More new titles announced for the New York Asian Film Festival as they proudly declare that Hong Kong Never Dies! You want your Ip Man on the big screen? Warlords? Criminally overlooked cop thriller Eye In The Sky? Pang Ho Cheung's Exodus? The PTU sequel? Plastic City? They're all coming! Check out the details below the break!
New York Asian Film Festival (June 19 July 5) Announces Hong Kong Never Dies!
Presented in Association with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, New York
The New York Asian Film Festival is the largest festival of popular Asian film in North America and we're proud to announce our collaboration with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, New York, which has resulted in this year¹s special focus on Hong Kong films and filmmakers called ³Hong Kong Never Dies!² There has been a lot written about the ³death² of Hong Kong¹s film industry in the last ten years, but what people don¹t realize is that great movies are still coming from Hong Kong, and a new generation of filmmakers have sprung up to replace the John Woo¹s and Jackie Chan¹s who have moved away. ³Hong Kong Never Dies!² consists of ten titles, five of which are part of the Hong Kong Film Development Council¹s ³New Action² promotional project, and these ten movies join a line-up of over 50 feature films competing in this year¹s New York Asian Film Festival for both the Audience Award and the Jury Award.
AN EMPRESS AND THE WARRIORS (NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL) (2008, Hong Kong, Ching Siu-tung) Starring Kelly Chen, Donnie Yen, Leon Lai Ching Siu-tung (action director of HERO and HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS) turns in a Cantopop confection of warring armies, secret treehouses, Kelly Chen falling in love, and Donnie Yen stripping off his shirt and screaming, ³Who wants some of me?² Campy, over-the-top, and slightly mad, this cracked big budget blockbuster is the kind of turn-off-your-brain summer film that is as essential as air conditioning for beating the heat. 95 minutes. In Cantonese with English subtitles.
EXODUS (NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL)
(2007, Hong Kong, Pang Ho-cheung)
Starring Simon Yam, Annie Liu, Nick Cheung
This taut, tense movie doesn¹t waste a minute as it delivers a pared-to-the-bone black comedy version of the war between the sexes, thinly disguised as an arthouse film. Simon Yam discovers a secret plot by women to destroy all men. Deadpan and po-faced you¹re never quite sure if the director is kidding or not. Given that the director is Pang Ho-cheung, one of Hong Kong¹s fastest rising new talents, and a gifted comic director, he¹s probably kidding, but maybe not. After all, why are women always going to the bathroom together if they¹re not using that time to plot against their husbands and lovers? 95 minutes. In Cantonese with English subtitles. Part of the Hong Kong Film Development Council¹s ³New Action² program.
EYE IN THE SKY (NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL)
(2007, Hong Kong, Yau Nai-hoi)
Starring Simon Yam, Kate Tsui, Tony Leung Kar-fai
This sleek thriller is directed by Yau Nai-hoi, a screenwriter with credits for dozens of Johnnie To movies under his belt. Simon Yam is the leader of the SU (Surveillance Unit) playing a lethal game of tag with Tony Leung Kar-fai, and his gang of hapless jewel thieves who cross paths with a kidnapper. Johnnie To¹s Milkyway Image production company has become the training ground for many of Hong Kong¹s newest behind-the-camera talents, and Yau Nai-hoi¹s slick, assured directorial debut testifies to the fact that it¹s turning out some of the best new filmmakers in the business. 90 minutes. In Cantonese with English subtitles. Part of the Hong Kong Film Development Council¹s ³New Action² program.
HIGH NOON (NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL)
(2008, Hong Kong, Mak Hei-Yan)
Starring Lam Yiu-Sing, Sham Ka-Kei, Anjo Leung Hiu-Fung
With director Mak Hei-Yan in attendance.
Eric Tsang produced the youth film project, WINDS OF SEPTEMBER, which resulted in three feature films about kids coming of age, one set in Taiwan, one set in Mainland China and one set in Hong Kong. 24-year-old director, Mak Hei-yan, shot HIGH NOON, the Hong Kong segment, and her movie crackles with the relentless energy of Hong Kong itself. Seven high school kids find their friendship falling apart as they go from being a bunch of annoying young slackers to being seriously victimized by life over the course of the film. Shot on DV it veers wildly between youth drama and hardcore exploitation, pulling itself together in the end to deliver a powerful punch. As Variety says, ³Young Mak is one to watch.² 106 minutes. In Cantonese with English subtitles. Part of the Hong Kong Film Development Council¹s ³New Action² program.
IP MAN (NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL)
(2008, Hong Kong, Wilson Yip)
Starring Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Fan Siu-wong
Hong Kong action cinema is back, and it¹s gonna crack your back, jack! Donnie Yen stars in this biopic of Bruce Lee¹s master, Ip Man, one of the great teachers of wing chun, the badass martial art invented by a Buddhist nun. With action choreography by the amazing Sammo Hung, Donnie Yen (a major martial artist) in the lead role, Wilson Yip (FLASHPOINT, SHA PO LANG) in the director¹s chair and Fan Siu-wong (THE STORY OF RICKY) co-starring, it is physically impossible for this movie to be any more awesome. 106 minutes. In Cantonese with English subtitles.
MAGAZINE GAP ROAD (NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL)
(2007, Hong Kong, Nick Chin)
Starring Jessey Meng, Qu Ying, Elvis Tsui, Richard Ng
With director Nick Chin in attendance
Ice cold pimps, low life players and high class prostitutes populate this glittering Hong Kong noir where the cityscape gleams like a handful of jewels thrown across the night sky. One classy escort has left The Life behind and joined high society, but when a hooker she worked with comes looking for help escaping from Hans, their violent pimp, she stands to lose everything she¹s built. A rare independent movie from Hong Kong, and one of the best-looking genre movies to come along in years. 90 minutes. In Cantonese with English subtitles.
