Begun in 1985, the Dragons & Tigers program addresses the continued excellence in East Asian cinema, Vancouver’s key geographic situation, its unique ethnic mix, and the initiatives being taken at all government levels to enhance economic and cultural ties between Western Canada and the Pacific Rim.

Programmed by Tony Rayns, the London-based East Asian film scholar and critic, and Shelly Kraicer, the respected Canadian scholar of Chinese cinema now living in Beijing.

A $5,000 Dragons & Tigers Award for Young Cinema Goes To EMPEROR VISITS THE HELL (Tang Huang You Difu) by Li Luo of China

For the 19th year running, the Festival is pleased to offer the Dragons & Tigers Award for Young Cinema to a new director from Pacific Asia. It is given to a creative and innovative film, made early in the director’s career, which has not yet won significant international recognition. As in years past, we’re hugely grateful to Brad Birarda for sponsoring this award, and the series as a whole.

EMPERPR VISITS THE HELL will receive another screening on Saturday, October 6 at 4:00 pm at Pacific Cinémathèque.

This year’s JURYconsidered a line-up of 8 films, listed below. The prize was announced before the screening of Mystery at 6:45pm on Thursday, October 4, at the Granville 7. Read the full press release.