As the format continues to slowly gain traction – here’s our regularly-updated list of upcoming 4K UK disc releases.
Sitting alongside our list of upcoming DVD and Blu-ray releases (that you can find here), we’re also keeping a calendar for those who support the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc format. As we learn of new UK releases, we’ll add them to this list.
We have started adding shopping links too. We’d be obliged if you clicked on them, as it really helps us in our quest to make the Film Stories project of magazines, website and podcast profitable. We’re a 100% independent publisher, and we quite like drinking coffee. It’d be lovely to afford some more.
Without further ado, here are the titles we know about…
Out now
22nd April: The Demoniacs
22nd April: Kind Hearts & Coronets
22nd April: The Lavender Hill Mob
22nd April:...
Sitting alongside our list of upcoming DVD and Blu-ray releases (that you can find here), we’re also keeping a calendar for those who support the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc format. As we learn of new UK releases, we’ll add them to this list.
We have started adding shopping links too. We’d be obliged if you clicked on them, as it really helps us in our quest to make the Film Stories project of magazines, website and podcast profitable. We’re a 100% independent publisher, and we quite like drinking coffee. It’d be lovely to afford some more.
Without further ado, here are the titles we know about…
Out now
22nd April: The Demoniacs
22nd April: Kind Hearts & Coronets
22nd April: The Lavender Hill Mob
22nd April:...
- 5/1/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
A glimpse at upcoming UK Steelbook release dates until early 2024: here’s what’s getting the fancy treatment and when.
The incredibly fancy Steelbook format is the only choice for those needing a physical media release that doubles as a table tennis bat in a pinch. If that’s you, this list of all the upcoming UK Steelbook releases will be right up your alley.
Releases in this list cover Blu-ray and 4K, and are marked as such. Note that some Steelbooks sell out quickly, so just because they’re listed as upcoming here, there’s no guarantee of availability. Some store exclusives are also harder to track.
Also: We’ve started adding affiliate links. If you click on those, we benefit, and can spend more money paying more people to write more things for this website. No pressure, just hugely obliged.
Obviously in the current climate everything is subject to change,...
The incredibly fancy Steelbook format is the only choice for those needing a physical media release that doubles as a table tennis bat in a pinch. If that’s you, this list of all the upcoming UK Steelbook releases will be right up your alley.
Releases in this list cover Blu-ray and 4K, and are marked as such. Note that some Steelbooks sell out quickly, so just because they’re listed as upcoming here, there’s no guarantee of availability. Some store exclusives are also harder to track.
Also: We’ve started adding affiliate links. If you click on those, we benefit, and can spend more money paying more people to write more things for this website. No pressure, just hugely obliged.
Obviously in the current climate everything is subject to change,...
- 4/29/2024
- by James Harvey
- Film Stories
Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock has been known to take as long as eight years between albums, but nearly three decades into his band’s career, he’s ready to pick up the pace. Three years after the release of the well-received The Golden Casket, he’s already recorded enough songs for a new Modest Mouse album with producers including Jacknife Lee and Dave Sardy, and intends to put one out by next spring. “In my early days of putting out records, I wrote music every fucking day,” he tells...
- 4/6/2024
- by Brian Hiatt
- Rollingstone.com
The Japan Academy Film Prize Association held the 47th edition of its awards ceremony on March 8, 2024. The nominees are selected by the Nippon Academy-Sho Association of industry professionals from the pool of film releases between January 1 and December 31, 2023 which must have screened in Tokyo cinemas.
Following its success at the recent Blue Ribbon Awards and leading with 12 nominations, Toho Studios' and Takashi Yamazaki's kaiju cinema masterpiece “Godzilla Minus One” takes top honours winning Picture of the Year and a slew of technical awards. Sakura Ando cements her place as one of Japan's top actresses securing both awards for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (for “Monster”) as well as Supporting Role (for “Godzilla Minus One”).
The full list of winners is described below.
Picture of the Year
Monster
Godzilla Minus One
Mom, Is That You?!
September 1923
Perfect Days
Animation of the Year
Kitaro Tanjo – GeGeGe no...
Following its success at the recent Blue Ribbon Awards and leading with 12 nominations, Toho Studios' and Takashi Yamazaki's kaiju cinema masterpiece “Godzilla Minus One” takes top honours winning Picture of the Year and a slew of technical awards. Sakura Ando cements her place as one of Japan's top actresses securing both awards for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (for “Monster”) as well as Supporting Role (for “Godzilla Minus One”).
The full list of winners is described below.
Picture of the Year
Monster
Godzilla Minus One
Mom, Is That You?!
September 1923
Perfect Days
Animation of the Year
Kitaro Tanjo – GeGeGe no...
- 3/12/2024
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
The 66th edition of the Blue Ribbon Awards, presented by the Association of Tokyo Film Journalists, has announced its winners on January 24, 2024. The nominees are selected from movies released in 2023. The trifecta wins for “Godzilla Minus One” come as no surprise, sweeping the Best Film, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress categories. Yuya Ishii picks up the Best Director award for both his movies “The Moon” and “Masked Hearts”.
Best Film
Masked Hearts
Ichiko
Egoist
Monster
The Dry Spell
Godzilla Minus One
Mom, Is That You?!
