Dante Basco, KC Concepcion, Paolo Montalban starrer to screen at SOHO Int’l film fest

“Asian Persuasion,” Starring Dante Basco, KC Concepcion and Paolo Montalban, and Ma-an L. Asuncion-Dagñalan’s “Blue Room” from the Philippines are among the entries. HANDOUT

NEW YORK – Jhett Tolentino’s feature directorial debut, “Asian Persuasion,” starring Dante Basco, KC Concepcion, Paolo Montalban and Kevin Kreider, will have its world premiere at the the SOHO International Film Festival.

Included in the World Features entries is Ma-an L. Asuncion-Dagñalan’s “Blue Room” from the  Philippines.

SIFFNYC is about to roll out its red carpet once again for its highly anticipated opening on Sept. 14 and running through 21. With over 110 films lined up, including a record-breaking number of premieres.

The festival’s opening night feature film is “The Nana Project,” directed by Robin Givens, with an ensemble cast led by Mercedes Ruehl, Nolan Gould, Will Peltz, Tony Todd and Morgan Fairchild. A mockumentary set primarily at a retirement home, the film follows a documentary crew who develop an interest in a “star” resident, a feisty chess master, Helen “Nana” Lewis, played by Ruehl.

Highlights of the festival’s US Features category include the Northeast premiere of the film, “Little Brother,” a gripping drama about two estranged brothers and the journey they embark on, starring J.K. Simmons, Polly Draper, Natsuko Ohama, Phillip Ettinger and Daniel Diemer.

The festival will also present the World Premieres of Jon Delgado’s “Queen of Knives,” a film shot completely in Brooklyn, NY, about a modern eccentric family of two generations; and Jhett Tolentino’s feature directorial debut, “Asian Persuasion.”

New York Premieres include Vivian Kerr’s feature film “Scrap,” where she stars along with Anthony Rapp and Lana Parrilla, which was an SIFFNYC selection as a short film in 2019.

The World Features include Ma-an L. Asuncion-Dagñalan’s “Blue Room” (Philippines), Jihane El Bahhar’s “Triple A” (Morocco), Antonella Spirito’s “The House That Stood” (Italy), Bobby Barbacioru’s “A Frame of Mind” (Romania) and Apollo Bakopoulos’ “Aligned” (Greece).

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Other categories include Documentaries, Series Pilots, Animated Films and US/World Shorts, all of which set the stage for a week of exceptional storytelling and artistic exploration. Two short film entries are by Filipino American filmmakers, Charles Jon Gray’s “Velvet Sky” and Ken Anderson’s “Man of the Sea.”

Check out the full program at www.sohofilmfest.com.

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Special programs on the lineup include a screening of films and panel presented by the New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) and the world premiere of short films featuring Juilliard Drama Division actors from the classes of 2022 and 2023, produced as part of Juilliard’s new initiative to provide students with practical experience working on camera.

Sibyl Reymundo-Santiago, Executive Director and Head of Programming, said “Our carefully curated selection of films aims to captivate, inspire and provoke meaningful conversations. With a blend of premieres, debuts and diverse perspectives, we invite everyone to immerse themselves in the magic of cinema.”

Film enthusiasts and industry professionals will gather at the renowned Village East by Angelika, located at 12th Street and 2nd Avenue in the heart of New York City.

Past attendees of the festival include Octavia Spencer, Pierce Brosnan, Bobby Cannavale, Armand Assante, Luis Guzman, Sean Young, Kevin Jonas, Adam Brody, Carrie Preston, Josh Lawson, Michael Imperioli and Richard Kind.

This year’s festival is presented by the SOHO Film Forum, a 501(c)(3) organization. Founded in 2009 by Jorge Ballos.

For more information on the festival, visit www.sohofilmfest.com  or contact [email protected].