This year’s Hong Kong International Film Festival will open with the Asian premiere of All Shall Be Well, directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Ray Yeung, which recently won the Teddy Award at Berlin film festival.
Starring Patra Au and Maggie Li, the film tells the story of an older lesbian couple and how the surviving partner struggles to retain her home and her dignity when one of them passes away. The film premiered in the Panorama section at the Berlinale.
Japanese filmmaker Miyake Sho’s All The Long Nights, starring Matsumura Hokuto and Kamishiraishi Mone, which premiered in the Forum section of Berlin, will close the festival on April 8.
Gala screenings also include the world premiere of Hong Kong filmmaker Ho Miu-ki’s Love Lies, starring Sandra Ng, Cheung Tin-fu and Stephy Tang; Hamaguchi Ryusuke’s Gift, a collaboration with composer Eiko Ishibashi, which will be...
Starring Patra Au and Maggie Li, the film tells the story of an older lesbian couple and how the surviving partner struggles to retain her home and her dignity when one of them passes away. The film premiered in the Panorama section at the Berlinale.
Japanese filmmaker Miyake Sho’s All The Long Nights, starring Matsumura Hokuto and Kamishiraishi Mone, which premiered in the Forum section of Berlin, will close the festival on April 8.
Gala screenings also include the world premiere of Hong Kong filmmaker Ho Miu-ki’s Love Lies, starring Sandra Ng, Cheung Tin-fu and Stephy Tang; Hamaguchi Ryusuke’s Gift, a collaboration with composer Eiko Ishibashi, which will be...
- 3/8/2024
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Ray Yeung’s All Shall Be Well has been set as the opening film of the 48th Hong Kong International Film Festival, which has unveiled its full lineup today.
It will mark the Asian premiere of the Hong Kong feature, which debuted in the Panorama strand of the Berlinale last month and won the Teddy Award. Starring Patra Au and Maggie Li, it centres on a lesbian couple in their twilight years. After one of them dies, the other struggles to retain both her dignity and the home they shared for more than 30 years.
Miyake Sho’s All The Long Nights,...
It will mark the Asian premiere of the Hong Kong feature, which debuted in the Panorama strand of the Berlinale last month and won the Teddy Award. Starring Patra Au and Maggie Li, it centres on a lesbian couple in their twilight years. After one of them dies, the other struggles to retain both her dignity and the home they shared for more than 30 years.
Miyake Sho’s All The Long Nights,...
- 3/8/2024
- ScreenDaily
Decades before “Indecent Proposal”, Kan Mukai used the same concept to present a pinku film that also functions as an accusation towards capitalism, without neglecting, though, the titillating part, which, in this case, is presented in a kaleidoscope of images, occasionally in disco style. Let us take things from the beginning though.
As the story begins, we witness Kenzo, a bankrupt stockbroker being blackmailed by a rather lecherous loan shark named Uchiyama, who eventually suggests to him to let his wife have sex with him, in exchange for extending his payback deadline. The man eventually agrees, since his wife also reluctantly concurs, but Uchiyama does not stop there. After having his way with Kenzo’s wife, he suggests to her to have sex with his virgin son, in order to extend the deadline even more (note here that he never offers to erase the debt). The woman decides to sacrifice herself,...
As the story begins, we witness Kenzo, a bankrupt stockbroker being blackmailed by a rather lecherous loan shark named Uchiyama, who eventually suggests to him to let his wife have sex with him, in exchange for extending his payback deadline. The man eventually agrees, since his wife also reluctantly concurs, but Uchiyama does not stop there. After having his way with Kenzo’s wife, he suggests to her to have sex with his virgin son, in order to extend the deadline even more (note here that he never offers to erase the debt). The woman decides to sacrifice herself,...
