This Friday, June 24th, the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) transitions from the Anthology Film Archives to the ImaginAsian Theater. For three days, from Friday through Sunday, there will be an overlapping of screenings. Both theaters will be screening movies for the NYAFF. Those of you attending the festival should be careful to check the complete schedule to make sure you go to the right theater.

Why you may wonder, is the NYAFF being shifting in the middle of its run, from one theater to another? Well, one of the movies being shown, MINDGAME, from director Masaaki Yuasa, has a new set of digital subtitles ready to be screened along with the movie. The ImaginAsian is equipped with Dolby Digital Surround EX, native high-definition video, and a custom-built 35 mm projection system that can facilitate the new subtitles. Will audiences make the trek to the Upper East Side from the current lower East side of Greenwich Village? While we do think so because of the noteworthy bill of Asian movies, Subway Cinema, the presenter of the NYAFF, is keeping its fingers crossed in hopes that the transition will be smooth in bridging the two venues.

While Asian film is not new in this part of New York City (59th and 2nd Ave.), the ImaginAsian Theater, formerly the D.W. Griffith Theater, is less than a year old. ImaginAsian Entertainment, Inc., a multimedia entertainment company serving the Asian American community, unveiled the ImaginAsian Theater last July 15th, 2004, too late to get involved with last year's NYAFF. However, this year is another story and the ImaginAsian Theater joined forces with Subway Cinema to highlight the New York Asian Film Festival.

Rohi Mirza Pandya, Director, Theater Operations and Acquisitions for the ImaginAsian introduced Grady Hendrix (Subway Cinema member) to Michael Hong, CEO of ImaginAsian Entertainment. "I know Rohi. She introduced me to Michael Hong while I was at the ImaginAsian for a screening. It sort of happened," said Grady Hendrix (Subway Cinema member). "It didn't work out last year, but things fell into place this year." The rest comes to fruition on Friday night, starting with the Asian films: MINDGAME, THREE...EXTREMES and P.

In its brief history, the ImaginAsian has been a center for various Asian Communities. The theater has run several film fests, including the recent Filipino Film Festival and Thai Takes II: Contemporary Thai Film Festival. It has also found an audience when showing Indian movies, such as the classic Bollywood film MUGHAL-E-AZAM, the first Indian film shown in neighboring Pakistan in decades. The theater also screened NIGHT OF HENNA, made by a Pakistan-American Hassan Zee.

The selection of movies for the ImaginAsian Theater is the purview and responsibility of Rohi Mirza Pandya, whose favorite films include PIECES OF APRIL, GARDEN STATE, MONSOON WEDDING and BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM. Rohi is a major fan of Bollywood pictures. "We want to be more than a movie theater. We want to foster the growth of artists and filmmakers in the Asian community," said Pandya, pointing to a poster for ETHAN MAO. "Along with the New York Asian Film Festival, we've worked with ACV (Asian Cinevision) to show Asian films.

"Besides film festivals -- we want to hold more film festivals -- we have other interests at the ImaginAsian. We want to hold comedy shows and amateur shows, to become a center for the Asian community. We've had film festivals for many different Asian cultures, except for Chinese, but we will be doing something to celebrate the 100 years of Chinese cinema in the fall," said Pandya.

"We also want to focus on cutting-edge Asian filmmakers. One of the great things that we can offer is to screen a movie by a filmmaker, even if he/she does not have a print. We can do so as long as it’s on VHS or DVD. I get submissions all the time," said Pandya. (All budding filmmakers take note: you can submit your work on VHS or DVD to Rohi Mirza Pandya, Director, Theater Operations and Acquisitions, c/o ImaginAsian Theater, 239 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022.)

"We want to be more than a theater. We want to bring together the Asian community," said Pandya.

While you take in the films of the NYAFF, be sure to remember the site for future screenings, comedy and amateur shows, and maybe even a poetry slam or two at the ImaginAsian Theater, located in New York City.


Subway Cinema crew: from left to right: Dan Craft, Brian Naas, Goran Topalovic, Grady Hendrix. Subway member not in photo, Paul Kazee.






Official NYAFF Site

Subway Cinema Site

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David Leong
06/21/2005