Daniel Dae Kim’s 3AD, Gold House, and The Asian American Foundation’s Sunrise Collective Returns to the Sundance Film Festival as a Home for the Pan-AANHPI Community

January 16, 2024 (Los Angeles, CA) - Daniel Dae Kim’s 3AD, Gold House, and The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), under the umbrella of the Sunrise Collective, today unveiled major programming to announce the second year of their Sunrise House. This home for the pan-Asian, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community will return to the private, invite-only venue at Riverhorse on Main Street for three days of interactive panels, firesides, and celebration during the festival’s opening weekend, January 19 to 21, 2024. 

The Sunrise Collective will convene notable and emerging AANHPI and multicultural talent, filmmakers, and executives in conversation around the power of creatives to bring authentic AANHPI stories to life, the importance of celebrating AANHPI perspectives to overcome stereotypes and misconceptions, and the state of AANHPI representation in front of and behind the camera. Notable programming includes a conversation between Daniel Dae Kim and Lucy Liu, a fireside chat with Steven Yeun; a one-on-one with 2024 Sundance jurors Mira Nair and Shaunak Sen; a sneak preview of Chrissy & Dave Dine Out and intimate dinner with Chrissy Teigen, David Chang, and Joel Kim Booster, and the second annual Multicultural Dinner co-hosted with Illuminative, Latinx House, and MACRO. 

On Friday morning, guests of the Sunrise Collective are invited to a Tribute to Michael Latt, CEO of Lead With Love and social justice advocate. On Friday evening, Sunrise Collective and Pop Culture Collaborative will present the second annual Multicultural Dinner alongside partner Onyx Collective and co-hosts Illuminative, Latinx House, and MACRO, to bring the creative community and multicultural organizations together over a shared meal. The dinner presentation will feature a reimagination of Indian fare prepared by Maneesh Goyal’s award-winning restaurant, SONA.

On Saturday evening, Freeform brings Chrissy & Dave Dine Out to Sunrise Collective with a sneak preview, conversation with hosts Chrissy Teigen, David Chang, and Joel Kim Booster, and intimate dinner. Following the dinner, Sunrise Collective will host its inaugural “Snowed In at Sunrise” party, presented by Starz.

The Sunrise Collective is made possible with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and United Airlines, and programming partners Define American, Google TV, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and Procter & Gamble.

A few words from the three partners:

“My partners and I are truly excited to build on the success of last year’s Sunrise Collective and spotlight even more of Sundance’s AANHPI participants,” said Daniel Dae Kim, CEO of 3AD. “Our programming has been carefully curated to introduce innovative ideas and encourage thoughtful discussion, as well as celebrate the increasingly multicultural community convening for this year’s festival. I’m grateful to Gold House, TAAF and 3AD for once again joining forces to honor our past, applaud our present, and invest in our future.”

“The Asian American Foundation is thrilled to welcome the Sundance community back to the Sunrise Collective,” said Norman Chen, CEO of The Asian American Foundation. “By creating spaces that cultivate AANHPI artists, we are building strong conduits for our stories to not only be told, but celebrated. This year we are grateful to work with our special advisors, award-winning filmmakers and Sundance alumni Tanya Selvaratnam and Shruti Ganguly, to develop programming that elevates our collective and diverse voices. Additionally, we are proud to continue our commitment to the Sundance | TAAF Fellowship & Collab Scholarship, through a grant provided by our AAPI Giving Challenge partner Panda Express, as well as The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. By supporting a new cohort of 12 AANHPI artists to bring their stories to life, we ensure that more incredible narratives like that of our inaugural fellow Sean Wang (Didi, Dramatic Competition) will be featured at the festival for years to come.”

“Sunrise House was created to provide a safe haven for Asian Pacific artists to take space at Sundance, connect and grow with one another, and--vitally--link with other communities. Now, more than ever, shared stories are a gateway to shared opportunities,” says Bing Chen, CEO & Co-founder of Gold House. “In addition to funding and supporting Sean Wang’s Didi and Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó‘s Agent of Happiness, we’re honored to further cross-cultural bonds through Sundance’s first multicultural film fund, the Sundance | One House Filmmakers Fund with East West Bank Foundation and so many of our peer organizations like the NAACP, GLAAD, RespectAbility, and Latinx House.”