(Ab)normal Desire
The Moon
One Last Bloom
Perfect Days
Bad Lands
September 1923
Do Unto Others
As Long as We Both Shall Live
Best Director
Yuya Ishii – The Moon, Masked Hearts
Hirokazu Koreeda – Monster
Daishi Matsunaga – Egoist
Takashi Yamazaki – Godzilla Minus One
Yoji Yamada – Mom, Is That You?!
Best Actor
Goro Inagaki – (Ab)normal Desire
Ryunosuke Kamiki – Godzilla Minus One, We're Broke, My Lord!
Best Film
Masked Hearts
Ichiko
Egoist
Monster
The Dry Spell
Godzilla Minus One
Mom, Is That You?!
(Ab)normal Desire
The Moon
One Last Bloom
Perfect Days
Bad Lands
September 1923
Do Unto Others
As Long as We Both Shall Live
Best Director
Yuya Ishii – The Moon, Masked Hearts
Hirokazu Koreeda – Monster
Daishi Matsunaga – Egoist
Takashi Yamazaki – Godzilla Minus One
Yoji Yamada – Mom, Is That You?!
Best Actor
Goro Inagaki – (Ab)normal Desire
Ryunosuke Kamiki – Godzilla Minus One, We're Broke, My Lord!
- 1/25/2024
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
A total of 35 films from 24 countries and regions have been shortlisted to compete for 16 awards at this year's Asian Film Awards.
Renowned Japanese director Kurosawa Kiyoshi will serve as the Jury President for this year's Awards. As the first Japanese director to hold this position, Kurosawa Kiyoshi is deeply honored. He will lead the Jury and over 200 Voting Members in selecting the winners for this year's Asian Film Awards.
The winners of other Afa awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, Excellence in Asian Cinema Award, Afa Next Generation Award, and Rising Star Award, will be announced later.
The 17th Asian Film Awards Nomination List
Best Film
12.12: The Day (South Korea)
Evil Does Not Exist (Japan)
Paradise
Perfect Days (Japan)
Snow Leopard (Mainland China)
Best Director
Kim Sung-soo | 12.12: The Day (South Korea)
Gu Xiaogang | Dwelling by the West Lake (Mainland China)
Hamaguchi Ryusuke | Evil Does Not Exist (Japan)
Kore-eda Hirokazu...
Renowned Japanese director Kurosawa Kiyoshi will serve as the Jury President for this year's Awards. As the first Japanese director to hold this position, Kurosawa Kiyoshi is deeply honored. He will lead the Jury and over 200 Voting Members in selecting the winners for this year's Asian Film Awards.
The winners of other Afa awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, Excellence in Asian Cinema Award, Afa Next Generation Award, and Rising Star Award, will be announced later.
The 17th Asian Film Awards Nomination List
Best Film
12.12: The Day (South Korea)
Evil Does Not Exist (Japan)
Paradise
Perfect Days (Japan)
Snow Leopard (Mainland China)
Best Director
Kim Sung-soo | 12.12: The Day (South Korea)
Gu Xiaogang | Dwelling by the West Lake (Mainland China)
Hamaguchi Ryusuke | Evil Does Not Exist (Japan)
Kore-eda Hirokazu...
- 1/12/2024
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
‘Snow Leopard’, ‘Paradise’, ‘The Goldfinger’ and ‘Godzilla Minus One’ also land multiple nods.
South Korean box office hit 12.12: The Day and Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist lead the nominations for the 17th Asian Film Awards, with six nods each including best film.
Also up for best film is Prasanna Vithanage’s Paradise from Sri Lanka-India, Wim Wenders Perfect Days from Japan and Chinese feature Snow Leopard by the late Pema Tseden.
Scroll down for full list of nominations
The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Hong Kong on March 10 and will be decided by a...
South Korean box office hit 12.12: The Day and Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist lead the nominations for the 17th Asian Film Awards, with six nods each including best film.
Also up for best film is Prasanna Vithanage’s Paradise from Sri Lanka-India, Wim Wenders Perfect Days from Japan and Chinese feature Snow Leopard by the late Pema Tseden.
Scroll down for full list of nominations
The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Hong Kong on March 10 and will be decided by a...
- 1/12/2024
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
A strong December for local films helped make up for an otherwise miserable 2023 at the South Korean box office – previously the fifth largest cinema territory worldwide.
And while theatrical markets in other major territories have recovered to reach at or near pre-pandemic levels, Korea finished 44% below 2019.
Data from the Korean Film Council’s Kobis tracking service showed annual gross revenues of KRW1.261 trillion ($964 million at Jan 2024 rates of exchange) in 2023. That represented a gain of 9% on 2022, but it was far below the KRW1.91 trillion ($1.46 billion) recorded in 2019, the last pre-covid year.
The bleak trend was mirrored in terms of attendance or ticket sales, which remains the country’s preferred performance measure. Cinema attendance reached 125 million in 2023, an 11% increase compared with the 113 million recorded in 2022, but 45% below 2019’s 227 million.
Kobis’ monthly data describe a year of peaks and troughs. Powered by holdover title “Avatar: The Way of Water,” 2023 started brightly enough,...
And while theatrical markets in other major territories have recovered to reach at or near pre-pandemic levels, Korea finished 44% below 2019.
Data from the Korean Film Council’s Kobis tracking service showed annual gross revenues of KRW1.261 trillion ($964 million at Jan 2024 rates of exchange) in 2023. That represented a gain of 9% on 2022, but it was far below the KRW1.91 trillion ($1.46 billion) recorded in 2019, the last pre-covid year.
