Interviews at CBC Sports & Mississauga Indie Film Fest

I Want To Be A Desi director and co-writer, Allan Tong, and co-writer Dinesh Sachdev chat with TTN-HD Reporter Katie Uhlmann on the red carpet at the gala reception for the Mississauga Independent Film Festival on July 20. The reception took place at the Art Gallery of Mississauga to kick off MIFF where Desi earned an Honourable Mention from the judges. Thanks to Joanne Uhlmann who shot and edited this clip.

Leone Stars directors Allan Tong & Ngardy Conteh spoke to CBC-TV's Scott Morrison on July 9

LITTLE MAO casting Asian actor, age 10-13

Dear Comrades,

I'm seeking an Asian male actor who looks 12 for my short film, LITTLE MAO, about the life of Chairman Mao as told through a child's baseball team.

No experience necessary, though preferred. Non-union. The star will be paid for two days of work in August in the Toronto area.

Please contact me with any suggestions (photos and short bio/resume, please).

Thank you,
Allan Tong
tong.allan@gmail.com

LEONE STARS appears on CBC Soccer Day

Leone Stars documentarians Ngardy Conteh and Allan Tong will appear sometime between 11:00 am and 11:30 am (EST) on Saturday, July 9 to show an excerpt of our footage and discuss the film with CBC host Scott Morrison. Tune in!

For CBC's Soccer Day in Canada schedule, click

Visit the Leone Stars website to view our trailer and learn more about this groundbreaking documentary.

Bono during a Saturday morning practice on the beaches of Freetown

National amputee team coach Moses during an interview in Freetown

The Bo provincial team practices. Players from the regional teams are selected for the national amputee team that competes internationally. Leone Stars is a "process documentary" that follows various players through the selection process.

All photos by Johnny Vong who served as a Production Assistant on the March 2011 shoot in Sierra Leone. For more of Johnny's wonderful images, please visit his site.

MoneySense magazine named Canada's Magazine of the Year

As a longtime contributor (writer and researcher), I salute MoneySense for recently winning Magazine of the Year at the National Magazine Awards. Full story.

DESI in New York, MAO in Toronto, LEONE STARS in Freetown

It's been a busy spring:


New York's Asian American International Film Festival has invited I Want To Be A Desi to screen at its festival in Manhattan during August 10-20. In July 2009, the AAIFF premiered the pre-sequel, I Want To Be A Desi 2, to wide acclaim. Details


Bravo!FACT, The Ontario Arts Council and the National Film Board's Filmmaker Assistance Program are supporting my new short film, Little Mao, which tells the life story of Chairman Mao Tse-Tung through a child's baseball team. Check this blog or join the Facebook page here for updates in the months to come.


Meanwhile, the Leone Stars production team continues to raise financing and awareness of the amputee football (soccer) players of Sierra Leone. Details. Trailer

Leone Stars documentary crew returns, editing begins

practice last fall

The crew of the Leone Stars documentary have just returned from a fruitful two-week shoot. They're chronicling the lives of amputee soccer players who've regained their dignity and purpose by playing The Beautiful Game of soccer. The crew was headed by co-director Ngardy Conteh, who worked in tandem with cinematographer Colin Akoon and production assistant Johnny Vong. I'm co-directing, writer and co-producer with producer Walter Forsyth. Read about their two-week shoot here.

How to Get Your Film into Festivals

Allan hosted a three-hour workshop at the University of Toronto's Hart House Film Board this week. Students and non-students came to learn about the festival strategy, press kits, marketing, and pitching their films. They also learn a little about film financing (i.e. arts councils) and how to script a documentary.

"Though I have yet to create a short film of my own," wrote one student, "I have definitely learned a tremendous amount from your talk and are more eager than ever to get started on a small-scaled production of my own. Thanks!"

My pleasure.

Desi invades America

I Want To Be A Desi has been chosen as an official selection at the Sixth Annual DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon. Details.

LEONE STARS documentary begins shooting

The crew of the documentary Leone Stars is heading to Sierra Leone in west Africa to film a documentary about a team of young amputees who are champion soccer players.

Allan is the co-director, writer and co-producer working alongside co-director Ngardy Conteh, producer Walter Forsyth, cinematographer Colin Akoon, production assignment/photographer Johnny Vong, associate producer Fiona Aboud, and executive producer Jerry McIntosh.


Filming takes place this month and a rough cut of the film will be completed in the spring. Special thanks to all our supporters from our Kickstarter campaign last fall.

To follow the progress of the Leone Stars film, become a follower at the official blog.