Press Release
Palm Pictures and ImaginAsian Pictures to Co-Release Michael Kang’s The Motel

Coming-of-age tale is “a momentous achievement. Heartfelt (and) hilarious.” – The San Francisco Chronicle

NEW YORK, June 27, 2006 –Palm Pictures and ImaginAsian Pictures announced that they will be co-releasing Michael Kang’s critically acclaimed debut feature THE MOTEL. The film, which, according to Variety “signals the arrival of a singularly promising filmmaker,” will have its US premiere at the Film Forum in New York City on Wednesday, June 28, 2006.

“We’re thrilled to be in business with Palm Pictures,” said Michael Hong, CEO of ImaginAsian Pictures. “They share our passion for Michael Kang’s wonderfully original film, and we’re excited about working together with them in bringing THE MOTEL to the big screen.”

THE MOTEL tells a beautiful coming-of-age tale of 13-year-old Ernest (Jeffrey Chyau), a second-generation Chinese American, who dreams of becoming a writer, but who spends most of his time helping his mother run a sleazy rent-by-the-hour motel. His life is brightened by a friendship with Christine (Samantha Futerman, who played the luminous young lead in MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA), a teenager who works at her family’s Chinese restaurant. Things change with the arrival of a charismatic stranger (Sung Kang, from THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS 3: TOKYO DRIFT and BETTER LUCK TOMORROW), a sexy Korean American ne’er-do-well, using the motel for trysts with prostitutes.  Jade Wu plays Ernest’s hard-working single mother and Alexis Kapp Chang is his pesky younger sister. Kang uses the specific realities of these Asian American lives to create a believable, nuanced universe not strictly defined by ethnicity ­­­­­­­-- a world recognizable to anyone who has survived adolescence.

“Palm Pictures is committed to working with innovative filmmakers with a unique voice,” said David Koh, Head of Acquisitions & Production for Palm Pictures. “Michael Kang’s first feature film is an unflinching portrait of adolescence and establishes him as one of the most talented young directors working today.”

“THE MOTEL is our first collaboration with ImaginAsian Pictures, and we look forward to working with them on future projects,” Koh added.

Michael Kang is a first-time feature filmmaker, whose film THE MOTEL premiered in competition at the Sundance Film Festival, having first been developed through the Sundance Screenwriter’s Lab. At 36, he has been a resident of the prestigious MacDowell Colony and has won grants and awards for both his screenwriting and directing work. He has worked as a second unit director for Wayne Wang’s 2005 film BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE and is currently co-writing a feature called KOREATOWN, conceived as an homage to SERPICO and DOG DAY AFTERNOON.

THE MOTEL (2006, 76 mins.) Written and directed by Michael Kang. Based on the novel, “Waylaid,” by Ed Lin. Produced by Matthew Greenfield, Miguel Arteta, Gina Kwon, Karin Chien. Director of Photography: Lisa Leone. Principal cast: Jeffrey Chyau (Ernest), Sung Kang (Sam), Jade Wu (Ahma), Samantha Futerman (Christine), Alexis Kapp Chang (Katie).  In English and Chinese with English subtitles. USA. Released by Palm Pictures and ImaginAsian Pictures.

About Palm Pictures

Palm Pictures is Chris Blackwell's (founder of Island Records, Island Pictures, Island Outpost) film and music company and releases 10-15 records a year, 8-12 theatrical releases and over 30 DVD releases annually. Current and upcoming releases include Sundance Grand Jury Prize Winner 13 Tzameti directed by Gela Babluani, Cannes Film Festival award winner 10 Canoes by Rolf de Heer, City of Men (City of God TV series), Cannes Film Festival Youth Prize winner Lower City, directed by Sergio Machado and produced by Walter Salles, Pen-ek Ratanaruang's Invisible Waves shot by Christopher Doyle, Clean directed by Olivier Assayas starring Maggie Cheung, and Sun Dogs directed by Andrea Stewart, a feature documentary currently in production focusing on the quest of the Jamaican dogsled team to make the World Championship and the next Olympics.

About ImaginAsian Pictures and ImaginAsian Entertainment, Inc.

ImaginAsian Pictures is ImaginAsian Entertainment’s feature film distribution and promotion division dedicated to cutting-edge and critically acclaimed Asian films. It aims to establish a slate of diverse releases, bringing the best of Asian and Asian American cinema to American screens.

ImaginAsian Entertainment is (www.iaei.tv) is a multimedia company that promotes Asian Pacific American culture to mainstream America. Headquartered in New York City, ImaginAsian Entertainment uses a fully integrated marketing strategy through multiple platforms: ImaginAsian TV (America’s First 24/7 Asian American Network), The ImaginAsian Theater (New York’s Premier Asian American Theater), ImaginAsian Pictures (distribution of cutting-edge and critically acclaimed Asian films), ImaginAsian Home Video (video/DVD unit dedicated to quality Asian home entertainment), ImaginAsian Radio (the sound of Asian America), and iaLink (ImaginAsian’s community-based e-zine).