piano, Emma Svetvilas on Cello, Garth Kravits on Guitar recorded live at Yes It Is Productions.

Watch the trailer for WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG below:

The 9th New York Shorts International Film Festival slate of films began streaming August 21 and will continue through August 27, providing a showcase for emerging and established independent filmmakers from around the world.

The Festival is one of the largest showcase of short films in North America. Discover 78 short films from 16 film programs. The 2020 edition offers unprecedented FREE access to ALL of the film content. This year’s selection includes comedies, dramas, animation, documentaries, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, romance, dance, music, experimental, and webisodes. Film programs available at www.NYShorts.net.

Special thanks to Karen Elizaga and Jay Ptashek, Daniel Dunlow, Richie Sullano, Liesl Hara and Mike and Sully.

Virginia Wing. Photo by Lia Chang

Virginia Wing (Virginia) is a Chinese-American actress whose ancestors came to the “Gold Mountain” from Canton (now Guangdong) in the mid-1800s, lured  by the Gold Rush and the building of the railroads. She is currently writing about growing up Southern in the Mississippi Delta, where she was born and raised.

Professionally, she has run the gamut from opera, theatre, cabaret, TV, film, playwriting, directing and producing to script analysis. She modeled in her youth and is in the Breck Girl Hall of Fame. She was the model in the Mitsouko by Guerlain ad in the 60s, which won awards internationally. She was a nominee for Best Actress in the Hollywood NAACP Image Awards. She is most proud of this film because the characters did not have to have Chinese accents, did not have to speak Chinese or refer to themselves as being Chinese. They were not written as Exotic or Other, but as Americans who happen to be Chinese, caught up in a universal story. At last! She can be seen in NYTW’s production of Three Sisters in the Spring of 2020. Click on the  Performing Arts Legacy Website for more about Virginia Wing.

Jason Ma. Photo by Lia Chang

Jason Ma (Benjamin) is a son of an immigrant family, and a grateful descendant of a long line of those who were able to persist, overcome and succeed on their way to becoming Americans. He wrote book, music and lyrics for Gold Mountain and is the 2017 recipient of the ASCAP Foundation’s Cole Porter Award for his work as a composer/lyricist. Along with writing, he is an actor who has been seen on Broadway and Off-Broadway stages, in regional theaters and many international venues. Please visit: www.goldmountainthemusical.com

Lia Chang

Lia Chang (Audrey) is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers,  musicians and corporations. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman, Balancing Act, Belongingness, When the World was Young and Hide and Seek.

Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang
Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang

Garth Kravits is an actor, singer, musician, composer and award winning filmmaker, director and editor. He made his Broadway debut in the Tony award winning musical The Drowsy Chaperone and originated the role of Ritchie in the Broadway show Gettin’ the Band Back Together’.

His Off-Broadway credits include Old Jews Telling Jokes, Toxic Audio and Smart Blonde. He has appeared regionally in Gettin’ The Band Back Together, Meet Me in St. Louis: A Live Radio Play, and It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, (Bucks County Playhouse) Kravits has appeared on TV in “Mr. Robot,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” HBO’s “Divorce,” “30 Rock,” “The Blacklist,” “Nurse Jackie,” “The Carrie Diaries,” “Hostages” and in the new TV shows “The Hunters” (Amazon Prime) and “Tommy” (CBS).

Broadwayworld: WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG Set For Virtual World Premiere At The New York Shorts International Film Festival

Garth Kravits’ Short Film WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG Starring Virginia Wing, Jason Ma and Lia Chang Set for Virtual World Premiere at The New York Shorts International Film Festival on August 21

Garth Kravits’ short film WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG Starring Lia Chang, Jason Ma and Virginia Wing is an official selection of The 9th New York Shorts International Film Festival and the 2020 Legacy Film Festival on Aging.

Jason Ma, Virginia Wing and Lia Chang in WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG. Photo by Garth Kravits

The World Premiere of WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG will be available to screen online www.nyshorts.net/film-program-4 from August 21 – August 27.

In WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG, siblings Benjamin (Jason Ma) and Audrey (Lia Chang) return home to confront their Mother’s (Virginia Wing) memory loss and discover a hidden key to her past.

The cast also features Jo Yang, Daniel Dunlow, Michelle Simone Miller and Mark York.

Jo Yang, Garth Kravits, Virginia Wing, Jason Ma and Lia Chang attend Asian American Night of CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND at Pershing Square Signature Center in New York on February 9, 2020. Photo by Alex Sanchez

Written and directed by Garth Kravits, the film is Executive Produced by Lia Chang’s production company Bev’s Girl Films, with producers Garth Kravits of Cut & Dry Films and Eric Elizaga. The film was shot on location in New York.

The production team includes 1st A.D. Eric Elizaga, 2nd A.D. Anastasia Shulgina, Key Hair and Make-up by Dorothy Bhadra; Kristen Lee Rosenfeld on Piano, Emma Svetvilas on Cello, Garth Kravits on Guitar recorded live at Yes It Is Productions.

Watch the trailer for WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG below:

The 9th New York Shorts International Film Festival slate of films begin streaming August 21 and will continue through August 27, providing a showcase for emerging and established independent filmmakers from around the world.

The Festival is one of the largest showcase of short films in North America. Discover 78 short films from 16 film programs. The 2020 edition offers unprecedented FREE access to ALL of the film content. This year’s selection includes comedies, dramas, animation, documentaries, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, romance, dance, music, experimental, and webisodes. Film programs available at www.NYShorts.net.

Special thanks to Karen Elizaga and Jay Ptashek, Daniel Dunlow, Richie Sullano, Liesl Hara and Mike and Sully.

Virginia Wing. Photo by Lia Chang

Virginia Wing (Virginia) is a Chinese-American actress whose ancestors came to the “Gold Mountain” from Canton (now Guangdong) in the mid-1800s, lured  by the Gold Rush and the building of the railroads. She is currently writing about growing up Southern in the Mississippi Delta, where she was born and raised.

Professionally, she has run the gamut from opera, theatre, cabaret, TV, film, playwriting, directing and producing to script analysis. She modeled in her youth and is in the Breck Girl Hall of Fame. She was the model in the Mitsouko by Guerlain ad in the 60s, which won awards internationally. She was a nominee for Best Actress in the Hollywood NAACP Image Awards. She is most proud of this film because the characters did not have to have Chinese accents, did not have to speak Chinese or refer to themselves as being Chinese. They were not written as Exotic or Other, but as Americans who happen to be Chinese, caught up in a universal story. At last! She can be seen in NYTW’s production of Three Sisters in the Spring of 2020. Click on the  Performing Arts Legacy Website for more about Virginia Wing.

Jason Ma. Photo by Lia Chang

Jason Ma (Benjamin) is a son of an immigrant family, and a grateful descendant of a long line of those who were able to persist, overcome and succeed on their way to becoming Americans. He wrote book, music and lyrics for Gold Mountain and is the 2017 recipient of the ASCAP Foundation’s Cole Porter Award for his work as a composer/lyricist. Along with writing, he is an actor who has been seen on Broadway and Off-Broadway stages, in regional theaters and many international venues. Please visit: www.goldmountainthemusical.com

Lia Chang

Lia Chang (Audrey) is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers,  musicians and corporations. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman, Balancing Act, Belongingness, When the World was Young and Hide and Seek.

Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang
Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang

Garth Kravits is an actor, singer, musician, composer and award winning filmmaker, director and editor. He made his Broadway debut in the Tony award winning musical The Drowsy Chaperone and originated the role of Ritchie in the Broadway show Gettin’ the Band Back Together’.

His Off-Broadway credits include Old Jews Telling Jokes, Toxic Audio and Smart Blonde. He has appeared regionally in Gettin’ The Band Back Together, Meet Me in St. Louis: A Live Radio Play, and It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, (Bucks County Playhouse) Kravits has appeared on TV in “Mr. Robot,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” HBO’s “Divorce,” “30 Rock,” “The Blacklist,” “Nurse Jackie,” “The Carrie Diaries,” “Hostages” and in the new TV shows “The Hunters” (Amazon Prime) and “Tommy” (CBS).

