Feature debut of Arvin Chen, “Au Revoir Taipei” may have very little to do with anything France, but still won the Netpac Award at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival, among a number of other awards around the world, while also being a commercial success in Taiwan.
Follow our tribute to Taiwanese by clicking on the image below
Kai's girlfriend has just left for Paris, supposedly to wait for him there, while he spends his days working in his parent's tavern during the days and in a bookstore learning French during the night. While there, Susie, a feisty girl who works in the shop, takes an interest in him, although he doesn't seem to have the slightest clue. When his girlfriend ditches him on the phone though, Kai decides to travel to France, and to do so, asks for money from a local loan shark who frequents his parent's restaurant,...
Follow our tribute to Taiwanese by clicking on the image below
Kai's girlfriend has just left for Paris, supposedly to wait for him there, while he spends his days working in his parent's tavern during the days and in a bookstore learning French during the night. While there, Susie, a feisty girl who works in the shop, takes an interest in him, although he doesn't seem to have the slightest clue. When his girlfriend ditches him on the phone though, Kai decides to travel to France, and to do so, asks for money from a local loan shark who frequents his parent's restaurant,...
- 3/19/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
I.E. Entertainment, the global distribution outfit founded and run by industry veterans Indra and Erlina Suharjono, has come on board to handle worldwide sales for Cathay Film Company’s “Coolie.”
The TV miniseries is inspired by the little-known history of enslaved Chinese ‘coolies’ in Cuba in the 1860s. It begins shooting this week in the Dominican Republic and will also include locations in Panama.
I.E. Entertainment will introduce “Coolie” to buyers for the first time at the Asia Television Forum & Market (Atf), which runs this week in Singapore.
The eight-episode English and Chinese language drama series is a global production from Meileen Choo’s Singapore-based Cathay Film Company and features a multinational ensemble cast from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Cuba and Colombia.
Arvin Chen is directing. In-Ah Lee (“Land of Plenty,” “Don’t Come Knockin’” “The Way I Spent the End of the World”) is the series’ executive producer. Ed Buhr...
The TV miniseries is inspired by the little-known history of enslaved Chinese ‘coolies’ in Cuba in the 1860s. It begins shooting this week in the Dominican Republic and will also include locations in Panama.
I.E. Entertainment will introduce “Coolie” to buyers for the first time at the Asia Television Forum & Market (Atf), which runs this week in Singapore.
The eight-episode English and Chinese language drama series is a global production from Meileen Choo’s Singapore-based Cathay Film Company and features a multinational ensemble cast from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Cuba and Colombia.
Arvin Chen is directing. In-Ah Lee (“Land of Plenty,” “Don’t Come Knockin’” “The Way I Spent the End of the World”) is the series’ executive producer. Ed Buhr...
- 12/4/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Arvin Chen is to direct “Coolie,” a limited series featuring enslaved Chinese workers in 19th century Cuba.
The eight-part series is the first to emerge from Cathay Film Company, a recent production venture launched by Singapore-based industry veteran Meileen Choo.
In the mid-1800s, when the African slave trade was outlawed throughout the Americas, plantation owners in Cuba instead began trafficking indentured servants from China and other parts of Asia. These, so-called coolies were often treated as slaves, but some integrated into Cuban society and joined the country’s fight for independence from Spain. The provided a low-cost workforce for farms, restaurants, factories and were instrumental in setting up Chinatowns across the world.
With Hong Kong actor Louise Wong in the lead role as a young woman who departs from southern China to marry a political exile working on a sugarcane plantation in Cuba, the narrative sees her join forces...
The eight-part series is the first to emerge from Cathay Film Company, a recent production venture launched by Singapore-based industry veteran Meileen Choo.
In the mid-1800s, when the African slave trade was outlawed throughout the Americas, plantation owners in Cuba instead began trafficking indentured servants from China and other parts of Asia. These, so-called coolies were often treated as slaves, but some integrated into Cuban society and joined the country’s fight for independence from Spain. The provided a low-cost workforce for farms, restaurants, factories and were instrumental in setting up Chinatowns across the world.
With Hong Kong actor Louise Wong in the lead role as a young woman who departs from southern China to marry a political exile working on a sugarcane plantation in Cuba, the narrative sees her join forces...
- 10/19/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
“Love in Taipei,” the Paramount+ original movie based on Abigail Hing Wen’s book “Loveboat, Taipei,” ends with main character Ever Wong (Ashley Liao) making several big decisions, but it also marks a significant departure from where Wen’s book concludes.
Sent by her parents to a cultural immersion program in Taiwan for the summer, Ever gets in better touch with her heritage while embarking on her own journey of self-discovery. As she struggles through Mandarin calligraphy classes, Ever blossoms socially with the help of Sophie Ha (Chelsea Zhang), and she further solidifies her desire to pursue dancing as her dream career, not the practical path of medical school that her parents have coached her into since they came to the United States from Taiwan. She also meets two very different young men who relate to her obstacles in various ways — Boy Wonder Rick Woo (Ross Butler) and troublemaker Xavier...
Sent by her parents to a cultural immersion program in Taiwan for the summer, Ever gets in better touch with her heritage while embarking on her own journey of self-discovery. As she struggles through Mandarin calligraphy classes, Ever blossoms socially with the help of Sophie Ha (Chelsea Zhang), and she further solidifies her desire to pursue dancing as her dream career, not the practical path of medical school that her parents have coached her into since they came to the United States from Taiwan. She also meets two very different young men who relate to her obstacles in various ways — Boy Wonder Rick Woo (Ross Butler) and troublemaker Xavier...
- 8/13/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including red carpets for the MPTF NextGen Summer Party, Love in Taipei and Wif’s Valley Girl screening.
MPTF NextGen Summer Party
Darren Criss, Colman Domingo, Ben Barnes, Camilla Belle, Yvette Nicole Brown, Cristo Fernández, Max Greenfield, Olivia Holt, Michael Rooker, Reid Scott and Harry Shum Jr. were among the stars who attended the Motion Picture & Television Fund’s NextGen Summer Party on Sunday.
Yvette Nicole Brown, Colman Domingo and Max Greenfield Olivia Holt and Bailee Madison Michael Rooker, Cristo Fernandez, Paloma Cinco and Yvette Nicole Brown
Love in Taipei premiere
Paramount+ hosted a special premiere screening for it’s new film on Tuesday in Los Angeles, with support from director Arvin Chen, author/executive producer Abigail Hing Wen and producer Matt Kaplan.
Arvin Chen and Abigail Hing Wen Matt...
MPTF NextGen Summer Party
Darren Criss, Colman Domingo, Ben Barnes, Camilla Belle, Yvette Nicole Brown, Cristo Fernández, Max Greenfield, Olivia Holt, Michael Rooker, Reid Scott and Harry Shum Jr. were among the stars who attended the Motion Picture & Television Fund’s NextGen Summer Party on Sunday.
Yvette Nicole Brown, Colman Domingo and Max Greenfield Olivia Holt and Bailee Madison Michael Rooker, Cristo Fernandez, Paloma Cinco and Yvette Nicole Brown
Love in Taipei premiere
Paramount+ hosted a special premiere screening for it’s new film on Tuesday in Los Angeles, with support from director Arvin Chen, author/executive producer Abigail Hing Wen and producer Matt Kaplan.
Arvin Chen and Abigail Hing Wen Matt...
- 8/11/2023
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Love in Taipei is a teen romantic comedy film directed by Arvin Chen from a screenplay by Mackenzie Dohr and Charlie Oh. The film is based on the New York Times’ Best-Selling Novel Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen and it follows an American teenager Ever Wong as she is surprised by her parents with a trip to Taipei, Taiwan for a cultural immersion program. For Ever this trip becomes a chance to make friends, make some mistakes, and fall in love. Love in Taipei stars Ashley Liao, Ross Butler, Chelsea Zhang, and Nico Hiraga.
So, let’s see what we know about Love in Taipei including its cast, when is it coming out, what is it about, and most importantly where can you watch it.
Love in Taipei – When Did it Come Out? Credit – Paramount+
Love in Taipei came out exclusively on Paramount+ on August 10, 2023.
Love in Taipei – How to Watch It?...
So, let’s see what we know about Love in Taipei including its cast, when is it coming out, what is it about, and most importantly where can you watch it.
Love in Taipei – When Did it Come Out? Credit – Paramount+
Love in Taipei came out exclusively on Paramount+ on August 10, 2023.
Love in Taipei – How to Watch It?...
- 8/11/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Love in Taipei is a teen romantic comedy film directed by Arvin Chen from a screenplay by Mackenzie Dohr and Charlie Oh. The film follows an American teenager Ever Wong as she is surprised by her parents with a trip to Taipei, Taiwan for a cultural immersion program. For Ever this trip becomes a chance to make friends, make some mistakes, and fall in love. Love in Taipei stars Ashley Liao, Ross Butler, Chelsea Zhang, and Nico Hiraga. So, if you loved Love in Taipei here are some similar movies and shows you could watch next.
To All the Boys: Always and Forever (Netflix) Credit: Netflix
Synopsis: As Lara Jean Covey prepares for the end of high school and the start of adulthood, a pair of life-changing trips lead her to reimagine what life with her family, friends, and Peter will look like after graduation.
Xo, Kitty (Netflix) Credit – Netflix...
To All the Boys: Always and Forever (Netflix) Credit: Netflix
Synopsis: As Lara Jean Covey prepares for the end of high school and the start of adulthood, a pair of life-changing trips lead her to reimagine what life with her family, friends, and Peter will look like after graduation.
Xo, Kitty (Netflix) Credit – Netflix...
- 8/11/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Abigail Hing Wen’s novel “Loveboat Taipei” is coming to the small screen with the help of director Arvin Chen. Wen executive produced the film, which landed on Paramount+ Aug. 10. In “Love in Taipei,” Ever Wong (Ashley Liao) finds herself shipped off to a cultural immersion program full of Mandarin calligraphy classes, fan dance and bo staff lessons and more to learn about her Taiwanese roots. Her parents send her to the program, known more commonly as Loveboat, the summer before she is supposed to attend medical school.
While she doesn’t expect this change in plans, Ever still hopes to film her audition for a dance company out of the way of her parents discovering, since they don’t realize her true passion lies in dance. Apart from the two career paths, dreams and languages Ever learns to navigate at Loveboat, she also meets two very different boys — Rick...
While she doesn’t expect this change in plans, Ever still hopes to film her audition for a dance company out of the way of her parents discovering, since they don’t realize her true passion lies in dance. Apart from the two career paths, dreams and languages Ever learns to navigate at Loveboat, she also meets two very different boys — Rick...
- 8/10/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
While “Love in Taipei” promises transportive and transformative escapades with its adaptation of Abigail Hing Wen’s novel “Loveboat, Taipei,” the story’s core strengths are undervalued in the translation from book to screen. This Paramount Plus feature, centered on a young woman embarking on a life-changing overseas journey, only pays lip service to the struggle of a first-generation Asian-American caught between two worlds. Instead, it places more emphasis on her romantic entanglements with two young men who all too often motivate her foundational change. Director Arvin Chen cleverly brings us into her psyche through whimsical aesthetic techniques and fantastical asides, but doesn’t make her emotions palpable enough to touch our hearts.
Eighteen-year-old Ever Wong (Ashley Liao) has always felt like an outsider in her tiny suburban town of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, being one of only three Asian-American students in her predominantly white school. Her parents (Jacko Chiang and...
Eighteen-year-old Ever Wong (Ashley Liao) has always felt like an outsider in her tiny suburban town of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, being one of only three Asian-American students in her predominantly white school. Her parents (Jacko Chiang and...
- 8/7/2023
- by Courtney Howard
- Variety Film + TV
Ashley Liao (the upcoming The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) stars in Love in Taipei, a coming of age comedy based on the bestselling novel Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen. Paramount+’s first trailer for the young adult film introduces the key players, including Liao’s Ever Wong who discovers her educational trip to Taipei is also a chance to spread her wings and have a little fun.
The cast includes Ross Butler (To All The Boys franchise) as Rick Woo, a prominent sports and scholastic prodigy; Nico Hiraga (Booksmart) as Xavier Yeh, a free-spirited artist and heir to an international tech empire; Chelsea Zhang (Titans) as Ever’s friend Sophie, whom she meets at Loveboat; and Cindy Cheung (13 Reasons Why) as Ever’s Aunt Shu.
Charlie Oh and Mackenzie Dohr adapted Abigail Hing Wen’s novel, with Hing Wen serving as an executive producer.
The cast includes Ross Butler (To All The Boys franchise) as Rick Woo, a prominent sports and scholastic prodigy; Nico Hiraga (Booksmart) as Xavier Yeh, a free-spirited artist and heir to an international tech empire; Chelsea Zhang (Titans) as Ever’s friend Sophie, whom she meets at Loveboat; and Cindy Cheung (13 Reasons Why) as Ever’s Aunt Shu.