PLASTIC CITY (NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL)
(2008, Hong Kong, Yu Lik-wai)
Starring Joe Odagiri, Anthony Wong
It already played the festival circuit in a different cut, but this is the completed, and completely different, version of Yu Lik-wai¹s psychedelic gangster movie. Yu is one of Hong Kong¹s original indie filmmakers, starting his career with films like 1999¹s LOVE WILL TEAR US APART and 2003¹s ALL TOMORROW¹S PARTIES. These days he works often as Jia Zhangke¹s cinematographer so, as you¹d expect, PLASTIC CITY is a dazzling visual freak-out. Shot in Brazil and starring Hong Kong¹s Anthony Wong and Japan¹s Joe Odagiri, it starts as a typical gangster film, before it trips out and sails into the stratosphere as Anthony Wong becomes a shaman and Joe Odagiri leads an army of child soldiers. As Wong says, ³Don't stare too long at the white tiger, or it will destroy you.² Right on, man. 92 minutes. In Mandarin, Portuguese and Japanese with English subtitles. Part of the Hong Kong Film Development Council¹s ³New Action² program.
TACTICAL UNIT: COMRADES IN ARMS (NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL) (2008, Hong Kong, Law Wing-cheong) Starring Simon Yam, Maggie Siu, Lam Suet Another film from Milkyway Image, this time directed by Law Wing-cheong, Johnnie To¹s associate director on movies like FULLTIME KILLER and PTU. This movie is actually a sequel to PTU, and it tells the tale of the same crew of PTU beat cops chasing down armored car hijackers in the Hong Kong mountains, all of them completely out of their element in the wilderness of the New Territories. As bad luck, office politics, random coincidences and equipment failures multiply it looks like these cops are going to be lucky to make it home in one piece. An ode to the clock punchers who keep us safe, not because they¹re heroes but because it¹s their job. 91 minutes. In Cantonese with English subtitles. Part of the Hong Kong Film Development Council¹s ³New Action² program.
WARLORDS (NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL)
(2007, Hong Kong, Peter Chan)
Starring Jet Li, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro
Three of Hong Kong¹s biggest stars - Jet Li, Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro
- team up in this massive action movie about three blood brothers in the middle of the Taiping Rebellion. As big, meaty and satisfying as a flame-roasted leg of wild boar, WARLORDS is the kind of movie you tear into with relish, wiping its bloody juices off your chin with the back of your hand as you sit on a throne made of the bones of your enemies. 130 minutes. In Mandarin with English subtitles.
WRITTEN BY (NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL)
(2009, Hong Kong, Wai Ka-fai)
Starring Lau Ching-wan, Kelly Lin, Mia Yan
With director Wai Ka-fai and lead actor Lau Ching-wan in attendance Wai Ka-fai has written almost every single Johnnie To movie, and co-directed several others (MAD DETECTIVE, RUNNING ON KARMA). In this film, Wai directs Hong Kong¹s best actor, Lau Ching-wan, in the story of a woman whose dad dies, so she writes a book where she died and he lived, and in that book his character writes a book where he died and she lived...and on and on in an endlessly recursive loop as wounded characters desperately apply fiction to dull the sharp edges of their grief. Like a Charlie (ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND) Kaufman movie made in Hong Kong. 89 minutes. In Cantonese with English subtitles.
"what people don¹t realize is that great movies are still coming from Hong Kong, and a new generation of filmmakers have sprung up to replace the John Woo¹s and Jackie Chan¹s who have moved away." Todd, I think you have finally lost all your credibility.
Are there any films from Southeast Asia at this years festival? When it comes to Asian cinema, China,Japan,Hong Kong, and Korea always get top billing? We need some more exposure in Southeast Asian countries too you know!!!
kungfu, When the Full Moon Rises from Malaysia is screening and Indonesia has two films up at bat; the surreal thriller, The Forbidden Door and the homegrown blockbuster, Rainbow Troops.
Yes Japan is dominating with 17 + titles showing but I think it's a good mix of stuff from all across the continental board
Kwinger, it's called a press release. I didn't write it.
While I'd kill to go to this, it seems like a rather old slate this year. Usually it seems that the NYAFF is able to screen newer flicks than this. Most of these are available on HK DVD already. Exodus and Warlords are already a couple of years old.
Part of the thing with the Hong Kong slate of titles is that it's being backed financially by a Hong Kong trade initiative that gives priority to certain titles and directors. Pang Ho Cheung is literally the poster boy for the program, hence Exodus I'd say. As for The Warlords, that'd been hung up for years now thanks to an ongoing spat between Peter Chan and his producers that's only recently been resolved. Warlords hasn't really screened anywhere outside of Hong Kong and China because of this until just recently. And yeah, you can get it on DVD - which I did the second it released - but this thing is built for the big screen. I'd pay to see it projected from 35 in a heartbeat. Great film.
Rhythm: Plastic City premiered at Venice and Toronto back in September but the version that screened there was an in-progress version that has apparently since been re-edited and tweaked in a few ways. No idea what the final changes added up to but this should be the finished version, which I don't think has been seen much of anywhere yet. Except Japan. It had a theatrical release there.
Heh, I read "triad initiative" instead of "trade initiative" and thought: careful, Todd, careful...
And where did I read Sono Sion is introducing TWO films at this festival?
just a note. We're showing Exodus because we weren't able to show it last year and some of us absolutely love it. It helps that Pang is the HKNA poster boy, but this film is worth showing anyway.
No excuses will ever be needed for showing EXODUS. Screen it again next year, too. Such a very, very good movie.
Seen all of these except High Noon, Written By and Plastic City, which opens in HK this coming Thursday. Todd, I'll send you a review.