The bleak trend was mirrored in terms of attendance or ticket sales, which remains the country’s preferred performance measure. Cinema attendance reached 125 million in 2023, an 11% increase compared with the 113 million recorded in 2022, but 45% below 2019’s 227 million.
Kobis’ monthly data describe a year of peaks and troughs. Powered by holdover title “Avatar: The Way of Water,” 2023 started brightly enough,...
- 1/3/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
As we have mentioned many times before, the most successful product of Asian cinema towards the US market (apart from anime) are the action/martial arts movies, and as such, it is by no surprise that the biggest industries of the continent and particularly S.Korea have invested heavily towards the particular category, with China following close by, in a genre that, most of the time, budget is the most crucial element. In that fashion, ultra violent and stylistic is the path S. Korea productions follow (this year), while China seems to be going more towards the sci-fi now that the Ip Man franchise has become somewhat preterit. Japan choose live-action adaptation or its rather famous franchises, while the duo of Tak Sakaguchi and Yudai Yamaguchi continue their effort to produce as realistic martial arts scenes as possible. China follows the stylistic martial arts approach, while India has come up...
- 12/30/2023
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
“The Quiet Yakuza,” is one of two late additions made by Japanese indie sales firm Free Stone Productions to its slate of films being pitched at Tiffcom, the film rights market attached to the Tokyo International Film Festival.
Directed by Yamaguchi Kento, the two-part-film is adapted from the highly popular manga “Shizukanaru Don – Yakuza Side Story” by Nitta Tatsuo, which runs to 108 volumes and has sold nearly 50 million copies.
It sees Ito Kentaro as Shizuya, the only son of the Shinsen Group, the largest yakuza group in Kanto,. However, Shizuya has zero interest in the yakuza and wants to be a regular civilian. He is perfectly happy working at a design company, living a simple, puritan life and lusting after his colleague Akino. His ordinary life is threatened by a crisis within the Shinsen Group.
The two films were released one week apart in May. Despite both parts having been distributed in Japan,...
Directed by Yamaguchi Kento, the two-part-film is adapted from the highly popular manga “Shizukanaru Don – Yakuza Side Story” by Nitta Tatsuo, which runs to 108 volumes and has sold nearly 50 million copies.
It sees Ito Kentaro as Shizuya, the only son of the Shinsen Group, the largest yakuza group in Kanto,. However, Shizuya has zero interest in the yakuza and wants to be a regular civilian. He is perfectly happy working at a design company, living a simple, puritan life and lusting after his colleague Akino. His ordinary life is threatened by a crisis within the Shinsen Group.
The two films were released one week apart in May. Despite both parts having been distributed in Japan,...
- 10/22/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
It was a weird year for Busan in terms of selection, particularly because this time, there were no definite masterpieces particularly among the Korean and Japanese titles, who are usually the source of this kind of films. At the same time, though, the industry seems to gradually pick up once more after the Covid impact, as one could find a really significant number of good and very good films in the selection, highlighting the progress of Asian cinema this year. Furthermore, the choice to focus on Indonesian cinema was an ideal one, considering that the future of Asian movies seems to lie, currently, somewhere among the Asean countries, particularly story-wise. Furthermore, the South Asian entries also were particularly strong this year, cementing what we just mentioned. Lastly, and in a trend that seems to be picking up during the last few years, the short selection seems even more interesting on occasion that the features…...
- 10/22/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The Portuguese doc fesitival has a reputation for showcasing formally bold films with attitude.
As it celebrates its 21st edition this year, Doclisboa is one of the most radical and innovative of the autumn documentary festivals. It opens today (October 19), taking place in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon until October 29.
Festival director Miguel Ribeiro prides himself on programming films with attitude and this year’s international competition includes shorts screening in the same section as features. Six are world premieres.
Whether they are dealing with politics, art or music, the titles screening in Lisbon tend to be opinionated and formally...
As it celebrates its 21st edition this year, Doclisboa is one of the most radical and innovative of the autumn documentary festivals. It opens today (October 19), taking place in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon until October 29.
Festival director Miguel Ribeiro prides himself on programming films with attitude and this year’s international competition includes shorts screening in the same section as features. Six are world premieres.
Whether they are dealing with politics, art or music, the titles screening in Lisbon tend to be opinionated and formally...
- 10/19/2023
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
Fantasy romance stars Doh Kyung-soo of K-pop group Exo and Won Jin-a of Netflix’s ‘Hellbound’.
South Korea’s Finecut has closed sales of fantasy romance feature Secret: Untold Melody in several key territories across Asia.
The film has sold to Cis (Capella Films), Inflight (Encore Inflight), Japan (The Klockworx), Philippines (Viva Networks), Singapore, Malaysia, including Brunei (Purple Plan Pte), Taiwan (Moviecloud) and Thailand (Gdh 559). A local release is planned for 2024.
The time-travel romance follows a promising pianist and a mysterious music student who meet each other in an old practice room with a hidden secret.
Directed by Seo You-min...
South Korea’s Finecut has closed sales of fantasy romance feature Secret: Untold Melody in several key territories across Asia.