Charlie Oh and Mackenzie Dohr adapted Abigail Hing Wen’s novel, with Hing Wen serving as an executive producer.
- 7/26/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Paramount+ today released the official trailer and key art for the young adult film “Love in Taipei,” based on the New York Times’ best-selling novel “Loveboat, Taipei” by Abigail Hing Wen.
The film stars Ashley Liao as Ever Wong, whose parents surprise her with a trip to Taipei for a cultural immersion program over the summer. The novel also follows Ever’s adventures at the program, inspired by an actual program attended by thousands of Chinese and Taiwanese diaspora youth. In addition to self-discovery and exploring identity, she also embarks on a journey of friendship and romance.
Instead of homework and history lessons, she finds a summer-long, free-for-all the locals and other students call “Loveboat.” She meets Sophie Ha (Chelsea Zhang) on the way to the program, where she finds herself caught in a love triangle between Rick Woo (Ross Butler) and Xavier Yeh (Nico Hiraga), two very different boys...
The film stars Ashley Liao as Ever Wong, whose parents surprise her with a trip to Taipei for a cultural immersion program over the summer. The novel also follows Ever’s adventures at the program, inspired by an actual program attended by thousands of Chinese and Taiwanese diaspora youth. In addition to self-discovery and exploring identity, she also embarks on a journey of friendship and romance.
Instead of homework and history lessons, she finds a summer-long, free-for-all the locals and other students call “Loveboat.” She meets Sophie Ha (Chelsea Zhang) on the way to the program, where she finds herself caught in a love triangle between Rick Woo (Ross Butler) and Xavier Yeh (Nico Hiraga), two very different boys...
- 7/26/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
“Love in Taipei,” the film adaptation of Abigail Hing Wen’s New York Times bestseller “Loveboat, Taipei,” has been acquired by Paramount+ and will premiere in the U.S. this summer, the streamer announced Monday. An official release date has not yet been set.
In the novel, a young American woman is sent by her parents to a cultural immersion program in Taipei – inspired by an actual program attended by thousands of Chinese and Taiwanese diaspora youth – where she begins a new journey of self-discovery and romance. The “Loveboat” isn’t an actual ship, and is not to be confused with the classic TV series “The Love Boat.”
Ashley Liao (“Fresh Off the Boat”) plays Ever Wong, whose summer takes an unexpected turn when her parents surprise her with a trip to Taipei for a cultural immersion program. Ever is surprised to discover that she hasn’t signed up for homework and history lessons,...
In the novel, a young American woman is sent by her parents to a cultural immersion program in Taipei – inspired by an actual program attended by thousands of Chinese and Taiwanese diaspora youth – where she begins a new journey of self-discovery and romance. The “Loveboat” isn’t an actual ship, and is not to be confused with the classic TV series “The Love Boat.”
Ashley Liao (“Fresh Off the Boat”) plays Ever Wong, whose summer takes an unexpected turn when her parents surprise her with a trip to Taipei for a cultural immersion program. Ever is surprised to discover that she hasn’t signed up for homework and history lessons,...
- 6/5/2023
- by Lawrence Yee
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Paramount+ on Monday announced their acquisition of the YA romance Love in Taipei, based on the New York Times bestselling novel of the latter name by Abigail Hing Wen.
The film directed by Arvin Chen (Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?), which stars Ashley Liao (Fresh Off the Boat), Ross Butler (Shazam! Fury of the Gods) and Nico Hiraga (Booksmart), will premiere this summer exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and Canada, on a date that has not been disclosed, also coming to the service in the UK, Australia, Latin America, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and South Korea. Paramount Global Content Distribution will distribute the film, with additional territories to be announced.
Love in Taipei tells the story of the young American Ever Wong (Liao), whose summer takes an unexpected turn when her parents surprise her with a trip to Taipei for a cultural immersion program.
The film directed by Arvin Chen (Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?), which stars Ashley Liao (Fresh Off the Boat), Ross Butler (Shazam! Fury of the Gods) and Nico Hiraga (Booksmart), will premiere this summer exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and Canada, on a date that has not been disclosed, also coming to the service in the UK, Australia, Latin America, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and South Korea. Paramount Global Content Distribution will distribute the film, with additional territories to be announced.
Love in Taipei tells the story of the young American Ever Wong (Liao), whose summer takes an unexpected turn when her parents surprise her with a trip to Taipei for a cultural immersion program.
- 6/5/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Taipei- and Hong Kong-based sales agency Distribution Workshop heads to Berlin with a rich slate that includes one of the mainland Chinese hits from the recent Lunar New Year season and an anticipated supernatural horror film from Taiwan. The company will present to buyers in person at Berlin’s European Film Market next week.
Starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai and pop star turned actor Wang Yibo, Huang Lei and Zhou Xun, “Hidden Blade” is a lusciously presented espionage story that runs from the 1920s to the period Second Sino-Chinese War. It is directed by Cheng Er, who previously directed 2017’s “The Wasted Times.”
(Wang and Zhou also both appear in “All Tomorrow’s Parties,” a Chinese short film by Zhang Dalei that plays in next week’s Berlin short film competition.)
As nationalist, Communist and Japanese factions fan out across China and Japanese-occupied Manchuria, the narrative sees espionage agencies operating behind enemy lines,...
Starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai and pop star turned actor Wang Yibo, Huang Lei and Zhou Xun, “Hidden Blade” is a lusciously presented espionage story that runs from the 1920s to the period Second Sino-Chinese War. It is directed by Cheng Er, who previously directed 2017’s “The Wasted Times.”
(Wang and Zhou also both appear in “All Tomorrow’s Parties,” a Chinese short film by Zhang Dalei that plays in next week’s Berlin short film competition.)
As nationalist, Communist and Japanese factions fan out across China and Japanese-occupied Manchuria, the narrative sees espionage agencies operating behind enemy lines,...
- 2/6/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Leading Taiwan actor Kai Ko was seriously injured by a camera-carrying drone while filming Mandarin-language fantasy series “Agent From Above.” The show is set to play on Netflix.
The incident happened on Dec. 27, 2022, but was first reported this week by Taiwan’s United Daily News. It has subsequently been confirmed by the producers. They told Variety that production has resumed, but said that Ko (aka Ko Chen-tung) has not yet returned to work.
Ko’s manager told Taiwan media that the star had suffered “serious disfigurement” after he was hit in the face, close to his cheekbone. The manager said that he required 20-30 stitches.
The fantasy drama is produced by Singapore’s mm2 Asia and Taiwan’s Good Films Production.
“Kai Ko was involved in a drone accident during the production of ‘Agent From Above’ on 27 December 2022. The shoot was operating within standard safety guidelines. The drone’s propeller...
The incident happened on Dec. 27, 2022, but was first reported this week by Taiwan’s United Daily News. It has subsequently been confirmed by the producers. They told Variety that production has resumed, but said that Ko (aka Ko Chen-tung) has not yet returned to work.
Ko’s manager told Taiwan media that the star had suffered “serious disfigurement” after he was hit in the face, close to his cheekbone. The manager said that he required 20-30 stitches.
The fantasy drama is produced by Singapore’s mm2 Asia and Taiwan’s Good Films Production.
“Kai Ko was involved in a drone accident during the production of ‘Agent From Above’ on 27 December 2022. The shoot was operating within standard safety guidelines. The drone’s propeller...
- 1/11/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
London East Asia Film Festival (Leaff) is back with a diverse programme from East and Southeast Asia, including international and UK premieres. Seven strands runs throughout the festival: Official Selection, Competition, Documentary Competition, Actor Focus: Lee Jung-Jae, Filmmaker Focus: Cinematographer Mark Lee, Classics Restored and Halloween Horror Special.
The festival screenings and events will take place at five venues around London. Following the Opening Gala at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on 19th October, Leaff will continue for 11 days at Odeon Luxe West End, the Cinema at Selfridges, Chiswick Cinema and the Cinema Museum in London! Squid Game star, Lee Jung-Jae will be attending Leaff for the Opening Gala screening of “Hunt”.
Leaff aims to champion the growing collaboration in East Asian filmmaking with a philosophy that marks a shift in the cinematic landscape of East Asia, and moves away from cultural and cinematic borders. The Festival vision is to bring a much wider,...
The festival screenings and events will take place at five venues around London. Following the Opening Gala at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on 19th October, Leaff will continue for 11 days at Odeon Luxe West End, the Cinema at Selfridges, Chiswick Cinema and the Cinema Museum in London! Squid Game star, Lee Jung-Jae will be attending Leaff for the Opening Gala screening of “Hunt”.
Leaff aims to champion the growing collaboration in East Asian filmmaking with a philosophy that marks a shift in the cinematic landscape of East Asia, and moves away from cultural and cinematic borders. The Festival vision is to bring a much wider,...
- 9/25/2022
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
The 20th edition of the festival will return as a full in-person event in July.
The New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff) has unveiled the full line-up for its 20th edition, which will include honorary awards for Japanese horror director Takashi Shimizu, acclaimed Japanese actor Hiroshi Abe and South Korean rising star Kim Hye-yoon.
This year will mark Nyaff’s fully-fledged return to the big screen, following a virtual 2020 edition and a hybrid event in 2021. More than 60 new and classic titles from Asia, including six world premieres, will be presented as in-person screenings at Film at Lincoln Center (Flc) and the Asia Society,...
The New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff) has unveiled the full line-up for its 20th edition, which will include honorary awards for Japanese horror director Takashi Shimizu, acclaimed Japanese actor Hiroshi Abe and South Korean rising star Kim Hye-yoon.
This year will mark Nyaff’s fully-fledged return to the big screen, following a virtual 2020 edition and a hybrid event in 2021. More than 60 new and classic titles from Asia, including six world premieres, will be presented as in-person screenings at Film at Lincoln Center (Flc) and the Asia Society,...
- 6/30/2022
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
For the first time in two years, the New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff) will have a full return to big-screen viewing as they celebrate their 20th Anniversary!
Following a fully virtual 2020 edition and a hybrid 2021 edition, Nyaff is delighted to present this year’s 60+ new and classic titles fully in person at Film at Lincoln Center and the Asia Society, from July 15 to July 31. Mark your calendars now to celebrate this major cinematic anniversary in July!
We’ll be announcing more titles and exciting guests in coming weeks, but here are some initial highlights to look out for:
Thailand Fast & Feel Love © 2022 Gdh 559 Co.,Ltd.
The 20th Anniversary edition of Nyaff will kick off with the international premiere of the propulsively-paced Thai romantic comedy Fast & Feel Love, directed by Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit and starring Urassaya “Yaya” Sperbund, who will be honored on stage with the Screen International Rising Star Award.
Following a fully virtual 2020 edition and a hybrid 2021 edition, Nyaff is delighted to present this year’s 60+ new and classic titles fully in person at Film at Lincoln Center and the Asia Society, from July 15 to July 31. Mark your calendars now to celebrate this major cinematic anniversary in July!
We’ll be announcing more titles and exciting guests in coming weeks, but here are some initial highlights to look out for:
Thailand Fast & Feel Love © 2022 Gdh 559 Co.,Ltd.
The 20th Anniversary edition of Nyaff will kick off with the international premiere of the propulsively-paced Thai romantic comedy Fast & Feel Love, directed by Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit and starring Urassaya “Yaya” Sperbund, who will be honored on stage with the Screen International Rising Star Award.
- 6/17/2022
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
The line-up includes Korean thriller ‘Confession’ and Hong Kong comedy ‘Table For Six’.
The New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff) has unveiled the first films for its 20th edition, including Yoon Jong-seok’s Korean mystery thriller Confession, Sunny Chan’s Hong Kong comedy Table For Six, Arvin Chen’s Taiwanese romantic drama Mama Boy and Kazuya Shiraishi’s Japanese serial-killer thriller Lesson In Murder, all of which are North American premieres.
This year will mark Nyaff’s full return to the big screen, following a virtual 2020 edition and a hybrid 2021 edition. More than 60 new and classic titles from Asia will...
The New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff) has unveiled the first films for its 20th edition, including Yoon Jong-seok’s Korean mystery thriller Confession, Sunny Chan’s Hong Kong comedy Table For Six, Arvin Chen’s Taiwanese romantic drama Mama Boy and Kazuya Shiraishi’s Japanese serial-killer thriller Lesson In Murder, all of which are North American premieres.
This year will mark Nyaff’s full return to the big screen, following a virtual 2020 edition and a hybrid 2021 edition. More than 60 new and classic titles from Asia will...
- 6/16/2022
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
Chow Yun Fat’s ‘One More Chance’ to be relaunched at the market.
Taiwan’s Distribution Workshop is set to introduce Cannes buyers to Philip Shih’s horror Antikalpa and relaunch Chow Yun-fat drama One More Chance.
Antikalpa is a Taiwanese supernatural horror that centres on a group of high school students who are lured into practicing mysterious rituals with demonic results. Adapted from a bestselling novel by Ling Jing, the film is set for a November release.
