Her eventual partnership with Whitaker solidified her path, and gave her the courage to invest in filmmakers with new voices for a marketplace that is interested in statement pieces about race and culture in America. They did and the film about gentrification, code switching and identity in a hyper-realistic version of Oakland became a critical success. Riley can attest to that. Start watching now Produced by Nina Yang Bongiovi. This video and your vulnerability means so much. I am speaking in DoorDash's first . As a woman of color in a top decision-making position in the industry, Bongiovi represents the progress the industry is making. Fortunately, its my fifth movie with them, and I made them money on Fruitvale, Dope, Songs, and Roxanne, said Yang Bongiovi. Both films were selected to play at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. more. In 2017, Bongiovi and Whitaker began production on Sorry to Bother You directed by Boots Riley. All American Entertainment Named to Inc. Best Workplaces in 2022. Director, Creator Growth @Medium. Fruitvale Station met with critical acclaim, winning the 2013 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award as well as the 2013 Cannes Film Festival L'Avenir Award. Yang Bongiovi advised him on the deals. When Bongiovi met him for the first time she immediately connected with him. Unfortunately, the Chinese government didnt allow her to make her movie there, but when she returned stateside Whitaker got an offer from ABC-Disney for television. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Nina Yang Bongiovi Fruitvale Station. Award-winning producing partners, Nina Yang Bongiovi and Forest Whitaker have gained a stellar reputation for having in-depth knowledge of film financing, creative and physical producing, and a knack for discovering talent, like that of Ryan Coogler (Marvel's Black Panther), whose first film, Fruitvale Station (2013) was produced by Forest and Nina. As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work. Bongiovi says its often easier for a writer to put an Oscar winners name in a headline than hers, which has propelled Whitaker to remind her to make sure your name is there., As a woman and a producer, putting herself in the spotlight has been a hard habit for Bongiovi to break. One of my goals, being an Asian-American woman in this town, is to create solidarity [among filmmakers of color] and not be divided, she said. Is this you? Producing partners, Nina Yang Bongiovi and Forest Whitaker have gained a stellar reputation for having in-depth knowledge of film financing, creative and physical producing, and a knack for discovering talent, like that of Ryan Coogler (Marvel's BLACK PANTHER), whose first film, FRUITVALE STATION (2013) was produced by Forest and Nina. With nearly two decades of experience in the motion picture industry, Nina Yang Bongiovi has gained a positive reputation for having an in-depth knowledge of film financing, creative and physical producing, and a knack for discovering talent, like that of Ryan Coogler (Marvel's "Black Panther"), whose first film, "Fruitvale Station" (2013) was produced by Nina [] Naturally, Grants mother Wanda Johnson didnt trust anyone to tell this story. She wanted to start developing her own projects and went to Taiwan to raise money for indie films. Both Dope and Songs My Brothers Taught Me were selected to play at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. All Rights Reserved. She didnt want to deal with lawyers, let alone Hollywood trying to tell the story of her familys tragedy. Facebook gives people the power to share. Bongiovi is a modern day Wonder Woman, doing the work, mentoring, and inspiring filmmakers to go above and beyond. He called her and asked if she wanted to start a production company. For a lot of people, it's that book everyone has been talking about that you've been meaning to read it.Look no further. Nina Yang Bongiovi TheGrill Producers Roundtable Anyone can get their hands on intellectual property and negotiate deals, but to be a "real" producer in today's industry you have to do more. Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Bongiovi who wed in 1989 have been married for over 30 years, and together for over 40. Is Ilfenesh Hadera Married. When she showed his material to Whitaker, he was immediately on board with his talent. Highest Rated: 100% Devil's Pie: D'Angelo (2019) Lowest Rated: 33% Repentance (2013) Birthday: Not Available. Fruitvale Station made over $17 million worldwide, setting Coogler up for Black Panther and solidifying Michael B. Jordan (who would play the memorable villain in Black Panther) as a Hollywood star. The producer, who changed her last name in 2012 when she married Jon Bon Jovi's younger brother Anthony Bongiovi (who uses the traditional spelling of their family name), has a history of. Bongiovi reached out to her colleagues in Asia. Why are you leaving this really nice job at Warner Bros. to become an assistant on kung-fu movies? said Yang Bongiovi. Required fields are marked *. For so many, African Americans still have to face issues of police brutality, profiling and all of that, she said. Shortly after they met, Bongiovi was planning a trip to China for the film and to spend time with her father and her family because her mother passed away. Ive been called dragon woman because Im Chinese. But words like this roll off her back. Their throwback photos prove that these two give love a good name who is nina yang bongiovi married togreenwich hospital lobster dinner. Is Stella and Hugh from Love Island Australia still married? Theres a convergence of film and television that is happening right now, and she embraces that. Together, Whitaker and Yang Bongiovi have championed a number of critically acclaimed and monetarily successful films, including Dope (2015) by Rick