The film has sold to Cis (Capella Films), Inflight (Encore Inflight), Japan (The Klockworx), Philippines (Viva Networks), Singapore, Malaysia, including Brunei (Purple Plan Pte), Taiwan (Moviecloud) and Thailand (Gdh 559). A local release is planned for 2024.
The time-travel romance follows a promising pianist and a mysterious music student who meet each other in an old practice room with a hidden secret.
Directed by Seo You-min...
- 10/8/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Key Asian territories have picked up the drama.
Japan’s Free Stone Productions has secured a brace of deals on Yuya Ishii’s The Moon, following its world premiere in competition at Busan International Film Festival this week.
The film has been acquired for distribution in Taiwan (SkyDigi) and Korea (Media Castle) during the Asian Contents & Film Market (Acfm), which runs parallel to the festival. It is set to be released in Japan by Star Sands on October 13.
The story follows a writer named Yoko who takes a job at a nursing home, where she witnesses elderly and disabled residents...
Japan’s Free Stone Productions has secured a brace of deals on Yuya Ishii’s The Moon, following its world premiere in competition at Busan International Film Festival this week.
The film has been acquired for distribution in Taiwan (SkyDigi) and Korea (Media Castle) during the Asian Contents & Film Market (Acfm), which runs parallel to the festival. It is set to be released in Japan by Star Sands on October 13.
The story follows a writer named Yoko who takes a job at a nursing home, where she witnesses elderly and disabled residents...
- 10/8/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Korean sales agency Finecut has struck a raft of rights sales on upcoming fantasy-romance “Secret: Untold Melody.”
The film, which will premiere at the upcoming Hawaii International Film Festival, tells the tale of a man whose promising piano career is cut short by a wrist injury. He returns to Korea and falls in love with a mysterious woman at his music college. While he is encouraged to revive as a genius pianist thanks to her, a hidden secret is revealed that transcends time and space.
“Secret: Untold Melody” is a remake of the 2007 Taiwanese hit movie Secret, that originally starred Jay Chou and Gwei Lun-mei.
The Korean retread is directed by Seo You-min (“Recalled”) and stars K-pop performer-turned actor Doh Kyung-soo and Won Jin-a (Netflix’s “Hellbound”).
Finecut has struck deals for Cis (with Capella Films), inflight (Encore Inflight), Japan (The Klockworx), Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei (Purple Plan), Taiwan...
The film, which will premiere at the upcoming Hawaii International Film Festival, tells the tale of a man whose promising piano career is cut short by a wrist injury. He returns to Korea and falls in love with a mysterious woman at his music college. While he is encouraged to revive as a genius pianist thanks to her, a hidden secret is revealed that transcends time and space.
“Secret: Untold Melody” is a remake of the 2007 Taiwanese hit movie Secret, that originally starred Jay Chou and Gwei Lun-mei.
The Korean retread is directed by Seo You-min (“Recalled”) and stars K-pop performer-turned actor Doh Kyung-soo and Won Jin-a (Netflix’s “Hellbound”).
Finecut has struck deals for Cis (with Capella Films), inflight (Encore Inflight), Japan (The Klockworx), Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei (Purple Plan), Taiwan...
- 10/7/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Yuya Ishii has been the mastermind behind a number of films we cherish particularly here in Asian Movie Pulse, with “The Great Passage” especially featuring frequently in some of our ‘best of’ lists. Recently, however, and particularly since “The Asian Angel”, Ishii seems to have lost some of his edge, which he apparently tries to find once more with “The Moon”, a rather ambitious project.
The Moon is screening at Busan International Film Festival
Yoko Dojima once wrote a novel about the 2011 Earthquake, which brought her fame and even a much younger and rather handsome husband, Shohei, who calls her maestra and is an animator. Currently, though, she has not been able to produce anything new, which is why, along with the financial issues the couple faces, she agrees on taking on a job as caretaker at a facility for the severely disabled, which is located deep in the forest.
The Moon is screening at Busan International Film Festival
Yoko Dojima once wrote a novel about the 2011 Earthquake, which brought her fame and even a much younger and rather handsome husband, Shohei, who calls her maestra and is an animator. Currently, though, she has not been able to produce anything new, which is why, along with the financial issues the couple faces, she agrees on taking on a job as caretaker at a facility for the severely disabled, which is located deep in the forest.
- 10/7/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
A grief-stricken author attempts to reconnect with society by taking a job at a nursing home for the severely disabled in Yuya Ishii’s compelling drama The Moon, inspired by a real-life Japanese tragedy and adapted from the novel by Yo Hemmi. Rie Miyazawa (Pale Moon) is sensational in the lead role, but is surrounded by an equally impressive ensemble that includes Joe Odagiri (Adrift in Tokyo), Fumi Nikaido (Why Don't You Play in Hell?), and Hayato Isomura (Tokyo Revengers). Yoko (Miyazawa) and her husband Shohei (Odagiri) are battling to keep their marriage on course following the death of their infant son due to a congenital heart disease. Yoko previously found success as a writer, publishing a celebrated novel about the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake. Since...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 10/6/2023
- Screen Anarchy
While I truly appreciate a compelling Korean ‘melo,‘ there are times when the drama becomes overwhelming, hijacking the plot’s integrity. My anticipation for The Moon was sky-high, and with its stellar cast, including popular actors, and my high expectations from the Hallyu industry, I entered with excitement. The realms of space and the future have been thoroughly explored in Korean media, with works like Space Sweepers and The Silent Sea finding success. Personally, I encountered similar concerns with ‘Space Sweeper,’ starring Song Jong-Ki, as I did with The Moon. Both films are excessively lengthy and strain for an emotional impact that ultimately falls short. I understand that this is a cultural denominator, similar to what we have with Indian films, but the criticism still stands when the film becomes tedious and feels overstretched.