The cast includes Huang Guan-Zhi (TV series Detention), Regina Lei (The Sadness) and Tseng Wan-Ting (Gatao - The Last Stray). It marks...
Taiwan’s Distribution Workshop is set to introduce Cannes buyers to Philip Shih’s horror Antikalpa and relaunch Chow Yun-fat drama One More Chance.
Antikalpa is a Taiwanese supernatural horror that centres on a group of high school students who are lured into practicing mysterious rituals with demonic results. Adapted from a bestselling novel by Ling Jing, the film is set for a November release.
The cast includes Huang Guan-Zhi (TV series Detention), Regina Lei (The Sadness) and Tseng Wan-Ting (Gatao - The Last Stray). It marks...
- 5/16/2022
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
A gentle tale of growing pains and self-discovery, “Mama Boy”, Arvin Chen’s third feature film, presents itself as a comedy, with a lurid poster and an odd-looking protagonist but it turns out to be more than the sum of its parts.
“Mama Boy” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
Xiao-hong (Kai Ko) is the classic mama boy, a cocooned young man of almost 30 years of age, with an overprotective mother, but to call him a spoiled boy would sound too derogatory as he is a sweet human being, almost a child in a man’s body, struggling in relating with fellow humans, especially girls. “A bit shy”, his mum would say. “Not normal”, her bitter co-worker would reply. Xiao-hong works with his pesky cousin in a fish and aquarium store; wearing the shop bright orange polo shirt, he looks like a giant goldfish, big eyes wide open and silent mouth.
“Mama Boy” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival
Xiao-hong (Kai Ko) is the classic mama boy, a cocooned young man of almost 30 years of age, with an overprotective mother, but to call him a spoiled boy would sound too derogatory as he is a sweet human being, almost a child in a man’s body, struggling in relating with fellow humans, especially girls. “A bit shy”, his mum would say. “Not normal”, her bitter co-worker would reply. Xiao-hong works with his pesky cousin in a fish and aquarium store; wearing the shop bright orange polo shirt, he looks like a giant goldfish, big eyes wide open and silent mouth.
- 4/28/2022
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
The Far East Film Festival in Italy’s Udine has set Chinese-Italian co-production “The Italian Recipe” as the opening title of a revived, largely in-person event.
The film, directed by Hou Zuxin, sees an unexpected series of events bring together a Chinese reality TV show contestant and a woman already resident in Italy. The collision of personalities, connections and chemistry between stars Liu Xun and Yao Huang resemble those of “Roman Holiday,” festival organizers suggest. The film has its world premier on Friday next week, launching a nine-day event that runs until April 22-30.
The 2022 selection runs to 72 titles, selected from over 400 submissions, numbers that organizers say, is proof that Asian filmmaking was not halted by the Covid-19 pandemic. “The fear, not unreasonable, given all the halted productions, dismantled sets and release dates announced and then postponed for months, that there wouldn’t be many films to choose from was...
The film, directed by Hou Zuxin, sees an unexpected series of events bring together a Chinese reality TV show contestant and a woman already resident in Italy. The collision of personalities, connections and chemistry between stars Liu Xun and Yao Huang resemble those of “Roman Holiday,” festival organizers suggest. The film has its world premier on Friday next week, launching a nine-day event that runs until April 22-30.
The 2022 selection runs to 72 titles, selected from over 400 submissions, numbers that organizers say, is proof that Asian filmmaking was not halted by the Covid-19 pandemic. “The fear, not unreasonable, given all the halted productions, dismantled sets and release dates announced and then postponed for months, that there wouldn’t be many films to choose from was...
- 4/12/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Lionsgate is set to handle the global sales of “Loveboat, Taipei” a U.S.-Taiwanese YA romance film that started production in Taiwan shortly before Christmas.
The picture is based on a best-selling novel by Abigail Hing Wen in which a young American woman is sent by her parents to a cultural immersion program in Taipei. The trip turns into a summer of romance and she has to choose between the attention of two attractive, but significantly different, young men and her true passion of dancing.
“Lionsgate is handling all global sales on the film though it’s too early to discuss specific territories,” a company spokesman told Variety in an emailed statement.
With its blend of Asian-American characters, romantic decisions and dance moves, the story has been pitched as a mix of “Crazy Rich Asians” and “La La Land.”
Taiwanese-American director Arvin Chen (“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow...
The picture is based on a best-selling novel by Abigail Hing Wen in which a young American woman is sent by her parents to a cultural immersion program in Taipei. The trip turns into a summer of romance and she has to choose between the attention of two attractive, but significantly different, young men and her true passion of dancing.
“Lionsgate is handling all global sales on the film though it’s too early to discuss specific territories,” a company spokesman told Variety in an emailed statement.
With its blend of Asian-American characters, romantic decisions and dance moves, the story has been pitched as a mix of “Crazy Rich Asians” and “La La Land.”
Taiwanese-American director Arvin Chen (“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow...
- 1/12/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Cindy Cheung will star alongside Ashley Liao, Ross Butler, Nico Haraga and Chelsea Zhang in Loveboat, Taipei, a YA romance, which is currently in production in Taipei.
The film directed by Arvin Chen (Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?) is based on Abigail Hing Wen’s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name, which HarperCollins imprint HarperTeen published in January of 2020. Wen drew on her experiences as a teen to tell the story of Ever Wong (Liao), whose summer takes an unexpected turn when her parents surprise her with a trip to Taipei for a cultural immersion program. Ever is surprised to discover that she hasn’t signed up for homework and history lessons, but instead for a summer-long free-for-all the locals and other students call “Loveboat.” It quickly lives up to its name when Ever finds herself trying not to fall for two attractive,...
The film directed by Arvin Chen (Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?) is based on Abigail Hing Wen’s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name, which HarperCollins imprint HarperTeen published in January of 2020. Wen drew on her experiences as a teen to tell the story of Ever Wong (Liao), whose summer takes an unexpected turn when her parents surprise her with a trip to Taipei for a cultural immersion program. Ever is surprised to discover that she hasn’t signed up for homework and history lessons, but instead for a summer-long free-for-all the locals and other students call “Loveboat.” It quickly lives up to its name when Ever finds herself trying not to fall for two attractive,...
- 1/11/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Image Source: Getty / Jc Olivera
A new summer love story is already in the works, and Ross Butler is here to make us sigh longingly as we patiently wait for it to hit our screens. On Nov. 11, the To All the Boys: P.S I Still Love You star announced that he would be taking on his first role as executive producer with a movie adaptation of Abigail Hing Wen's New York Times Bestselling novel Loveboat, Taipei, directed by Arvin Chen.
"Here we go! Very excited to announce my next project that also happens to be my first venture into producing!" he wrote in an Instagram post. "I also [cannot] wait for you to meet the charismatic @ashleyjliao who I will be playing opposite in this hilarious romantic adventure. In the end, what drives me the most is knowing that we are all still here working hard to unearth and redefine the Asian American identity.
A new summer love story is already in the works, and Ross Butler is here to make us sigh longingly as we patiently wait for it to hit our screens. On Nov. 11, the To All the Boys: P.S I Still Love You star announced that he would be taking on his first role as executive producer with a movie adaptation of Abigail Hing Wen's New York Times Bestselling novel Loveboat, Taipei, directed by Arvin Chen.
"Here we go! Very excited to announce my next project that also happens to be my first venture into producing!" he wrote in an Instagram post. "I also [cannot] wait for you to meet the charismatic @ashleyjliao who I will be playing opposite in this hilarious romantic adventure. In the end, what drives me the most is knowing that we are all still here working hard to unearth and redefine the Asian American identity.
- 11/11/2021
- by Chanel Vargas
- Popsugar.com
Exclusive: Ashley Liao and Ross Butler (Netflix’s To All The Boys franchise, Shazam!) have signed on to star in Loveboat, Taipei, a romance film from Ace Entertainment and 1 Productions Film Co., which will enter production in Taipei later this month.
The film from director Arvin Chen (Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?) is based on Abigail Hing Wen’s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name. It centers on Ever Wong (Liao), whose summer takes an unexpected turn when her parents surprise her with a trip to Taipei for a cultural immersion program. Ever is surprised to discover that she hasn’t signed up for homework and history lessons, but instead for a summer-long free-for-all the locals and other students call “Loveboat.” It quickly lives up to its name when Ever finds herself trying not to fall for two attractive, but wildly...
The film from director Arvin Chen (Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?) is based on Abigail Hing Wen’s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name. It centers on Ever Wong (Liao), whose summer takes an unexpected turn when her parents surprise her with a trip to Taipei for a cultural immersion program. Ever is surprised to discover that she hasn’t signed up for homework and history lessons, but instead for a summer-long free-for-all the locals and other students call “Loveboat.” It quickly lives up to its name when Ever finds herself trying not to fall for two attractive, but wildly...
- 11/11/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Film scholar and former director of Taiwan’s Film Archive Huang Jianye is set to chair the jury for the 58th iteration of the Taipei-based Golden Horse Awards, the festival said Wednesday.
The awards are now heading into the third year without participants from China after a controversial awards speech in 2018 included mentions of Taiwanese independence. The comments led Beijing to order its citizens to make a hasty retreat that year and impose a ban on attending what had once been known as the Oscars of Asia.
Without China’s presence, the Golden Horse Awards have shrunk in scope, but are still soldiering on. Festival screenings are set to begin Nov. 11 ahead of the awards ceremony on Nov. 27 in Taipei.
Joining Huang on the jury this year will be Japanese producer Osaka Fumiko, a frequent collaborator of Hou Hsiao-hsien and Jia Zhangke; producer Lee Lieh; director Chen Yu-Hsun (“My Missing Valentine...
The awards are now heading into the third year without participants from China after a controversial awards speech in 2018 included mentions of Taiwanese independence. The comments led Beijing to order its citizens to make a hasty retreat that year and impose a ban on attending what had once been known as the Oscars of Asia.
Without China’s presence, the Golden Horse Awards have shrunk in scope, but are still soldiering on. Festival screenings are set to begin Nov. 11 ahead of the awards ceremony on Nov. 27 in Taipei.
Joining Huang on the jury this year will be Japanese producer Osaka Fumiko, a frequent collaborator of Hou Hsiao-hsien and Jia Zhangke; producer Lee Lieh; director Chen Yu-Hsun (“My Missing Valentine...
- 11/3/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Kai Ko and Vivian Hsu star in romantic drama, which starts shooting later this month in Taipei.
Taipei-based Distribution Workshop has picked up international rights to Taiwanese-American filmmaker Arvin Chen’s latest film Mama Boy.
The romantic drama stars Kai Ko (You Are The Apple Of My Eye) as a shy young man who finds himself attracted to a single mother, played by Vivian Hsu (Little Big Women), at a sex hotel. Filming will start at the end of March in Taipei, with a release targeted for November this year.
The key crew include producer Aileen Li, whose credits include...
Taipei-based Distribution Workshop has picked up international rights to Taiwanese-American filmmaker Arvin Chen’s latest film Mama Boy.
The romantic drama stars Kai Ko (You Are The Apple Of My Eye) as a shy young man who finds himself attracted to a single mother, played by Vivian Hsu (Little Big Women), at a sex hotel. Filming will start at the end of March in Taipei, with a release targeted for November this year.
The key crew include producer Aileen Li, whose credits include...
- 3/15/2021
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
Demi Lovato is returning to scripted television in a food issues comedy that is in the works at NBC.
Lovato, who got her break in the Disney Channel’s Camp Rock franchise and starred in Sonny with a Chance, is to star in and exec produce Hungry, which has received a put pilot commitment from NBC.
The single-camera comedy is being written and exec produced by Will & Grace writer and Hot In Cleveland creator Suzanne Martin. It comes from Hazy Mills and Sb Projects in association with Universal Television.
Hungry follows a group of friends who belong to a food issues group help each other as they look for love, success and the perfect thing in the fridge that’s going to make it all better.
Lovato, herself, appeared in a guest role in the final season of Will & Grace, her first role since guest starring on Glee in 2013. The singer,...
Lovato, who got her break in the Disney Channel’s Camp Rock franchise and starred in Sonny with a Chance, is to star in and exec produce Hungry, which has received a put pilot commitment from NBC.
The single-camera comedy is being written and exec produced by Will & Grace writer and Hot In Cleveland creator Suzanne Martin. It comes from Hazy Mills and Sb Projects in association with Universal Television.
Hungry follows a group of friends who belong to a food issues group help each other as they look for love, success and the perfect thing in the fridge that’s going to make it all better.
Lovato, herself, appeared in a guest role in the final season of Will & Grace, her first role since guest starring on Glee in 2013. The singer,...
- 1/25/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
The 19th New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff) has announced the names of the recipients of its Rising Star Award and Action Cinema Award, as well as the international jury members who will select the winner of the Nyaff “Uncaged” Competition Award during the upcoming virtual edition, running from August 28-September 12 on the Smart Cinema USA app. Tickets for this year’s special virtual edition go on sale August 23.