Broadwayworld: WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG Set For Virtual World Premiere At The New York Shorts International Film Festival

Jaygee Macapugay, Garth Kravits and Paulo K Tiról on the Set of THE LANGUAGE LESSON

Jaygee Macapugay stars in THE LANGUAGE LESSON.

Bev’s Girl Films latest release is The Language Lesson starring Jaygee Macapugay as Jenny and Deven Kolluri as Professor Nadal.  Executive Produced by Lia Chang and Garth Kravits (co-founders of Bev’s Girl Films), The Language Lesson was directed by Mr. Kravits (Gettin’ the Band Back Together, The Drowsy Chaperone) and features choreography by Karla Puno Garcia (Hamilton).

Jaygee Macapugay. Photo by Lia Chang

School of Rock’s Jaygee Macapugay (Soft Power, Here Lies Love) wants to tell Filipino American stories through musical theatre. She is thrilled to share The Language Lesson, her debut musical short film  based on the music & lyrics of Paulo K Tiról;  it follows Jenny, a Filipino immigrant who has a crush on her ESL teacher. Tiról’s Filipino immigrant song cycle, On This Side of the World, was recently presented by Prospect Theatre Company at the Greenwich House Theater last February. Scroll down for behind the scenes photos and to watch the film.

Unit Production Manager Jessica Wu, Executive Producer Lia Chang, 1st Assistant Director Eric Elizaga, Jaygee Macapugay, Production Assistant Ali Ewoldt and Director Garth Kravits. Photo by Jorge Robayo

The suppporting cast of The Language Lesson includes Carol Angeli, Taylor DeNapoli, Aaron Jay Green, Rashaan James II, Jessie Lawyer, Natalie Leonard, Kaleo Nadal, Luana Psaros, Anastasia Shulgina, Katie Shults, Michael Sylvester, Miles Wilkie, Virginia Wing and Minami Yusui are featured as students/dancers.

Deven Kolluri,Jaygee Macapugay. Photo by Lia Chang
Jaygee Macapugay. Photo by Corinne Louie

According to Macapugay, “Working on Paulo’s music has been one of the greatest privileges of my career.  I wasn’t sure if I should release the film because I didn’t want to be insensitive to the coronavirus crisis affecting the world.  But this film, shot on location in New York City, celebrates diversity in the arts right now- a Filipino American story written by a Filipino American composer and featuring a FilAm choreographer, Asian American leads, and fourteen gorgeously diverse actor/dancers.  Even our producer, band, hair/make-up team, and craft service are comprised mainly of artists of color.

Back Row: Dorothy Bhadra, Virginia Wing, Caylie Rose Newcom, Minami Yusui, Aaron Jay Green, Carol Angeli, Jaygee Macapugay, Paulo K Tiról, Garth Kravits, Eric Elizaga, Michael Sylvester, Jessie Lawyer, Kaleo Nadal, Deven Kolluri.
Front row: Ali Ewoldt, Luana Psaros, Natalie Leonard, Jorge Robayo, Anastasia Shulgina, Taylor DeNapoli, Katie Shults, Miles Wilkie, Jessica Wu. Photo by Lia Chang

While in the editing room with director/editor Garth Kravits prior to today’s release made me nostalgic for last month, where my friends and I were all in a room, creating in a space where we weren’t worried about social distancing, hand sanitizing, or even hugging. But no virus is going to stop artists from creating. I see that every time I look at my Facebook or Instagram timelines.  Most importantly, our film is about the feeling you get when you fall in love, and I think there’s never a bad time for the world to hear a message about love.”

