Nina Yang Bongiovi to Receive #APAParkCity's Irene Cho Pioneer Award

Producer Nina Yang Bongiovi was recently named the recipient of the 2020 Irene Cho Pioneer Award by the organizers of the Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience in Park City. The award, which recognizes Bongiovi's two decade-long career as a producer and executive producer of over 20 feature-length narrative, documentary, and TV series, is named after the late radio producer and filmmaker advocate Irene Cho, who stepped into a leadership role with #APAParkCity in 2013 and elevated the event's profile in its second decade.

The Award will be presented during #APAParkCity's "Main Event" activities on Sunday, January 26, 2020 at Wellhaus/Old Town Cellars, 408 Main St. in the heart of Park City, UT.

"The organizers of the Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience are honored and thrilled to present this special award to Nina Yang Bongiovi," said David Magdael, a founding member of #APAParkCity. "Nina truly exemplifies the term, 'pioneer,' and what truly makes her unique is her support of cinematic artists whose stories reflect the experiences of all marginalized and underserved communities. She recalls the spirit and determination of our dear colleague Irene Cho, and we are excited to recognize Nina's dedication and support of authentic filmmaking voices."

With two decades of experience in the motion picture industry, Nina Yang Bongiovi has gained a positive reputation for having an in-depth knowledge of film financing, creative and physical producing, and a knack for discovering talent, like that of Ryan Coogler (Marvel’s BLACK PANTHER), whose first film, FRUITVALE STATION (2013) was produced by Nina and her producing partner, actor and producer Forest Whitaker. 

Together under their banner, Significant Productions, Nina and Forest have produced a number of critically-acclaimed films by auteur filmmakers of color, including DOPE (2015) by Rick Famuyiwa, SONGS MY BROTHERS TAUGHT ME (2015) by Chloe Zhao, ROXANNE ROXANNE (2018) by Michael Larnell and SORRY TO BOTHER YOU (2018) by Boots Riley. Currently, they are in post-production on PASSING, Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut based on Nella Larsen’s novel of the same name. They also serve as executive producers on EPIX’s hit TV show, GODFATHER OF HARLEM. 

Nina is a board member of Film Independent, The Oscar Grant Foundation, Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE), The Producers Guild of America (PGA), as well as a member of The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences’ (AMPAS) Producers Branch. She is fluent in Mandarin, Chinese, and received her graduate degree in Entertainment Management from the Annenberg School at the University of Southern California.

For complete details on all the events comprising the Sweet 16 edition of the Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience in Park City, go to: apaparkcity2020.splashthat.com