- 4/2/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
There is something fascinating about having a director who has become known for independent and/or arthouse films directing a movie that falls under the action category, with Hou Hsiao-hsen’s “The Assassin” and Wong Kar-wai’s “The Grandmaster” being two of the most distinct samples. In that regard, I was somewhat eager to watch Fruit Chan’s effort in the martial arts genre, despite the fact that most of his studio-produced movies were mediocre, to say the least. Max Zhang’s presence, who has been groomed for Donnie Yen’s place in Hk/Chinese action cinema since the aforementioned film, the script that also followed in that direction, the big budget, and Anderson Silva’s presence all pointed towards a movie, which, even if it ended up being a flick, it would at least be impressive and entertaining. Alas…
Kowloon is a very competent but quite...
Kowloon is a very competent but quite...
- 11/27/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Fruit Chan was born in 1969 in China, from where his family emigrated to Hong Kong. A director, producer, actor and screenwriter, representing what is known as the Second New Wave of independent Hong Kong cinematography. His films are immersed in an urban climate, for which he often engaged non-professional actors to show in a close-up the life of a modern metropolis. He is interested in social issues and fascinated with the Japanese 1960s avantgarde, for instance the works of Nagisa Oshima.
On the occasion of his retrospective in Five Flavours, we speak with him about his style, working with non-actors, Hong Kong film industry, change and many other topics
I always admired the way realism is channelled through fantasy in your films. Can you tell us a bit about this approach?
It is true, I do not want to go just one way, and deal with a love story, for example,...
On the occasion of his retrospective in Five Flavours, we speak with him about his style, working with non-actors, Hong Kong film industry, change and many other topics
I always admired the way realism is channelled through fantasy in your films. Can you tell us a bit about this approach?
It is true, I do not want to go just one way, and deal with a love story, for example,...
- 11/17/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Fruit Chan’s cinematic efforts in the 21st century have been unequal. Films like “Three Husbands” and “The Midnight After” highlight the reasons he is still considered among the most important Hk filmmakers, while others, almost the opposite. “Kill Time”, unfortunately, falls under the second category.
Based on a novel by Cai Jun, the story unfolds in three different timelines. Xiaomai is a young woman, whose policeman father died a bit before, while trying to save a woman from drowning. Xiaomai is about to get married to Shengzan, a childhood friend, but things take a rather unexpected turn when she stumbles upon Witch Zone, a website whose slogan is “Buy Anything You Want”. The girl decides to buy memories, despite Qianling, her best friend’s nudges not to deal with such shady companies, and ends up owning a purple scarf, that looks exactly the same as the...
Based on a novel by Cai Jun, the story unfolds in three different timelines. Xiaomai is a young woman, whose policeman father died a bit before, while trying to save a woman from drowning. Xiaomai is about to get married to Shengzan, a childhood friend, but things take a rather unexpected turn when she stumbles upon Witch Zone, a website whose slogan is “Buy Anything You Want”. The girl decides to buy memories, despite Qianling, her best friend’s nudges not to deal with such shady companies, and ends up owning a purple scarf, that looks exactly the same as the...
- 11/17/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Three Indian and three mainland Chinese films are among the nine feature movies shortlisted for the Best Asian Film Award by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts.
The Indian selections are box office hit “Andhadhun,” “Super Deluxe, and “Gully Boy,” which premiered in February at the Berlin festival. The Chinese trio includes “Shadow,” sci-fi hit “The Wandering Earth,” and “Ne Zha,” an animation sensation that was named as China’s Oscars hopeful.
The other three are: Philippines box office record breaker “Hello Love Goodbye”; Japan’s “We Are Little Zombies,” and “Parasite,” Bong Joon-ho’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner and South Korea’s Oscar contender.
“Over the past year, the global reach of Asian film has continued to grow with an increasing number of high-quality, creative storylines being recognised at international film festivals and at the local and international box office,” said Aacta.
Judging the entries will...
The Indian selections are box office hit “Andhadhun,” “Super Deluxe, and “Gully Boy,” which premiered in February at the Berlin festival. The Chinese trio includes “Shadow,” sci-fi hit “The Wandering Earth,” and “Ne Zha,” an animation sensation that was named as China’s Oscars hopeful.
The other three are: Philippines box office record breaker “Hello Love Goodbye”; Japan’s “We Are Little Zombies,” and “Parasite,” Bong Joon-ho’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner and South Korea’s Oscar contender.
