Continuing its mission to provide filmmakers with opportunities to connect with the larger independent film community and learn more about their craft, the AAIFF has set up a number of panel presentations with industry professionals including "The Distribution Matrix" and "The Funding Mix," co-sponsored by P.O.V. | American Documentary, and "Meet the Funder," with Robert Byrd, senior program officer at the Jerome Foundation.

Tickets for the 29th AAIFF are available for purchase at www.aaiff.org and at the Asia Society box office or by calling 212.327.9385. Individual programs are $8 for ACV members, $10 for non-members; festival passes are also available. For complete program information, please visit www.aaiff.org or call the festival hotline at 212.989.1422.

Program Highlights Include:

Saturday, July 15, 2-3:30pm
MEET THE FUNDER: JEROME FOUNDATION
Join us for an intimate conversation with Robert Byrd, Senior Program Officer at the Jerome Foundation, who will discuss the Foundation's grant programs for film and video artists.

Saturday, July 15, 4-6pm
THE DISTRIBUTION MATRIX: GET YOUR FILM SEEN
Co-sponsored by American Documentary | P.O.V. While filmmakers always dream of a theatrical release, myriad opportunities abound in the marketplace which offers filmmakers a host of options for getting their films seen. This panel will bring participants up close and personal with decision-makers who are creating innovative approaches to distribution. From the art house to broadcast to home video to education -- explore a range of possibilities. There's more to distribution than you think.

Moderator: Michelle Materre, Independent Media Consultant and Core Faculty, Media Studies Department, New School University

Panelists:

• David Chu, Senior Vice President of Programming and Production, ImaginAsian TV
• Afua Kafi-Akua, Board member, Third World Newsreel, Independent Filmmaker
• David Koh, Head of Acquisitions and Production, Palm Pictures
• Josh Levin, Chief Marketing Officer, Film Movement

Sunday, July 16, 3-5pm
THE FUNDING MIX: GRANTMAKERS DIALOGUE
Co-sponsored by American Documentary | P.O.V.
Meet representatives from New York-based foundations that award some of the most coveted grants in the field. Panelists will report on the changing landscape of media arts funding. Don't miss this opportunity get a first hand account of what funders are looking for and helpful tips on successful grant applications.

Moderator: Anne del Castillo, Associate Director of Development & Special Projects, American Documentary|P.O.V.

Panelists:

• Sean Elwood, Director of Grants and Services, Creative Capital Foundation
• Marina Feleo Gonzalez, Media Specialist, Awards and Creative Development, New York Foundation for the Arts
• Don Palmer, Program Director, Individual Artists Program, New York State Council on the Arts
• Hye-Jung Park, Program Officer, Media Justice Fund, The Funding Exchange

Asian CineVision, Inc. (ACV)
ACV is a nonprofit national media arts organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Asian and Asian American film and video arts. Since 1978, ACV has annually presented the Asian American International Film Festival, the first and longest- running festival devoted to Asian/Asian American cinema in the United States. In addition to the festival, ACV's programs and services include film exhibitions, mentoring and educational outreach, training workshops, publications, and a media archive.

The AAIFF is an annual global showcase of feature narratives, documentaries, short films, and special programs. Launched in 1978, the AAIFF was created with a mission to provide a formal annual showcase for filmmakers of Asian descent. The AAIFF is one of the first festivals in North America to introduce the public to such internationally acclaimed directors as Oscar winner Ang Lee as well as Oscar nominees Zhang Yimou, Mira Nair, and Ismail Merchant. Since its inception, the AAIFF has also helped initiate the establishment of other Asian film festivals in major cities - including Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto, and Vancouver.

For more information about the 29th AAIFF or to set up an interview with the festival staff or presenters, please contact Wellington Love/15minutes at 212.366.4992 or wellingtonlove@15minutespr.com.

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