For the sixth consecutive year, Asia Society hosts conversations honoring Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander talent at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Find us at Filmmaker Lodge on Tuesday, Jan 23, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. MT for an engaging panel discussion on the nuances of "voice" - directorial voice, artistic voice, and the pain and joy of reclaiming one's voice in the face of obstinate systems. Our speakers include Luciane Buchanan, Vea Mafile’o, and Renee Zhan and the conversations will be moderated by Margaret Conley.

From the short film category, we uplift Lea Tupu’anga / Mother Tongue - a story about a young speech therapist disconnected from her Tongan heritage who must communicate or risk her patient’s life - and SHÉ (SNAKE)- about a top Chinese violinist in her elite youth orchestra whose internal demons whisper to her, urging her to be the best, no matter the cost.

Luciane Buchanan is an actor and director of Tongan descent who recently performed leading roles in the hit Netflix series The Night Agent and the forthcoming Apple TV+ series Chief of War.
Vea Mafile’o is a director of film and television who has worked extensively throughout the Pacific. Her documentary "For My Father’s Kingdom" (2019) was the first Tongan feature documentary for cinema; the first directed by a Tongan female in the world.
Renee Zhan is a Chinese-American director and animator. Her short films have screened and won awards internationally including Annecy, Tiff, SXSW, and the Jury Prize for animated short at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.

Margaret Conley (moderator) is the Executive Director of Asia Society Northern California

https://asiasociety.org/northern-cali....