About

Asia Society Southern California

2018 U.S.-China Entertainment Summit

and Gala Dinner

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Skirball Cultural Center

2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90049

Summit:                                                 Gala Dinner:

8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Herscher Hall             6:00 p.m. Reception – Guerin Courtyard

                                                                      7:15 p.m. Dinner – Ahmanson Hall

Where the Future of Hollywood and China Meet

***

Honoring Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara and
Elizabeth Daley, Dean of the USC School of Cinematic Arts

The U.S.-China Entertainment Summit is the most prestigious U.S. gathering of Hollywood and Chinese entertainment-industry leaders. Founded in 2010 as the U.S.-China Film Summit, it has led the conversation about co-production, cross-border investment and the integration of Chinese and American talent. The trans-Pacific relationship has deepened and with the digital-led convergence of media, the 2018 Summit will look beyond film and TV to areas such as immersive entertainment and gaming, as well as digital technologies that are transforming media.

We are delighted to be honoring global leaders who have built bridges between the U.S. and China:

• Michelle Yeoh will be honored for her achievements as an actress, producer and writer. She is remarkably versatile talent. In a career that spans Hong Kong, Hollywood, China and beyond, she has earned critical acclaim and won hearts through memorable roles in films such as Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Tomorrow Never Dies, Memories of a Geishaand most recently, Crazy Rich Asians.

• Kevin Tsujihara will be honored for his vision and leadership. As Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO, he has innovated to stay ahead in a dynamic global market and has advocated for diversity and inclusion. Two fresh results of his leadership: Crazy Rich Asians, which marked a cultural watershed for Asian and Asian-American talent; and The Meg, the most successful U.S.-China co-production to date.

• Elizabeth Daley, Dean and Steven J. Ross/Time Warner Professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, will be honored as an education pioneer. In a quarter century as dean, Daley has built the world’s premier film school through a commitment to diversity and global education. Among her many international initiatives, USC has had partnerships with Chinese universities for over a decade.
• Xu Zheng will be honored for his trailblazing work as an actor, writer, director and producer. His creative range spans from comedy to drama, and his films have had both commercial success and social impact. Lost in Thailand (2012) grossed more than $200 million and caused a surge in Chinese tourism to Thailand. His popular Dying to Survive (2018) struck a chord among the Chinese public and accelerated government efforts to lower prices for cancer drugs.

Janet Yang, Chair of the Entertainment Summit and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, praised the honorees as leaders who have global impact.

“Michelle’s iconic status is well known, but she outdid herself with her Oscar-worthy performance in Crazy Rich Asians,” Yang said. “We will undoubtedly look back on 2018 as a game-changing year for Asians and Asian Americans because of Kevin Tsujihara and Warner Bros.,” she continued, adding: “And, Dean Elizabeth Daley has steadily and brilliantly built a robust people-to-people relationship between China and the USC Cinema community that transcends anything Washington can do."

Featured Summit speakers include:

PoPing AuYeung, Casting director

Belle Avery, Producer, The Meg
Jing Cao, Counsel, O’Melveny & Myers

Bing Chen, Entrepreneur and Co-Founder, Gold House

Rong Chen, Senior Vice President, Perfect World & CEO, Perfect World Pictures (USA)

Albert Cheng, Co-Head of Television, Amazon Studios

Christina Chou, Agent and Corporate Development Executive, CAA

Melissa Cobb, Vice President, Kids and Family, Netflix
Lindsay Conner, Chair, Media & Entertainment Group, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips

Richard Drobnick, Chairman, Asia Society of Southern California

Mike Ellis, President & Managing Director, Asia Pacific, MPA 

Patrick Frater, Asia Bureau Chief, Variety

Jack Gao, Founder & CEO, Beijing TDFT Co.
Qun Gao, Chairman, Starlight Culture Entertainment Group

Alexis Garcia, Partner, Endeavor Content

Ben Erwei Ji, Exec. Prod., The Meg & Managing Dir., Reach Glory Entertainment
Wayne Wei Jiang, CEO, Legendary East, & General Manager, Wanda Media

Eva Jin, Writer, Director and Producer

Glen Keane, Legendary Animator & Founder, Glen Keane Productions

Jonathan Landreth, Content Strategist, Asia Society Policy Institute

Kevin Lin, Co-Founder, Twitch

Lucia Liu, Agent, Asian Business Development. United Talent Agency

Tom Nagorski, Executive Vice President, Asia Society
Chantal Nong, Vice President, Production, DC Films, Warner Bros.

Andrew Ooi, CEO, Echelon Talent Management & President, 852 Films

Doris Pfardrescher, President and CEO, Well Go USA

John Penotti, President, SK Global, & Producer, Crazy Rich Asians
Bennett Pozil, Executive Vice President, East West Bank 
Stephen Saltzman, Chair, Asia Entertainment & Media, Paul Hastings

Peter Trinh, Managing Director, International and Independent Film & Esport Groups, ICM Partner

Jon Turteltaub, Director, The Meg

David Unger, CEO, Artist International Group
Carrie Wong, Head, Local Production Film & TV Greater China, Sony Pictures

Cathy Yan, Director of Dead Pigs and the upcoming Birds of Prey

Catherine Ying, Managing Director and CEO, Gravity Pictures
Xiaogang You, Chairman, China TV Drama Production Association
 

This signature Asia Society program attracts high-level speakers thanks to our blue-chip Summit Planning Committee:

Chair: Janet Yang, President, Janet Yang Productions

Co-Chairs:

• Charles Coker, Managing Director, Dasym Media
• Bennett Pozil, Executive Vice President, East West Bank
• Stephen Saltzman, Chair, Asia Entertainment and Media, Paul Hastings
• Seagull Song, Director, Asia-America Law Institute, Loyola Law School

Members:

• Lindsay Conner, Chair, Media/Entertainment Group, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
• Jonathan Landreth, Content Strategist, Asia Society Policy Institute
• Emily Song, Global Strategy/Corporate Development, Creative Artists Agency
• Simon Sun, Executive Vice President, Suniverse Entertainment

The Entertainment Summit brings together prominent Americans and Chinese who are interested in partnerships, distribution, financing, creative development, policy, and cultural issues relevant to the Hollywood-China relationship. It is attended by some 500 people, including top executives from studios such as Warner Bros., Fox, Sony, Universal and Lionsgate, and leading U.S. and Chinese entertainment firms, including CAA, IMAX, Alibaba, Bona Film Group, Huayi Brothers, Youku Tudou and Weiying.

The Summit draws prominent journalists, giving the event international exposure on CNBC and in publications such as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wrap.com and several Chinese outlets, including China Daily and CCTV. We attract a blue-chip roster of partners, including China Onscreen Biennial, Beijing Film Academy, Motion Picture Association of America, Asian World Film Festival and Los Angeles Chinese Film Festival.

TICKET PRICES:

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Asia Society Southern California is the leading nonprofit nonpartisan, organization dedicated to strengthening relationships and forging understanding among the people of Southern California and the Asia-Pacific region. ASSC is ideally situated in America’s gateway to Asia and since 1985 has played a pivotal role in enhancing cross-cultural ties. Founded in 1956 by John D. Rockefeller 3^rd, Asia Society is based in New York, and has centers in Hong Kong, Houston, Los Angeles, Manila, Mumbai, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney, Tokyo, Washington, DC, and Zurich.