Programming at Sunrise Collective includes: 

• Conversation with Lucy Liu: Join actor and producer Daniel Dae Kim in a fireside chat with trailblazer Lucy Liu on her new film Presence and her prolific career. 
• Fireside with Steven Yeun: A one-on-one conversation between Daniel Dae Kim (Lost; Executive Producer of The Good Doctor) and Steven Yeun (Golden Globe winner, Beef; Love Me) on finding the balance between the demands of building a successful career and honoring the personal priorities of family and relationships.
• Fireside Chat with Mira Nair & Shaunak Sen: Award-winning filmmakers and Sundance 2024 jurors, Mira Nair (Mississippi Masala; Monsoon Wedding) and Shaunak Sen (All That Breathes) discuss the pursuit of humanity and humaneness in their creative process and the ways in which films can change the world.
• Badass Women Truth Tellers: Join Jose Antonio Vargas (Founder, Define American) as he explores the ins and outs of truth telling with veteran director, writer and producer Ramona Diaz (And So It Begins), Maria Ressa (Nobel Peace Prize Winning Journalist) and Leni Robredo (former Vice President of the Philippines).
• Entertainers as Activists: Join Bridgit Antoinette Evans (CEO, Pop Culture Collaborative) in conversation with Richa Chadha (actress, producer and activist), Nik Dodani (actor), Kobi Libii (actor, writer and director), and Bao Nguyen (award-winning filmmaker & Director, The Greatest Night in Pop) about roles entertainers and artists play in raising awareness and rallying support for social and political issues.
• Directing Asian, Asian American and Arab Narratives Presented by MacArthur Foundation: Kathy Im (Director of Journalism and Media, MacArthur Foundation) explores the finer points of filmmaking and evolution of Asian, Asian American and Arab narratives with Sundance debut directors Amrou Al-Kadhi (Layla), Arun Bhattarai (Agent of Happiness), Greg Jardin (It’s What’s Inside), Shuchi Talati (Girls will be Girls) and Sean Wang (Didi).
• Guts & Glory: Voices from Behind the Lens: Dig into the inner workings of cinema in this discussion with some of the key creative forces working their magic to bring stories to the screen. Hear from Hear Linda Lee (production designer, Ghostlight), Jon Ong (composer, Border Hopper), Hanna Park (editor, Ponyboi) and Meena Singh (cinematographer, Guts) in conversation with award-winning filmmaker Shruti Ganguly.
• Multicultural Producers Roundtable Presented by Google TV: Hear from powerhouse producers responsible for some of the most successful and impactful films and television shows featuring creatives of color, including Amy Aniobi (Executive Producer, Insecure; Showrunner, 2 Dope Queens); Nina Yang Bongiovi (Co-Founder, Significant Productions & General Partner, AUM Group); Khaula Malik (Producer, Girls State); and Bird Runningwater (Producer, Fancy Dance), about how they choose the projects they support, when they decide to push the envelope, and how they approach narratives and hiring with an eye toward equity and representation. The panel is moderated by Dami Akinmeji (Media & Entertainment Content Partnerships, Google).
• Talanoa: Standing in Solidarity with NHPI Communities: Join Kristian Fanene Schmidt (Executive Director, Pasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti) in this talanoa with Luciane Buchanan (Actress & Writer, Tupu’anga / Mother Tongue); Gerard Elmore (Executive Director, Ohina); Christopher Kahunahana (Kanaka maoli Filmmaker); Ianeta Le’i (Senior Manager, Indigenous Program at Sundance Institute); and Anderson Le (Artistic Director, HIFF) to explore different ways to show up for Pasifika/NHPI communities, opportunities to improve, and best steps forward to create a more equitable industry. 
• Caregiving: The Unseen Story: Join activist Ai-Jen Poo (Executive Director, Caring Across Generations), Richard Lui (anchor, NBC News/MSNBC; filmmaker, Unconditional), Liz Sargent (director, Take Me Home) and Jenna Murray (healer and subject of Winding Path) about the largest unseen parts of our culture and economy.
• Southeast Asia on the Rise: Hear from leading Southeast Asian storytellers, advocates, and executives about the specific progress and challenges uniquely faced by this subregion of the larger diaspora. Featuring Tony Bui (Writer, Director, Producer of Three Seasons), Geena Rocero (Producer, Trans Rights Advocate, Author of Horse Barbie), and Grace Moss (Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Warner Bros. Discovery). Conversation moderated by Pat Ratulangi (Vice President of Global Communications, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Nielsen). 
• Business of Narrative Change presented by Procter & Gamble: Join Tracey Bing (Head of Content, Rideback Rise), Claudia Lyon (EVP of Talent and Casting, CBS TV), Rishi Rajani (CEO, Hillman Grad Productions), and Kashif Shaikh (Co-Founder & President, Pillars Fund) in conversation with Tanya Selvaratnam (Senior Advisor, Pop Culture Collaborative) on how they navigate the unpredictable waters of strikes, studio cutbacks, elimination of DEI units, burgeoning digital platforms and sparse distribution deals.
• Telling Authentic Immigrant Stories with Define American: Join Pulitzer Prize-winner Jose Antonio Vargas for the launch of Define American's latest reference guide to help content creators in media and entertainment craft more compelling, authentic, and nuanced immigrant stories. A conversation with Carlos López Estrada (Producer, Didi), Omar S. Kamara (Director/Writer, African Giants), and Geena Rocero (Producer, Trans Rights Advocate, Author of Horse Barbie) on being an immigrant creative and harnessing the power of immigrant stories will follow. 
• Telling Our Stories with Disney Entertainment Television: Join leaders and creatives from Disney Entertainment Television to discuss the importance of inclusivity and representation in storytelling. Moderated by Juju Chang (Co-Anchor, ABC News’ Nightline) and featuring multifunctional storytellers, including Anil Kurian (VP, Scripted Series, Onyx Collective), Reena Mehta (SVP, Streaming & Digital Content, ABC News), Amee Dolleman (SVP, Original Movies, Disney Branded Television), Colette Wilson (SVP, Current Series, FX Networks), and Sean Wang (Director, Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó, Didi). 
• The 20th Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience at Park City: Closing the Sunrise Collective, join the 20th edition of the Asian Pacific Film makers Experience with a fireside with actor and filmmaker Sung Kang and veteran film publicist and Peabody Award Winner David Magdael, to discuss that groundbreaking premiere of the Asian American Film Better Luck Tomorrow and its overarching influence on the trajectory of the current AAPI filmmaking movement. Milton Liu, APFE leader and Executive Director of the Asian American Media Alliance, will moderate. The fireside will be followed by a panel moderated by acclaimed producer Nina Yang Bongiovi, will feature veteran and emerging AAPI filmmakers Tony Bui (Director, Three Seasons), Ramona Diaz (Director, And So It Begins), and Luciane Buchanan (Screenwriter/Actor, Lea Tupu’anga/Mother Tongue).

