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Welcome to the World

WELCOME TO THE WORLD is a daring film starring Albert M. Chan (GOTHAM, 30 ROCK, GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST) as a troubled man who records a video message for his pregnant sister. Drawing its power and immediacy from its first-person, confessional style, the film presents, in one continuous 7-minute take, the journey of one man's awakening from isolation back to humanity.

  • Albert M. Chan
    Director
  • Anthony Grasso
    Director
  • Albert M. Chan
    Writer
  • Richard Possemato
    Producer
  • Albert M. Chan
    Producer
  • Albert M. Chan
    Key Cast
    Patriots Day, Girls, 30 Rock, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
  • Mary Niederkorn
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, LGBT, Asian American
  • Runtime:
    7 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    September 1, 2017
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Cinema Diverse: Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival
    Palm Springs, California
    United States
    September 22, 2017
    World Premiere
  • Boston Asian American Film Festival
    Boston, Massachusetts
    United States
    October 21, 2017
    East Coast Premiere
  • Image+Nation Festival Film LGBTQueer Montreal
    Montreal, Quebec
    Canada
    November 28, 2017
    Canadian Premiere
  • Reelout Queer Film + Video Festival
    Kingston, Ontario
    Canada
    February 10, 2018
    Ontario Premiere
  • Troy International Film Festival
    Troy, Alabama
    United States
    March 29, 2018
    Southern Premiere
    Best Smartphone Film
  • QFest St. Louis
    St. Louis, Missouri
    United States
    April 5, 2018
    Midwest Premiere
  • Kansas City FilmFest
    Kansas City, Missouri
    United States
    April 14, 2018
  • DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon
    Eugene, Oregon
    United States
    April 21, 2018
    Pacific Northwest Premiere
  • Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival
    Houston, Texas
    United States
    June 2, 2018
    Texas Premiere
  • Boston International Film Festival
    Boston, Massachusetts
    United States
    April 14, 2018
  • Southeast New England Film, Music & Arts Festival
    Providence, Rhode Island
    United States
    April 28, 2018
    Rhode Island Premiere
  • NewFilmmakers New York
    New York City
    United States
    June 6, 2018
    New York Premiere
  • Out & Loud: Pune International Queer Film Festival
    Pune
    India
    April 7, 2018
    Asian Premiere
  • My True Colors Festival
    New York City
    United States
    June 9, 2018
  • Short+Sweet Film Festival Queensland
    Queensland
    Australia
    April 7, 2018
    Australian Premiere
  • Long Island International Film Expo
    Bellmore, New York
    United States
    July 15, 2018
    Best Foreign Short Nominee
  • The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival
    New York, New York
    United States
    June 3, 2018
  • Out Here Now: Kansas City LGBT Film Festival
    Kansas City, Missouri
    United States
    June 28, 2018
  • Sacramento Asian Pacific Film Festival
    Sacramento, California
    United States
    May 26, 2018
  • GLITTER! Oklahoma LGBTQ Film Festival
    McAlester, Oklahoma
    United States
    July 27, 2018
    Oklahoma Premiere
  • Queer North Film Festival
    Sudbury, Ontario
    Canada
    June 16, 2018
  • qFLIX Worcester
    Worcester, Massachusetts
    United States
    October 13, 2018
    Audience Award - Favorite Short Film
  • Asian American International Film Festival
    New York, New York
    United States
    August 1, 2018
  • Out on Film: Atlanta's LGBT Film Festival
    Atlanta, Georgia
    United States
    October 1, 2018
  • Taos Pride Film Festival
    Taos, New Mexico
    United States
    August 9, 2018
    New Mexico Premiere
  • Crown Heights Film Festival
    New York, New York
    United States
    October 19, 2018
  • EyeCatcher Film Festival
    McAlester, Oklahoma
    United States
    November 2, 2018
    Best LGBT Film
  • San Antonio QFest
    San Antonio, Texas
    United States
    October 12, 2018
  • ZeFestival - Festival du Film LGBT de Polychromes
    Marseilles
    France
    September 22, 2018
    European Premiere
  • Durban Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
    Durban
    South Africa
    October 21, 2018
    African Premiere
  • OMOVIES Festival Internazionale di Cinema Omosessuale, Transgender e Questioning
    Naples
    Italy
    December 10, 2018
    Italian Premiere
  • Williamsburg Independent Film Festival
    New York, New York
    United States
    November 15, 2018
  • Southern States Indie FanFilmFest
    Biloxi, Mississippi
    United States
    January 2, 2019
    Mississippi Premiere
    Best Lead Actor in an English Language Short Nominee (Albert M. Chan), Best Smartphone Film Nominee
  • qFLIX Philadelphia
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    United States
    March 30, 2019
    Pennsylvania Premiere
  • FICMARC - Caribbean Sea International Film Festival
    Pampatar, Nueva Esparta
    Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
    January 24, 2019
    South American Premiere
  • FESCISA - Festival de Cine Independiente de San Antonio
    San Antonio De Ibarra
    Ecuador
    March 23, 2019
    Ecuadorian Premiere
  • OutlantaCon Short Film Festival
    Atlanta, Georgia
    United States
    May 11, 2019
    Best Performance (Albert M. Chan)
  • The Americas Film Festival of New York
    New York City
    United States
    June 15, 2019
  • Espacio Seis Festival de Cultura LGBTIQ+
    Panama City
    Panama
    June 3, 2019
    Central American Premiere
  • Independientes Festival de Cortometrajes
    Arequipa
    Peru
    June 14, 2019
    Peruvian Premiere
  • Shorty Week Film Festival
    El Puerto de Santa María
    Spain
    June 29, 2019
    Spanish Premiere
  • Last Frame Smartphone Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    September 29, 2019
    British Premiere
  • Overcome Film Festival
    Anaheim, California
    United States
    October 23, 2019
  • Short Long World Festival
    Corrientes
    Argentina
    November 9, 2019
    Argentinian Premiere
  • Festival Mundial de Cine de Veracruz
    Veracruz
    Mexico
    November 16, 2019
    Mexican Premiere
  • iSmart Film Festival
    Karachi
    Pakistan
    June 17, 2020
    Pakistani Premiere
  • PRIDE Queer Film Festival
    Perth
    Australia
    March 7, 2020
  • Agarra la Vida

