ACDC’s Annual Youth-Driven Films At The Gate Film Festival

Each year, Films at the Gate—an event organized and run by ACDC youth—revives the tradition of the Chinatown movie house. The festival enlivens Chinatown, bringing together people of all backgrounds and ages, while also introducing kung fu films to a new generation and restoring a tradition of shared, public experience of Chinese-language films in Chinatown. 

Photos by Lee-Daniel Tran.

Made possible by the work of youth, collaborators, and our sponsors, Films at the Gate has been a grassroots event attracting over 700 attendees annually to Chinatown’s underutilized spaces.

See below to learn more about sponsoring Films at the Gate’s 20th anniversary.

Support our Films at the Gate’s 20th Anniversary

Films at the Gate promotes community development for Chinatown residents and businesses by endorsing Chinatown as a site of cultural activity. Every contribution counts, whether you are a kung fu film fan, love supporting the Chinatown community, or want to support the youth who run this annual event.

Promotion at this event can include advertising, social media and event website listings, as well as speaking opportunities with advance notice.

Download Sponsor Form

Levels:

🎤 Presenting - $5,000

  • Opportunity for greeting on stage

  • Full-color page program ad (7.5”H x 4.5”W)

  • Logo on screen

  • Listing in publicity materials and website

𓅯 Crane - $2,500

  • Full page B/W program ad (4.5”W x 7.5”H)

  • Logo on screen

  • Listing in publicity materials and website

🙏🦗Mantis - $1,000

  • 2/3 page B/W program ad (4.5”W x 5”H)

  • Logo on screen

  • Listing in publicity materials and website

🐅Tiger $500

  • 1/3 page B/W program ad (4.5”W x 2.5”H)

  • Listing in publicity materials and website

Program Ad:

  • Full-page - $300 (4.5”W x 7.5”H)

  • 1/2-page - $200 (4.5”W x 5”H)

  • 1/3-page - $100 (4.5”W x 2.5”H)

If you’re interested in supporting FATG or providing an in-kind donation, please contact Enzo.Nguyen[at]asiancdc.org.

Last Years’s Film Screenings

Each year, ACDC’s Youth Programs works with Jean Lukitsh to curate a selection of iconic kung-fu films. Lukitsh is a former resident of Chinatown, and was the projectionist for two of the three cinemas that existed in Boston’s Chinatown in the 70s and 80s.

  • Friday: Jackie Chan’s Fearless Hyena

  • Saturday: Ricky Lau’s Mr. Vampire

  • Sunday: Amp Wong and Zhao Ji’s White Snake

FATG’s History of Anchoring Chinatown’s History Into the Neighborhood

Films at the Gate was founded by Leslie & Sam Davol of Boston Street Lab, Jean Lukitsh, and ACDC.

Films At The Gate revives the spirit of the Chinatown movie theaters that shut down due to the rise in video rental stores in the 1980s. Until the late 1980s, Chinatown had three movie theaters: The Pagoda on Washington St, the Star Cinema on Essex, and the China Cinema on Beach. In their heyday, the theaters showed double-features three times a day, often to packed houses from midday to midnight. Whole families would attend, and children would often play in the aisles. Facing pressure from the growing popularity of home video rentals, the Star cinema closed in 1986, and the others soon followed suit. By introducing this tradition to future generations, the festival anchors the shared experiences of Chinese-language films back into the fabric of Chinatown's community.

Check out the Instagram Reel on the history of the Chinatown movie theaters made by A-VOYCE Alumni and Communications Intern, Harrison Tran!