Photo: http://www.joannarong.com/profile.html
Joanna Vasquez Arong- Director, editor was born and raised in the Philippines. She finished her studies in the United States, pursued Political Science/International Studies degree at Boston College (with a year exchange at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques, Paris) and a Master’s Degree in Development and Environmental Studies at the London School of Economics.
She worked in various fields before pursuing her interest in filmmaking. She worked at Deutsche Bank, Asia-Pacific region and at the United Nations, Bangkok & Beijing doing economic development functions. She came back to the Philippines and made notable short documentaries.
She developed an interest in creating films about Beijing after reading about its underground scene and made the move to China in 2002. Beijing proved to be a very interesting subject to a budding and very gifted moviemaker like Joanna. She found her creative niche in China and she has been producing great films since.
"My life seems to be one of constant movement… until Beijing, where the only constant is change came along, and the movement stopped, at least physically." Joanna Arong
Nominations & Awards
2007, Neo-Lounge, Selected for Documentary Competition, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
2006, The Temple, Shortlisted for Best Short Film, Hawaii International Film Festival
2006, Lao Shan Lao Yin (Old Mountains, Old Shadows), Best Experimental Film, International Documentary Challenge
Filmography
Neo-Lounge (Documentary, Director, Screen Writer, Cinematographer, Producer, Editor)
86 Minutes, 2006, CHINA
Short Content:
Many foreigners find refuge in this trendy bar, Neo-Lounge, run by a hip Shanghainese couple. Neo-Lounge follows a year in the lives of a Bulgarian jazz singer and an Italian dandy as they break from a traditional past and pursue their own space in unpredictable Beijing.
Awards: July 2007, Selected for Documentary Competition, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
Crew:
Original Score: Drew Hanratty
Camera: Joanna Arong & Jakob Mader
From Arms to Farms (Documentary, Screen Writer, Producer, Editor)
30 Minutes, 2002, PHILIPPINES
Short Content:
Documents how the MNLF, former rebels, after thirty years of waging war against the government, are continuing their fight with the United Nations and government agencies, but this time against poverty.
Production Company: Probe Productions
agnès b. beijing snap cardigan photo documentary (Documentary, Director, Cinematographer, Producer)
12 Minutes, 2004, CHINA
Short Content:
Explores how people of different backgrounds in Beijing view life through the a snap cardigan. A glimpse into the lives of prominent characters in Beijing including artists, photographers, jewelry designer, dancer, pop singer, model, art collector and club owners.
Crew:
Camera: Jakob Mader & Joanna Arong
Editor: Adam Kerby
Yugong Yishan (The Old Fool...) (Documentary, Director, Screen Writer, Editor)
Approx. 25-40' Minutes, 2006, CHINA
Short Content:
Yugong Yishan refers to an ancient Chinese fable of an old man coined a fool for attempting to move the mountain that blocked the path in front of his house. It is also the name of a small, non-descript bar, owned by a Chinese musician Gouzi.
Awards: 2006, recipient of grant by AND, Pusan International Film Festival 2006, shortlisted for Berlin Today Award funding
Production Company: Strategy613
Crew:
Cinematography by Guillaume Vandenberghe
Assistant Cinematography by Jakob Mader
Editing by Joanna V. Arong & Amanda McGregor
Lao Shan, Lao Yin (Old Mountains, Old Shadows) (Documentary, Director, Screen Writer, Producer, Editor)
6 Minutes, 2006, CHINA
Short Content:
Whilst more youth are increasingly coming to Beijing to pursue their dreams, what do the older folks dream about in a small village tucked away in the mountains just 90 km away?
Awards: Best Experimental Documentary & Best Cinematography, International Documentary Challenge
Crew:
Written by: Joanna V. Arong & Drew Hanratty
Cinematography: Jakob Mader
Original Music: Drew Hanratty
The Temple (Documentary, Director, Screen Writer, Cinematographer, Producer, Editor)
5 Minutes, 2005, CHINA
Short Content:
A temple connotes many images including a place of worship as well as the physical body. For Leo, it is also where he lives in Beijing. The Temple explores how a man contemplates the choices he has made in his life and how these have led him to Beijing, a city in the midst of reinventing itself.
Awards: 2006, Finalist , Best Short Film Award, 26th Hawaii International Film Festival
Crew:
Cinematography by Joanna Arong & Jakob Mader
Original music by Drew Hanratty
Projects
Yugong Yishan (The Old Fool...), Editing stage, Documentary
Old China Hands, Feature-length documentary, seeking funding and co-production
References:
http://tdb.berlinale-talentcampus.de/campus/talent/joanna-arong/profile
http://www.joannarong.com/films.html
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