“Over the past year, the global reach of Asian film has continued to grow with an increasing number of high-quality, creative storylines being recognised at international film festivals and at the local and international box office,” said Aacta.
Judging the entries will...
- 10/15/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Once again together with the Asian Film Awards Academy, we prepared for the Five Flavours audience a special selection of films which are the best representation of the Asian film industry latest achievements.
Asian Film Awards Academy is an institution which actively supports the development of regional film markets in Asia. Its awards may be considered an alternative to the most important world film awards and are intended to popularize high-quality commercial cinema from the Asian countries. Afa Academy was created by the three main film festivals in Asia – Hong Kong, Tokyo and Busan – and gradually has become a more and more recognized and influential brand. The organization and image of the event have gained a particular structure and character. In the future, the Asian Film Awards Academy gala and its initiatives will have a substantial impact on the shape and development of the film industry on the continent.
For the third time,...
Asian Film Awards Academy is an institution which actively supports the development of regional film markets in Asia. Its awards may be considered an alternative to the most important world film awards and are intended to popularize high-quality commercial cinema from the Asian countries. Afa Academy was created by the three main film festivals in Asia – Hong Kong, Tokyo and Busan – and gradually has become a more and more recognized and influential brand. The organization and image of the event have gained a particular structure and character. In the future, the Asian Film Awards Academy gala and its initiatives will have a substantial impact on the shape and development of the film industry on the continent.
For the third time,...
- 10/12/2019
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
The first announced guest of the 13th edition of the Five Flavors is Fruit Chan. The diector will be in Warsaw for the Master Class accompanying the retrospective of his films. This will be the first opportunity in Poland to meet this rebellious and always up-and-coming artist and see the key films for the period of Hong Kong’s handover to China.
Coincidentally (or maybe not), Asian Movie Pulse is about to start a new “Fruit Chan Project” in which we will review the whole body of work of the Hong Kong Maestro.
Director Fruit Chan appeared in Hong Kong cinema in the second half of the 90s as an independent artist. The groundbreaking “Made in Hong Kong” – shown at the 11th Five Flavours in 2017 – had no budget or stars and was filmed on leftover film stock. But the picture had something that was more and more often lacking in...
Coincidentally (or maybe not), Asian Movie Pulse is about to start a new “Fruit Chan Project” in which we will review the whole body of work of the Hong Kong Maestro.
Director Fruit Chan appeared in Hong Kong cinema in the second half of the 90s as an independent artist. The groundbreaking “Made in Hong Kong” – shown at the 11th Five Flavours in 2017 – had no budget or stars and was filmed on leftover film stock. But the picture had something that was more and more often lacking in...
- 7/25/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Chinese sci-fi hit “The Wandering Earth,” China’s Cannes competition film “Wild Goose Lake,” and Korea’s Palme d’Or-winning “Parasite” are among the nominees for the Aacta Award for best Asian film.
The nominees were announced on the margins of the Shanghai International Film Festival. The winners will be announced Dec. 4 at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards ceremony in Sydney.
Other Chinese films in the running include “Pegasus”; Chinese-Hong Kong comedy-drama “The New King of Comedy”; animated fantasy film “White Snake”; Renny Harlin-directed “Bodies at Rest”; “Hidden Man”; Zhang Yimou’s “Shadow”; Hong Kong Film Award-winning action movie “Project Gutenberg”; dark comedy “A Cool Fish”; and mystery drama “Headlines.” Also included is the yet-to-be-released Australia-China co-production “The Whistleblower.”
From elsewhere in Asia, competing tiles include Indian action film “Uri: The Surgical Strike”; India’s foreign-language Oscar contender, “Village Rockstars”; Indian action comedy “The Man...
The nominees were announced on the margins of the Shanghai International Film Festival. The winners will be announced Dec. 4 at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards ceremony in Sydney.
Other Chinese films in the running include “Pegasus”; Chinese-Hong Kong comedy-drama “The New King of Comedy”; animated fantasy film “White Snake”; Renny Harlin-directed “Bodies at Rest”; “Hidden Man”; Zhang Yimou’s “Shadow”; Hong Kong Film Award-winning action movie “Project Gutenberg”; dark comedy “A Cool Fish”; and mystery drama “Headlines.” Also included is the yet-to-be-released Australia-China co-production “The Whistleblower.”