The creative team includes Garth Kravits (Director, Director of Photography, Editor), Paulo K Tiról (Music & Lyrics), Karla Puno Garcia (Choreographer), Jessica Wu (Unit Production Manager, Live Sound Recording), Eric Elizaga (1st Assistant Director), Jorge Robayo (Grip), Dorothy Bhadra, Giuliana Brandon (Hair/Make-Up), Caylie Rose Newcom (Associate Choreographer), Ali Ewoldt (Production Assistant), Lia Chang (BTS Photography), Jen Dadivas Hong (ESL Consultant) with catering provided by Jeepney.

Paulo K Tiról and Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang

The film score was recorded live at Yes It Is! Studios by Engineer and Mixer Garth Kravits, with Music Director Ian Miller on Piano, Chris Peters on Guitar, Billy Smolen on Bass, Garth Kravits on Drums and Jonathan Cuevas on Cello.

Jaygee Macapugay, Paulo K Tiról, Deven Kolluri. Photo by Lia Chang

Special thanks to Kevin Nadal, David McQueen and Nicole Ponseca.

Jaygee Macapugay, Deven Kolluri. Photo by Lia Chang
Dorothy Bhadra and Jaygee Macapugay. Photo by Lia Chang
Jaygee Macapugay and Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang
Jaygee Macapugay, Lia Chang, Deven Kolluri. Photo by Lia Chang
Jaygee Macapugay. Photo by Lia Chang
Deven Kolluri. Photo by Lia Chang
Eric Elizaga. Photo by Lia Chang
Jaygee Macapugay. Photo by Lia Chang
Virginia Wing, Associate Choreographer Caylie Rose Newcom, Carol Angeli, Miles Wilkie. Photo by Lia Chang
Virginia Wing, Jaygee Macapugay, Carol Angeli, Miles Wilkie. Photo by Lia Chang
Paulo K Tiról. Photo by Lia Chang
Deven Kolluri, Garth Kravits, Eric Elizaga. Photo by Lia Chang
Deven Kolluri. Photo by Lia Chang
Deven Kolluri. Photo by Lia Chang
Aaron Jay Green and Minami Yusui. Photo by Lia Chang
Ali Ewoldt, Jessica Wu, Jorge Robayo, Paulo K. Tiról, Garth Kravits and Deven Kolluri. Photo by Lia Chang
The cast and creative team of THE LANGUAGE LESSON. Photo by Lia Chang
Back row: Rashaan James II, Aaron Jay Green, Miles Wilkie, Luana Psaros, Katie Shults, Minami Yusui, Kaleo Nadal, Giuliana Brandon, Anastasia Shulgina.
Front row: Virginia Wing, Caylie Rose Newcom, Carol Angeli, Natalie Leonard, Jessie Lawyer, Michael Sylvester, Taylor DeNapoli. Photo by Lia Chang
Ali Ewoldt, Jessica Wu, Garth Kravits, Eric Elizaga. Photo by Lia Chang
Makeup artists Dorothy Bhadra and Giuliana Brandon. Photo by Lia Chang
Catering by Jeepney. Photo by Lia Chang
Catering by Jeepney. Photo by Lia Chang

 

Catering by Jeepney. Photo by Lia Chang
Jonathan Cuevas. Photo by Garth Kravits

Broadwayworld: Photo Flash: Jaygee Macapugay, Garth Kravits Sings And Paulo K Tiról On The Set Of THE LANGUAGE LESSON 

BroadwayWorld​: Jaygee Macapugay Celebrates Diversity and Love With Musical Short Film THE LANGUAGE LESSON 

Broadway.com: School of Rock Alum Jaygee Macapugay Releases Musical Short Film The Language Lesson

The FilmAm.net: Jaygee Macapugay sings of love and ‘kilig’ in short film

Lia Chang. Photo by Anastasia Shulgina

Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers,  musicians and corporations. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman, Balancing Act, Belongingness, When the World was Young and Hide and Seek.

Behind the Scenes: CREAM & 2 SHUGAHS Starring Marjorie Johnson, Eric Elizaga, Kimberly Marable and Taurean Everett

Bev’s Girl Films latest film short is Cream & 2 Shugahs, starring Marjorie Johnson as Mrs. Jaret, Eric Elizaga as Eric, Kimberly Marable as Kimberly and Taurean Everett as Taurean. Written and Directed by Garth Kravits, Cream & 2 Shugahs was Executive Produced by Lia Chang.  Special thanks to Tony Edgerton and Viet Vo.

