From left: Dinh Thai, Tiffanie Hsu, and Jinyi Shao
HBO announced on Jan. 31 the winners of the HBO Asian Pacific American Visionaries. The works of Dinh Thai, Tiffanie Hsu, and Jinyi Shao — who placed first, second, and third, respectively — will make their world premieres at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival in April.
Thai’s “Monday” is the story of a young drug dealer who finds himself struggling with the moral implications of his illicit profession. Hsu’s “Wonderland” explores the lonely and surreal world of a 12-year-old girl whose mother (played by Joan Chen) is a gambling addict. Shao’s “Toenail” finds a career-obsessed yuppie having to care for his ailing father on the eve of his big promotion.