The program will also include a short address from Neil Ruiz, Head of New Research Initiatives at Pew Research, and the presentation of the 2024 Irene Cho Pioneer Award. 

For more information and the latest on the programming schedule, please visit sunrisecollective.us. 

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ABOUT 3AD

It has been said that most great stories have already been told. Though that may be true, 3AD believes that there are many new voices that have yet to tell them.

We at 3AD are committed to celebrating those voices by creating content in all media and genres featuring those who have been traditionally underrepresented. We believe in a diverse, inclusive world whose stories deserve to be told in a way that is thought-provoking, challenging, and above all, entertaining.

ABOUT GOLD HOUSE

Gold House is the leading cultural ecosystem that unites, invests in, and champions Asian Pacific creators and companies to power tomorrow for all. Under a nonprofit umbrella, our innovative family of companies, programs, and platforms include membership systems and events to fortify relationships among the Asian Pacific community and with other marginalized communities (#StopAsianHate); first-of-its-kind investment vehicles and accelerators to propel the next generation of top Asian Pacific founders, creatives, and leaders (Gold House Ventures, Creative Equity Fund); and industry-leading research, consulting, and marketing to promote authentic and affirming portrayals (Gold Story Consultation, Gold Open, Gold List, A100 List). To learn more, visit www.goldhouse.org or follow @GoldHouseCo on Instagram, Facebook, X/Twitter, Threads, and LinkedIn.

ABOUT THE ASIAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION (TAAF)

TAAF serves the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community in their pursuit of belonging and prosperity that is free from discrimination, slander, and violence. Launched in 2021 in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and to address the long-standing underinvestment in AANHPI communities, TAAF funds best in class organizations working to mobilize against hate and violence, educate communities, and reclaim our narratives through our core pillars of Anti-Hate, Education, Narrative Change, and Resources & Representation. Through our grants, high-impact initiatives and events, we’re creating a permanent and irrevocable sense of belonging for millions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. For additional information about TAAF, please visit www.taaf.org.

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Media Contacts:

Joy Moh: Joy.Moh@taaf.org

Jon Stone: Jon@taaf.org

The Asian American Foundation