Author: Gillian Sand

Canadian indie heavyweight 604 Records is making noise with a new signing—unveiling the debut single “Can’t Stop My Dreams” from filmmaker-turned-recording artist Quentin Lee, who records under the unmistakable moniker Gay Hollywood Dad. Released in collaboration with Margin Films Ltd., the track marks the first artist signing tied to the soundtrack of Lee’s upcoming feature film The Way You Dance, signaling a bold cross-platform move that blurs the line between indie film and music.

Festival co-director Quentin Lee has announced the promotion of Melissa Dawn Johnson to festival co-director, where she will now run the festival alongside Lee. In addition, Yale alumna and producer Emma McAteer has joined the team as a programmer for Yale in Hollywood Fest.

Co-created by filmmakers Koji Steven Sakai and Quentin Lee, Comedy InvAsian—the first and only stand-up comedy television series of its kind—is now filming its third season. The first two seasons are currently available on AAM.tv, Amazon Prime, Peacock, and Tubi. CHOPSO took the opportunity to speak with Canadian Screen Award–winning showrunner and creator Quentin Lee about the series.

Early this morning, Canadian Screen Award winning filmmaker Quentin Lee minted his viral short video #justiceforReneeNicoleGood on OpenSea, an NFT marketplace. A queer non-binary filmmaker and artist, Lee has pledged to donate 50% of all net proceeds from the sale of the NFT to the surviving partner and family of Renee Nicole Good, who was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026. I took the opportunity to interview them for CHOPSO.

“How can I relax? You just killed my fucking neighbor!” screamed a witness after seeing an ICE agent shoot Renee Good and refuse to allow medics to help her. On January 7, 2026, in Minneapolis, Renee Nicole Good—an American citizen—was shot multiple times by an ICE agent. While federal authorities claimed that Good attempted to run over federal agents with her car, the city’s mayor stated that the agent acted recklessly and caused her death.

When the city is quiet and you finally get to curl up in bed during the holidays to binge all the B-movies you’ve been meaning to watch… here are some of my favorite holiday scary movies!

I’ve long been fascinated by writer-director Dax Phelan, whose debut feature, Jasmine—starring Jason Tobin—was an award-winning hit on the festival circuit. Ten years after its premiere, I’m excited, as a fan, to catch up with Mr. Phelan about what he’s working on now.

As the cameras are set to roll on September 22, 2025, in the greater Vancouver and Langley areas, British Columbia (BC), Canada, THE WAY YOU DANCE welcomes 2025 Canadian Screen Award winner Josette Jorge (RUBY AND THE WELL, LAW & ORDER TORONTO: CRIMINAL INTENT, SAINT-PIERRE) as Gloria Garcia-Campanelli, the high school best friend of main protagonist Twinkle Lee, played by accomplished dancer Kyle Toy. THE WAY YOU DANCE also stars celebrated Hollywood veteran Tzi Ma (KUNG FU, MULAN, THE FAREWELL). 

The Queerdos Dropped First Production Stills from the LA Hot Set

Emily Rios, Michelle Farrah Huang, Verton Banks, Nicholas Olbina, and Savannah Schoenecker (Left to Right in Photo) have joined the cast of the LGBTQ+ independent feature The Queerdos, which will be distributed internationally by Italy’s film sales outfit, The Open Reel. The Queerdos marks the feature film debut of writer and executive producer Sandra Grace, alongside award-winning director Jenifer Yeuroukis.