Chicago, IL- (August 10, 2021) Asian Pop-Up Cinema's Season 13 (September 15 – October 12) will kick off with Hong Kong's summer blockbuster Raging Fire, the same week as its nationwide distribution by Well Go USA. Festival Executive Director Sophia Wong Boccio will announce the lineup of the festival before the special screening at 7 PM on Wednesday, August 18 at AMC River East (322 E. Illinois).
Raging Fire tells the story of a highly respected cop whose past comes back to haunt him when a former protégé seeks revenge against all those who have wronged him. It is the final project from late director Benny Chan, a Hong Kong filmmaker best known for helming Jackie Chan's New Police Story, Rob-B-Hood, Who Am I? and Shaolin. Chan was unable to complete post-production due to his unexpected death at age 58 in August 2020. Raging Fire grossed $37.2 million on its July opening weekend in China and will be released nationally in the U.S. on August 13. Watch the trailer here.
Season 13 will highlight the best of Asian cinema, with selections from China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the U.S. The festival's diverse lineup includes female-directed films, restored martial arts classics and stories that explore our shared humanity. Fifteen films will premiere at AMC River East 21 and ChiTown Drive-In (2343 S. Throop) with an additional 15 titles available for online streaming.
ABOUT SOPHIA'S CHOICE / ASIAN POP-UP CINEMA
Asian Pop-Up Cinema, a semi-annual Asian Film Festival, is the brainchild of Sophia Wong Boccio, founder of Sophia's Choice, a Chicago-based 501 C (3) not-for-profit incorporated in 2015 with the multi-pronged mission of cultivating an interest in and understanding of Asian cultures via a diverse offering of Asian films; connecting the Asian film industry with local Chicago film professionals, educators and students; and promoting Chicago as a destination for international visitors.