The 2020 Screen International Rising Star Award goes to South Korean actress Lee Joo-young for Baseball Girl, making its international premiere and screening throughout the festival. The award recognizes her daring choice of roles across her already diverse body of work, as well as her fierce commitment to every performance, whether in indie cinema, where she already stands as a star, or the TV drama scene. These notable traits are exemplified by her tour-de-force turn as the eponymous underdog female athlete in Baseball Girl.
The 2020 Screen International Rising Star Award goes to South Korean actress Lee Joo-young for Baseball Girl, making its international premiere and screening throughout the festival. The award recognizes her daring choice of roles across her already diverse body of work, as well as her fierce commitment to every performance, whether in indie cinema, where she already stands as a star, or the TV drama scene. These notable traits are exemplified by her tour-de-force turn as the eponymous underdog female athlete in Baseball Girl.
- 8/24/2020
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
Amazon Studios has put in development The Undesirables, a half-hour comedy series that hails from Ken Cheng and Arvin Chen, who will write and executive produce the project that hails from from Crab Club Inc. and Sb Projects.
The deal marks the first scripted series project to stem from Amazon Studios’ first-look deal with Sb Projects, Scooter Braun’s management/production company whose recent TV credits include FX Networks’ hit Dave and YouTube’s docuseries Justin Bieber: Seasons.
Created by Cheng and Chen, whose credits together include Imagine Entertainment’s upcoming pic Ellie In Wonderland, The Undesirables is a half-hour comedy set in a near-future Los Angeles that explores the unexpected relationships that form when a group of outcasts are forced to bond under unusual circumstances.
Executive producers also include Sb Projects’ Braun, Scott Manson and James Shin and Crab Club’s Jessica Gao and Jimmy O. Yang.
Cheng,...
The deal marks the first scripted series project to stem from Amazon Studios’ first-look deal with Sb Projects, Scooter Braun’s management/production company whose recent TV credits include FX Networks’ hit Dave and YouTube’s docuseries Justin Bieber: Seasons.
Created by Cheng and Chen, whose credits together include Imagine Entertainment’s upcoming pic Ellie In Wonderland, The Undesirables is a half-hour comedy set in a near-future Los Angeles that explores the unexpected relationships that form when a group of outcasts are forced to bond under unusual circumstances.
Executive producers also include Sb Projects’ Braun, Scott Manson and James Shin and Crab Club’s Jessica Gao and Jimmy O. Yang.
Cheng,...
- 7/15/2020
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Amazon is developing a half-hour comedy series with Crab Club Inc. and Sb Projects.
The series is titled “The Undesirables.” It is set in a near-future Los Angeles that explores the unexpected relationships that form when a group of outcasts are forced to bond under unusual circumstances.
Ken Cheng of Crab Club and Arvin Chen will write and executive produce. Jessica Gao and Jimmy O. Yang of Crab Club will executive produce along with Scooter Braun, Scott Manson, and James Shin for Sb Projects. The show is the first to be set up under Sb Projects’ first-look deal with Amazon.
Cheng’s past TV credits include shows like “Wilfred,” “Betas,” and “Sin City Saints.” He is also currently writing the feature “Easter Sunday” that he will executive produce along with Yang and Gao. Chen is known for writing and directing the feature “Au Revoir Taipei.” His other features include “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?...
The series is titled “The Undesirables.” It is set in a near-future Los Angeles that explores the unexpected relationships that form when a group of outcasts are forced to bond under unusual circumstances.
Ken Cheng of Crab Club and Arvin Chen will write and executive produce. Jessica Gao and Jimmy O. Yang of Crab Club will executive produce along with Scooter Braun, Scott Manson, and James Shin for Sb Projects. The show is the first to be set up under Sb Projects’ first-look deal with Amazon.
Cheng’s past TV credits include shows like “Wilfred,” “Betas,” and “Sin City Saints.” He is also currently writing the feature “Easter Sunday” that he will executive produce along with Yang and Gao. Chen is known for writing and directing the feature “Au Revoir Taipei.” His other features include “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?...
- 7/15/2020
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Stone, the Taiwanese performer who has gone from being the guitarist in Mayday to a promising acting career, drew crowds on Friday, the first full day of the Singapore International Film Festival.
Speaking at Projector, the indie theater inside the historical Golden Mile building, some two hundred fans gathered to hear the artist share career experiences and artistic insights.
Films that featured Stone include: Arvin Chen’s “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?”; Tom Lin Shu-yu’s “Zinnia Flower”; and Ho Wi Ding’s “City of Last Things.”
Despite these successes, Stone said that expressing himself through music is more comfortable than acting.
“Music is easier for me. One piece of music sticks to one [emotional] element: sadness, friendship, love, encouragement, courage, etc. It is easy to put such emotions in a melody, rhythm or a pattern when writing songs. And one can relate to the emotions instantly. It’s musical power.
Speaking at Projector, the indie theater inside the historical Golden Mile building, some two hundred fans gathered to hear the artist share career experiences and artistic insights.
Films that featured Stone include: Arvin Chen’s “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?”; Tom Lin Shu-yu’s “Zinnia Flower”; and Ho Wi Ding’s “City of Last Things.”
Despite these successes, Stone said that expressing himself through music is more comfortable than acting.
“Music is easier for me. One piece of music sticks to one [emotional] element: sadness, friendship, love, encouragement, courage, etc. It is easy to put such emotions in a melody, rhythm or a pattern when writing songs. And one can relate to the emotions instantly. It’s musical power.
- 11/22/2019
- by Sonia Kil
- Variety Film + TV
Ivanhoe Pictures, which produced “Crazy Rich Asians,” has partnered with Jeffrey Sharp and Sharp Independent Pictures to finance and co-produce “The Baccarat Queen” about Chinese gambler Cheung Yin “Kelly” Sun.
The project is inspired by Michael Kaplan’s article “The Baccarat Machine,” published in Cigar Aficionado, about Sun amassing millions of dollars of winnings by teaming with “King of Poker” Phil Ivey and using a technique known as edge sorting — recognizing the use of playing cards in which the edges on either side are unevenly cut by fractions of an inch.
Ivanhoe plans to develop a predominately English-language film featuring Asian characters. Ivanhoe and Sharp will produce.
“‘The Baccarat Queen’ is a truly captivating story that will feature a diverse international cast, a goal that Ivanhoe continues to pursue as global storytellers,” Ivanhoe Pictures president John Penotti said. “We are thrilled to partner with Sharp as we tell this exciting,...
The project is inspired by Michael Kaplan’s article “The Baccarat Machine,” published in Cigar Aficionado, about Sun amassing millions of dollars of winnings by teaming with “King of Poker” Phil Ivey and using a technique known as edge sorting — recognizing the use of playing cards in which the edges on either side are unevenly cut by fractions of an inch.
Ivanhoe plans to develop a predominately English-language film featuring Asian characters. Ivanhoe and Sharp will produce.
“‘The Baccarat Queen’ is a truly captivating story that will feature a diverse international cast, a goal that Ivanhoe continues to pursue as global storytellers,” Ivanhoe Pictures president John Penotti said. “We are thrilled to partner with Sharp as we tell this exciting,...
- 2/14/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Ivanhoe Pictures, Sharp Independent Pictures To Produce Film About Successful Female Baccarat Player
Ivanhoe Pictures, a division of Sk Global and the production company behind Crazy Rich Asians, has teamed with Jeffrey Sharp of Sharp Independent Pictures to produce The Baccarat Queen (working title), a film about Cheung Yin “Kelly” Sun, the skilled Baccarat player who is considered the most successful female gambler in modern history.
Based on Michael Kaplan’s Cigar Aficionado article, The Baccarat Machine (which is also Sun’s nickname), the predominately English-language film will feature Asian characters for the global market.
The film will tell the true story of Sun, a young Chinese woman who turns a painstakingly developed talent and obsession for payback into one of the most ingenious legal gambling runs ever documented. Over the course of less than a year playing baccarat in major casinos around the world, Sun amasses winnings in the 10s of millions of dollars. With major casinos conspiring to bar her from their properties,...
Based on Michael Kaplan’s Cigar Aficionado article, The Baccarat Machine (which is also Sun’s nickname), the predominately English-language film will feature Asian characters for the global market.
The film will tell the true story of Sun, a young Chinese woman who turns a painstakingly developed talent and obsession for payback into one of the most ingenious legal gambling runs ever documented. Over the course of less than a year playing baccarat in major casinos around the world, Sun amasses winnings in the 10s of millions of dollars. With major casinos conspiring to bar her from their properties,...
- 2/14/2019
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
The list includes films from Liu Jian, E J-yong and Arvin Chen.
Source: The Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum
Haf meeting
The Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf) has announced this year’s line-up of 25 projects, which includes new titles from Liu Jian, E J-yong and Arvin Chen.
Chinese filmmaker Liu Jian, whose Have A Nice Day premiered in competition at the Berlinale last year, is attending Haf with his third animated feature, Art College, revolving around two art students in the 1990s.
Critically-acclaimed Korean director E J-yong (Bacchus Lady) is bringing The Big Picture, about a lawyer who kills a man and steals his identity, while Taiwan’s Arvin Chen (Au Revoir Taipei) will present Naïve Melody about an introverted young man who falls into a relationship with a brothel’s mama-san.
The line-up also includes new projects from China’s Emily Tang, Japan’s Tomina Tetsuya and three Indonesian filmmakers – Loeloe Hendra, Edwin and [link...
Source: The Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum
Haf meeting
The Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf) has announced this year’s line-up of 25 projects, which includes new titles from Liu Jian, E J-yong and Arvin Chen.
Chinese filmmaker Liu Jian, whose Have A Nice Day premiered in competition at the Berlinale last year, is attending Haf with his third animated feature, Art College, revolving around two art students in the 1990s.
Critically-acclaimed Korean director E J-yong (Bacchus Lady) is bringing The Big Picture, about a lawyer who kills a man and steals his identity, while Taiwan’s Arvin Chen (Au Revoir Taipei) will present Naïve Melody about an introverted young man who falls into a relationship with a brothel’s mama-san.
The line-up also includes new projects from China’s Emily Tang, Japan’s Tomina Tetsuya and three Indonesian filmmakers – Loeloe Hendra, Edwin and [link...
- 1/17/2018
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Korean director E J-yong, Taiwanese helmer Arvin Chen and Chinese animation filmmaker Liu Jian will headline the 16th Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf), which is set to be held March 19-21.
E, the critically acclaimed director behind Bacchus Lady (2016), Actresses (2009) and Scandal (2003), will present new project The Big Picture at the film investment and business networking platform. The project revolves around the accidental killing of a man and his identity stolen by the killer.
Chen, who won the Asian Film Award at the Berlin International Film Festival with his directorial debut Au Revoir Taipei (2010), will...
E, the critically acclaimed director behind Bacchus Lady (2016), Actresses (2009) and Scandal (2003), will present new project The Big Picture at the film investment and business networking platform. The project revolves around the accidental killing of a man and his identity stolen by the killer.
Chen, who won the Asian Film Award at the Berlin International Film Festival with his directorial debut Au Revoir Taipei (2010), will...
- 1/17/2018
- by Karen Chu
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This article was produced as part of the Locarno Critics Academy, a workshop for aspiring journalists at the Locarno Film Festival, a collaboration between the Locarno Film Festival, IndieWire and the Film Society of Lincoln Center with the support of Film Comment and the Swiss Alliance of Film Journalists. The following interview, conducted by a member of the Critics Academy, focuses on a participant in the affiliated Filmmakers Academy program at the festival.
With no prior film education, filmmaker Wei Liang Chiang relocated to Taiwan to participate in the sixth Golden Horse Film Academy under the mentorship of filmmakers Hou Hsiao-hsien and Arvin Chen. Like his cinematic mentors, Chiang’s work, varying from realist portraits to melodramas, captures the intersection of the personal and political with patience and warmth.
His 2015 film, “Anchorage Prohibited,” won the Audi Short Film Award at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival. Comprised of long takes and minimal dialogue,...
With no prior film education, filmmaker Wei Liang Chiang relocated to Taiwan to participate in the sixth Golden Horse Film Academy under the mentorship of filmmakers Hou Hsiao-hsien and Arvin Chen. Like his cinematic mentors, Chiang’s work, varying from realist portraits to melodramas, captures the intersection of the personal and political with patience and warmth.
His 2015 film, “Anchorage Prohibited,” won the Audi Short Film Award at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival. Comprised of long takes and minimal dialogue,...
- 8/9/2016
- by Kelley Dong
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Taiwan-based sales and production company Double Edge Entertainment has sold The Kids to Japan’s Digital Works Entertainment.
The film, which won a Netpac award at the Hawaii festival last year, is about a teenager who drops out of school when his girlfriend becomes pregnant.
Produced by Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow director Arvin Chen, it is the directorial debut of Sunny Yu and stars rising actors Wu Chien-Ho and Wen Chen-Ling.
