By Maria Esteves - July 14, 2008

The 31st Annual 2008 Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF08) Opening Night East Coast Premiere film of THE PRINCESS OF NEBRASKA, directed by Wayne Wang, was held at Asia Society, New York, July 10, 7:30 pm. A special Q&A session with director Wayne Wang, co-director Richard Wong, and actress Ling Li, moderated by Asia Society associate director cultural programs, Helen Koh, preceded the AAIFF08 opening night gala reception and after party.

Presented by Asian Cinevision with Asia Society and sponsored by Toyota Matrix, AAIFF08 held at Asia Society runs from July 10 - 19, 2008.

A one-night love affair in hope of true love is THE PRINCESS OF NEBRASKA! A remarkable film based on the short story by Yiyun Li. The film depicts within a twenty-four hour window Sasha's (Ling Li) life experience, a four-month pregnant Nebraskan teenager who travels alone to San Francisco to have the pregnancy terminated from a one-night love affair with Yang (performing artist from Beijing). Faced with life reality of an unplanned pregnancy, and the emotional swings regarding its confrontation of an abortion, Sasha gains a greater self-understanding and makes a decision. 

THE PRINCESS OF NEBRASKA, directed by Wayne Wang | USA | 2007 | 77 min. | English Mandarin w/E.S. | released by Magnolia Pictures, is winner of the Golden Seashell Award, 2007 San Sebastian Film Festival.

AAIFF08 Opening Night Q&A session:(from left-right), moderator Asia Society associate director cultural programs, Helen Koh, with actress Ling Li, director Wayne Wang, and co-director Richard Wong, THE PRINCESS OF NEBRASKA.

AAIFF08 Opening Night Gala was held at Asia Society, New York, Thursday, July 10, 9:30 pm. Filmmakers, producers, industry executives, sponsors, actors, models, musicians, artists, friends of Asian CineVision, and Asia Society attended the gala reception. 

AAIFF08 opening night gala, director Risa Morimoto, WINGS OF DEFEAT, (right), with actress Ling Li, THE PRINCESS OF NEBRASKA.

 
AAIFF08 opening night gala, director/writer Kevin Choi,
THE YEARS FLOW LIKE WATER.

AAIFF08 opening night gala, acting executive director,
John Woo, Asian Cinevision, (right), with writer/actress
Jodi Long, LONG SHORT STORY.

AAIFF08 opening night gala, Commissioner Gregory D. Chew, San Francisco Film Commission, (left), with director Risa Morimoto, WINGS OF DEFEAT, (center), Actress Ling Li, THE PRINCESS OF NEBRASKA, and friends of ACV, Suzanne Miller.