Tony Edgerton, Eric Elizaga, Kimberly Marable, Marjorie Johnson, Taurean Everett and Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang

Check out our trailer and the behind the scenes photos from our fun day on set.

 

Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang
Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang

Garth Kravits is an actor, singer, composer, and award winning filmmaker.  He made his Broadway in the Tony Award winning musical ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ and appeared most recently on Broadway in the original musical ‘Gettin’ the Band Back Together.’

Garth has guest starred on HBO’s ‘Divorce’ On Showtime’s ‘Nurse Jackie’ on Amazon Prime in ‘The Hunters’ and ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’  CBS’s ‘Tommy’ and ‘Hostages,’ on USA’s ‘Mr. Robot’ NBC’s ’30 Rock’ and ‘The Blacklist’ The CW’s ‘Princess Diaries’

He has written, directed and edited over 50 film projects and his films have been shown in film festivals around the world.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2020 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com

SF Chinatown Community Film Festival has been postponed

Due to new concerns in the Bay Area regarding COVID-19, the  inaugural San Francisco Chinatown Community Film Festival featuring works by Asian American filmmakers at Clarion Performing Arts Center,  scheduled for March 20-22, has been postponed.

The festival was set to screen four of our films along with works by Elaine Mae Woo, Arthur Dong, Rick Quan, Crystal Kwok and Felicia Lowe. We’ll let you know when The Festival has been rescheduled.

Stay safe and healthy.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2020 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com

ROM-COM GONE WRONG, Starring Lia Chang, Eric Elizaga and Brian Kim, Set for World Premiere Screening at 15th Annual DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon on March 14

ROM-COM GONE WRONG, a new comedy short produced by Bev’s Girl Films and Cut & Dry Films, is an official selection of the 15th Annual DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon. Our film will screen in the Shorts Program #3: Modern Romance from 8:45pm – 10:30pm block in the UO EMU Redwood Auditorium, 1395 University St., Eugene , OR 97403-2572. Check out the full lineup below.

Co-Presented by University of Oregon Multicultural Center
Grandma’s 80th Surprise – Short Narrative
Best Man – Short Narrative
Rom-Com Gone Wrong – Short Narrative
Nightcap: Mariana – Short Narrative
Zoetic – Short Narrative
Secret Lives of Asians at Night – Experimental Short
Q&A: Fola Evans-Akingbola and Curtis Lum (Grandma’s 80th Surprise) and Uma Sakhalkar and J.D. Charisma (Best Man)

Written and directed by Garth Kravits, ROM-COM GONE WRONG stars Lia Chang, Eric Elizaga and Brian Kim and will have its world premiere screening at the Redwood Auditorium, University of Oregon on March 14th in the Shorts Program: Modern Romance at 8:50 pm.

Eric Elizaga, Lia Chang and Brian Kim. Photo by Lia Chang

The DisOrient Asian American Film Festival showcases narrative, documentary, and short films with a focus on authentic Asian American and Pacific Islander voices and stories- celebrating inclusion, diversity and universal human experiences. The Festival will take place from March 12-15, 2020 at selected locations in Eugene, OR. For more information on the festival click on https://disorientfilm.org

Eric Elizaga and Brian Kim. Photo by Lia Chang

Eric Elizaga quit his medical sales and marketing job in his home state of Hawaii to go to acting school in New York. Since then, he has appeared in over a dozen television shows including Elementary, Orange Is The New Black, Hawaii 5-0, FBI, as well as recurring roles on Law & Order: SVU and Gotham. Eric also wrote and directed a short film called  The Beach House for which he won the best short film director award at the Bergen International Film Festival. The Beach House was also an official selection at the 2019 Disorient Film Festival.

Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang
Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang

Garth is an actor, singer, composer, and award winning filmmaker. He made his Broadway in the Tony Award winning musical ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ and, most recently on Broadway in the original musical ‘Gettin’ the Band Back Together.’

Garth has Guest-Starred on HBO’s ‘Divorce’ On Showtime’s ‘Nurse Jackie’ on AmazonPrime in ‘The Hunters’ and ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ CBS’s ‘Tommy’ NBC’s ’30 Rock’ and ‘The Blacklist’ and The CW’s ‘Princess Diaries’

He has written, directed and edited over 50 film projects and his films have been shown in film fesitvals around the world.

Lia Chang. Photo by Anastasia Shulgina

Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers,  musicians and corporations. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman, Balancing Act, Belongingness, When the World was Young and Hide and Seek, which screened at DisOrient in 2016.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2020 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com

SF Chinatown Community Film Festival To Screen Films by Felicia Lowe, Arthur Dong, Lia Chang, Garth Kravits, Elaine Mae Woo, Rick Quan and Crystal Kwok, March 20-22

Bev’s Girl Films is delighted to be included in the inaugural San Francisco Chinatown Community Film Festival featuring works by Asian American filmmakers at Clarion Performing Arts Center, 2 Waverly Place, San Francisco, CA 94108, from Friday, March 20 – Sunday, March 22, 2020.

Over the course of three days, the filmmakers who will be showcased include Elaine Mae Woo, Arthur Dong, Rick Quan, Crystal Kwok, Lia Chang, Garth Kravits and Felicia Lowe. Q & A’s  with the filmmakers will follow the screening.

Four Bev’s Girl Films shorts will be screened on Sunday, March 22 at 3pm.  I’ll be participating in a Q & A following the screenings with writer/director Garth Kravits, and my castmates Virginia Wing and Jason Ma.

Jo Yang, Garth Kravits, Virginia Wing, Jason Ma and Lia Chang attend Asian American Night of CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND at Pershing Square Signature Center in New York on February 9, 2020. Photo by Alex Sanchez

Tickets are $12 at Eventbrite.com. Students $5 at the door. Each ticket is good for the day of the festival. VIP tickets are $200 with two passes for the entire festival.

Below is the full lineup.
Friday, March 20, 2020
5:30 pm
Doors Open – Guzheng music during seating

6:00 pm “Anna May Wong ~ Frosted Yellow Willows” Q & A with filmmaker Elaine Mae Woo.

With disarming sensuality and commanding presence, Anna May Wong defined the role of the ‘Dragon Lady’.  Narrated by Nancy Kwan,  “Anna May Wong ~Frosted Yellow Willows: Her Life, Times, and Legend” is a story about the first Chinese American woman who endured many hardships and heartaches to become an international film star. From humble beginnings in a Chinese laundry, she went on to star in pictures such as Technicolorʼs Toll of the Sea (1922),  E.A. Dupontʼs Piccadilly (1929) and Josef von Sternbergʼs Shanghai Express (1932) with Marlene Dietrich. Never one to rest on her laurels, Anna would utilize her fame to aid her country and the country of her ancestors during times of war. Her body of work in film, radio, stage and television established her as a true pioneer of early cinema and the performing arts both in Hollywood and internationally.

DIRECTOR STATEMENT
In the early 1990s, a well known director at a reception following the screening of a Kurosawa film brought Anna May Wong to Elaine Mae Wooʼs attention. Elaine admitted that she knew nothing about Anna. The director shook his head, said a couple of words and then walked away. It was at this point that Elaine swore that she would learn about Anna before she would ever see this director again. This is how the making of “Anna May Wong ~Frosted Yellow Willows: Her Life, Times and Legend” and Elaine’s first film began.
Nearly ten years in the making, this biographical documentary film was finally presented its world premiere at Italy’s famous Le Giornate del Cinema Muto – Pordenone Silent Film Festival in late 2007.

