A Grand Canal

Directed by Johnny Ma

Program 2: Dark Passage / China / 2013 / Melodrama / 19..5 mins / Mandarin Chinese / Colour

‹ ›

Plays In:

Program 2 – Dark Passage

Cineplex Odeon International Village Cinemas
November 7, 2014 5:00 pm

Description

“A Greek tragedy told in a Chinese pop song” that outlines the tragic events of a boat Captain who must collect a debt to save his fleet of boats, as remembered by his ten year old son.

Awards:

National Board of Review Student Grant- CUFF 2013, Film School Shorts/KQED Special Recognition – CUFF 2013, Brick Company Line Producing Award- CUFF 2013, Winner Hammer to the Nail Fall 2013, TIFF Canada’s Top Ten Films 2013, Honorable Mention Best Short- Reel Asian International Film Festival 2013, Best Short -Whistler Film Festival 2013, Best Short- Caamfest Film Festival 2014, Grand Jury Prize- Student Short- Dallas International Film Festival 2014, Jury Prize – Bangkok International Student Film Festival 2014, Nominated- Canadian Screen Academy Award 2014, Best Short Fiction – CIMMFEST 2014, Best Short- Yorkton Film Festival 2014, Finalist – Tel Aviv Student Film Festival 2014, Best Short World Cinema- Indy film Festival 2014, Special Mention Aprile Award- Milano International Film Festival 2014

Director's Bio

Johnny Ma was born in Shanghai, China as Nan Ma and immigrated to Toronto Canada when he was 10. After working in both the finance and fashion industry, he attended Columbia University Master of Fine Arts program as Director/ Screenwriter in 2010. Currently Johnny resides in Vancouver but works in both New York and China. Other notable short works are “Robbery”(2012), “Play” (2011), and “O Genio de Quintino” (2011). “Grand Canal” (2013) is his graduate thesis film for the Columbia University MFA Film program. Other than filmmaking, Johnny enjoys teaching cats how to play catch like dogs.

Credits

Writer: Johnny Ma
Producers: Jie Chen, Sarah Stallard

Precedes

The Free Man

Sam Quah / Program 2: Dark Passage / Taiwan / 2014 / Crime, Drama / 30 mins
"Except for the freedom to breathe, I have nothing."
Preceded by: A Grand Canal

Precedes: Eric

Plays in

Program 2: DARK PASSAGE

Program 2: Dark Passage / 94 mins
In DARK PASSAGE, six filmmakers shine a light onto what happens when tragic and unforseeable circumstances test the limits of the human soul. From a reinterpreted Greek tragedy played out on China's waterways in "A Grand Canal," to a woman's final wish to her own rapist and would-be murderer in "What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger," these films explore six very different interpretations of Invictus (Latin, for "unconquered" - from a poem by William Ernest Henley): Out of the night that covers me...I thank whatever gods may be, for my unconquerable soul."
In This Program: My Red Guard, Nighthawks, What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger, Eric, A Grand Canal, The Free Man