In light of the recent Supreme Court decisions regarding Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act, Asian CineVision and the 36th Asian American International Film Festival are especially proud to present a strong lineup of LGBTQ films this year, with films running from July 24th to August 3rd, 2013. This year’s lineup not only sheds light on the visibility issues of LGBTQ communities in Asian countries, but also highlights the differences of those communities within their respective cultures. This year’s lineup includes SOONGAVA – DANCE OF THE ORCHIDS, as the AAIFF’13 Centerpiece Presentation, as well as the following films: NOOR; REQUIEME!; DAWN (short); HOW I LEARNED TO TELL A LIE (short); HOWARD (short). These films represent a diverse range of filmmaking approaches – some films feature strong, straightforward drama or the reversal of perspective on an international event; other films feature a non-professional actor playing himself in a fictionalized representation of real life experiences. Detailed film descriptions can be found at aaiff.org.

Subarna THAPA directs AAIFF’13 Centerpiece Presentation SOONGAVA – DANCE OF THE ORCHIDS. This poignant film highlights the difficulties of a lesbian couple in Nepal, a country that legally recognizes the “third gender”. Featuring actresses Deeya MASKEY and Nisha ADHIKARI, the film will be making its New York Premiere at the Festival with a reception to follow. An extended description of the film can be found below:

Centerpiece Presentation: SOONGAVA – DANCE OF THE ORCHIDS
Featuring two luminous performers, Deeya MASKEY and Nisha ADHIKARI, SOONGAVA – DANCE OF
THE ORCHIDS is a tender and heartbreaking tale about two young women: Diya, who dreams of
becoming a dancer, and her best girlfriend Kiran. When her feelings for Kiran deepen and develop into a
love affair, she has to stand up against her family, and the traditions and morality of Nepali society. In a
country where the “third gender” is legally recognized, same-sex relationships continue to be stigmatized.
This debut feature by Subarna THAPA is the first Nepali film to spotlight LGBTQ issues. Dir. Subarna
THAPA | 2012 | Nepal / France | 85 min | Nepali w/ES | New York Premiere | Jul 27 8:00 pm New
York Institute of Technology

“Asian CineVision provides a special focus on Asian LGBTQ communities that are rarely represented on the big screen, a tradition that the organization continues to uphold,” says Executive Director John Woo and curators of the Festival, La Frances Hui and L. Somi Roy.

Asian CineVision is proud to be working with community partners Q-Wave and Astraea to realize this incredible lineup. For more details on show times and film descriptions, please visit aaiff.org. ‘)}