Formerly known as Digital Zero Inc, Digital Works Entertainment is a Japanese company specialising in computer graphics and post production.
The film, which won a Netpac award at the Hawaii festival last year, is about a teenager who drops out of school when his girlfriend becomes pregnant.
Produced by Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow director Arvin Chen, it is the directorial debut of Sunny Yu and stars rising actors Wu Chien-Ho and Wen Chen-Ling.
Formerly known as Digital Zero Inc, Digital Works Entertainment is a Japanese company specialising in computer graphics and post production.
- 3/14/2016
- ScreenDaily
South Korea’s Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan), Asia’s largest genre film fest, has announced 21 titles from 12 countries to be presented during the Network of Asian Fantastic Films (Naff) genre film project market.
Dubbed It Project, the market has in past years showcased films such as Arvin Chen’s Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? and Lisa Takeba’s Haruko’s Paranormal Laboratory, which have screened at festivals including Tribeca, Berlin and Rotterdam.
Naff will run July 19-22 during BiFan, which will run July 16-26. Previously known as PiFan, the fest changed its name earlier this year in belated accordance with the current system of Romanizing Korean names. Thus it now uses ‘Bucheon’ instead of ‘Puchon’ to indicate the pronunciation of the name of the satellite city of Seoul that hosts this fest.
Aside from arranging business meetings, Naff will hand out post-production awards and a total of KW66m ($59,300) in cash prizes.
BiFan said this...
Dubbed It Project, the market has in past years showcased films such as Arvin Chen’s Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? and Lisa Takeba’s Haruko’s Paranormal Laboratory, which have screened at festivals including Tribeca, Berlin and Rotterdam.
Naff will run July 19-22 during BiFan, which will run July 16-26. Previously known as PiFan, the fest changed its name earlier this year in belated accordance with the current system of Romanizing Korean names. Thus it now uses ‘Bucheon’ instead of ‘Puchon’ to indicate the pronunciation of the name of the satellite city of Seoul that hosts this fest.
Aside from arranging business meetings, Naff will hand out post-production awards and a total of KW66m ($59,300) in cash prizes.
BiFan said this...
- 6/3/2015
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Taiwanese star Richie Jen has attended Filmart to promote his directorial debut, All You Need Is Love, in which he stars with Shu Qi.
Produced by Taiwan’s Power Generation Entertainment and Shangri La Music, the film tells the story of a man who returns home to Penghu Island to open a bed & breakfast and look after his younger brother, but discovers that he faces losing the family home and property. Shu Qi plays a writer who turns up on the island to solve a mystery involving her mother.
Jen and Shu Qi are both Taiwanese actors who became famous working in the Hong Kong and mainland China film industries, but are finding more reasons to return home recently due to the recent production boom in Taiwan.
Jen recently starred in Arvin Chen’s Taipei-set Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?.
Produced by Taiwan’s Power Generation Entertainment and Shangri La Music, the film tells the story of a man who returns home to Penghu Island to open a bed & breakfast and look after his younger brother, but discovers that he faces losing the family home and property. Shu Qi plays a writer who turns up on the island to solve a mystery involving her mother.
Jen and Shu Qi are both Taiwanese actors who became famous working in the Hong Kong and mainland China film industries, but are finding more reasons to return home recently due to the recent production boom in Taiwan.
Jen recently starred in Arvin Chen’s Taipei-set Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?.
- 3/25/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Drama will reunite director with Headshot producer Raymond Phathanavirangoon and is set to star Chermarn “Ploy” Boonyasak.
Thai director Pen-ek Ratanaruang is reuniting with his Headshot producer Raymond Phathanavirangoon on drama Samui Song, set to star Chermarn “Ploy” Boonyasak.
Chermarn will play an actress who is worried by her foreign husband’s growing obsession with a cult-like religious sect and its charasmatic leader, the Holy One. A mysterious stranger offers to rid her of her problem, but she ends up taking drastic measures to escape falling under the influence of the Holy One.
The cult leader will be played by Vithaya “Pu” Pansringarm, who recently starred in Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives. Chermarn has credits including The Love Of Siam, Eternity and a supporting role in Pen-ek’s 2003 Last Life In The Universe.
Despite Samui Song’s dark themes, Pen-ek and Phathanavirangoon describe it as less serious than award-winning 2012 noir thriller Headshot.
“Using Hitchcock...
Thai director Pen-ek Ratanaruang is reuniting with his Headshot producer Raymond Phathanavirangoon on drama Samui Song, set to star Chermarn “Ploy” Boonyasak.
Chermarn will play an actress who is worried by her foreign husband’s growing obsession with a cult-like religious sect and its charasmatic leader, the Holy One. A mysterious stranger offers to rid her of her problem, but she ends up taking drastic measures to escape falling under the influence of the Holy One.
The cult leader will be played by Vithaya “Pu” Pansringarm, who recently starred in Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives. Chermarn has credits including The Love Of Siam, Eternity and a supporting role in Pen-ek’s 2003 Last Life In The Universe.
Despite Samui Song’s dark themes, Pen-ek and Phathanavirangoon describe it as less serious than award-winning 2012 noir thriller Headshot.
“Using Hitchcock...
- 3/25/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Us-based Story Mining & Supply Co (SMS) is teaming with director Pang Ho Cheung and Subi Liang’s Making Film Productions to develop and produce an adaptation of Zhang Youyou memoir Polaroid Stories.
Zhang’s forthcoming book follows a young woman who deals with her insecurities surrounding sex and relationships by taking a job assisting a famous photographer, who is capturing intimate pictures of couples on Polaroid film.
Pang and Liang brought the project to SMS and will produce with Jeffrey Sharp and Evan Hayes from the Us-based comapny. SMS’s director of Asia, Jane Yu, will executive produce.
The team plan to develop the project with a Us screenwriter for translation into Chinese.
Village Roadshow Pictures Asia is in talks to join the project as co-producer and financier under its recently-announced strategic alliance with SMS.
Making Film Productions also produced Pang’s Aberdeen, one of two opening films at the Hong Kong International Film Festival tonight...
Zhang’s forthcoming book follows a young woman who deals with her insecurities surrounding sex and relationships by taking a job assisting a famous photographer, who is capturing intimate pictures of couples on Polaroid film.
Pang and Liang brought the project to SMS and will produce with Jeffrey Sharp and Evan Hayes from the Us-based comapny. SMS’s director of Asia, Jane Yu, will executive produce.
The team plan to develop the project with a Us screenwriter for translation into Chinese.
Village Roadshow Pictures Asia is in talks to join the project as co-producer and financier under its recently-announced strategic alliance with SMS.
Making Film Productions also produced Pang’s Aberdeen, one of two opening films at the Hong Kong International Film Festival tonight...
- 3/24/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
You hear it all the time: Quality a bit soft. Not a lot of Big Titles. Not a lot of Big News. But Americans were buying all the same, and to quote Screen International: “The current market is focused on smart money and smart deals, not volume of product”. Business at Afm was also solid though unspectacular. Moreover, the pre-buying of projects may be below the radar of this $3 billion business of international film buying and selling. TrustNordisk’s CEO Rikke Ennis says that 70% of their films are pre-sold. As you look at the upcoming Winter Rights Roundup due out in two weeks from SydneysBuzz.com/Reports, you will notice many of the films have been pre-buys this market and many films screening were already pre-sold during Afm in November.
And for all the complaints about Berlin, many sales agents set up private screenings before the market kicked off. What is that about?
Beki Probst, who has run the Efm since 1988, responded to the many media reports of a quieter market in an interview with ScreenDaily which sounds almost the same as the one she gave in 2009.
Quoting her current statement which I take the liberty of quoting here as it appears in Screen:
“I think that there was a good movement of business this year,” she said. In the opinion of Probst, there had been a muddying of the distinction between the Efm and the more general term of the ‘market’.
“Daphné Kapfer of Europa International representing 35 sales agents said that it was a very good Berlin, and Glen Basner of FilmNation commented that it was ‘the best Berlin’.
“Even Harvey Weinstein came just for 24 hours to sign a $7m check, and Aloft was bought by Sony Pictures Classics.
“It’s the players, and not the market, that is important. The players come here if they have the right line-up. All we can do is provide the best infrastructure, but what happens after that is up to them.”
"Sales agents were not sitting idle at their stands if one takes the example of one company in the Martin Gropius Bau: the CEO met with 90 buyers and the members of staff responsible for marketing had no less than 180 meetings in addition to ad-hoc discussions at events in the evenings."
Coproductions are the engine driving the business these days.
This year’s Berlinale Co-Production Market ended after two-and-a-half days with awards handed out to projects from Kazakhstan and Belgium.
The €6,000 Arte International Prize went to Kazakh film-maker Emir Baigazin’s planned second feature The Wounded Angel, the second part of a trilogy after his Silver Bear-winning Harmony Lessons. The €1.2m Almaty-based Kazakhfilm Jsc production has already attracted France’s Capricci Production as a co-producer and has backing in place from the Doha Film Institute and the Hubert Bals Fund.
The €10,000 Vff Talent Highlight Pitch Award was presented to Belgian director Bavo Defurne for his romantic dramedy Souvenir. The €2m co-production by Oostende-based Indeed Films with Belgium’s Frakas Productions and Germany’s Karibufilm already has backing from Flanders Audiovisual Fund, Cinefinance and public broadcaster Vrt/ Een.
India-Norway’s $55 million film to be directed by Hans Petter Moland (In Order of Disappearance)’s The Indian Bride is an exciting example of an unusual pairing of countries.
Bavaria and Senator’s joint venture Bavaria Pictures’ The Postcard Killers to be directed by Mexican director Everardo Gout shows the international expansion of talent.
The Hungary-Austria-Germany co-production of Stefan Zweig’s Beware of Pity, or U.K.-Lithuania action comedy Redirected being sold by Content brings unusual European partners together.
U.S. born Damian John Harper’s coproduction with the German producers, brothers Jakob and Jonas Weydemann, on Los Angeles will be followed by In the Middle of the River now being developed with Zdf’s Das Kleine Fernsehspiel unit.
Shoreline’s The Infinite Man produced with Australia’s Hedone Productions in association with Bonsai Films with investment from South Australia Film Corporation through its Filmlab funding initiative, development assistance from Screen Australia is also a new sort of pairing.
Film and Music Entertainment (F&Me), Bac Films, 20 Steps Productions and Bruemmer & Herzog’s The President is shooting in Tbilisi, Georgia and is being directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf.
Italian-Canadian producer Andrea Iervolino and Monika Bacardi’s Sights of Death starring Danny Glover, Daryl Hannah, Rutger Hauer, Stephen Baldwin and Michael Madsen is directed by Allessandro Capone in Rome.
The Spain-u.K. co-production Second Origin is based on the best selling Catalan novel Mecanoscrit Del Segon Orgen.
The Golden Bear Winner Black Coal, Thin Ice is a Boneyard Entertainment (New York & Hong Kong) co-production with Boneyard Entertainment China (Bec), Omnijoi Media (Jiangsu, China), China Film co-production.
A sign of the times is the Swedish Film in Berlin advertisement which lists all Swedish co-productions:
In Competition: In Order of DisappearanceOut of Competition: NymphomaniacBerlinale Special: Someone You Love Generation Kplus: A Christmoose StoryPerspektive Deutsches Kino: Lamento
All are with European co-producers as is Antboy a Danish-German co-production.
One of my favorites is Gallows Hill, being sold by Im Global and already picked up by IFC for U.S. Starring Twilight actor Peter Facinelli, U.K. actress Sophia Myles, Nathalia Ramos and Colombian model and actress Carolina Guerra, it was entirely financed from within Colombia by television network Rcn’s affiliate Five 7 Media which produced with Peter Block's A Bigger Boat, David Higgins and Angelique Higgins' Launchpad Productions and Andrea Chung. The screenplay was written by Rich D’Ovidio ( The Call, Thir13en Ghosts) about a widower who takes his children on a trip to their mother’s Colombian hometown.
Another interesting combo is the Australian-Singapore co-production Canopy being sold by Odin’s Eye which was acquired by Kaleidoscope for U.K., by Kinosmith for Canada and Odin’s Eye itself for Australia. After its Tiff 2013 premiere, Monterrey acquired U.S. rights.
Cathedrals of Culture, was produced by Wim Wenders’ production company: Neue Road Movies in Germany and co-produced by Final Cut For Real (Denmark), Lotus Film (Austria), Mer Film (Norway), Les Films d'Ici 2 (France), Sundance Productions / RadicalMedia (U.S.), Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg In collaboration with Arte (Germany and France) and Wowow (Japan).
Grand Budapest Hotel is a co-production of Scott Rudin in U.S. and Studio Babelsburg in Germany.
Wouldn't you say there had to be an awful lot of business going on? If only the media knew where to look for it. Instead, they moan the same old tired tune, "Quality a bit soft. Not a lot of Big Titles. Not a lot of Big News". Oh well...
