Academy Award nominated director Tran Anh Hung’s Norwegian Wood and Arvin Chen and Wim Wenders’ Au Revoir Taipei bookend the third Pan-Asia Film Festival set to run from March 1-13.

With major success in its first two years, the 2011 Pan-Asia Film Festival is raising the bar and introducing six premieres and bringing in a number of buzz-worthy special guests.

On March 2, the festival will welcome Hung, Academy Award nominated actress Rinko Kikuchi and Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead to introduce Norwegian Wood with a Q&A session at BAFTA.

Other premieres include Majid Barvegar’s Rainy Seasons (Iran), Yang Yonghi’s Sona, The Other Myself (Japan/ South Korea) and Anne Gyrithe Bonne’s new documentary, Aung San Suu Kyi—Lady of No Fear (Denmark).

Artistic Director Sonali Joshi said, “Asian filmmaking is thriving and this exciting selection of films fully reflects the fresh and vibrant cinema coming out of Asia today. These films introduce us to the diversity of its cultures and its peoples, with gritty and realist stories on one hand, enchanting and beautiful stories on the other, taking us to far-flung corners of the continent. This festival will be a must-see for London audiences with not only an interest in all things Asian, but equally for those with a love of cinema.”

The festival highlights films over a vast breadth of talent level and represents 13 different countries. Along with the main festival programme, an educational and industry focused events programme will be offered in the form of talks, seminars and Q&A sessions.

The Pan-Asia Film Festival is hosted by Asia House.

“At Asia House we are proud of our programmes celebrating the richness and diversity of Asian cultures,” said Sumi Ghose, Director of Public Programmes at Asia House, “The Asia House Pan-Asia Film Festival reveals the extraordinary depth and creativity of Asian filmmaking today and contributes to a deeper understanding of Asia in the UK.”

For full line-up visit the official website.