    Spain
    September 10, 2020
  • El Grito de los Sin Voz

    Spain
    July 1, 2020
  • Short Film Breaks

    Romania
    January 22, 2021
    WINNER: Best Mental Health Short Film
  • "Amor es Amor" International LGBT+ Film Festival
    Córdoba
    Argentina
    February 17, 2021
  • FilmÓptico Visual Art and Film Festival

    Spain
    April 23, 2021
  • Festival de Cortos y Salud Mental
    Seville
    Spain
    May 20, 2021
  • PrideArts Film Fest
    Chicago, Illinois
    United States
    November 8, 2021
  • Queer Asia Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    June 16, 2022
  • SF Queer Film Fest
    San Francisco, California
    United States
    August 31, 2022
  • Health in Focus Film Festival
    Boston, Massachusetts
    United States
    December 1, 2022
  • Orchid International Queer Film Festival ROSARITO
    Tijuana
    Mexico
    February 3, 2023
  • Pink Lobster LGBTQIA+ Film Festival
    Fredericton, New Brunswick
    Canada
    March 18, 2023
  • Merced Queer Film Festival
    Merced, California
    United States
    September 7, 2023
Distribution Information
  • Gonella Productions
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Albert M. Chan, Anthony Grasso

Albert M. Chan is a Chinese-Canadian filmmaker and actor now based in the United States. Among his distinctions, he has been recognized by the National Film Board of Canada, is the recipient of a Puffin Foundation Grant, and was named a finalist for the prestigious Roy W. Dean Film Grant, awarded to films that are “unique and make a contribution to society…stories that can heal and enrich our lives.”

Albert wrote, directed, and produced his first film, FATE SCORES, an experimental silent film which was recognized by the National Film Board of Canada and acquired by Moving Images Distribution (formerly Canadian Filmmakers Distribution West) after a successful festival run. He directed and starred in his follow-up film, THE COMMITMENT, which has screened at over 50 film festivals on six continents and won multiple awards, most notably edging out Oscar®-nominated MOONRISE KINGDOM to win a 2013 NASW Media Award. Albert’s third film, DESCENDANTS OF THE PAST, ANCESTORS OF THE FUTURE, stars Golden Globe®, Emmy®, and Drama Desk nominee Tina Chen and most recently won Best Screenplay and Best Actress at the 2015 NYC Downtown Short Film Festival. His latest narrative film, WELCOME TO THE WORLD, was shot on an iPhone in one continuous 7-minute take for less than $140, and has so far screened in over 50 festivals on six continents. Albert also directed, edited, and produced the documentary MAP FOR HEALTH, 25 YEARS OF ASIAN PRIDE, about a group of young people who banded together to help the largely neglected Asian-Pacific Islander population during the AIDS crisis in the early 90's, which premiered at the 2018 Boston Asian American Film Festival. Albert is currently developing science-based feature projects including the Black List Endorsed screenplay INCARNATIONS as a writer and THE ELUCIDATION OF DR. PARK as a creative producer, the latter a collaboration with writer/director Alice Cox Neff.

Also an accomplished actor, Albert’s film and TV roles include GOTHAM (FOX), JULIA (HBO Max), NEW AMSTERDAM (NBC), LOVE LIFE (HBO Max), GIRLS (HBO), PATRIOTS DAY, 30 ROCK (NBC), LAW & ORDER SVU (NBC), BODY OF PROOF (ABC), GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST, THE MAKEOVER (ABC), and BROTHERHOOD (Showtime). He has been cast by directors such as Spike Lee, Greg Mottola, Henry Bromell, and Mark Waters to act opposite Kevin Bacon, Helen Hunt, Liev Schreiber, Julia Stiles, Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Justin Long, Larry David, Cybill Shepherd, and Mariska Hargitay.

www.AlbertMChan.com
www.ChanalProductions.com

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Director Statement

Because we live in an imperfect world, an inevitable part of being human is suffering. Nevertheless, we go about our business every day doing the best we can, striving and living. Despite our own suffering, when we participate with compassion in the lives of others, we not only recognize that hardship and pain are an unavoidable part of life, but our hearts awaken from self-interest to humanity, and we can fully embrace the experience of being alive.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD tells the story of a troubled man's awakening from isolation back to humanity, and in doing so, he is reborn into the world.