Famuyiwa, Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015) by . [3] During this time, she was involved in productions including China Strike Force (2000, Hong Kong), Mail Order Wife (2004, U.S.), Confessions of an Action Star (2005, U.S.), and The Children of Huang Shi (2008, China). No. Excited for things to come at DoorDash! It was the ideal education for the future . Riley is confident Sorry to Bother You wouldnt have been made without her. In 2009, she partnered with actor Forest Whitaker to create Significant Productions; together, they have produced Fruitvale Station (2013) by Ryan Coogler, Dope (2015) by Rick Famuyiwa, Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015) by Chloe Zhao, Roxanne Roxanne (2017) by Michael Larnell, Sorry to Bother You (2018) by Boots Riley, and Passing (2021) by Rebecca Hall. It helps to already be famous to become a social media influencer, but she demonstrates that you need to have a raw or personal touch and engage with your followers if you want to do well on Instagram Facebook, Twiter, Youtube, etc. Also, if it was something that was stereotypical, Forest wouldnt have attached himself to star in it., Set in the era of the civil rights movement, Godfather of Harlem resonates in the current political climate and Bongiovi hopes it speaks to audiences. Nina has been working in the film industry for almost twenty years. The Epix drama from Chris Brancato (Narcos: Mexico) and Paul Eckstein (Narcos) stars Whitaker as Bumpy, who returns to his neighborhood of Harlem after 10 years in prison to find the streets he once ruled now controlled by the Italian mob. Growing up as a Chinese-American Bongiovi assumed there wasnt room for someone like her in the industry, let alone in a producing capacity that would allow her to greenlight and pull together films. Damien Chazelles ode to Hollywood takes some unbelievable twists and turns. And it convinced their investors, the Hong Kong and Shanghai-based MNM Creativeheaded up by Yang Bongiovis childhood friends Michael Chow and Michael Shenthat backing Yang Bongiovi and Whitaker was good business. About four years ago, she was on a filmmaking panel and an Asian American told her you only do black films to which she responded, No, I do excellent films I work with excellent filmmakers and my partner is Forrest Whitaker. Naturally, Bumpy wants to regain control. She went to study entertainment management at USC, which led to a job in the marketing division at Warner Bros. She was doing presentation decks and quickly came to the realization that wasnt necessarily her cup of tea. As a producer Im going to trust my artists to choose the right peopleand not be obstructive.. Born on in United States of America, Nina Yang Bongiovi started her career as Film producer . Discover which TV Shows and Movies star Nina Yang Bongiovi. Deidre Backs, Erica Tremblay, Heather Rae, Nina Yang Bongiovi (with Forest Whitaker at Significant Productions ), and Tommy Oliver (Confluential Films) are producing along with Confluential Films financing with additional support from Aum Group. She had also ended her engagement to her boyfriend of three years. I was a little heartbroken because of what he was going through, said Yang Bongiovi. Awards on February 23, 2019 in Santa Monica, California. She acknowledges that casting diversity is whats comfortable, whats easily accessible and that most people dont want to put in the effort to go beyond that. In grad school, she started working as an analyst in the marketing department of Warner Bros., but quit after graduation to work as an assistant on her friends martial-art action films in Hong Kong. Recently, shes been working on the EPIX series Godfather of Harlem about gangster Bumpy Johnson, a series where the all the department heads are people of color as well as the writers and directors. Your email address will not be published. Meanwhile, she made two low-budget features: Mail Order Wife and Confessions of an Action Star, the latter of which she classifies as slightly embarrassing. And with Harlem becoming completely gentrified today, this is all relevant., She adds, Were making something that hopefully will appeal to a mass audience that will support it, to see it as a cinematic event.. Forest Whitaker and Nina Yang Bongiovi have signed a first-look deal with Amazon, the streaming service said during the Television Critics Association press tour Saturday. Select from premium Yang Bongiovi of the highest quality. Ad Choices, Meet Forest Whitakers producing partner Nina Yang Bongiovi, a potent force in the indie sceneand one of the engines behind, Golden Globes 2023 Red Carpet: All the Fashion, Outfits & Looks, Hes a Bigger Daddy: Channing Tatum Bares All in Lie Detector Test. Nina Yang Bongiovi Biography. Visit Us; Get in Touch; Sign Up; 900 West 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2211. This is a BETA experience. When White Hollywood refuses to finance a movie about Brown people, only a handful can answer the call. I was learning, but its not like I was doing anything significant. She explains that in filmmaking, you have to go in rich and be independently wealthy in order to make money. During a DGA screening of the movie, when Bongiovi assumed she wasnt needed, she was presented with a group of young women specifically there to meet her. Please scroll down to see information about Nina Yang Bongiovi Social media profiles. Producer Nina Yang Bongiovi and honoree Forest Whitaker attend the 25th annual Producers Guild of America Awards on January 19, 2017, at the Beverly Hilton. Bongiovi hopes its another in a string of collaborations with some of the best talent in the business. Bongiovi became involved with the project after film professor at USC, Jed Dannenbaum, contacted her to introduce her to Coogler, who was one of Dannenbaum's current students. Nina has been working in the film industry for almost twenty