Efm Coproduction Market
Asian producer Raymond Phathanavirangoon, who was pitching the Hong Kong comedy Grooms by writer-director Arvin Chen at the Berlin Coproduction Market, announced that Germany’s augenschein filmproduktion will be a coproducer on Singaporean director Boo Junfeng’s second feature Apprentice. The film has already received backing from France’s World Cinema Support, the Film- und Medienstiftung Nrw of Germany and Germany's second network, Zdf’s Das kleine fernsehspiel unit. It also has Cinema Defacto as its French co-producer. Junfeng’s first film, Sandcastle, was screened at the Critics’ Week in Cannes in 2010.
Cologne-based augenschein, who produced Maximilian Leo’s My Brother’s Keeper, the opening film of this year’s Perspektive Deutsches Kino and is handled internationally by Media Luna, is currently in post-production on Romanian filmmaker Florin Serban’s Box, his second feature after the 2010 Berlinale Competition film If I Want To Whistle, I Whistle.
Argentinian filmmaker Santiago Mitre whose debut The Student established him as one of the brightest and most courted young directors in Latin America was in the Co-production Market with his untitled second feature which France’s Full House connected to along with Argentina’s Union de los Rio, Argentine broadcast network Telefe, Ignacio Viale and the ubiquitous Lita Stantic.
Full House was also at the Coproduction Market with Peter Webber’s Fresh about a young thief learning the art of pickpocketing in Bogota, Colombia. It will be co-produced with Rcn affiliate Five 7 Media and 4Direcciones in Colombia and by Webber himself.
Raymond van der Kaaij, the producer of Tamar van den Dop’s Panorama title Supernova, is now financing Sundance winner Ernesto Contreras’ next feature I Dream In Another Language. The Spanish-English language project will be produced with Mexico-based Agencia Sha, and it is now casting the American lead according to producer van der Kaaij of Revolver Amsterdam. Developed at the Sundance Screenwriters Lab and the winner of the Sundance-Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award, I Dream has already received support from Imcine in Mexico. Shooting is scheduled in Mexico for the end of 2014.
Revolver is now editing Bodkin Ras, the debut film of Iranian-Dutch director Kaweh Modiri, an English-language documentary-thriller set in North Scotland. The Dutch-Belgian-u.K. coproduction is set for release at the end of 2014.
Finnish film-maker Jukka-Pekka Valkeapaa’s is editing his latest feature They Have Escaped, which Revolver coproduced with Helsinki Film.
Trend of smart art genres
Another continuing trend, which began with Xyz and Celluloid Nightmares and continued with Memento, is the character-driven art genre films with tight budgets, like the Danish coming-of-age-werewolf-romance, When Animals Dream, directed by first timer Jonas Arnby, sold by Gaumont to Radius-twc for No. Americ. The Scandinavians, formerly making a mark with "Nordic Noir" are now making what they call "Nordic Twilight".
Trend of remake rights
Another trend is that of remake rights. Film Sharks reports it makes more from selling remake rights than from licensing distribution rights.
The Intouchables is selling remake rights to more countries than only India as is the sale of Other Angle’s Babysitting remake rights. Negotiations are underway with Russia, Italy and Germany.
Fruit Chan is considering an English language remake of his 2004 cult horror film Dumplings.
The market is bit too calm?…Then let us look at Cannes…
Usually by Afm you can begin the Tipped for Cannes List (which Gilles Jacob detested), but even that is a little on the quiet side. I begin to question whether all media fueled news is accurate: the slow sales being reported, the lack of pre-Cannes buzz… Is the media really investigating deeply?
Of all the trades, while Screen has the most international news and deepest analyses, Variety reports things no other trade is covering. But…still the non-news of a quiet market persists as if it were headline news. We always hear this and we are still in an economic slump, so what we wish for is not apparent, but this is not news.
Tipped for Cannes
Tipped for Cannes are Zhang Yimou’s Coming Home staring Gong Li and to be sold by Wild Bunch, Stealth’s First Law starring Mads Mikkelsen (Cannes 2012 Best Actor Award for The Hunt); Self Made (Boreg) by Shira Geffen and to be sold by Westend, shot in Hebrew and Arabic by the production and sales team behind Oscar nominated 2011 drama Footnote, the second film after Geffen’s 2007 debut Jellyfish which won the Cannes Camera d’Or. MK2’s Clouds of Sils Maria by Olivier Assayas and starring Juliette Binoche, Chloe Grace Moretz and Kristen Stewart, and Naomi Kawase’s Still the Water will be delivered in time for Cannes. Pyramide International is plannng for Leviathan, a modern retelling of the biblical story which deals with some of Russia’s most important social issues to be ready for Cannes. It is directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev and produced by Alexander Rodnyansky (Stalingrad) as their followup to Elena. Gaumont-cj co-production, The Target, the Korean remake of Fred Cavaye’s action thriller Point Blank will be ready in time for Cannes.
Rumors and truths about people changing positions
Rumors about Dieter Kosslick replacing Berlin’s Culture Secretary who resigned after a tax evasion scandal in which he admitted to stashing $575,000 in a Swiss bank account…Charlotte Mickie has left eOne and knowing her, she is bound to find something good elsewhere as she's too good to lose...StudioCanals Harold van Lier now leads eOne’s newly ramped international sales team and Montreal based Anick Poirier leads its subsidiary label, Seville International. Jeff Nuyts is leaving Intramovies. Nigel Sinclair and Guy East seem to be leaving Exclusive Media the company they founded as discussions with partners from Dasym Investment Strategies Bv move forward. Kevin Hoiseth from Voltage Pictures has joined International Film Trust as their director of international sales...and of course, Nadine de Barros has founded her own company, Fortitude, and was holding court at the Ritz Carlton the buzziest spot outside of the Martin Gropius Bau.
What I Saw and What I Thought
For what it's worth, here is my limited list of screenings of films seen only in the last 3 days of the festival when I was no longer "working". I am including some I actually saw at Sundance.
First and foremost -- and to be written about further in a "thought piece" as I term the articles I think long about before writing and to include my interview with the director Goran Hugo Olsson's (The Black Power Mixtapes winner of Sundance 2011 World Cinema Documentary Film Editing Award) -- Concerning Violence (Isa: Films Boutique, U.S.: Cinetic), based on Frantz Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth and seen at Sundance this year next to Stanley Nelson's outstanding Freedom Summer (PBS) and Greg Barker's We Are The Giant (Submarine), is a call to action for new societal models ringing out loud and clear.
Golden Bear Winner, Black Coal, Thin Ice by Diao Yinan, a Chinese noir, lacked the momentum and substance I would have expected in a winning film, though it was a fascinating way to see today's urban China. Had I been on the jury, I would have chosen the Best Director Award winning Boyhood (Isa: IFC) by Richard Linklater. But perhaps because James Schamus, an American who loves Chinese films, was President of the Jury, there might have arisen a question of disinterested objectivity. I would have to hear what jurists Barbara Broccoli, Trine Dyrhom, Chistoph Waltz, Tony Leung, Greta Gerwig, Mitra Farahani and Michel Gondry would have to say about the deliberations.
Speaking of jury prizes, it was a surprise the much acclaimed '71 (Isa: Protagonist, now headed by our dear Mike Goodridge) won nothing, and good Alain Renais' Life of Riley (Isa: Le Pacte) received recognition. I found Christophe Gans' La belle et la bete (Beauty and the Beast) (Isa: Pathe) an overproduced unwieldy special effects-ridden mess, even though it was exec-produced by Jérôme Seydoux who also produced the masterpiece La Grande Belleza (The Great Beauty), and starred his granddaughter Lea Seydoux. I'll stand by Cocteau's versoin. I heard Claudia Llosa (Milk of Sorrow)'s Aloft was also not widely admired.
About the best actress winning film The Little House (Isa: Shochiku could have marketed it more widely), I heard nothing at all, though it sounds really good. Kreuzweg (Stations of the Cross) (Isa: Beta) by brother and sister team Anna and Dietrich Brueggemann (any relation to our own Tom Brueggeman?) had a satisfying denouement and was quite engrossing with moments of humor lightening the heavy weight of the cross carried by 14 year old Maria played by Lea van Acken, a picture face out of a George de la Tour painting (Magdeline with a Smoking Flame or A Piece of Art). Macondo (Isa: Films Boutique - again! ) by Sudabeh Mortezai of Austria was a window on a world never seen before and very engrossing although the coming of age story was one we have seen before.
Not sorry to say I missed The Monuments Men and Nymphomaniac Volume I, but sorry that I missed Beloved Sisters (Isa: Global Screen) of Dominik Graf, The Grand Budapest Hotel (will see it in U.S.), Argentinian Benjamin Naishat's History of Fear (Isa: Visit) -- I'll catch it in Carthegena, Guadalajara or San Sebastian I'm sure, Jack, In Order of Disappearance which sounds like the sleeper hit of the festival, Argentinan (again!) La tercera orilla (The Third Side of the River), Lou Ye's Tui Na (Blind Massage) and Rachid Bouchareb's Two Men in Town (Isa: Pathe - again!), which I heard was rather flat which is not surprising, for when non-Americans try to make an American genre, it usually misses a certain verve, but still is such an interesting subject for him to tackle, Zwischen Welten (Inbetween Worlds) (Isa: The Match Factory) from Germany, another "American" subject, but here about a German soldier in Afghanistan, not an American one.
Among the Berlinale Specials, I wish I had seen Nancy Buirski's Afternoon of a Faun which everyone said was good (Isa: Cactus Three the doc production company of Krysanne Katsoolis and Caroline Stevens) and Volker Schloendorff's 1969 Brecht piece Baal starring Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Margarethe von Trotta. I did see his Diplomacy (Isa: Gaumont) which was a great treat, erudite, intimate and reminiscent of the novels of Sandor Marai (Embers and Casanova in Bolzano). Wish I could have seen Wim Wenders' Cathedrals of Culture (Isa: Cinephil), Diego Luna's Cesar Chavez (Isa: Mundial) and In the Courtyard aka Dans la cours (Isa: Wild Bunch) starring Catherine Deneuve and The Kidnapping of Michel Houllebecq (Isa: Le Pacte - again!!). I will see The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden (Isa: The Film Sales Company) by Dayna Goldfine and Dan Geller, produced by Jonathan Dana, Dayna Goldfine, Dan Geller and Celeste Schaefer Snyder (Ballets Russes), back home. The Turning (Isa: Level K), an experimental omnibus produced by my favorite Australian producer, Robert Connelly who also directed in part and Maggie Myles, is also a must-see as is Errol Morris' companion piece to The Fog of War, The Unknown Known (Isa: HanWay) and Houssein Amini's Two Faces of January (Isa: StudioCanal) starring my favorites Viggo Mortenson and Kirsten Dunst. We Come as Friends (Isa: Le Pacte), by Hubert Sauper whose earlier film Darwin's Destiny astounded me, was worth watching although so often his films plunge one into a hopeless helplessness. Fresh from Sundance, it was raising controversy and the story of the Sudan is worth knowing. His particular and peculiar Pov is valuable. Watermark (Isa: Entertainment One), another social issue worth knowing about will have to wait for a more propitious time. Personally I'm hoping Israel's current venture into desalination of water will lead the world into peace and that I will rejoice watching the doc about that.
Difret (Isa: Films Boutique - again!), fresh from Sundance where I saw it was really good and it sold well. I got to hang out with the team at the Panorama party. Gueros (Isa: Mundial - again!), was a disappointment -- too like The Year of the Nail (though different) in tone. But what a great company Canana is!
Panorama's Finding Vivian Maier (Isa: HanWay - again!) is brilliantly interesting. It is about to be released in U.S. by IFC. I highly recommend seeing this documentary about an eccentric, unknown photographer. It premiered at Tiff 2013. Fresh from Sundance where it won a Special Jury Prize, Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter (Isa: Submarine) was a treasure; Velvet Terrorists was about the oddest piece I have ever seen. About three former opponents of the Czechoslovakian Soviet Regime, each has continued to enjoy blowing up things. One is still training the next generation in urban guerilla warfare. They are otherwise unremarkable, sweet even, but twisted. What an odd documentary.
A quick look at the Market Films I have seen: of the 400+ premieres: Zero -- no I did see German Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, Two Lives (Isa: Beta), and I will soon be home to celebrate its nomination at the famous Villa Aurora, the former home of German expatriate writer Leon Feuchtwanger. So many more films look sooooo attractive! A pity I may never get to see them. I would need all the time in the world, and I have so little. I have so much and yet I want more!
And for all the complaints about Berlin, many sales agents set up private screenings before the market kicked off. What is that about?
Beki Probst, who has run the Efm since 1988, responded to the many media reports of a quieter market in an interview with ScreenDaily which sounds almost the same as the one she gave in 2009.
Quoting her current statement which I take the liberty of quoting here as it appears in Screen:
“I think that there was a good movement of business this year,” she said. In the opinion of Probst, there had been a muddying of the distinction between the Efm and the more general term of the ‘market’.
