TIFF Kids and Indie Spirit screenings today

The Opposing Team: Alexandra Clementi, Alexandra Wellman, Tia Ng, Charlotte Herie, Emily Nankoo, Kevin Nankoo, Josh Ling

Little Mao screens for the fourth and final time at the TIFF Kids International Film Festival today at 3:00 pm.  The program in which Mao appears, Canada For Kids, is sold-out. 

In the U.S. Mao makes its second appearance at Colorado Springs' Indie Spirit Film Festival at 8:00 pm local time. 

"We have conquered Toronto and America!" declared an exhausted, but spirited Chairman Bobby after three screenings in Toronto, one in Colorado, plus two media interviews. 

"Who shall be next?"

LITTLE MAO director & cast talk baseball and Mao on TORONTO TV

TORONTO TV's Joseph Lau speaks to the director and stars of Little Mao during the world premiere screenings the TIFF Kids International Film Festival.  The final screening takes place Sunday, April 22, 3:00 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, while Little Mao makes its American premiere today at 2:45 pm and Sunday, April 22 at 8:00 pm. at the Indie Spirit Film Festival in Colorado Springs.

Click to play interviews.  Note: Kevin's solo interview is in Mandarin (not English):

LITTLE MAO invades America

Little Mao invades imperialist America this weekend when it premieres at The Indie Spirit Film Festival in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Little Mao will screen alongside the short, Choreography for Plastic Army Men, and the Canadian feature, I Declare War on Saturday, April 21 at 2:45 pm and Sunday, April 22 at 8:00 pm.  The two screenings will mark Little Mao's first appearance on Yankee soil.  The fourth and final screening at the TIFF Kids International Film Festival takes place at 3:00 also on Sunday.

"We will conquer the American imperialists!" declared Chairman Bobby as he watched his beloved Toronto Blue Jays cruise to a 7-3 victory against Tampa Bay.  "We will rally against the Yankee--wait...you mean we could win the Best Short award?  Praise the Indie Spirit Film Festival!"

Click here for tickets and full details.

Kevin Wang interviewed before LITTLE MAO screening

OMNI-TV's Jeffrey Lee interviews Little Mao star Kevin Wang today at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.  The interview with Kevin and director Allan Tong will appear on OMNI's Mandarin news.  (Date and time to be announced shortly.)

 Kevin and other actors from Little Mao will be on hand for the next screening at TIFF Kids at theLightbox tomorrow on Sunday, April 15, noon. Tickets still available: http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiffkids/2012/3700005764

LITTLE MAO world premiere at TIFF Kids

A packed audience watched the world premiere of Little Mao at the TIFF Kids International Film Festival this morning.  Stars Ariyena Sorani (Cindy) and Alysha Bauer (Jan) walked the red carpet and answered questions at the post-screening Q&A onstage with director/writer, Allan Tong.  On-hand to support them were co-producer Austin Wong, and the proud families of Ariyena, Alysha and Allan.

Left to right: Ariyena Sorani (Cindy), Alysha Bauer (Jan) and director/writer Allan Tong 
during the post-screening Q&A

The film ran as part of the 10:15 am screening of the Canada Creates program of shorts at TIFF Kids (formerly Sprockets) taking place at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in downtown Toronto.  This morning's screening was the first of four screenings at this festival.

Alysha Bauer (Jan) & Ariyena Sorani (Cindy)

Ariyena Sorani (Cindy) and director/writer Allan Tong

Little Mao talks in Sing Tao Daily and The Korea Times

Little Mao star, Ariyena Sorani, talks to The Korean Times about her acting career and her role as Cindy.  (The story is in Korean only.)

Photo by Maloney Aguirre

Meanwhile, Little Mao director and writer, Allan Tong, appears in the Sing Tao Daily, Canada's biggest Chinese-language daily.  (Sorry, this story is in Chinese only.)

Little Mao has its world premiere at the TIFF Kids International Film Festival playing at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, tomorrow, Wednesday, April 11 at 10:15 am.  This screening is sold out, but tickets are still available for others screenings on:

~ Sunday April 15, 12:00 noon


~ Monday April 16, 12:45 pm


~ Sunday April 22, 3:00 pm

Cast members and director Tong will be on-hand for all screenings.

LITTLE MAO world premiere at TIFF Kids in April

Workers of the world unite!
left to right, foreground: Ariyena Sorani (Cindy), Kevin Wang (Chairman Bobby) & Joshua Budd (Crying Kid), background: Erin Richardson (Second base)
photo by Johnny Vong

Little Mao will make its world premiere at the TIFF Kids International Film Festival taking place in Toronto from April 10-22.

All four screenings will take place at the plush TIFF Bell Lightbox in downtown Toronto:

~ Wednesday April 11, 10:15 am

~ Sunday April 15, 12:00 noon

~ Monday April 16, 12:45 pm

~ Sunday April 22, 3:00 pm

Tickets will shortly be on sale here.



Writer-director Allan Tong is honoured to publicly unveil the film at this presitigious event and locale. "I personally thank my talented young cast and hard-working grown-up crew for making a fine film last year," says Allan. "I also thank Chairman Mao Tse-tung for his inspiration, and my parents for taking me to see China when I was child as old as my lead actor, Kevin Wang."

Little Mao was supported by Bravo!FACT, The Ontario Arts Council and The National Film Board of Canada. Special thanks go to the friends and families of Allan and producers Sonya Di Rienzo and Austin Wong.

Little Mao is one of 60 short films selected by TIFF Kids. Formerly known as Sprockets, TIFF Kids is celebrating its 15th year as one of the top children's film festivals in the world. Last year, 20,000 filmgoers enjoyed its program of features and short films.

Further screenings will be announced here. For instant updates, please subscribe to this blog or join or fan page on Facebook.