From elsewhere in Asia, competing tiles include Indian action film “Uri: The Surgical Strike”; India’s foreign-language Oscar contender, “Village Rockstars”; Indian action comedy “The Man...
- 6/18/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Labelled as the third instalment of the Fruit Chan’s Prostitute Trilogy, that started in 2000 with “Durian Durian” followed by “Hollywood Hong Kong” in 2001, “Three Husband” is set to spark up discussions – to adopt an understatement – for its obstinate use of a young woman’s body to showcase, with increasingly crudeness, the troubled history of its homeland, in a work that fluctuates somehow between a masterpiece, a “meh film” and a rant. Co-written with Lam Kee-to (“Hollywood Hong Kong”), the film has premiered at Tokyo International Film Festival and, for its graphic subject matter, it’s likely to circulate more in the Festival circuit than in cinemas.
“Three Husbands” screened at Udine Far East Film Festival 21
The film is divided in three parts, “Sea”, “Land” and “Nothingness”. In the “Sea” of the Gin Drinkers Bay, Hong Kong, there is a sampan floating around, dispensing distraction and pleasure to the construction...
“Three Husbands” screened at Udine Far East Film Festival 21
The film is divided in three parts, “Sea”, “Land” and “Nothingness”. In the “Sea” of the Gin Drinkers Bay, Hong Kong, there is a sampan floating around, dispensing distraction and pleasure to the construction...
- 5/17/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Felix Chong’s crime drama won seven awards, including best film.
Project Gutenberg was the clear winner at this year’s Hong Kong Film Awards, picking up seven prizes, including best film, as well as best director and best screenplay for Felix Chong.
The Hong Kong-China co-production, about a team of money counterfeiters, also picked up awards for cinematography, editing, art direction and costume & make-up design. Going into the ceremony, the film had 17 nominations, making it the second most nominated film ever, behind Bodyguards And Assassins in 2009.
However, Project Gutenberg lost out on the best actor award, which went to Anthony Wong in Still Human,...
Project Gutenberg was the clear winner at this year’s Hong Kong Film Awards, picking up seven prizes, including best film, as well as best director and best screenplay for Felix Chong.
The Hong Kong-China co-production, about a team of money counterfeiters, also picked up awards for cinematography, editing, art direction and costume & make-up design. Going into the ceremony, the film had 17 nominations, making it the second most nominated film ever, behind Bodyguards And Assassins in 2009.
However, Project Gutenberg lost out on the best actor award, which went to Anthony Wong in Still Human,...
- 4/15/2019
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
No big revelations this year at the 38th Hong Kong Film Awards. The Sunday night ceremony has unveiled all the winners for this years Awards and they are all quite an easy guess. Felix Chong’s thriller “Project Gutenberg” was the star of the evening as, predictably – considering its 17 nominations – won Best Film along with other 6 Awards.
But despite the histrionic performances of Chow Yun-fat and Aaron Kwock, the acting Awards are not in the “Project Gutenberg”‘s pile. Anthony Wong took home the Best Actor award for his role as a middle-aged paralysed man in “Still Human“, and newcomer Chloe Maayan won Best Actress for Fruit Chan’s “Three Husbands”, while Kara Hui and Ben Yuen Foo-Wa scored Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor both for “Tracey“.
Finally, “Dying To Survive” won the Best Film from Mainland and Taiwan Award.
Here is the full list of Winners and...
But despite the histrionic performances of Chow Yun-fat and Aaron Kwock, the acting Awards are not in the “Project Gutenberg”‘s pile. Anthony Wong took home the Best Actor award for his role as a middle-aged paralysed man in “Still Human“, and newcomer Chloe Maayan won Best Actress for Fruit Chan’s “Three Husbands”, while Kara Hui and Ben Yuen Foo-Wa scored Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor both for “Tracey“.
Finally, “Dying To Survive” won the Best Film from Mainland and Taiwan Award.
Here is the full list of Winners and...
