2017 Asian Heritage Month screening

photo: Sally Warburton

Over the weekend, Little Mao took part in an Asian Heritage Month screening organized by ReelWorld Film Festival at Innis Town Hall. Here, director Allan Tong stands (from left) with ReelWorld executive director, Gave Lindo, director of Descendents of the Past, Ancestors of the Future, Albert Chan, and his star, Tina Chen veteran Chinese-American actress who's appeared in Arthur Penn's Alice's Restaurant and Sydney Pollack's Three Days of the Condor.

LITTLE MAO is back in Toronto today at ReelWorld Asian Heritage Month screening

Little Mao marks another return to Toronto's Asian Heritage Month with a screening organized by ReelWorld Film Festival. Mao, plus two other shorts films and a documentary feature, screens at 1:00 pm today at Innis Town Hall at 2 Sussex Avenue (St. George/Harbord). Free admission! Director Allan Tong and many of the other filmmakers will be present for a Q&A. Come one comrade, come all!

Full details: https://www.facebook.com/events/154155911789845 or https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/canada-150-asian-heritage-month-film-festival-unity-in-diversity-tickets-34626747534

LITTLE MAO screening at Asian Heritage Month

Little Mao returns to Toronto as part of an Asian Heritage Month screening organized by the ReelWorld Film Festival. The short films run from 2:00-3:30 today at the Innis Town Hall's VIP Screening Room, room 222, at 2 Sussex Avenue (St. George/Harbord).  Free admission!

A panel discussion about women in film and a documentary screening follow into the early evening.  Full details: http://www.reelworld.ca/ArticlesDetails/TabId/126/ArtMID/581/ArticleID/107/Free-Admission-to-Asian-Heritage-Month-Film-Festival.aspx

photo by Maloney Aguirre

Farewell festivals, hello online

After two years of traveling the world, Little Mao finds an online home here:

In spring 2012, Little Mao premiered at three sold-out screenings at the TIFF Kids Film Festival in Toronto before enjoying an extensive road trip to Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Colorado, San Diego, Seattle and as far as Puerto Rico. The closest Mao got to the Motherland was Singapore. Mao played many home games in southern Ontario, returning to Toronto for an encore, Peterborough, Sudbury, Brantford, Kitchener-Waterloo and Hamilton.

During that time, Little Mao entertained sold-out audiences of kids and grown-ups alike, won awards and found new friends.  "I tip my cap to all my comrades on and off the field," declared a tearful Chairman Bobby who waved his green Mao hat.  "Farewell and good luck."

The filmmakers wish to thank our funders Bravo, the Ontario Arts Council and the National Film Board.  Special thanks to the parents of our cast, our hardworking crew, all the festivals who hosted our film, and the filmmakers' spouses, partners and families.

Some memories:

TIFF Kids' sold-out screening, April 15, 2012: Left to right: Ben Prystawski, Kyle Wong, Kevin Wang (as Little Mao), Alexis Thomas (rear), Ariyena Sorani (in green), Joshua Budd, Brian Obonna (rear), Charlotte Herie & Allan Tong (photo: Mira Budd)

Cinefest Sudbury, September 2012: Allan toasting with POV magazine's lovely Marsha Cummings

Chicago International Children's Film Festival, October 2012: at Chess Records, 2120 South Michigan Avenue, the home of the Chicago blues

Chicago International Children's Film Festival, October 2012: at the legendary Facets Cinema with fellow filmmaker, Julio & Leslie Cabrera

Asian-American International Film Festival, New York, August 2013: with When I Walk's Jason DaSilva.  Allan first met Jason at the Documentary Fellowship Program at 2012 Sundance. Photo taken at closing gala at Asia Society on Park Avenue

August 2011: filming on Perry Wong's front lawn on a humid Sunday afternoon (photo: Perry Wong)

Toronto's ReelWorld Film Festival, April 2013: Allan with Katie Chats during an online interview

TIFF Kids, April 2012: OMNI-TV's Jeffrey Lee interviews Kevin Wang in Mandarin; Kevin was a pro

August 2011: The Little Red Guards between takes in a Scarborough baseball diamond (photo: Babriela Pope)

Hamilton Film Festival, November 2012: Opposing Team Player Tia Ng (far left) during a spirited post-screening Q&A; HFF programmer Nathan Fleet in crouching, far right (photo: Des Ng)

TIFF Kids, April 2012: at the world premiere, Allan's nephew Eli, dad Poy, and brother-in-law Jeff Low (photo: Cathy Tong)

TIFF Kids, April 2012: director's self-portrait at the TIFF Kids' Playstation at the Bell Lightbox

Little Mao hits San Diego

Chairman Bobby and his Little Red Guards return to California on November 9 at the San Diego Asian Film Festival. Earlier this year, Little Mao played CAAM Fest (formerly the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival) and the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.  Little Mao is part of SDAFF's Shorts for Shorties program of children's films taking place at the Digiplex Mission Valley. 

