October 21, 2021 - PROUD TO ANNOUNCE following titles, that are winners of Audience Choice Awards of recently past Season 13, running between Sept 15 to Oct 17. Due to the hybrid nature of the festival, ballots were tallied separately from the in person (at traditional & drive-in) theaters, and online attendees.
Two Winners from our virtual program are:
THE FABLE from Japan directed by Kan Eguchi; and WUHAN WUHAN documentary from Canada/China directed by Yung Chang.
Two Winners from our in person program with films exhibited for a live audience at AMC River East 21 or ChiTown Drive-in are:
TIME from Hong Kong directed by Ricky Ko; and THE FABLE: THE KILLER WHO DOESN’T KILL from Japan directed by Kan Eguchi.
October 2, 2021 - Conversation with Lam Ka Tung - Recipient of Career Achievement Award
May 8, 2021
APUC Announces Audience Choice Award Winners from its Most Diverse Season 12
Watch Winners Online Exclusively Mother’s Day Weekend.
(May 8, 2021 Chicago) Asian Pop-Up Cinema Season 12 ended its longest run festival last night at the Davis Theatre – the first socially distanced indoor screening event joining the city’s efforts in reopening Chicago.
Since March 15, a diverse mix of 34 films with majority N. American or U.S. premieres were featured. We now have the pleasure to announce Season 12 Audience Choice Award winners. Due to the hybrid nature of the festival, ballots were collected separately from the live and online attendees.
Winner from our virtual program with films streamed between March 15 to April 30 is KEEP ROLLING directed by Man Lim-chung from Hong Kong — a documentary about awards-winning Hong Kong director Ann Hui. (Watch trailer here.)
Winner from the drive-in/in-cinema presented with a live audience between April 15 to May 7 is MY MISSING VALENTINE directed by awards-winning Chen Yu-hsun from Taiwan — a romance-fantasy playing with the perceptions of time. (Watch trailer here).
For folks who have missed them the first time, both films will be encored online starting tomorrow May 9 via watch.eventive.org/apuc12 Tickets are $6.
KEEP ROLLING is available for two days, May 9 to 10 for anybody to watch from the U.S.
MY MISSING VALENTINE is available for one day, May 9 only, and restricted for Illinois State views.
Please be sure to unlock and start watching the films during their validity.
Special mention: MINARI directed by U.S. based director Lee Isaac Chung, with the film's South Korean actress Youn Yuh-Jung picked up the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, is the winner amongst films made by non-Asian based filmmakers. This film is available on demand. More info: www.a24films.com
BACKGROUND OF OUR AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD:
As a non-competitive festival Asian Pop-Up Cinema only announces Audience Choice Award per audience's ballots after the completion of each season. All the other awards are celebratory meant to highlight a film person's work within the selection of that particular season. They are mostly actors. There are three categories:
Bright Star - A talent in their early or mid-career, who has demonstrated impact and popularity in the industry, possess the qualities to be elevated in the future
Career Achievement - A more established talent who has repeatedly delivered excellent and memorable works.
Lifetime Achievement - A veteran with large body of strong and impactful works, who has made also notable contributions to the film community.
Since our inaugural season in the fall of 2015, we have honored following recipients:
Gordon Lam Ka Tung (Hong Kong ) - Season 13
Kasumi Arimura (Japan) 2021 - Season 12
Ahn Sung-Ki (South Korea) 2020 - Season 11
Philip Keung (Hong Kong) 2020 - Season 10
Kenneth Tsang Kong (Hong Kong) 2019 - Season 9
Christian Bables (the Philippines) 2019 - Season 9
Nina Paw Hee-Ching (Hong Kong) 2019 - Season 8
Lee Jae-In (South Korea) 2018 - Season 7
Ling Man-Lung (Hong Kong) 2018 - Season 6
Teddy Robin Kwan (Hong Kong) 2017 - Season 4
Herman Yau Lai-To (Hong Kong) 2016 - Season 2
Sample of selected winners of Audience Choice Award!
Evidenced by more than 3,000 combined in attendance, Asian Pop-Up Cinema has fulfilled its mission to provide a successful platform showcasing Asian cultures via films and the talents. We wouldn't have done it without your continuing support and look forward to seeing you at the movies in the future seasons either in-cinema or online!
Year 2020 has been a very trying year for everybody. Because of COVID-19, Season TEN was suspended after 3 screenings. The festival migrated to online programming between May to July and successfully engaged “love Asian films” communities through a few popular streaming programs. Then in the fall, we resumed Season ELEVEN with a new slate of films with films presented at the drive-in and online. After tallying everybody’s ballots either casted in person, or online, it is our pleasure to congratulate Hong Kong filmmakers of “i’m livin’ it” and “Men On The Dragon” winning the Audience Choice Awards for Season TEN and ELEVEN respectively!!!
ASIAN POP-UP CINEMA
presented by Sophia's Choice
Nov 17, 2020
Past Winners of Audience Choice Awards
Season One: Hong Kong - "A SIMPLE LIFE" by Ann Hui, and South Korea "COLD EYES" co-directed by Cho Ui-seok & Kim Byeong-seo
Season Two: Japan - "I AM A MONK" by Yukinori Makabe
Season Three: Japan - "ROUND TRIP HEART" by Yuki Tanada
Season Four: Japan - "SURVIVAL FAMILY" by Shinobu Yaguchi
Season Five: Thailand - "BAD GENIUS" by Nattawut 'Baz' Poonpiriya
Season Six: Hong Kong - “TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY” by Chan Tai-lee; and Taiwan “THE GREAT BUDDHA+” by Huang Hsin-yao
Season Seven: Japan - “ONE CUT OF THE DEAD” by Shinichiro Ueda
Season Eight: Japan - “FLY ME TO THE SAITAMA” by Hideki Takeuchi
Season Nine: Japan - “MELANCHOLIC” by Seiji Tanaka; and the Philippines - “SIGNAL ROCK” by Chito S Rono