Michael Thede

The Second Page takes a look at the strange—and, at times, unbelievable—world of Chinese film and television through the eyes of a foreign actor working in Shanghai. Writer-director Justin M. Scott discusses improving his craft, keeping pace with change, and the story behind his upcoming short.

Lives are caught up in the devastation and turmoil of the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong during the Second World War in Christmas at the Royal Hotel. Writer-director Craig McCourry talks reliving one of the darkest moments in the history of the former British colony.

Havana Divas tells the tale of two childhood friends working to revive interest in Cantonese opera in Havana’s Chinatown. Director Louisa Wei discusses her latest documentary and a hundred-and-fifty years of Sino-Cuban history.

Extravaganza takes a behind-the-scenes look at a big, one-off drag show that took place at Shanghai’s Pearl Theater in July 2017. Filmmaker and CINEMQ co-founder Matthew Baren talks about supporting the LGBTQ community and shining a positive light on the Shanghai drag scene in his upcoming doc.

Plagued by depression and isolation, a man escapes the daily routine and discovers a new dimension in the short film, Program. Director Matthieu Tondeur discusses seeking out film funding, wanting to do more important work, and the challenges of working with 16mm film to shoot his latest project.

After visiting an Earth-like world, an alien traveler records his observations about the its dominant lifeforms in the experimental doc, Planeta Zeme. Director and cinematographer Bing Bang talks about studying people, inventing a new language, and having a positive outlook on the future.