"My comrades and I are overjoyed at playing in San Diego," Chairman Bobby said in a press release, which noted that the screening partially compensates for the Toronto Blue Jays failing to make the MLB playoffs this season.

Capitalist America has been kind to Little Mao.  In addition to the three California festivals, New York, Colorado, Seattle and Chicago have played the film before Yankee Imperialists of all ages.

LITTLE MAO takes the Big Apple

Chairman Bobby vs. the Statue of Liberty (photo of Kevin Wang by Johnny Vong)

Little Mao is going to Manhattan.  It will play the Asian American International Film Festival on Saturday, August 3 at 3:30 in the In Times of Innocence shorts program.

"We are proud to play on Yankees territory," proclaimed Chairman Bobby.  "We shall take the game to them."  When the Chairman was advised that the film was playing and not his baseball team, Bobby revised his remark to say, "Oh...well, we're still proud to be playing New York especially so close to our comrades in Chinatown and that our message will reaching the centre of America.  Play on!"

New York follows successful screenings this year in San Francisco, Los Angeles (where star Ariyena Sorani was nominated for an acting award), Toronto and Puerto Rico.

Little Mao will screen at at the Anthology of Film Archives (AFA) at 32 Second Avenue (at 2nd Street) on August 2.  Members of Bobby's team will be on hand to witness the historic event.

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MAO makes Asian premiere at Singapore International Children's Film Festival

Little Mao is screening close to the Motherland on June 23 at the Singapore International Children's Film Festival, aka Big Eyes Big Minds.  Mao appears in the Magic Tricks & Politics program for kids 7-12 on Sunday, 23 June at 4:30pm.

Come to the screening if you're in Singapore!

LITTLE MAO in Hollywood

Little Mao plays the LA Asian Pacific Film Fest today and tomorrow!  Click for information and tickets.

 Not only that, but Comrade Ariyena Sorani (aka Koh)'s has been nominated for Best Actress at the Young Artists Awards taking place in Studio City on Sunday, May 5.  Ariyena and her mother, Mary, are in Hollywood this weekend to represent Little Mao and we hope collect her award.  Hail Mao!

Left to right: Isaac Pilozo (Comrade Joe), Kevin Wang (Little Mao) & Ariyena Sorani (Comrade Cindy)

Sold-out screening at ReelWorld 2013

Left to right: ReelWorld programmer Bobby Del Rio, Mao director Allan Tong, and Goodness in Rwanda director Gord Rand at the screening's Q&A (photo: Sari Colt)

Little Mao unspooled before a sold-out audience at yesterday's screening at the ReelWorld Film Festival at Canada Square cinemas in Toronto. Credit for packing the house largely goes to Tara Hughes, producer of the feature documentary Goodness in Rwanda, that followed Mao at the 4:00 pm screening and which picked ReelWorld's Audience Award.  Little Mao cast members Tia Ng and Brian Obonna showed up in style.

Katie Chats' Katie Uhlmann (left) and Allan at the ReelWorld opening night, April 10 during an interview (photo: Joanne Uhlmann)

On opening night of ReelWorld, interviewer Katie Uhlmann spoke to Allan for her Youtube channel, Kate Chats, which can be seen here.

LITTLE MAO director talks to Katie Chats at ReelWorld's opening night

Director/writer Allan Tong (right) interviewed by the lovely Katie Uhlmann of Katie Chats at opening night of ReelWorld  (photo by Sari Colt)

Earlier tonight at the ReelWorld Film Festival's opening night, Allan spoke to interviewer  Katie Uhlmann on her online show, Katie Chats.  A few weeks earlier at the March 20 ReelWorld press conference, Allan spoke to interviewer Katie Uhlmann.

Little Mao screens at ReelWorld on Saturday, April 13 at 4:00pm at Canada Square Cinemas before the documentary, Goodness in Rwanda.  Tickets

LITTLE MAO debuts in Latin America at Rincon International Film Festival

 Hola comrades!

Little Mao makes its Latin American premiere at Puerto Rico's Rincon International Film Festival on Tuesday. On April 9, it will play at 1:45 at the Villa Cofresi Resort. In its sixth year, Rincon is the largest film festival in tropical Puerto Rico.

photo by Maloney Aguirre

"I am proud to be unveiling my film in the homeland of legendary Blue Jays Roberto Alomar and Carlos Delgado," beamed Chairman Bobby (Kevin Wang above) from Toronto.

The Rincon screening takes place on the same week as the ReelWorld screening on April 13 in Toronto, and a few weeks before Little Mao graces the LA Asian Pacific Film Festival at the same time that star Ariyena Sorani (Comrade Cindy) may pick up a trophy at the Young Artists Awards.

Only one week into April (and the baseball season, hence this metaphor), Little Mao has hit a single, a double and a triple.  Can it deliver a home run to complete the cycle?  Stay tuned, comrades...

