Sponsorship opportunities and benefits 

Founded by international film and cultural curator Sophia Wong Boccio, Sophia’s Choice is a Chicago-based 501 C (3) not-for-profit cultural organization, incorporated in May 2015. Our vision is to foster an appreciation for diverse Asian cultures.

We are realizing our vision through a multi-pronged mission by:

• cultivating an interest in and understanding of Asian cultures via a diverse offering of Asian films;

• connecting the Asian film industry with local Chicago film professionals, educators and students; and

• promoting Chicago as a destination for international visitors.

Asian Pop-Up Cinema (APUC) is our bi-annual film festival - every spring and fall - that shows a series of specially curated films in their original languages with English subtitles. Films are presented at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago. Extended runs for selected films are shown at the Wilmette Theatre in the northern suburbs. Thanks to our diverse cultural partners and sponsors, we continue to add pop-up events in the city.  

Since our inaugural season in the fall of 2015 APUC has premiered over 300 screenings of contemporary Asian films from mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. By hosting one event at a time, each APUC selected film and its filmmaker receive their own spotlight, resulting in a more meaningful dialogue with the audience and media. Based on the filmmaker’s availability, we also collaborate with other professional and academic institutions nationally and internationally to create outreach opportunities such as encore screenings, classroom lectures, panel discussions and industry networking, ensuring their visits to Chicago are as fulfilling as possible for both the filmmakers and the city.

The festival cannot sustain itself solely from tickets revenues. We hope that you are excited to partner with us building brand recognition through this unique platform, and at the same time supporting the art and stories crafted by the filmmakers from Asia that will bridge the east and the west.   

We offer customized partnership packages designed to meet your marketing, advertising, and sales needs. We Look forward to discussing future collaboration in more detail. Please email Sophia Wong Boccio, founder & executive director, at sophia@asianpopupcinema.org if you have any specific questions or wish to meet up!