CinemAsia Team

Artistic Director

Jia Zhao

Jia Zhao is a Chinese-Dutch film producer based in Amsterdam. She founded MUYI FILM and SILK ROAD FILM SALON in 2012. Coming from Asia and based in Europe, Jia skillfully matches resources from the East and West to nurture and mentor emerging voices and to bring authentic stories to the world in high cinematic quality. In 2021, “A Marble Travelogue“ by Sean Wang is selected for IDFA Frontlight and “I’m So Sorry“ (co-producer) by Zhao Liang for Cannes film festival. Jia joined the leading distribution/production company Off the Fence and is now also Director of Asia responsible for sales and (co-)production. Off the Fence is a 100% subsidiary of ZDF Enterprises.

Festival Coordinator

Sofía Murell

Sofía Murell works as a freelancer in the cultural sector organizing and programming festivals and events (off and online). From visiting CinemAsia as a spectator in 2012 to becoming festival coordinator and programmer, she has seen and been involved in the growth of CinemAsia. This wonderful film festival and community appeals to her as a film lover with a deep interest in East Asian culture and cinema. With its amazing team, CinemAsia is contributing to a stronger cinematic and multicultural landscape in the Netherlands.

General manager

Dewi Vrenegoor

Dewi started out in 2009 as an allround intern at the festival, wherafter she fulfilled different roles within the organization, varying from side programming coordinator, film programmer and fundraiser. Between 2016 and 2020 remained involved behind the scenes as fundraising advisor. In 2021 she returned to the festival as head fundraising and program coordinator; and general manager per 2022. Dewi has a background in Media & Heritage Studies (Cultural Analysis) at the University of Amsterdam and has specialized in gender studies as well as Indo Dutch literature. Her Master thesis focused on diversity and postcolonial cultural policies in the Netherlands. Currently she also works as a curator for IHLIA (LGBTI Heritage) and as a freelance yoga and meditation teacher.

Favourite Asian films: Saving face (2004) Dir. Alice Wu; Nobody knows (2004) Dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda; Before, Now and Then (2021) Dir. Kamila Andini.

Fundraiser

Peisson Tsuwann

Program Coordinator

Ron Ma

Film programmer and Filmprogram coordinator

Ron Ma is a student and film programmer based between Toronto and Amsterdam. He is pursuing an M.A. in Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam, having completed his B.A. in Cinema Studies and Urban Studies at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on diaspora and migration, postcolonial theory, political geography, and Hong Kong and Chinese cinema. He has worked for the CinemAsia Film Festival, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, Planet in Focus International Environmental Film Festival, and JAYU’s Human Rights Film Festival.

Ron thinks that Wong Kar Wai films are a bit overrated.

Creative producer + host

Arnaud Kokosky Deforchaux

Arnaud Kokosky Deforchaux is an event-organizer, danser, dance teacher, choreographer and theater maker. Arnaud is specialized in Indonesian, and specifically Balinese, dance. After his professional education in classical ballet at the Dansacademie in Arnhem (Artez), Arnaud danced in many experimental dance/theater productions, operas and musicals. He specialized in Balinese culture and dance at private institutions as well as the Balinese Arts Academy (STSI) in Den Pasar. Arnaud developed educational projects for children and adults for i.e. Tropenmuseum, Museum Volkenkunde, and the Museum of Civilizations in Ottowa, Canada. Since 2002 Arnaud programs dance, theater, music and film for Tong Tong Fair, the biggest and oldest Indo event in the Netherlands. Additionally, he is responsible for their international relations. Arnaud started working for CinemAsia in 2022 as press officer.

Favourite Aziatische film: Kucumbu tubuh indahku/Memories of My Body (2018) Dir. Garin Nughroho

Film Programmer

Darunee Terdtoontaveedej

Darunee Terdtoontaveedej (she / they) is a curator and cultural programmer based in The Hague. Formerly trained as an architect and designer, Terdtoontaveedej is interested in the intersection of alternative (his)stories, creative practices, and cinema. She is a co-founder of Non Native Native, a cultural platform which looks into the Asian creative landscape in the Netherlands through the lens of outsiders from within. She has programmed at festivals and institutions such as CinemAsia Film Festival (Amsterdam), International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), Sinema Transtopia (Berlin), Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film (Singapore), and Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF).

Favourite Asian Film: The Farewell (2019) Dir. Lulu Wang

Artistic side program curator

Minhong Yu

Minhong Yu is a curator and visual artist based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. She graduated from the Sandberg Instituut and China Central Academy of Fine Arts. Her work is concerned with visibilities and invisibilities relating to social issues in the digital world. It ranges from publications to video clashes which questions the notion of identities and the state of imbalanced power. Living between the two continents, Minhong inhabits two cultures simultaneously, creating a dialogue between them. And being part of the new transnational Asian migrants, Minhong uses video narratives to explore the stories of family issues and memories, pain and healing. It proposes a dialogue between emotions and rationality, duality and non-duality, the wandering and the settlement.

Favourite Asian films: A Man and a Woman (2016) Dir. Lee Yoon-ki;  Balloon (2019) Dir. Pema Tseden; An Elephant Sitting Still (2018) Dir. Hu Bo. 

Marketing + Brand manager

Kin Mok

Kin Mok graduated from Avans Hogeschool with a BA in Design and started working for CinemAsia in 2006, which makes him one of the longest serving team members of the festival. Next to CinemAsia Kin designs for Picl, Rialto, World Cinema Amsterdam, Cultuurschakel, Humans of Film Festival and Network Film Education. He is a digital innovator at the Hogeschool Rotterdam designing digital educational methods. Kin has worked for A-film and Cinekid amongst many other cultural organizations. 

Favourite Asian film: Infernal Affairs (2002) Dir. Andrew Lau, Alan Mak

Online marketeer

Anouk Rees

Anouk Rees studied Mandarin Chinese in China (one year in Xiamen and one year in Shanghai) and received a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Chinese Studies in the Netherlands, including a minor in film studies. Since 2016, she has been working as an online marketeer. She is specialized in online advertising and content marketing for Facebook, LinkedIn, Google, Instagram, and YouTube. At the moment she works for several (film) festivals and brands. Besides her online projects, she follows a 3 years photography course at the Fotoacademie.

Favourite Asian Films: Kungfu Hustle (2004) Dir. Stephen Chow and The Road Home (1999) Dir. Zhang Yimou.

FilmLAB Coordinator

Terry Tao

Terry graduated in marketing management and has always been interested in the film and media industry. He is involved in CinemAsia since 2015 having taken on different roles, such as volunteer, photographer and FilmLAB participant, and of course as an audience member. Terry coordinates this years FilmLAB to ensure a platform for Dutch-Asian stories.

Favourite Asian film:  Oldboy (2003) Dir. Park Chan-wook