Photo credit: Chicago Tribune / E. Jason Wambsgans
ABOUT
Enjoy the (4/7/2022) interview that Sophia had with Daniel Crane, program director of Center for Creative Entrepreneurship about how “Sophia’s Choice” was 23 years in the making; and her experience of building & growing the bi-annual boutique Asian film festival “Asian Pop-Up Cinema” since its inaugural season in the fall 2015!!!
Founder & Executive Director profile
Sophia Wong Boccio (王曉菲) – passionate about Asian film.
Our founder and executive director Sophia has cinema in her blood. She was born and raised in Hong Kong and her parents were part of Hong Kong’s bustling film industry in the 1950’s-1970’s. Her father Wong Tsao-she, or Wang Zhao-xi (王朝䂀) was an award-winning editor with the Motion Picture and General Investment Co. Ltd, (國際電影懋業有限公司, MP & GI/電懋 in short) which later became Cathay Organization (HK) Ltd. (國泰機構(香港)(一九六五)有限公司). Sophia’s mother Yu Wan-fei (余婉菲) was an actress with Sil-Metropole Organization Ltd. (銀都機構有限公司) Growing up in a “film family,” Sophia became both interested in, and an advocate for, Asian film.
But it was in the early 1990’s where that love of film launched her own career in the industry. While working in Beijing, Sophia launched a Sophia’s Choice movie series, bringing Chinese films and cultural exchange with the film’s actors and directors to Beijing’s expatriate and diplomatic community.
During a two-year stay in Sydney in the late 1990’s Sophia curated two independent retrospective Chinese and Hong Kong film festivals on behalf of the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office and the People’s Republic of China Consulate in the city. In 1999, Sophia also became the Hong Kong Consultant for Italy’s Udine Far East Film Festival (FEFF). She continues to support the festival as the official Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese translator for the festival’s VIP guests.
In 2000, Sophia relocated to Chicago with her husband, Michael, and they have made Chicago their permanent home. Inspired by Chicago’s diverse and vibrant culture, Sophia applied her business acumen to supporting Chicago’s arts community. She was Managing Director of the Chicago International Film Festival (2000-2007), Executive Director of Fulcrum Point New Music Project (2007-2013), and Managing Director of Redmoon Theater (2013-2014).
She launched Sophia’s Choice as a non-profit vehicle for the biannual Chicago film festival, Asian Pop-Up Cinema, in 2015.
As well as her years of expertise curating and promoting Asian film, Sophia has extensive business experience. Before she made cinema her number one passion, she spent a decade working for Swiss multinational Marc Rich & Co. as Managing Director of its Hong Kong and Beijing offices. She also worked as the Beijing-based Country Director of a U.S. agribusiness trade association.