LITTLE MAO goes Hollywood

On the heels of conquering San Francisco, Little Mao will now storm Hollywood.  Little Mao will play the LA Asian Pacific Film Fest on May 3 and 4.  No word yet on whether Chairman Bobby will stroll the red carpet, "but it's the right colour," he sagely noted.

Comrade Cindy (Ariyena Sorani) looks west to Tinseltown

The screenings perfectly complement Comrade Ariyena Sorani (aka Koh)'s nomination for Best Actress at the Young Artists Awards taking place in Studio City on May 5.  Here's to a clean sweep in L.A!

Little Mao star earns Best Actress nomination in Hollywood

Ariyena Sorani (aka Ariyena Koh) has been nominated for Best Actress under age 10 in a short film at the Young Artists Awards.  Ariyena excelled as Chairman Bobby's younger, wiser sister Cindy in Little Mao.  Ariyena competes against 18 other talented actresses in this category.  The winner will be announced on Sunday, May 5, 2013 in the Empire Ballroom of the Sportsmen's Lodge Hotel, Studio City, California.

Congratulations, comrade Ariyena!

 

LITTLE MAO returns to Toronto

Little Mao takes another swing at the bat in Toronto

One year after its world premiere of three sold-out screenings at the TIFF Kids Film Festival, Little Mao returns to Toronto. 

On Saturday, April 13, 4:00 pm at Famous Players Canada Square Cinemas (2190 Yonge Street at Eglinton), ReelWorld Film Festival will run Little Mao before the feature documentary, Goodness in Rwanda.  Click here for information and tickets.

"Just in time for baseball season!" proclaims Chairman Bobby.

Photo by Maloney Aguirre

LITTLE MAO storms the largest Asian film fest in North America

Little Mao will screen at the largest Asian film festival in North America when it plays twice in March at CAAM Fest (formerly the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival). This marks the California premiere of the film.

Little Mao plays in the Wrench in the Works shorts program on Sunday, March 17, 2013 at 12:15 pm at the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas, then Monday, March 18, 2013 at 8:30 pm at the New People cinema.  Click here for the full schedule and ticketing information.

Look out, comrades, here comes Little Mao (photo: Maloney Aguirre)

Reached from spring training in Dunedin, Florida, where he's been following his beloved Toronto Blue Jays, Chairman Bobby was elated, but torn about attending the screenings: "I am honoured that the film continues to hit doubles, triples and home runs across North America. Unfortunately, though, the screenings coincide with spring training though I will be present at CAAM in spirit. May a hundred flowers bloom!"

Little Mao enjoyed its world premiere with three sold-out screenings last April at the TIFF Kids Film Festival, held at the world-renown TIFF Bell Lightbox.  Since then, the film has played across Canada and the U.S. including festivals in Chicago, Seattle and Cinefest Sudbury.  More screenings will be announced here.

MAO in Seattle this weekend

Little Mao plays the Children's Film Festival in Seattle twice this coming week: Sunday, January 27 at 7:00 pm and Friday, February 1 at 1:00 pm in the program, Hang On For The Ride. For tickets and information, click here and scroll down.

2012 in pictures

2012 saw Little Mao screen at several festivals, from Toronto to Chicago.  Expect more in 2013, but right now let's look back at 2012:

World premiere of Little Mao in our hometown, Toronto, at the prestigious TIFF Bell Lightbox. 
Three of four screenings were sold out and at one screening, nine cast members and their families came out.

Joshua Budd (Crying Kid) & Brian Obonna  (Home Plate Umpire) (photo by Mira Dimovski Budd)

Alysha Bauer (Jan) & Ariyena Sorani (Cindy) (photo by Mary Sorani)

Left to right: Kevin Wang (Chairman Bobby), Ariyena Sorani (Cindy), Joshua Budd (Crying Kid), Brian Obonna (Home Plate Umpire), Allan Tong (writer/director)  (photo by Mira Dimovski Budd)

OMNI-TV's Jeffrey Lee interviews Kevin Wang (Chairman Bobby)

Ariyena Sorani and Alysha Bauer join director Allan Tong onstage for a post-screening Q&A with TIFF Kids programmer Shane Smith.  This was the very first screening. (photo by Sonya di Rienzo)

At the same time Little Mao was premiering at TIFF Kids in Toronto, the film was screening at Colorado's Indie Spirit Film Festival.

 

 

Little Mao travelled to Sudbury's renown Cinfest Film Festival.

Director/writer Allan Tong with Comrade Marsha Cummings (of POV magazine)

Allan at the Big Nickel

In the fall, Little Mao appeared at several Ontario festivals.  At Kitchener-Waterloo's Grand River Film Festival, Little Mao was a finalist in the short films competition.  Below, Tia Ng (one of the players on the opposing team) appeared at the Hamilton screening (photo by Des Ng).

In October, Little Mao travelled to the American midwest to the Chicago International Children's Film Festival, which along with TIFF Kids is one of the most respected childrens' film festivals in the world.

Allan at 2120 South Michigan Avenue, Chess Records

Allan with fellow filmmakers Julio and Leslie Cabrera of Puerto Rico