Visual Communications, the nation's premier Asian Pacific American media arts center, established the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film & Video Festival in 1983 as a vehicle to promote Asian and Asian Pacific American cinema. The Festival has grown from its humble beginnings as a weekend-long series into a major annual showcase presenting the best of Asian Pacific American and Asian international media in the United States. Along the way the Festival has taken up residence in various local venues before settling into its signature venues, the Directors Guild of America and the Aratani/Japan America Theatre.

The Festival serves as a crucial launching ground for Asian Pacific American cinema through the premiere screenings of important new works as well as the development and nurturing of emerging talents via innovative programming initiatives including the VC Digital Academy and the Armed With a Camera Fellowship.

IDA is a Community Partner and sponsoring films in the International Showcase: Documentary, including Harana, Dal Puri Diaspora, A River Changes Course, and Fallen City.

The 29th LA Asian Pacific Film Fest runs May 2 through May 12 with screenings and events at the Director’s Guild of America (DGA), CGV Cinemas located in Koreatown, the Tateuchi Democracy Forum at NCPD in Little Tokyo, and the historic Art Theatre of Long Beach.

Working With Publicists
How to Get the Most Out of Your Film's Release

Monday, May 20, 2013 
 Discussion & Audience Q&A: 7:30pm - 9:00pm - Reception to Follow

The Cinefamily - 611 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036

How you release your doc—and how audiences see it—have changed dramatically in the past decade, offering filmmakers with more and more ways to connect audiences with their films. What hasn't changed is the value an experienced publicist can bring to your team as you try to get the attention of critics, bloggers, influencers and viewers, and perhaps pick up an award or two along the way.

Whether you're doing festivals, DIY, day and date, or multi-platform, a publicist can be the most valuable person at your side, helping to develop a release strategy, bringing in strategic partners, and getting the feature story that will deliver what every film needs to survive eyeballs.

Moderated by Josh Welsh, Co-President of Film Independent, this Doc U will feature a panel of leading publicists for documentaries, including Amy Grey, founder of Dish Communications, David Magdael, president of David Magdael & Associates, Inc. and Nancy Willen, owner of Acme Public Relations.