Director Na has joined Toronto-based production company Alfredo Films for Canadian representation. The transgender director has dedicated their career to projects that give back to underserved and underrepresented communities like LGBTQ+ and BIPOC. Now based in Detroit, they were born and raised in Seoul—where they started making films at the age of 15, using a camcorder received as a birthday present. Filmmaking became a form of language, a gift expressing their care and gratitude to loved ones. Na’s first work with Alfredo is a powerful new spot for MasterCard via McCann Canada called “True Name.” True Name by Mastercard is the first card in Canada that lets transgender and nonbinary communities display their chosen name. Mastercard worked with McCann Canada to create a video series and invited influencers from the 2SLGBTQ+ community to share their stories and speak to what the True Name feature means to them. The series showcases the challenges of misrepresentation that individuals from the transgender and nonbinary communities face when the name on their bank cards does not reflect their identity. It was important to Mastercard to partner with Na to ensure representation at all levels of production. Na has directed national broadcast commercials, as well as branded content, and documentary style work for a wide range of clients including Microsoft, General Motors, Ford, Chevy and Bumble, all with a commitment to ensuring visibility of everyone from local artists to trans and gender non-conforming individuals, poets, and urban farmers. Alfredo Films is a Black, Indian, Asian and female-owned production company. Na has representation in the U.S. via Tool of North America and Detroit-based Local Boy….
Full Lineup Set For AFI Fest; Official Selections Span 44 Countries, Include 9 Best International Feature Oscar Submissions
The American Film Institute (AFI) has unveiled the full lineup for this yearโs AFI Fest, taking place in Los Angeles from October 23-27. Rounding out the slate of already announced titles are such highlights as September 5 directed by Tim Fehlbaum, All We Imagine As Light directed by Payal Kapadia, The Luckiest Man in America directed by Samir Oliveros (AFI Class of 2019), Zurawski v. Texas from executive producers Hillary Clinton, Chelsea Clinton and Jennifer Lawrence and directors Maisie Crow and Abbie Perrault, and Oh, Canada directed by Paul Schrader (AFI Class of 1969). A total of 158 films are set to screen at the 38th edition of AFI Fest.
Of the official selections, 48% are directed by women and non-binary filmmakers and 26% are directed by BIPOC filmmakers.
Additional festival highlights include documentaries Architecton directed by Victor Kossakovsky; Cheech & Chongโs Last Movie directed by David Bushell; Devo directed by Chris Smith about the legendary new wave provocateurs; Gaucho Gaucho directed by Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw; Group Therapy directed by Neil Berkeley with Emmyยฎ winner Neil Patrick Harris and Tig Notaro; No Other Land directed by a Palestinian-Israeli team comprised of Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor and Hamdan Ballal; Pavements directed by Alex Ross Perry; and Separated directed by Errol Morris. Notable narrative titles include Black Dog (Gou Zen) directed by Guan Hu; Bonjour Tristesse directed by Durga Chew-Bose with Academy Awardยฎ nominee Chloรซ Sevigny; Caught By The Tides directed by Jia Zhangke; Hard Truths directed by Mike Leigh with... Read More