The Moon details a space expedition to the moon conducted by Korea’s very own Naro Space Center.
The Moon details a space expedition to the moon conducted by Korea’s very own Naro Space Center.
- 9/4/2023
- by Ruchika Bhat
- Film Fugitives
Gateway for Emerging Asian Directors with Profound Potential
New Currents Announces 10 Selections!
New Currents, a main competition section at the Busan International Film Festival, showcases first or second features by up-and-coming Asian filmmakers. This year, a selection of 10 films by emerging directors from diverse countries—encompassing Korea, Japan, Bangladesh, and India—will vie for the New Currents Award, with the top two feature films earning this prestigious recognition.
Mori Tatsuya — September 1923 (2023)
Yamamoto Akira — After the Fever (2023)
New Currents showcases 2 Japanese films. September 1923 (2023) is based on the historical Great Kantō earthquake of 1923, which resulted in numerous Korean casualties. This film marks the notable feature debut of Mori Tatsuya, formerly recognized for creating documentaries that shed light on various societal issues within Japan.
After the Fever (2023) directed by Yamamoto Akira, delves deep into the intricacies of intense emotional states experienced during profound love, presenting them in a striking manner. The film captivates the audience with its dynamic,...
New Currents Announces 10 Selections!
New Currents, a main competition section at the Busan International Film Festival, showcases first or second features by up-and-coming Asian filmmakers. This year, a selection of 10 films by emerging directors from diverse countries—encompassing Korea, Japan, Bangladesh, and India—will vie for the New Currents Award, with the top two feature films earning this prestigious recognition.
Mori Tatsuya — September 1923 (2023)
Yamamoto Akira — After the Fever (2023)
New Currents showcases 2 Japanese films. September 1923 (2023) is based on the historical Great Kantō earthquake of 1923, which resulted in numerous Korean casualties. This film marks the notable feature debut of Mori Tatsuya, formerly recognized for creating documentaries that shed light on various societal issues within Japan.
After the Fever (2023) directed by Yamamoto Akira, delves deep into the intricacies of intense emotional states experienced during profound love, presenting them in a striking manner. The film captivates the audience with its dynamic,...
- 9/2/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The new film The Great Seduction is a tale of an island on the verge of losing everything. The islanders have all been unemployed for quite some time. The island depended on fishing, and without a fishing plant set up on the island, leaving the island and sending money from a big city was the only option. Germán, a soccer-loving islander, feels the island is like a paradise on earth, and he will do anything to save it from dying. With just 110 people remaining on the island, the need of the hour was to get a permanent doctor to live on the island named Santa Maria. This was an essential requirement for the contractors to set up a fishing plant. Santa Maria has not had a permanent doctor for years. Who would want to leave the comfortable city life and come live in the no-internet zone of Santa Maria? When Mateo,...
- 8/30/2023
- by Ayush Awasthi
- Film Fugitives
Korea’s Busan International Film Festival has announced the ten films in this year’s New Currents competition line-up, along with ten films selected for its Jiseok Section. Both competition sections feature titles from Bangladesh’s vibrant young industry as well as from Japan.
New Currents, a section for first and second films by up-and-coming Asian filmmakers, features two films from Bangladesh – Biplob Sarkar’s The Stranger and Iqbal H. Chowdhury’s The Wrestler – which the festival noted showcase “the momentum of Bangladeshi cinema”.
The Stranger is described as a coming-of-age story navigating the journey of a family in which the young son grapples with questions about his gender identity. The Wrestler, a co-production between Bangladesh and Canada, tells the story of an elderly man from a fishing village who challenges a wrestling champion to combat.
Two Japanese titles have also been selected for New Currents – September 1923, about the Great...
New Currents, a section for first and second films by up-and-coming Asian filmmakers, features two films from Bangladesh – Biplob Sarkar’s The Stranger and Iqbal H. Chowdhury’s The Wrestler – which the festival noted showcase “the momentum of Bangladeshi cinema”.
The Stranger is described as a coming-of-age story navigating the journey of a family in which the young son grapples with questions about his gender identity. The Wrestler, a co-production between Bangladesh and Canada, tells the story of an elderly man from a fishing village who challenges a wrestling champion to combat.
Two Japanese titles have also been selected for New Currents – September 1923, about the Great...
- 8/30/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
The New Currents and Jiseok selections include features from Japan, China, South Korea and Bangladesh among others.
The 28th Busan International Film Festival has revealed the titles selected for its New Currents and Jiseok strands, the festival’s competitive sections for Asian films.
Scroll down for full list
New Currents is for films by directors making their first or second works of fiction and comprises 10 titles from Japan, China, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, India and Bangladesh.
They include September 1923, which marks the fiction feature debut of Japanese director Tatsuya Mori and centres on the Great Kantō earthquake of 1923. Mori is known as a documentary filmmaker,...
The 28th Busan International Film Festival has revealed the titles selected for its New Currents and Jiseok strands, the festival’s competitive sections for Asian films.
