NEW YORK - eTradeWire -- The Film Lab unveiled the winners of its milestone 20th Annual 72 Hour Shootout, a premier global event dedicated to promoting gender and racial parity in entertainment media and empowering emerging filmmakers of color, particularly Asian Americans.  Over the intense 72-hour period, diverse teams of filmmakers united to create compelling short films centered around the theme "Practical Dreamer," integrating Gold Sponsor Idealist's circular image. Judged by a distinguished panel including Marci Phillips (VP, Casting for ABC Primetime), Jandiz Cardoso Estrada of Sundance, Antony Wong (AAARI-CUNY), Daniel Sakaya of CrossingsTV, and other luminaries, participants competed for coveted opportunities such as film festival screenings, television exhibition, mentorship from industry leaders, cash prizes, and more.  The top ten films premiere on August 3, 2024, at the prestigious Asian American International Film Festival. This year's competition, underscores the Film Lab's commitment to nurturing talent and enhancing visibility for underrepresented narratives in the media landscape.  The films will be available via VOD until August 11th at the festival.  "We are immensely proud of the creativity and diversity showcased by this year's filmmakers," said Jennifer Betit Yen, actor and President of the Film Lab. "The 72 Hour Shootout continues to be a catalyst for change, fostering inclusive storytelling and providing a platform for emerging talent to shine."  The winning films are:

1. "Blue Agate" by Sezen Hatta of Team Possible
2. "Lola's Spaghetti" by Veanne Cao of Team usine
3. "Requiem" by Pearl Lam of Team Gold Standard Productions
4. "Distance" by Sean Nguyen of Team Sedulous Films
5. "MSG" by Keith Leung & Alan He of Team We, Chinese
6. "Dreamweaver" by Chris Caccioppoli of Team Chimera Entertainment
7. "Lil Little Tokyo" by Team Kamaboko Buds
8. "You Don't Need Me" by Jenni Loo of Team Lychee Lychee
9. "Ulam" by Tyler Cino Maradiaga of Team Team Feirstein
10. "The Next Stop Is" by William Zhou of Team Noboo

Category Awards:

• Best Actor: Jason Amerling in "Lola's Spaghetti" by Veanne Cao of Team usine
• Best Actress: Mallory Wu in "Lola's Spaghetti" by Veanne Cao of Team usine
• Best Female Content Creator: Veanne Cao for "Lola's Spaghetti" by Team usine
• Best LGBTQ+ Content Creator: Pearl Lam for "Requiem" by Team Gold Standard Productions
• Best Screenwriting:  Team Chimera Entertainment
• Best Directing: Keith Leung & Alan He for "MSG" by Team We, Chinese
• Best Editing: Team Kamaboko Buds for "Lil Little Tokyo"
• Best Cinematography: Keith Leung & Alan He for "MSG" by Team We, Chinese
• Most Original Use of Theme: Sezen Hatta for "Blue Agate" by Team Possible

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