“Daphné Kapfer of Europa International representing 35 sales agents said that it was a very good Berlin, and Glen Basner of FilmNation commented that it was ‘the best Berlin’.
“Even Harvey Weinstein came just for 24 hours to sign a $7m check, and Aloft was bought by Sony Pictures Classics.
“It’s the players, and not the market, that is important. The players come here if they have the right line-up. All we can do is provide the best infrastructure, but what happens after that is up to them.”
"Sales agents were not sitting idle at their stands if one takes the example of one company in the Martin Gropius Bau: the CEO met with 90 buyers and the members of staff responsible for marketing had no less than 180 meetings in addition to ad-hoc discussions at events in the evenings."
Coproductions are the engine driving the business these days.
This year’s Berlinale Co-Production Market ended after two-and-a-half days with awards handed out to projects from Kazakhstan and Belgium.
The €6,000 Arte International Prize went to Kazakh film-maker Emir Baigazin’s planned second feature The Wounded Angel, the second part of a trilogy after his Silver Bear-winning Harmony Lessons. The €1.2m Almaty-based Kazakhfilm Jsc production has already attracted France’s Capricci Production as a co-producer and has backing in place from the Doha Film Institute and the Hubert Bals Fund.
The €10,000 Vff Talent Highlight Pitch Award was presented to Belgian director Bavo Defurne for his romantic dramedy Souvenir. The €2m co-production by Oostende-based Indeed Films with Belgium’s Frakas Productions and Germany’s Karibufilm already has backing from Flanders Audiovisual Fund, Cinefinance and public broadcaster Vrt/ Een.
India-Norway’s $55 million film to be directed by Hans Petter Moland (In Order of Disappearance)’s The Indian Bride is an exciting example of an unusual pairing of countries.
Bavaria and Senator’s joint venture Bavaria Pictures’ The Postcard Killers to be directed by Mexican director Everardo Gout shows the international expansion of talent.
The Hungary-Austria-Germany co-production of Stefan Zweig’s Beware of Pity, or U.K.-Lithuania action comedy Redirected being sold by Content brings unusual European partners together.
U.S. born Damian John Harper’s coproduction with the German producers, brothers Jakob and Jonas Weydemann, on Los Angeles will be followed by In the Middle of the River now being developed with Zdf’s Das Kleine Fernsehspiel unit.
Shoreline’s The Infinite Man produced with Australia’s Hedone Productions in association with Bonsai Films with investment from South Australia Film Corporation through its Filmlab funding initiative, development assistance from Screen Australia is also a new sort of pairing.
Film and Music Entertainment (F&Me), Bac Films, 20 Steps Productions and Bruemmer & Herzog’s The President is shooting in Tbilisi, Georgia and is being directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf.
Italian-Canadian producer Andrea Iervolino and Monika Bacardi’s Sights of Death starring Danny Glover, Daryl Hannah, Rutger Hauer, Stephen Baldwin and Michael Madsen is directed by Allessandro Capone in Rome.
The Spain-u.K. co-production Second Origin is based on the best selling Catalan novel Mecanoscrit Del Segon Orgen.
The Golden Bear Winner Black Coal, Thin Ice is a Boneyard Entertainment (New York & Hong Kong) co-production with Boneyard Entertainment China (Bec), Omnijoi Media (Jiangsu, China), China Film co-production.
A sign of the times is the Swedish Film in Berlin advertisement which lists all Swedish co-productions:
In Competition: In Order of DisappearanceOut of Competition: NymphomaniacBerlinale Special: Someone You Love Generation Kplus: A Christmoose StoryPerspektive Deutsches Kino: Lamento
All are with European co-producers as is Antboy a Danish-German co-production.
One of my favorites is Gallows Hill, being sold by Im Global and already picked up by IFC for U.S. Starring Twilight actor Peter Facinelli, U.K. actress Sophia Myles, Nathalia Ramos and Colombian model and actress Carolina Guerra, it was entirely financed from within Colombia by television network Rcn’s affiliate Five 7 Media which produced with Peter Block's A Bigger Boat, David Higgins and Angelique Higgins' Launchpad Productions and Andrea Chung. The screenplay was written by Rich D’Ovidio ( The Call, Thir13en Ghosts) about a widower who takes his children on a trip to their mother’s Colombian hometown.
Another interesting combo is the Australian-Singapore co-production Canopy being sold by Odin’s Eye which was acquired by Kaleidoscope for U.K., by Kinosmith for Canada and Odin’s Eye itself for Australia. After its Tiff 2013 premiere, Monterrey acquired U.S. rights.
Cathedrals of Culture, was produced by Wim Wenders’ production company: Neue Road Movies in Germany and co-produced by Final Cut For Real (Denmark), Lotus Film (Austria), Mer Film (Norway), Les Films d'Ici 2 (France), Sundance Productions / RadicalMedia (U.S.), Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg In collaboration with Arte (Germany and France) and Wowow (Japan).
Grand Budapest Hotel is a co-production of Scott Rudin in U.S. and Studio Babelsburg in Germany.
Wouldn't you say there had to be an awful lot of business going on? If only the media knew where to look for it. Instead, they moan the same old tired tune, "Quality a bit soft. Not a lot of Big Titles. Not a lot of Big News". Oh well...
Efm Coproduction Market
Asian producer Raymond Phathanavirangoon, who was pitching the Hong Kong comedy Grooms by writer-director Arvin Chen at the Berlin Coproduction Market, announced that Germany’s augenschein filmproduktion will be a coproducer on Singaporean director Boo Junfeng’s second feature Apprentice. The film has already received backing from France’s World Cinema Support, the Film- und Medienstiftung Nrw of Germany and Germany's second network, Zdf’s Das kleine fernsehspiel unit. It also has Cinema Defacto as its French co-producer. Junfeng’s first film, Sandcastle, was screened at the Critics’ Week in Cannes in 2010.
Cologne-based augenschein, who produced Maximilian Leo’s My Brother’s Keeper, the opening film of this year’s Perspektive Deutsches Kino and is handled internationally by Media Luna, is currently in post-production on Romanian filmmaker Florin Serban’s Box, his second feature after the 2010 Berlinale Competition film If I Want To Whistle, I Whistle.
Argentinian filmmaker Santiago Mitre whose debut The Student established him as one of the brightest and most courted young directors in Latin America was in the Co-production Market with his untitled second feature which France’s Full House connected to along with Argentina’s Union de los Rio, Argentine broadcast network Telefe, Ignacio Viale and the ubiquitous Lita Stantic.
Full House was also at the Coproduction Market with Peter Webber’s Fresh about a young thief learning the art of pickpocketing in Bogota, Colombia. It will be co-produced with Rcn affiliate Five 7 Media and 4Direcciones in Colombia and by Webber himself.
Raymond van der Kaaij, the producer of Tamar van den Dop’s Panorama title Supernova, is now financing Sundance winner Ernesto Contreras’ next feature I Dream In Another Language. The Spanish-English language project will be produced with Mexico-based Agencia Sha, and it is now casting the American lead according to producer van der Kaaij of Revolver Amsterdam. Developed at the Sundance Screenwriters Lab and the winner of the Sundance-Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award, I Dream has already received support from Imcine in Mexico. Shooting is scheduled in Mexico for the end of 2014.
Revolver is now editing Bodkin Ras, the debut film of Iranian-Dutch director Kaweh Modiri, an English-language documentary-thriller set in North Scotland. The Dutch-Belgian-u.K. coproduction is set for release at the end of 2014.
Finnish film-maker Jukka-Pekka Valkeapaa’s is editing his latest feature They Have Escaped, which Revolver coproduced with Helsinki Film.
Trend of smart art genres
Another continuing trend, which began with Xyz and Celluloid Nightmares and continued with Memento, is the character-driven art genre films with tight budgets, like the Danish coming-of-age-werewolf-romance, When Animals Dream, directed by first timer Jonas Arnby, sold by Gaumont to Radius-twc for No. Americ. The Scandinavians, formerly making a mark with "Nordic Noir" are now making what they call "Nordic Twilight".
Trend of remake rights
Another trend is that of remake rights. Film Sharks reports it makes more from selling remake rights than from licensing distribution rights.
The Intouchables is selling remake rights to more countries than only India as is the sale of Other Angle’s Babysitting remake rights. Negotiations are underway with Russia, Italy and Germany.
Fruit Chan is considering an English language remake of his 2004 cult horror film Dumplings.
The market is bit too calm?…Then let us look at Cannes…
Usually by Afm you can begin the Tipped for Cannes List (which Gilles Jacob detested), but even that is a little on the quiet side. I begin to question whether all media fueled news is accurate: the slow sales being reported, the lack of pre-Cannes buzz… Is the media really investigating deeply?
Of all the trades, while Screen has the most international news and deepest analyses, Variety reports things no other trade is covering. But…still the non-news of a quiet market persists as if it were headline news. We always hear this and we are still in an economic slump, so what we wish for is not apparent, but this is not news.
Tipped for Cannes
Tipped for Cannes are Zhang Yimou’s Coming Home staring Gong Li and to be sold by Wild Bunch, Stealth’s First Law starring Mads Mikkelsen (Cannes 2012 Best Actor Award for The Hunt); Self Made (Boreg) by Shira Geffen and to be sold by Westend, shot in Hebrew and Arabic by the production and sales team behind Oscar nominated 2011 drama Footnote, the second film after Geffen’s 2007 debut Jellyfish which won the Cannes Camera d’Or. MK2’s Clouds of Sils Maria by Olivier Assayas and starring Juliette Binoche, Chloe Grace Moretz and Kristen Stewart, and Naomi Kawase’s Still the Water will be delivered in time for Cannes. Pyramide International is plannng for Leviathan, a modern retelling of the biblical story which deals with some of Russia’s most important social issues to be ready for Cannes. It is directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev and produced by Alexander Rodnyansky (Stalingrad) as their followup to Elena. Gaumont-cj co-production, The Target, the Korean remake of Fred Cavaye’s action thriller Point Blank will be ready in time for Cannes.
Rumors and truths about people changing positions
Rumors about Dieter Kosslick replacing Berlin’s Culture Secretary who resigned after a tax evasion scandal in which he admitted to stashing $575,000 in a Swiss bank account…Charlotte Mickie has left eOne and knowing her, she is bound to find something good elsewhere as she's too good to lose...StudioCanals Harold van Lier now leads eOne’s newly ramped international sales team and Montreal based Anick Poirier leads its subsidiary label, Seville International. Jeff Nuyts is leaving Intramovies. Nigel Sinclair and Guy East seem to be leaving Exclusive Media the company they founded as discussions with partners from Dasym Investment Strategies Bv move forward. Kevin Hoiseth from Voltage Pictures has joined International Film Trust as their director of international sales...and of course, Nadine de Barros has founded her own company, Fortitude, and was holding court at the Ritz Carlton the buzziest spot outside of the Martin Gropius Bau.
What I Saw and What I Thought
For what it's worth, here is my limited list of screenings of films seen only in the last 3 days of the festival when I was no longer "working". I am including some I actually saw at Sundance.
First and foremost -- and to be written about further in a "thought piece" as I term the articles I think long about before writing and to include my interview with the director Goran Hugo Olsson's (The Black Power Mixtapes winner of Sundance 2011 World Cinema Documentary Film Editing Award) -- Concerning Violence (Isa: Films Boutique, U.S.: Cinetic), based on Frantz Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth and seen at Sundance this year next to Stanley Nelson's outstanding Freedom Summer (PBS) and Greg Barker's We Are The Giant (Submarine), is a call to action for new societal models ringing out loud and clear.
Golden Bear Winner, Black Coal, Thin Ice by Diao Yinan, a Chinese noir, lacked the momentum and substance I would have expected in a winning film, though it was a fascinating way to see today's urban China. Had I been on the jury, I would have chosen the Best Director Award winning Boyhood (Isa: IFC) by Richard Linklater. But perhaps because James Schamus, an American who loves Chinese films, was President of the Jury, there might have arisen a question of disinterested objectivity. I would have to hear what jurists Barbara Broccoli, Trine Dyrhom, Chistoph Waltz, Tony Leung, Greta Gerwig, Mitra Farahani and Michel Gondry would have to say about the deliberations.
Speaking of jury prizes, it was a surprise the much acclaimed '71 (Isa: Protagonist, now headed by our dear Mike Goodridge) won nothing, and good Alain Renais' Life of Riley (Isa: Le Pacte) received recognition. I found Christophe Gans' La belle et la bete (Beauty and the Beast) (Isa: Pathe) an overproduced unwieldy special effects-ridden mess, even though it was exec-produced by Jérôme Seydoux who also produced the masterpiece La Grande Belleza (The Great Beauty), and starred his granddaughter Lea Seydoux. I'll stand by Cocteau's versoin. I heard Claudia Llosa (Milk of Sorrow)'s Aloft was also not widely admired.
