★ M.A.R.A.★

Female Director & Lead Actress win!

Announced Sunday, April 25th, 2010 - Writer, Director, Executive Producer, MTV and HBO veteran, Cynthia Hsiung, won the Boston International Film Festival’s Indie Spirit Best Director Award for her film Are You For Great Sex?  Lead actress of the film, Jessica Caban, won the Indie Spirit Best Actress Award.  ROCK ON GURRRLS!!!


Are You For Great Sex lead actress Jessica Caban, writer/director/exec producer, Cynthia Hsiung, and lead actor Walter Vincent at the TriBeCa Grand Hotel private screening, New York City in February 2010.  [Photo by Phil Nee]

Hsiung revealed that the feedback she received on the film was not only full of accolades, but also full of personal and private experiences.  People divulged stories they hadn’t shared with anyone else and thanked her for making them feel less alone.  In turn, Hsiung felt honored and privileged to be on the receiving end of such personal accounts.  That Hsiung was able to ellicit such a reaction from her audience with her movie is perhaps one of the reasons why this film is a must see.  

I will only tell you that it’s based on a true romance between two lovers with an undeniable sexual chemistry.  It’s pretty delicious.  I’ll leave you with one clip from the movie below.  I found the best way to see this movie is to know as little about it as possible ahead of time.  Like a virgin, touched for the very first time : ) I made it through the wilderness…


Keep your eyes peeled for Are You For Great Sex? in the film festival circuit this spring and summer.  I will be posting updates and more info about Cynthia Hsiung as more news arises.  For now I’m going to say ROCK ON and CONGRATS! to the multi-talented, Queens raised female writer/director of Chinese descent.

 


Thanks to Cynthia for giving me the first exclusive online interview!
Other Sources: IMDB, BIFF
Other keywords: famous asians, famous asian, asian female directors, boston international film festival, BIFF

Fame this weekend?

Baby look at me
And tell me what you see
You ain’t seen the best of me yet
Give me time
I’ll make you forget the rest….

I can catch the moon in my hand
Don’t you know who I am
Remember my name

Fame!
I’m gonna live forever
I’m gonna learn how to fly
High!

I’m gonna make it to heaven
light up the sky like a flame
Fame!

Rememba
Rememba
Rememba

Remember?!?!?

Fame may be a remake of the old story, but with 25 year-old dance prodigy and famed choreographer to Madonna and Britney Spears, Kevin Tancharoen, directing, Debbie Allen, Bebe Neuwirth, Megan Mullally, and Anna Maria Perez de Tagle in the ensemble…we may have a new cast of contending talent to be excited about.  Check out the trailer on you tube.



PS - Researching Kevin’s ethnic background, I found that he is the brother of one ‘Maurissa Tancharoen’…yeah and? Who the heck is ‘Maurissa’? (her name was literally in quotes…do single quote marks mean the referenced is also famed?)

Turns out ‘Maurissa’ is Maurissa Tancharoen Whedon, contributing writer to Dollhouse and sister-in-law of its genius writer, producer, director, Joss Whedon, also of Firefly and Serenity magnificence.  Maurissa identifies Tancharoen as having Thai roots.  Rock on, Maurissa and Joss, for writing such intriguing and thought-provoking female roles…not to mention casting beauteous, talented actors to portray them. 




Related Posts: Homage to Firefly in Battlestar Galactica scene, Firefly in Sci-Fi blog, Mo Tancharoen’s Twitter, Nathan Fillion’s Twitter
[photos via: 1, 2, 3]