years. By Danny Moloshok/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock. Spencer would wait for Bongiovi on red carpets, put her in photographs, and instilled in me the importance of representation. It ended up being worth. Updated: December 06, 2021 Bongiovi became involved with the project after film professor at USC, Jed Dannenbaum, contacted her to introduce her to Coogler, who was one of Dannenbaum's current students. Bongiovi and Whitaker produced the 2013 American film Fruitvale Station, written and directed by Ryan Coogler and based on the story of the shooting of Oscar Grant in 2009. [2] For their work on the film, Bongiovi and Whitaker won the Producers Guild of America Stanley Kramer Award, which is given for films that highlight social issues. A Royal Night Out. In 2009 she partnered with actor Forest Whitaker to create Significant Productions; together, they have produced Fruitvale Station (2013), Dope (2015), and Roxanne Roxanne (2017), Sorry to . Yang Bongiovi worries that getting bigger could jeopardize whats made her and Whitaker so successful for so long: their hands-on involvement. Its not a black version of the same movie that got made last year and made money, he added. For those of us who are featured film people going in, its a learning curve a big learning curve, she admits. You have to trust me. Bumpy and his wife, Mayme Johnson, are raising Elise's daughter, Margaret, as . Sep 10, 2021. That said, Bongiovi and Whitaker recently signed a first-look deal with Amazon and arent wasting any time in developing Asian American and other multicultural narratives often erased from history. Shes happy to look past the current system and raise the funds necessary to move a project forward, and she has the aptitude to develop these projects and stand by these individuals who may have never done something of this scope before.. It just so happens that Coogler was hired to sort through the surveillance footage of the shooting of Grant, editing it for the courts. And yet Significant Productions, seen under Bongiovi and actor Forest Whitakers leadership, have created several features that live up to the name: Fruitvale Station, Dope, Sorry to Bother You to name a few. bio for Nina Yang Bongiovi agency, manager, speaker fees, speaking agency entertainment booking agency, speaker's fee, how to book, booking agencies for lectures, speaking event, celebrity appearances for hire, who is agent, manager, publicist, who represents, speakers bureau management who represents Nina Yang Bongiovi. /VCG Under the deal, Whitaker's production banner will work with Amazon. TV Shows TV. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Ninas willingness to give her knowledge over to anyone who is trying to develop movies, either with us or on their ownthats a superpower, because it opens up more avenues for the things we are doing, said Whitaker. The mentioned names may serve 2021. She was steadfastly saying that she could tell that the bigger studios just saw this as a black film, and didnt understand the place in cinema history that it could have. Here's the complete library of movies and TV shows for Nina Yang Bongiovi available to stream. Editor of ZORA and MOMENTUM. As she. And ready to talk about life, love, and learning to be a feminist. We have to come together., I remember at another panel someone goes well its kind of hard to support what you do because you only make black films, she remembers. But my core investors have always been Asian and Asian-American.. Nina Yang Bongiovi is known for her work on Fruitvale Station (2013), Dope (2015) and Roxanne Roxanne (2017). An associated email addresses for Nancy Bongiovi are nan2***@aol.com, fjcoop***@aol.comand more. Bongiovi took that interest and started developing her skills as an assistant to Hong Kong action directors, often being the first to say, man, the script sucks. And yet she very adamantly says she had no faith in ever being a producer. He said that the film gave them the opportunity to do Asian-American projects now because the world has opened up. Bongiovi received her graduate degree in Entertainment Management at the University of Southern Californi Being a powerful woman in Hollywood comes with limitations. Under the deal, the duo. Yang-Bongiovi and Forest Whitaker pose on the red carpet at the premiere of Sorry to Bother You at Sundance Film Festival in January 2018. Wiki, Biography, Age, Family, NetWorth & Know More. I told them: you got to trust me on this one, she said. Required fields are marked *. Kiersey Clemons, Shameik Moore and Tony Revolori in Dope, Lakeith Stanfield and Tessa Thompson in Sorry to Bother You, Nigel Thatch and Whitaker in Godfather of Harlem, For so many, African Americans still have to face issues of police brutality, profiling and all of that, she said. Visit Us; Get in Touch; Sign Up; 900 West 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2211. Having premiered September 29, Godfather of Harlemis still fresh to the TV landscape. The company has has been building an African American-based audience to support their films and projects that have an impact on them and serve the market well. I said I dont have money for another writer, she said. Assainissement Collectif et Non Collectif, Artisans, commerces, entreprises et services, Zone dactivits Artisanales : Les Champs de Targon, Bureau dinformation touristique de Targon, Rservation en ligne des salles et/ou matriel. 0. Thats depressing.. When Bongiovi watched his short films she admitted that each and every one brought her to tears or in her words, she was ugly crying., One thing about Ryan was his short films were so simple, but they were so impactful, emotionally impactful, so you just know, she said. Elise & # x27 ; s daughter, Margaret, as not a black version of Oakland became a success! 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