Scroll down for full list
New Currents is for films by directors making their first or second works of fiction and comprises 10 titles from Japan, China, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, India and Bangladesh.
They include September 1923, which marks the fiction feature debut of Japanese director Tatsuya Mori and centres on the Great Kantō earthquake of 1923. Mori is known as a documentary filmmaker,...
- 8/30/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
The main competition section of the Busan International Film Festival is set to showcase two new features from Bangladeshi directors, the feature debut of Japanese documentary maker Mori Tatsuya and ruminations on Hong Kong by mainland Chinese director Choi Ji.
The festival on Wednesday unveiled its New Currents competition section, reserved for films by directors making their first or second works of fiction, as well as its Jiseok section, a showcase for somewhat more established Asian auteurs.
In addition to the Bangladesh duo, New Currents includes two films from Japan, two from Korea and one each from China, Thailand, Malaysia and India.
From Bangladesh, Iqbal H. Chowdhury’s “The Wrestler” sees an old fisherman challenge a wrestling champion to combat, and in “The Stranger” Biplob Sarkar tells a coming-of-age, gender-identity tale.
From Japan, Mori recounts the events of the Great Kanto earthquake in “September 1923,” while Yamamoto Akira delves into profound...
The festival on Wednesday unveiled its New Currents competition section, reserved for films by directors making their first or second works of fiction, as well as its Jiseok section, a showcase for somewhat more established Asian auteurs.
In addition to the Bangladesh duo, New Currents includes two films from Japan, two from Korea and one each from China, Thailand, Malaysia and India.
From Bangladesh, Iqbal H. Chowdhury’s “The Wrestler” sees an old fisherman challenge a wrestling champion to combat, and in “The Stranger” Biplob Sarkar tells a coming-of-age, gender-identity tale.
From Japan, Mori recounts the events of the Great Kanto earthquake in “September 1923,” while Yamamoto Akira delves into profound...
- 8/30/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
South Korea isn't exactly a country that springs to mind when one thinks of the Space Race. The enormously expensive endeavour to shoot for the stars has always been the stage for huge global superpowers like the US and Russia to duke out their differences, and in turn, big-budget cinema has wasted no time in making a spectacle out of getting there. A recent Hollywood boom in the genre has seen prestige filmmakers like Alfonso Cuarón, Christopher Nolan and Ridley Scott turn in “Gravity”, “Interstellar” and “The Martian” respectively, and James Gray's divisive “Ad Astra” take the space-survival drama to its most eccentric end point. Yet it remains a predominantly American genre, and while South Korea's 2021 Netflix hit “Space Sweepers” arrived with a modest bang on the international front, East Asian cinema has yet to turn in a seminal space thriller. Enter Kim Yong-hwa's “The Moon” as South Korea's expensive,...
- 8/20/2023
- by Simon Ramshaw
- AsianMoviePulse
Lee Byung-hun-starring disaster movie “Concrete Utopia” topped the South Korean box office over the latest weekend, replacing female led crime caper “Smugglers.”
Directed by Um Tae-hwa, “Concrete Utopia” is set in a Seoul that has been largely destroyed by a massive earthquake. One building stands tall among the wreckage and becomes a refuge for those already inside, but the inhabitants must fend of the unwanted attentions of outsiders.
It opened on Wednesday, earning $8.40 million between Friday and Sunday and fully $11.3 million over its full opening five days, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). The data showed it has an impressive 53% market share.
“Smugglers” continued to perform strongly. While it slipped from first to second place in its third week, over the weekend it added $3.19 million. That lifted its 19-day cumulative total to $31.5 million. Local media report that it has passed...
Directed by Um Tae-hwa, “Concrete Utopia” is set in a Seoul that has been largely destroyed by a massive earthquake. One building stands tall among the wreckage and becomes a refuge for those already inside, but the inhabitants must fend of the unwanted attentions of outsiders.
It opened on Wednesday, earning $8.40 million between Friday and Sunday and fully $11.3 million over its full opening five days, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). The data showed it has an impressive 53% market share.
“Smugglers” continued to perform strongly. While it slipped from first to second place in its third week, over the weekend it added $3.19 million. That lifted its 19-day cumulative total to $31.5 million. Local media report that it has passed...
- 8/14/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Period feature stars Jacky Heung and Andy On.
Well Go USA Entertainment has acquired North America distribution rights to 100 Yards, a period martial arts drama directed by Xu Haofeng and Xu Junfeng.
The deal was negotiated directly with producer Rainbow Fong on behalf of the filmmakers. Well Go plans to release the feature in 2024, following a festival run that began with its world premiere at Shanghai International Film Festival in June.
Hong Kong-based My Way Film Company is handling sales for Asean countries, with Fortissimo Films managing all other international sales excluding North America and Southeast Asia.
Xu Haofeng is director of The Sword Identity,...
Well Go USA Entertainment has acquired North America distribution rights to 100 Yards, a period martial arts drama directed by Xu Haofeng and Xu Junfeng.
The deal was negotiated directly with producer Rainbow Fong on behalf of the filmmakers. Well Go plans to release the feature in 2024, following a festival run that began with its world premiere at Shanghai International Film Festival in June.
Hong Kong-based My Way Film Company is handling sales for Asean countries, with Fortissimo Films managing all other international sales excluding North America and Southeast Asia.
Xu Haofeng is director of The Sword Identity,...
