Past Festivals
Alula Film (formerly D.C. Chinese Film) is a Los Angeles based nonprofit organization dedicated to discovering and showcasing films created by and about Chinese-speaking communities worldwide. Founded in Washington D.C. in 2011, the festival relocated to Los Angeles in 2023 to deepen its reach and expand its impact.
Alula Film strives to provide a global platform for Chinese-speaking filmmakers, Chinese-language films, and stories that reflect Chinese-speaking cultures. With a focus on independent, low-budget, and arthouse films, we aim to spotlight emerging artists and underrepresented voices. We believe that creativity knows no boundaries and that cinema has the power to foster cross-cultural dialogue, combat stereotypes, and build mutual understanding.
Through bold programming and meaningful engagement, Alula Film celebrates the richness and diversity of Chinese-speaking cultures on a global scale.
Jury Highlights
Director Xie is a world-recognized awarded Chines film director. His film Woman Sesame Oil Maker (1993) shared the Golden Bear award with The Wedding Banquet by Ang Lee in 1993.
An independent Chinese documentary filmmaker and winner of the Taipei Golden Horse Award Best Documentary award in 2014 and 2015 for his films, Cotton (2014) and The Chinese Mayor (2015).
Famous film editor in Taiwan, known as the “Taiwan New Movie Nanny”. He was nominated for Best Editing at the 31st China Golden Rooster Awards in 2017, and Port of Call (2015) won a Best Editing award at the 10th Asian Film Awards in 2016.
Du Haibin is currently recognized as one of the most active documentary directors in China, known for Along the Railway (2001) and Stone Mountain (2006). His recent documentary A Young Patriot (2015) won the Jury Prize at the Hong Kong International Film Festival.
Professor of Film and Media Arts at American University. Two-time Academy Awards winner in sound editing. Experienced Film Producer.
Freer and Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution Curator of Film, Former Juror and Consultant at Numerous International Film Festivals. Expert and Author on Asian Cinema.
Michael Berry is Professor of contemporary Chinese cultural studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His research interests include modern Chinese literature, Chinese cinema, cultural studies, and translation.
Director Lei Lei got his master’s degree in animation from Tsinghua University. He works as an experimental animation artist with his hands on video arts, painting, installation, music and VJ performance. Starting from 2017, he works in CalAts Experimental Animation program as faculty member.
Shih-Ching Tsou is a New York City-based filmmaker. She co-wrote, co-directed and co-produced Take Out (2004) with Sean Baker. She also produced Baker's other films Starlet (2012), Tangerine (2015), The Florida Project (2017) and Red Rocket (2021).
Aliza Ma is the head of programming at Metrograph, a new twoscreen arthouse cinema showcasing exclusive premieres and rare archival print screenings in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. She has worked in programming at Museum of the Moving Image in New York, TIFF Cinematheque in Toronto, the American Film Institute Film Festival, and Sundance.
Xie Fei
Zhou Hao
Liao Ching-Sung
Du Haibin
Russell Williams
Tom Vick
Michael Berry
Lei Lei
Shih-Ching Tsou
Aliza Ma
Peggy Chiao is a film producer, writer and professor. She is considered one of the important figures in shaping New Taiwan Cinema in the 1980s and 1990s and a major force in series. She produced over 20 features, 5 documentaries and 3 televisions.
Mei Feng is an Associate Professor at Beijing Film Academy, and a director and screenwriter. He became known as a screenwriter while working with Lou Ye on films Summer Palace (2006) and Spring Fever (2009).
Peggy Chiao
Mei Feng
During our off-year, we host themed retrospective series to showcase classic and under-appreciated repertory Chinese cinema on the big screen. Past retrospective series we have hosted include:
Special Programs
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A Century of Enlightenment– A Chinese Film Century Retrospective Exhibition
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Riding the Waves – Classic Chinese-language films from the 80s & 90s
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On Both Sides of Camera - A Women in Film Retrospective