The Imperial Cinema in Wanchai, Hong Kong.
Nick Bonner, producer of Crossing the Line, in a Q&A at Wanchai's Imperial Cinema, March 8, 2008.
Hong Kong's Wanchai was a perfect fit for UN, a place where you could find 24hr kebabs, warm cans of San Miguel beer with a floor show, and the dusty, once-grand, Imperial Theater.
She was in bad shape when we found her, still sporting tacky posters from her last commercial run --- "The Day After Tomorrow" (2004). But the biggest insult was one 200-seat theater which was transformed into a warehouse for thousands of unsold VHS machines!
We buffed her hallway mirrors, turned on the chandelier, and stretched out the red-carpet for the local premiere of Nick Bonner's documentary "Crossing The Line", the tear jerking tale of Comrade Joe who is now the lone US-native living in the DPRK.
It was a capacity, standing room crowd for the screening. Some didn't seem to mind as they helped themselves to the bar or enjoyed a smoke by an open window.
On Sunday, it was a Mexican brunch, some college hoops, and a hike up 17-floors to stage Wanchai's first rooftop screening at Kluubb.
Thanks to local crews Videotage, Microwave, Kluubb and everyone who washed, schlepped, and partied with us in Hong Kong.
It was sick.