- 8/9/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Ryu Seung-wan’s female-led crime caper “Smugglers” topped the South Korean box office for a second weekend, ahead of new release title “Ransomed.”
“Smugglers” enjoyed a strong hold in its second weekend of release and commanded 42% market share. It delivered $7.09 million, a drop of only 20% on its opening weekend, giving a 12-day cumulative of $26.2 million, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).
“Ransomed,” a 1980s-set drama thriller set in Lebanon, follows the travails of a low-ranking Korean diplomat who performs heroics in an attempt to rescue a kidnapped official. The film opened in second place with $3.34 million over the weekend and $5.19 million over its full five-day opening run.
“Elemental,” the Pixar cartoon that has charmed Korea, continued in a strong third place. It earned $2.26 million over the weekend, for a cumulative of $47.5 million. That total means that it has overtaken Japanese animated...
“Smugglers” enjoyed a strong hold in its second weekend of release and commanded 42% market share. It delivered $7.09 million, a drop of only 20% on its opening weekend, giving a 12-day cumulative of $26.2 million, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).
“Ransomed,” a 1980s-set drama thriller set in Lebanon, follows the travails of a low-ranking Korean diplomat who performs heroics in an attempt to rescue a kidnapped official. The film opened in second place with $3.34 million over the weekend and $5.19 million over its full five-day opening run.
“Elemental,” the Pixar cartoon that has charmed Korea, continued in a strong third place. It earned $2.26 million over the weekend, for a cumulative of $47.5 million. That total means that it has overtaken Japanese animated...
- 8/7/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
“If you want to feel the tender part of life, you must first accept it at its cruellest,” says the narrator as the camera slowly zooms out in this film’s opening shot. Two teenage girls are lying on the ground, between them a skinny boy holding a goldfish bowl in which a golden oranda swims.
An hour-long student film whose visual creativity and tender performances suggest an exciting future for those involved, The Moon, The Sky And You screened as part of the 2023 Fantasia International Film Festival. Director Lin Hei Yau had originally written a feature-length story but trimmed it down into something he could feasibly make by cutting out all the backstory and exposition. The resulting piece unfolds like a poem, a condensed idea with a more intense impact on viewers, exploring familiar tropes in its own distinctive way.
As far as the boy (Jayden Cheung) is concerned,...
An hour-long student film whose visual creativity and tender performances suggest an exciting future for those involved, The Moon, The Sky And You screened as part of the 2023 Fantasia International Film Festival. Director Lin Hei Yau had originally written a feature-length story but trimmed it down into something he could feasibly make by cutting out all the backstory and exposition. The resulting piece unfolds like a poem, a condensed idea with a more intense impact on viewers, exploring familiar tropes in its own distinctive way.
As far as the boy (Jayden Cheung) is concerned,...
- 8/5/2023
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
The Moon is a Korean sci-fi fantasy film. Directed by Yong-Hwa Kim, The Moon is set in the near future and it follows Astronaut Hwang Seon-woo (Do Kyung-soo), as he tries to survive on the moon after Korea’s second manned mission to the moon goes awry. To get him back home Naro Space Center turns to its former managing director Kim Jae-guk (Sol Kyung-gu). So, if you also loved The Moon here are some similar movies for you to check out next.
The Martian (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – 20th Century Fox
Synopsis: During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a...
The Martian (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – 20th Century Fox
Synopsis: During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a...
- 8/5/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
There is female empowerment in Korean cinemas, but it is coming more from local characters, than global hit “Barbie.”
Female-led crime action film “Smugglers” dominated the weekend at the South Korean box office and pushed aside “Mission: impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” which had headed the chart for the previous two sessions.
“Smugglers” earned $9.31 million between Friday and Sunday, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic), giving it a nearly 54% market share. Over its full five opening days, the film has built up a cumulative total of $13.1 million.
Directed by stylish action specialist Ryoo Seungwan (aka Ryu Seung-wan), “Smugglers” is set in Jeju where some of the island’s famous diving women have lost their jobs. Instead they use their skills to mount a smuggling operation, collecting illegal shipments that have been dropped into the sea.
The film has already been...
Female-led crime action film “Smugglers” dominated the weekend at the South Korean box office and pushed aside “Mission: impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” which had headed the chart for the previous two sessions.
“Smugglers” earned $9.31 million between Friday and Sunday, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic), giving it a nearly 54% market share. Over its full five opening days, the film has built up a cumulative total of $13.1 million.
Directed by stylish action specialist Ryoo Seungwan (aka Ryu Seung-wan), “Smugglers” is set in Jeju where some of the island’s famous diving women have lost their jobs. Instead they use their skills to mount a smuggling operation, collecting illegal shipments that have been dropped into the sea.
The film has already been...
- 7/31/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Korea’s box office reached 70% of pre-pandemic levels of revenue in the first half of 2023, according to data released by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).
Korean action film The Roundup: No Way Out was the highest-grossing film of the period – pulling in $82M from 10.68 million admissions – followed by two Japanese animated features, Suzume and The First Slam Dunk, and U.S. titles Avatar: The Way Of Water and Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3.
Total box office for the period reached $475M (KRW607.8Bn), equivalent to 72.5% of average box office during the January-June period in 2017-2019, before Covid-19 shuttered cinemas and played havoc with release schedules.
