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Asian Pop-Up Cinema is set to hold its 10th anniversary gala on Saturday, April 5, 2025, with filmmakers, actors, and cinephiles in attendance to celebrate the milestone, emceed by Fox 32’s Joanie Lum at CineCity Studios Chicago (2429 W. 14th St.). The centerpiece of the event features a conversation with the directors of six films in this year’s 19th Asian Pop-Up Cinema festival, representing six different regions throughout Asia. Tickets (starting at $350) available at www.asianpopupcinema.org/2025-Gala.

Behind The Lens: Six Directors, Six Perspectives

Moderated by Asian Pop-Up Cinema founder and executive director Sophia Wong Boccio, “Behind the Lens: Six Directors, Six Perspectives” presents a wide-ranging conversation about the Asian film industry and its role in global cinema. The panel guests include:

Anselm Chan, director of The Last Dance: Extended Version (Hong Kong) Junichi Yasuda, director of A Samurai In Time (Japan) Tom Lin Shu-Yu, director of Yen And AI-lee (Taiwan) Lee Mi-Rang,...

Life is unpredictable, often shaped by desperation, sacrifice, and redemption. In Crosspoint (2024) by Donie Ordiales, Manuel, an aspiring actor, and Yamaguchi, a man struggling with financial hardship, find their fates intertwined in Japan under dire circumstances. Their unlikely partnership sets them on a perilous mission to capture the infamous killer, Tatsuya. Tragedy strikes when Yamaguchi meets a grim end, but Manuel’s courage ensures justice for the victims’ families. Transformed by the experience, he reconciles with his estranged father, while Yamaguchi’s daughter, Mayuko, finds solace in her father’s unspoken love. Through loss and self-discovery, both Manuel and Mayuko realize that love and understanding often come too late.

Spoilers Ahead

Crosspoint (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis: Is Risako Responsible for What Happened to Her?

Risako’s decision to trust Tatsuya is not entirely irrational. She has no safe place to go, limited financial resources, and harsh weather conditions to deal with.

Directed by Donie Ordiales, Crosspoint is the story of a young man who moves to Japan in search of work, only to realize that it won’t be so easy for him to find work without a proper permit. Manuel won a lot of fame at a very young age, but then he stopped getting work all of a sudden, and it became difficult for him to support his family. Moving to Japan was an act of desperation, as he didn’t know what else he could do. Little did Manuel know what fate had in store for him and how his path would cross with that of an unknown man who would have a lasting impact on his life. So let’s find out what happened in the Crosspoint film and if Manuel was able to overcome the conflicts that came his way.

Spoiler Alert

What happened with Risako?...