2013 Beijing International Screenwriting Competition Names Feature Film Grand Prize Winner

NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Beijing International Screenwriting Competition today named screenwriter Galen Tong's The Monkey King the Feature Film Grand Prize Winner of the 2013 Competition. From the five previously announced First Prize winners, Tong's screenplay was selected by  the Competition's Grand Judges and will be honored on October 19^th in Los Angeles, CA, during "China's Entertainment Industry: The Next Chapter" event.

"The Monkey King is a tale of courage that will inspire audiences worldwide," said Competition Chairman Mr. Kevin Niu. "We are proud to name Galen Tong this year's Feature Film Grand Prize winner."

The Monkey King takes place at the turn of the 20th century during China's Boxer Rebellion and focuses on main character Lee's return to Peking. After his friend is murdered by foreign occupiers, Lee is forced to take refuge with a traveling company of Peking Opera Performers. Disguising himself as the Monkey King in Chinese Opera, Lee joins a secret society of warriors determined to rid foreign powers from China. Screenwriter Tong is a graduate of the University of Southern California's School of Cinema-Television. He currently resides in Los Angeles and works as a freelance Writer-Producer.  

On October 19^th, Tong will receive a cash prize of $15,000 during "China's Entertainment Industry: The Next Chapter" event. Hosted by Director of the Cultural Asset Office Maofei Zhou, Chairman Mr. Niu, and award-winning film producer Tiffany Pham, the event will feature an awards ceremony, reception, and a panel discussion highlighting major opportunities in China's cultural industry and trends for the future. Confirmed panelists include Zhou, along with Emmy Award-winning producer of Transformers: Age of Extinction and former President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Sid Ganis, former Legendary East production executive Michael Andreen, and two-time Tony Award® winning producer Darren Bagert. "China's Entertainment Industry: The Next Chapter" is being presented by the 2013 Beijing International Screenwriting Competition and Harvardwood.

The 2013 Beijing International Screenwriting Competition, which launched on March 4, 2013, is a joint initiative funded by the Cultural Assets Office of the Beijing Municipal Government aimed at fostering artistic collaboration between China and the US.  Open to US-based contestants of all nationalities, the "Tale of Beijing" themed competition asked writers to submit both short film screenplays and feature film proposals centered on Beijing as a location, conveying the romance, mystery, and cultural richness of this great world capital.

Of the nearly 1,000 submissions, five Feature Film winners, including Tong, Tim Plaehn (The Panjiayuan Diary), Gary Shockley (Legend of Gong Shun Hui), Johnny Ma (Happiness), and Joshua Banta (TUSK), and ten Short Film winners were announced in May. In addition to international recognition and cash prizes, the fifteen winners received all-expense-paid-trips to Beijing in June. Seven of the Short Film winners also had their films financed for production in Beijing.

The 2013 Beijing International Screenwriting Competition is sponsored by the Beijing International Creative Industry Corporation. Other partners include LeTV and Harvardwood. Competition Grand Judges include  two-time Academy Award-winning director Mark Harris, Tracey Trench, producer of The Pink Panther and Ever After and consultant for Oriental DreamWorks, and Heping Zhang, Chairman of the People's Art Theatre of Beijing. Honorary Competition Presidents include Harris and Vice-Mayor of Beijing Wei Lu. Ms. Pham serves as Head of Marketing. For more information about the 2013 Beijing International Screenwriting Competition, please visit http://writebeijing.org/. 

About Beijing International Creative Industry Corporation (BCC)
Beijing International Creative Industry Corporation (BCC) is a state-owned cultural industry corporation under the guidance of the Beijing Municipal Committee and Beijing Municipal Government. It is the executive institution of the "Going Abroad, Inviting In" strategy implemented by Beijing Municipal Committee and Beijing Municipal Government, as well as the first international, high-end platform integrating all cultural resources. Its mission is to expand Beijing's, and ultimately China's, cultural influence abroad.

There are three head companies under BCC, touching on international marketing, content production, and international financing and investment respectively. As the first state-owned transnational cultural corporation, BCC is committed to establishing a Beijing-centered worldwide network for cultural promotion and marketing.

About LeTV
LeTV.com, the biggest online video content distributor for TV dramas and movies, is a division of the LeTV Information and Technology Corporation. LeTV is China's leading cross-platform service provider, providing clients with exceptional content and technical service with high quality Internet video programming for computer, mobile phone, and television users.

Established in November 2004, LeTV Information Technology Co., Ltd. was listed in the Second Board Market in China on August 12, 2010. It is the first A-share listed, online video company that focuses on research, development, and application of high-quality cyber video content technology in China.

About Harvardwood
Harvardwood is a volunteer-run, nonprofit organization for Harvard University alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends working or strongly interested in the arts, media, and entertainment. The purpose of Harvardwood is to provide information, resources, and professional opportunities for members, while also endeavoring to strengthen ties among the arts, media, entertainment, and education for members as well as the broader community. Harvardwood coordinates programs and events for its members around the world, including on -and off-campus activities for students.  Additionally, Harvardwood has an active online community, including a website, alumni directory, and various email lists through which its more than 5,000 members worldwide can send and receive information regarding career-related issues, social events, classified ads, and other areas of interest.  For additional information, visit the Harvardwood website at http://www.harvardwood.org.

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SOURCE 2013 Beijing International Screenwriting Competition