7:30 pm
The Chinatown Films of Arthur Dong: “Forbidden City, USA,” “Hollywood Chinese,” “Sewing Woman,” and “Living Music for Golden Mountains.”
Synopsis:
For the past 40 years, San Francisco native Arthur Dong has been a pioneer in the production of groundbreaking documentaries about the history and life in Chinatown, covering topics such as immigration, the bachelor society, sewing factories, Cantonese musical traditions, World War II nightclubs, and Hollywood’s mis-representations and stereotypes. To mark the inaugural Chinatown Community Film Festival, select scenes from his Chinatown-themed films will be screened, to be followed by an intimate on-stage conversation with the Oscar-nominated filmmaker and Felicia Lowe. www.deepfocusproductions.com

9:00 pm Welcome wine reception to thank sponsors.

Saturday, March 21, 2020
5:30 pm Doors Open – Guzheng music during seating

6:00 pm “Dorothy Toy Story”. Filmmaker, Rick Quan Q & A with Cynthia Yee, dancer.

7:00 pm “The Mistress” Filmmaker Crystal Kwok
Q & A with Crystal Kwok. Mimi Chin will talk about her Experiences as the former owner of Dragon A-GoGo and Gentlemen clubs.

Sunday March 22, 2020
2:30 pm Doors Open – Guzheng music during seating

3:00 pm “Hide and Seek” features Lia Chang and Garth Kravits, co-written by Lia Chang and Garth Kravits and executive produced by Lia Chang/Bev’s Girl Films.

Hide and Seek is a short film that speaks to the societal challenge that women, and especially women of color, endure every day. To look in the mirror and to hope to see a face other than your own. One that is closer to what magazines, television and movies define as beautiful or even normal. What face do you see when you look in the mirror?

Rom-Com Gone Wrong is a new comedy short produced by Bev’s Girl Films and Cut & Dry Films. Written and directed by Garth Kravits, the films stars Lia Chang, Eric Elizaga and Brian Kim.

A romantic encounter, ten years in the making.

Official Selection of Disorient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon and 10th Annual Queens World Film Festival.

Bev’s Girl Films presents Belongingness, a new short film starring Isabela Sanchez and Lia Chang.

Written, directed and edited by Cut & Dry Films’ Garth Kravits, Belongingness follows a young girl’s search for identity and a sense of belonging, which comes from an expected source. Original Score by John Tyler Kent. Official Selection of the Asian Film Festival.

Bev’s Girl Films presents WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG, starring Virginia Wing, Jason Ma and Lia Chang. The cast also features Jo Yang, Daniel Dunlow, Michelle Miller and Mark York.

When siblings Benjamin and Audrey return home to confront their Mother’s memory loss, they discover a hidden key to her past.

Jason Ma, Virginia Wing and Lia Chang in WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG. Photo by Garth Kravits

Written and directed by Garth Kravits, the film is Executive Produced by Bev’s Girl Films, with producers Garth Kravits of Cut & Dry Films and Eric Elizaga. Hair and makeup by Dorothy Bhadra.

I’ll be participating in a Q & A following the screenings with writer/director Garth Kravits, and my castmates Virginia Wing and Jason Ma.

Click here for cast and creative team bios.

4:30 pm “Chinatown” Filmmaker Felicia Lowe

Chinatown” takes you inside the tumultuous and inspiring history to witness how the past and present live together inSan Francisco’s oldest neighborhood. Through a vivid mixture of personal recollections, archival photos, poetry and narration, “Chinatown” recalls the days when the neighborhood was shut out from society, a distinct ghetto and a refuge for new immigrants. Winner of EMMY for “Best Cultural Documentary.”

7:00 pm “Chinese Couplets”.  Filmmaker Felicia Lowe

Part memoir, part history, part investigation, the filmmaker’s search for answers about her mother’s emigration to America during the Chinese Exclusion era reveals the often painful price paid by immigrants who abandoned their personal identity, the burden of silence they passed on to their offspring and the intergenerational strife between immigrants and their American born children.
www.chinesecouplets.com
Q & A with Filmmaker Felicia Lowe.

For more information on The Festival, Click on Clarionmusic.com.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2020 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com