About the best actress winning film The Little House (Isa: Shochiku could have marketed it more widely), I heard nothing at all, though it sounds really good. Kreuzweg (Stations of the Cross) (Isa: Beta) by brother and sister team Anna and Dietrich Brueggemann (any relation to our own Tom Brueggeman?) had a satisfying denouement and was quite engrossing with moments of humor lightening the heavy weight of the cross carried by 14 year old Maria played by Lea van Acken, a picture face out of a George de la Tour painting (Magdeline with a Smoking Flame or A Piece of Art). Macondo (Isa: Films Boutique - again! ) by Sudabeh Mortezai of Austria was a window on a world never seen before and very engrossing although the coming of age story was one we have seen before.
Not sorry to say I missed The Monuments Men and Nymphomaniac Volume I, but sorry that I missed Beloved Sisters (Isa: Global Screen) of Dominik Graf, The Grand Budapest Hotel (will see it in U.S.), Argentinian Benjamin Naishat's History of Fear (Isa: Visit) -- I'll catch it in Carthegena, Guadalajara or San Sebastian I'm sure, Jack, In Order of Disappearance which sounds like the sleeper hit of the festival, Argentinan (again!) La tercera orilla (The Third Side of the River), Lou Ye's Tui Na (Blind Massage) and Rachid Bouchareb's Two Men in Town (Isa: Pathe - again!), which I heard was rather flat which is not surprising, for when non-Americans try to make an American genre, it usually misses a certain verve, but still is such an interesting subject for him to tackle, Zwischen Welten (Inbetween Worlds) (Isa: The Match Factory) from Germany, another "American" subject, but here about a German soldier in Afghanistan, not an American one.
Among the Berlinale Specials, I wish I had seen Nancy Buirski's Afternoon of a Faun which everyone said was good (Isa: Cactus Three the doc production company of Krysanne Katsoolis and Caroline Stevens) and Volker Schloendorff's 1969 Brecht piece Baal starring Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Margarethe von Trotta. I did see his Diplomacy (Isa: Gaumont) which was a great treat, erudite, intimate and reminiscent of the novels of Sandor Marai (Embers and Casanova in Bolzano). Wish I could have seen Wim Wenders' Cathedrals of Culture (Isa: Cinephil), Diego Luna's Cesar Chavez (Isa: Mundial) and In the Courtyard aka Dans la cours (Isa: Wild Bunch) starring Catherine Deneuve and The Kidnapping of Michel Houllebecq (Isa: Le Pacte - again!!). I will see The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden (Isa: The Film Sales Company) by Dayna Goldfine and Dan Geller, produced by Jonathan Dana, Dayna Goldfine, Dan Geller and Celeste Schaefer Snyder (Ballets Russes), back home. The Turning (Isa: Level K), an experimental omnibus produced by my favorite Australian producer, Robert Connelly who also directed in part and Maggie Myles, is also a must-see as is Errol Morris' companion piece to The Fog of War, The Unknown Known (Isa: HanWay) and Houssein Amini's Two Faces of January (Isa: StudioCanal) starring my favorites Viggo Mortenson and Kirsten Dunst. We Come as Friends (Isa: Le Pacte), by Hubert Sauper whose earlier film Darwin's Destiny astounded me, was worth watching although so often his films plunge one into a hopeless helplessness. Fresh from Sundance, it was raising controversy and the story of the Sudan is worth knowing. His particular and peculiar Pov is valuable. Watermark (Isa: Entertainment One), another social issue worth knowing about will have to wait for a more propitious time. Personally I'm hoping Israel's current venture into desalination of water will lead the world into peace and that I will rejoice watching the doc about that.
Difret (Isa: Films Boutique - again!), fresh from Sundance where I saw it was really good and it sold well. I got to hang out with the team at the Panorama party. Gueros (Isa: Mundial - again!), was a disappointment -- too like The Year of the Nail (though different) in tone. But what a great company Canana is!
Panorama's Finding Vivian Maier (Isa: HanWay - again!) is brilliantly interesting. It is about to be released in U.S. by IFC. I highly recommend seeing this documentary about an eccentric, unknown photographer. It premiered at Tiff 2013. Fresh from Sundance where it won a Special Jury Prize, Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter (Isa: Submarine) was a treasure; Velvet Terrorists was about the oddest piece I have ever seen. About three former opponents of the Czechoslovakian Soviet Regime, each has continued to enjoy blowing up things. One is still training the next generation in urban guerilla warfare. They are otherwise unremarkable, sweet even, but twisted. What an odd documentary.
A quick look at the Market Films I have seen: of the 400+ premieres: Zero -- no I did see German Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, Two Lives (Isa: Beta), and I will soon be home to celebrate its nomination at the famous Villa Aurora, the former home of German expatriate writer Leon Feuchtwanger. So many more films look sooooo attractive! A pity I may never get to see them. I would need all the time in the world, and I have so little. I have so much and yet I want more!
- 2/27/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Exclusive: Beki Probst, head of Berlin’s European Film Market (Efm), has hit back at claims that the 2014 edition was “sluggish” or “lukewarm” while the Berlinale Co-Production Market has handed out its awards.
Probst, who has run the Efm since 1988, was responding to reports of a quieter market.
“I think that there was a good movement of business this year,” she said in an exclusive interview with ScreenDaily.
“Daphné Kapfer of Europa International representing 35 sales agents said that it was a very good Berlin, and Glen Basner of FilmNation commented that it was ‘the best Berlin’.
“Even Harvey Weinstein came just for 24 hours to sign a $7m cheque, and Aloft was bought by Sony Pictures Classics.
“It’s the players, and not the market, that is important. The players come here if they have the right line-up. All we can do is provide the best infrastructure, but what happens after that is up to them.”
In the opinion...
Probst, who has run the Efm since 1988, was responding to reports of a quieter market.
“I think that there was a good movement of business this year,” she said in an exclusive interview with ScreenDaily.
“Daphné Kapfer of Europa International representing 35 sales agents said that it was a very good Berlin, and Glen Basner of FilmNation commented that it was ‘the best Berlin’.
“Even Harvey Weinstein came just for 24 hours to sign a $7m cheque, and Aloft was bought by Sony Pictures Classics.
“It’s the players, and not the market, that is important. The players come here if they have the right line-up. All we can do is provide the best infrastructure, but what happens after that is up to them.”
In the opinion...
- 2/14/2014
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Us-born director Arvin Chen had a festival hit with his Taiwanese-made 2010 debut, Au Revoir Taipei. Chen's follow up, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? is the warm-hearted story of a husband and father at odds with the truth of himself and how his long-denied feelings will affect those around him. The Lady Miz Diva: Where did the idea for Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? come from?Arvin Chen: I knew that I wanted to make a film about families. I had seen a lot of Japanese films that dealt with families and what makes a family, and I wanted to put my own twist on that. How it turned into a story about this man coming out started with conversations with a gay friend...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 1/22/2014
- Screen Anarchy
Is This a Lasting Treasure?: Chen’s Sophomore Rom-Com a Sugary Sweet Endeavor
Arvin Chen, the Taiwanese-American director and screenwriter of Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? certainly has a penchant for flights of fancy, though his latest film has an inescapable streak of melancholic longing that sometimes lends it an engaging advantage over similarly formulated titles in this vein. Your attraction to fluffy escapades involving miscommunications in love and lust will most likely determine your reaction to the film, which, as its poppy title taken from an iconic ditty from the Shirelle’s indicates, will resolve itself in satisfactory fashion so you’re left with a warm, faded glow of enjoyment. Dipping into moments of magical realism, Chen channels a tradition of classical cinema that may have you recalling Jacques Tati or Jacques Demy, though it doesn’t quite reach a confectionary crescendo as those particular influences would suggest.
Arvin Chen, the Taiwanese-American director and screenwriter of Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? certainly has a penchant for flights of fancy, though his latest film has an inescapable streak of melancholic longing that sometimes lends it an engaging advantage over similarly formulated titles in this vein. Your attraction to fluffy escapades involving miscommunications in love and lust will most likely determine your reaction to the film, which, as its poppy title taken from an iconic ditty from the Shirelle’s indicates, will resolve itself in satisfactory fashion so you’re left with a warm, faded glow of enjoyment. Dipping into moments of magical realism, Chen channels a tradition of classical cinema that may have you recalling Jacques Tati or Jacques Demy, though it doesn’t quite reach a confectionary crescendo as those particular influences would suggest.
- 1/18/2014
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
New films from Peter Webber, Pernille Fischer Christensen, Oliver Schmitz, Eran Kolirin.
A total of 39 features have been selected for Berlin’s co-production market (Feb 9-11).
Directors with work in the market include Peter Webber, Pernille Fischer Christensen, Oliver Schmitz, Eran Kolirin, Christos Georgiou, Erik Skjoldbjaerg and Nir Bergman.
All projects have 30% of their financing in place while budgets range from €700,000 to €6.5m.
This year’s Residency participants comprise Emir Baigazin, Alistair Banks Griffin, Bence Fliegauf, Sebastián Lelio, Elina Psykou and José Luis Valle. The participants will present new projects to potential partners at the co-production market.
The Talent Project Market will see ten new producers and directors primed for the international market. Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox featured last year, while Italian filmmaker Fabio Mollo’s Il Sud e Niente plays in this year’s Generation programme.
Five companies have been selected for the Company Matching programme and three more projects have been picked for the...
A total of 39 features have been selected for Berlin’s co-production market (Feb 9-11).
Directors with work in the market include Peter Webber, Pernille Fischer Christensen, Oliver Schmitz, Eran Kolirin, Christos Georgiou, Erik Skjoldbjaerg and Nir Bergman.
All projects have 30% of their financing in place while budgets range from €700,000 to €6.5m.
This year’s Residency participants comprise Emir Baigazin, Alistair Banks Griffin, Bence Fliegauf, Sebastián Lelio, Elina Psykou and José Luis Valle. The participants will present new projects to potential partners at the co-production market.
The Talent Project Market will see ten new producers and directors primed for the international market. Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox featured last year, while Italian filmmaker Fabio Mollo’s Il Sud e Niente plays in this year’s Generation programme.
Five companies have been selected for the Company Matching programme and three more projects have been picked for the...
- 1/10/2014
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Steve McQueen’s 12 Years A Slave to open festival; director Peter Greenaway to receive Visionary Award.Scroll down for full line-up
Steve McQueen’s historic drama 12 Years a Slave is to open the Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 6-17) and is nominated in the Stockholm Xxiv Competition.
Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, the drama about free black man kidnapped from his family and sold into slavery in the 1850s debuted at Telluride and has received positive reactions throughout its festival tour of Toronto, New York and London among others.
It will be released in Sweden on Dec 20 by Ab Svensk Filmindustri.
Screenwriter John Ridley, who will be present during the festival, is nominated for the Aluminum Horse in the category Best Script.
McQueen’s Hunger won Best Directorial Debut at Stockholm in 2008.
Line-up
The 24th Siff includes more than 180 films from more than 50 countries.
As previously announced, the spotlight of this year’s festival is freedom but Chinese artist...
Steve McQueen’s historic drama 12 Years a Slave is to open the Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 6-17) and is nominated in the Stockholm Xxiv Competition.
Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, the drama about free black man kidnapped from his family and sold into slavery in the 1850s debuted at Telluride and has received positive reactions throughout its festival tour of Toronto, New York and London among others.
It will be released in Sweden on Dec 20 by Ab Svensk Filmindustri.
Screenwriter John Ridley, who will be present during the festival, is nominated for the Aluminum Horse in the category Best Script.
McQueen’s Hunger won Best Directorial Debut at Stockholm in 2008.
Line-up
The 24th Siff includes more than 180 films from more than 50 countries.
As previously announced, the spotlight of this year’s festival is freedom but Chinese artist...
- 10/22/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Chicago – The 2013 Chicago International Film Festival is almost here and the programmers have unveiled their first slate of titles, including hits from other festivals like “Blue is the Warmest Color,” “Heli,” “The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete.” The 49th annual fest runs from October 10-24, 2013. Official, Ciff-provided descriptions below of what we know will play there so far:
Big Bad Wolves (Directors: Aharon Keshales, Navot Papushado • Israel): When the lead suspect in a brutal child murder is released due to a police blunder, a vigilante police detective and a grieving father take the law into their own hands in this fantastically intense, darkly funny revenge thriller from one of the pioneers of Israeli horror cinema.
Blue is the Warmest Color (Director: Abdellatif Kechiche • France): Teenager Adèle’s life is turned upside down the night she meets blue-haired Emma in this scandalous winner of the top prize at Cannes.
Big Bad Wolves (Directors: Aharon Keshales, Navot Papushado • Israel): When the lead suspect in a brutal child murder is released due to a police blunder, a vigilante police detective and a grieving father take the law into their own hands in this fantastically intense, darkly funny revenge thriller from one of the pioneers of Israeli horror cinema.
Blue is the Warmest Color (Director: Abdellatif Kechiche • France): Teenager Adèle’s life is turned upside down the night she meets blue-haired Emma in this scandalous winner of the top prize at Cannes.
- 8/19/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
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