- 4/15/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
“Project Gutenberg” took home all of the big prizes at the Hong Kong Film Awards on Sunday, including best film, best script and best director for writer-director Felix Chong. In total the counterfeiting thriller collected seven prizes, having been nominated in 17 categories.
The film’s star Chow Yun-fat was beaten to the acting prize by Anthony Wong, who was a third time winner, this time with “Still Human,” a film about the relationship between a disabled man and his helper. “Still Human” also earned prizes for The Philippines actress Crisel Consunji as best new performer, and for Oliver Chan as best new director.
The best actress prize went to mainland Chinese performer Chloe Maayan for her role in Fruit Chan’s sex-filled “Three Husbands.” The prizes for best supporting actor and actress went to Ben Yuen and Kara Wai, respectively, both for “Tracey,” a coming out transgender film.
A prize...
The film’s star Chow Yun-fat was beaten to the acting prize by Anthony Wong, who was a third time winner, this time with “Still Human,” a film about the relationship between a disabled man and his helper. “Still Human” also earned prizes for The Philippines actress Crisel Consunji as best new performer, and for Oliver Chan as best new director.
The best actress prize went to mainland Chinese performer Chloe Maayan for her role in Fruit Chan’s sex-filled “Three Husbands.” The prizes for best supporting actor and actress went to Ben Yuen and Kara Wai, respectively, both for “Tracey,” a coming out transgender film.
A prize...
- 4/15/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
76 titles (of which 51 in competition) from 12 countries, a retrospective, a monograph, a tribute to new independent Korean cinema, 2 “strange couples”, the world-premier of a restored film and more than 100 themed events organized in the heart of Udine. This is the immense itinerary of which, from an artistic and cultural perspective, the Feff is the most important European outpost.
A bona fide “cinematic island” where cinema is not just celebrated – with 3 world premieres, 12 international premieres and 18 European premieres and 14 debut films – but also looks to the future: this year, 15 projects have been chosen for Focus Asia, the Festival’s market, and 10 for Ties That Bind, the international Asia/Europe workshop.
The journey to the Far East begins on the 26th of April with the moving Korean film “Birthday” directed by Lee Jong-un and produced by Lee Chang-dong. Based on the 2014 Sewol Ferry disaster, it is an anatomy of pain and experience of public and private mourning.
A bona fide “cinematic island” where cinema is not just celebrated – with 3 world premieres, 12 international premieres and 18 European premieres and 14 debut films – but also looks to the future: this year, 15 projects have been chosen for Focus Asia, the Festival’s market, and 10 for Ties That Bind, the international Asia/Europe workshop.
The journey to the Far East begins on the 26th of April with the moving Korean film “Birthday” directed by Lee Jong-un and produced by Lee Chang-dong. Based on the 2014 Sewol Ferry disaster, it is an anatomy of pain and experience of public and private mourning.
- 4/11/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Just in time for Valentine’s day, Amazon Prime Video is bringing in a haul of Prime Originals — seven to be exact. For those who air on the cynical side this V-day, check out the twisted love story that led to “Lorena,” which details the story of Lorena Bobbitt, the woman who cut off her husband’s penis after enduring years of abuse. And if after watching that you remain a fan of crime and murder stories, another Prime Original to watch is “Agatha Christie Presents: ABC Murders.”
True romantics can try a rom-com like “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Along Came Polly,” or “Barefoot.” For fans of old black-and-white movies, Prime has several in store. Silent film enthusiasts will rejoice at Cecil B. DeMille’s “A Romance of the Redwoods” from 1917, as well as 1919’s “A Romance of Happy Valley,” and 1937’s “23 1/2 Hours Leave.” There are a lot more...
True romantics can try a rom-com like “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Along Came Polly,” or “Barefoot.” For fans of old black-and-white movies, Prime has several in store. Silent film enthusiasts will rejoice at Cecil B. DeMille’s “A Romance of the Redwoods” from 1917, as well as 1919’s “A Romance of Happy Valley,” and 1937’s “23 1/2 Hours Leave.” There are a lot more...
- 1/31/2019
- by Margeaux Sippell
- Variety Film + TV
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