Chinatown Film Festival
History. The CFF idea was started in 2005 by Simone Tarantino, Edward J. Cuccia and Ammy Lim, who were living and working in Chinatown and realized the need for greater cultural communication between the West and Asia, aiming to serve as a role model for the rest of the world. In 2006, the CFF began partnerships with various cultural associations and community patrons to begin the planning for the various aspects of an international cultural event. The CFF officially became incorporated as a non-profit corporation on December 7, 2006. Festival Details. The CFF will screen films  that are all from Asia, showcasing the colorful and unique traditions and ideas from the region. At least 250 submissions will be reviewed, 25 of which will be chosen for screening over the five-day period of the festival. The Festival will take place at various locations around New York's Chinatown, such as the official Chinatown Auditorium, as well as at an outdoor screen on the final day of the festival. Thousands are expected to come enjoy the films and share in this special cultural experience. The Festival is not just for the public in attendance, but also aims  to connect filmmakers with distribution companies, and help the artists gain a wider audience and access to greater markets. Categories. There will be five categories that the films will be organized in: There will also be an "Outsider" category that will showcase a selection of non-competitive films that will showcase the fascinating traditions and remarkable culture that the CFF aims to embrace. Awards. A panel consisting of journalists, film festival directors, and professionals in the industry will judge the films. The criteria they will be looking for are style, technique, creative innovation, and execution. The winner of each category  will receive the "Golden Dragon Award". From these, five winners will be chosen as the top filmmakers of the festival. These five will be awarded the "Grand Award", and the film will be shown at a special outdoor screening. There will also be a "Bridge Award" and an "Audience Award" given out in each category. Other awards that will be bestowed at the festival are: CFF 2008. The first annual CFF will take place in October 2008, in New York's Chinatown. The theme for the festival is The Bridge: Connecting Cultures Through Film in the Heart of Asian Traditions . There will be 25 films screened plus Outsider films, selected from submissions from all over the Asian continent. Events. The Chinese Film Festival (CFF) holds fundraising events in order to promote the upcoming festival in October 2008. On November 9, 2007, the CFF held a Galla Fundraising Event at the Jing Fung Restaurant in the heart of New York City's Chinatown. This fundraising event was a success with over 700 attendees and more than 85 members of Asian and non-Asian media. With the presence of Asian traditional fashions and non-Asian designers the message of the CFF carried  through the fashion show by bridging Eastern and Western cultures. The added musical performances of Brenda Lau and caucasian American performers Jillian Steward and Nick Cuccia closed the night with a blend of cultural influences. The next event will be held December 11, 2007, at the Storefront for Art and Design celebrating photography from Chinatowns' around the world. The photographs featured will portray the artists' "perceptions of Chinatown," and the views of Asian cultures that is commonly misunderstood. Website. Starting with the launch of the website in December 2006, the CFF's reach, along with its partners will be endless . Over 3 million estimated people will visit the festival's website after the festival's official start in October 2008. The CFF website will be more than just an Internet site, it will be a gathering for the Asian, American, and other International communities to come together and communicate openly. It will be the host of many of the events of the film festival, such as the logo contest. photography exhibitions, a music challenge, and more. The CFF website will also host a database that will contain at least 50,000 profiled (registered) people, which will include distributors, celebrities, film industry  professionals as well as the curious. The website is updated on a monthly/weekly basis until May 2008, then on a weekly/daily basis until the end of the festival.