As in many other territories, the recovery was partly due to ticket price increases, as admissions totalled 58.39 million, which is only 57.8% of the pre-pandemic average in the same period during 2017-2019.
While the top-grossing film in the first half was Korean, local films achieved only 54% of their pre-pandemic average,...
Korean action film The Roundup: No Way Out was the highest-grossing film of the period – pulling in $82M from 10.68 million admissions – followed by two Japanese animated features, Suzume and The First Slam Dunk, and U.S. titles Avatar: The Way Of Water and Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3.
Total box office for the period reached $475M (KRW607.8Bn), equivalent to 72.5% of average box office during the January-June period in 2017-2019, before Covid-19 shuttered cinemas and played havoc with release schedules.
As in many other territories, the recovery was partly due to ticket price increases, as admissions totalled 58.39 million, which is only 57.8% of the pre-pandemic average in the same period during 2017-2019.
While the top-grossing film in the first half was Korean, local films achieved only 54% of their pre-pandemic average,...
- 7/27/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Well Go USA will distribute both titles in select markets.
Well Go USA has revealed the North America theatrical release dates for South Korean thrillers Ransomed and The Moon.
Action drama Ransomed will roll out from August 4 and sci-fi survival drama The Moon is set for August 18. Both will receive theatrical releases in select markets.
Ransomed is directed by Kim Seong-hun of Netflix original series Kingdom and stars Ha Jung-woo of Narco-Saints and Ju Ji-hoon of Kingdom. Inspired by a true events that took place in 1986, it follows a young diplomat (Ha) who is assigned the task of carrying the...
Well Go USA has revealed the North America theatrical release dates for South Korean thrillers Ransomed and The Moon.
Action drama Ransomed will roll out from August 4 and sci-fi survival drama The Moon is set for August 18. Both will receive theatrical releases in select markets.
Ransomed is directed by Kim Seong-hun of Netflix original series Kingdom and stars Ha Jung-woo of Narco-Saints and Ju Ji-hoon of Kingdom. Inspired by a true events that took place in 1986, it follows a young diplomat (Ha) who is assigned the task of carrying the...
- 7/18/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
"Requesting return to the Halo orbit." Cj Entertainment has revealed two teaser trailers for their new sci-fi movie called The Moon, a space survival movie that seems like a Korean cross between The Martian and Apollo 13. It's written and directed by the Korean filmmaker Yong-hwa Kim, also best known as the creator of the LittleBigPlanet video game. It depicts the struggle of an astronaut who accidentally becomes isolated in space, and the rescue plan led by former head of a space center. Seon-woo walks on the surface of the Moon when solar winds unexpectedly hit and bring a meteor shower. While he survives, his journey back to earth proves difficult as he winds up stranded in space. Jae-Kook back down on Earth tries to save him. The film stars Do Kyung-soo, also known by his stage name D.O. of K-pop boy band Exo, and Sul Kyung-gu, plus Kim Hee-ae,...
- 6/29/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Nam Dong-chul appointed acting festival director. Cho Jongkook dismissed as managing director.
Busan International Film Festival (Biff) has formalised procedures for tasking programme director Nam Dong-chul to take on the role of acting festival director today (June 26), amid ongoing issues facing the South Korean festival.
Deputy director Kang Seungah was also tasked with the role of acting managing director at today’s general assembly at the Busan Cinema Center, after a 16:12 vote to dismiss Cho Jongkook after less than two months in the managing director position.
The festival revised its regulations to say: “In the case an accident befalls the festival director,...
Busan International Film Festival (Biff) has formalised procedures for tasking programme director Nam Dong-chul to take on the role of acting festival director today (June 26), amid ongoing issues facing the South Korean festival.
Deputy director Kang Seungah was also tasked with the role of acting managing director at today’s general assembly at the Busan Cinema Center, after a 16:12 vote to dismiss Cho Jongkook after less than two months in the managing director position.
The festival revised its regulations to say: “In the case an accident befalls the festival director,...
- 6/26/2023
- by Jean Noh
- ScreenDaily
Upcoming film acquired for the US and key European and Asian territories.
Cj Enm has pre-sold sci-fi survival drama The Moon to 155 countries including the US and key territories throughout Europe and Asia.
The film has been acquired for North America (Well Go USA), UK and German-speaking territories (Capelight), French-speaking territories (Program Store), Italy (Blue Swan), Turkey (Atv), Poland (Monolith), Cis (Rwv), Japan (Klockworx), Indian sub-continent (Multivision Plus), Middle East (Empire Networks), Australia (Little Monster), Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines (Purple Plan), Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar (Neramitnungfilm), Taiwan (MovieCloud), and Hong Kong and Macau (Edko Films). Cj Enm...
Cj Enm has pre-sold sci-fi survival drama The Moon to 155 countries including the US and key territories throughout Europe and Asia.
The film has been acquired for North America (Well Go USA), UK and German-speaking territories (Capelight), French-speaking territories (Program Store), Italy (Blue Swan), Turkey (Atv), Poland (Monolith), Cis (Rwv), Japan (Klockworx), Indian sub-continent (Multivision Plus), Middle East (Empire Networks), Australia (Little Monster), Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines (Purple Plan), Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar (Neramitnungfilm), Taiwan (MovieCloud), and Hong Kong and Macau (Edko Films). Cj Enm...
- 6/26/2023
- by Jean Noh
- ScreenDaily
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