My friend, Jieho Lee, director- and screenwriter-extraordinaire, sent an email out this weekend with details of his film’s premiere. So without further ado, an introduction in his words:

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Dear Friends,

I hope this email finds you all well and starting off 2008 on a great note. As most of you know, my first feature film “The Air I Breathe” will be hitting theaters soon and I just wanted to give you all a warm shout and ask you to please come out and support the cause — and of course, to help spread the word!!

The film is a low budget indie — but we were able to wrangle a pretty talented cast that includes Forest Whitaker, Brendan Fraser, Andy Garcia, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Emile Hirsch, Kevin Bacon, Julie Delpy, Kelly Hu, John Cho and Clark Gregg.

In a nutshell, it’s a noir-driven romantic crime story that is half inspired by the Wizard of Oz, and half inspired by an Asian belief that we are all connected through 4 emotions: happiness, pleasure, sorrow and love. For a synopsis and more info on the film — please check out our website at: www.theairibreathemovie.com, and also www.myspace.com/officialairibreathemovie. On our website you’ll find blogs, photos, our trailer and my director’s statement (under director’s blog) that’ll help frame the film for you.

I’m not promising you Shakespeare, but it’s been playing to sold-out theaters on the festival circuit and the audience reactions have been extremely gratifying. Our film launches next week on Friday, Jan 25 in NYC & SoCAL (LA, Burbank, Pasadena, Irvine, Orange and Santa Monica) — and then wider on Feb 8 in other select cities. The more butts we get into theaters on opening weekend will determine how wide they release the film — so I’m pulling all my get-out-of-jail-free cards and imploring each and everyone of you to come out on Jan 25 (and bring your friends)!!!! As an indie, we have very little money for marketing — and the Writer’s Strike has thrown a wrench in a lot of our affordable promotional outlets — which all means that this film will live and die by the viral sword!

You can find a list of venues /screenings on our website (that will be continually updated) … but for a quick snapshot I’m enclosing the info below:

CALIFORNIA - JAN 25
1) LA: Laemmle Sunset 5 Theater (Director/Writer Q&As on Friday — the evening 6-7-ish screening and the 8-9-ish screening; and the Saturday matinee — exact times to follow)
2) Burbank: AMC Burbank 30
3) Pasadena: Laemmle One Colorado
4) Orange: AMC 30 at The Block
5) Irvine: Regal/Edwards Westpark
6) Santa Monica: TBD

NYC - JAN 25
1) AMC Empire 25 Theater (Midtown)
2) AMC Village 7 Theater (Downtown)

REST OF THE COUNTRY - FEB 8
1) PORTLAND: The Regal Fox Tower
2) SAN DIEGO: AMC Fashion Valley 20
3) SAN FRANCISCO: Sundance Kabuki Theater
4) SEATTLE: Regal Meridan 16
5) CHICAGO: AMC Piper’s Alley 4
6) AUSTIN: TBD
7) Other Cities/States pending (AZ, FL, TX)

INTERNATIONAL: Unfortunately, I have not been informed about international venues yet — although I know for certain that it will be playing in Italy, England, Germany, France, Korea and India. I’m sure there are more countries (last I checked was months ago) so please look out for it!

Thank you all so much for your support — and apologies for the mass email. You are all the bedrock that keeps things real for me so remember that and tell a friend!!

Hope to see you all very soon, and much Love, Light and Laughter to everyone in the new year~*

Jieho

PS: For people in Los Angeles, Bob and I are trying to get all of our friends to come and hit the last screening on Friday night (probably will start around 9-ish but I’ll have exact times for you by Wednesday) — then we’ll all try to migrate to a bar and get righteously loaded.

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If you are looking for something to do this weekend and live in NYC or CA, please support Jieho (friend and fellow Korean, btw) by booking your tickets and going to see this film! The trailer looks fantastic. I know he has put his blood, sweat and tears into this film. On top of that, he and his wife also recently had a baby! I wish I could be in LA getting righteously loaded with him on Friday but I’ll be toasting him in Chicago on Feb 8th instead.

Thank you, everyone! And CONGRATULATIONS, JL! We wish you much, much success along with packed theaters worldwide.

*cross-posted at Kimchi Mamas