“Golden Horse Goes to Cannes” is looking to make a splash on the Croisette, marking a collaboration with the festival’s Marché du Film that aims to showcase the “diversity, vigor and bold competence of Taiwan cinema, ranging from epic, romance, comedy, fantasy and gender awareness.”
The reality of that promise, for those on the ground in France, will be the presentation on May 16 of five projects featuring the leading lights of contemporary Taiwanese cinema. They’ve been selected by the Golden Horse organization, the people behind Taiwan’s famed annual festival and awards night, to showcase the strength in depth boasted by a market that has always punched above its weight in terms of talent.
New works from directors Chen Yu-hsun, Yang Ya-che, Huang Xi, Giddens Ko, and John Hsu will be on show, and they feature some of the island’s biggest stars, among them Sylvia Chang, who...
The reality of that promise, for those on the ground in France, will be the presentation on May 16 of five projects featuring the leading lights of contemporary Taiwanese cinema. They’ve been selected by the Golden Horse organization, the people behind Taiwan’s famed annual festival and awards night, to showcase the strength in depth boasted by a market that has always punched above its weight in terms of talent.
New works from directors Chen Yu-hsun, Yang Ya-che, Huang Xi, Giddens Ko, and John Hsu will be on show, and they feature some of the island’s biggest stars, among them Sylvia Chang, who...
- 5/15/2024
- by Mathew Scott
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Magnify, the International sales arm of Magnolia Pictures, has acquired global and U.S. sales rights to Taiwanese thriller “Pierce” from first-time feature filmmaker Nelicia Low. An official teaser has now been released for the title ahead of its sales launch at the upcoming Marche du Film in Cannes.
“Pierce” follows Jie, a young fencer reconnecting with his estranged older brother Han, who mysteriously returns after seven years in juvenile prison for killing an opponent during a fencing competition. Jie believes Han’s insistence that he is innocent and decides to help him, defying his mother’s efforts to erase Han from their lives. Han grows close to Jie in training him for the national championships, but his hostile past is triggered after an argument, leaving Jie to begin to question whether his beloved brother might be a violent sociopath after all.
The film stars Ding Ning (who won a...
“Pierce” follows Jie, a young fencer reconnecting with his estranged older brother Han, who mysteriously returns after seven years in juvenile prison for killing an opponent during a fencing competition. Jie believes Han’s insistence that he is innocent and decides to help him, defying his mother’s efforts to erase Han from their lives. Han grows close to Jie in training him for the national championships, but his hostile past is triggered after an argument, leaving Jie to begin to question whether his beloved brother might be a violent sociopath after all.
The film stars Ding Ning (who won a...
- 5/1/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
It’s possible to divide American history into two eras: before the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and after. Before John Wilkes Booth fatally shot Lincoln at a performance of “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theater on April 15, 1865, assassination simply wasn’t a part of the national conscience. For all the political disputes of America’s 18th and early 19th centuries, straight up killing the other guy wasn’t seen as a possibility, let alone an option. Lincoln’s murder marked the transition to an America where, mathematically speaking, 9% of all sitting Presidents have been assassinated. And they say logging is a dangerous job.
The TV show “Manhunt” on Apple TV+, premiering March 15, tells the story of how Booth evaded capture for twelve days after killing Lincoln, but it’s also a dramatization of the first few weeks of the post-assassination era of American history — the era in which we live today.
The TV show “Manhunt” on Apple TV+, premiering March 15, tells the story of how Booth evaded capture for twelve days after killing Lincoln, but it’s also a dramatization of the first few weeks of the post-assassination era of American history — the era in which we live today.
- 3/15/2024
- by Alexis Nedd
- Indiewire
China-based sales agent Rediance has added Huang Xi’s upcoming film Daughter’s Daughter, executive produced by Cannes award-winner Hou Hsiao-Hsien, to its EFM slate.
The feature wrapped shooting last month and stars Sylvia Chang, who won best actress at the Golden Horse Awards in 2022 for Hong Kong drama A Light Never Goes Out. A first look at Chang in the film can be seen above.
It reunites Hou, Chang and Huang after their collaboration on HBO series Twisted Strings in 2022.
In Daughter’s Daughter, Chang plays a widow in her 60s who travels to New York following the death...
The feature wrapped shooting last month and stars Sylvia Chang, who won best actress at the Golden Horse Awards in 2022 for Hong Kong drama A Light Never Goes Out. A first look at Chang in the film can be seen above.
It reunites Hou, Chang and Huang after their collaboration on HBO series Twisted Strings in 2022.
In Daughter’s Daughter, Chang plays a widow in her 60s who travels to New York following the death...
- 2/17/2024
- ScreenDaily
Taiwan International Co-Funding Program (Ticp) from Taiwan Creative Content Agency (Taicca) continues to make an impact at the 74th Berlinale. Black Tea and Shambhala enter the main competition, while Sleep With Your Eyes Open competes at Encounters. Festival veteran Tsai Ming-Liang scored two official selections with his latest documentary Abiding Nowhere in Berlinale Special and The Wayward Cloud at Berlinale Classics Special.
Black Tea is Abderrahmane Sissako's follow up feature after Timbuktu with Taiwan as a key location and two Taiwanese actors Chang Han from A Brighter Summer Day and Wu Ke-Xi of Nina Wu playing alongside Nina Mélo in this cross-cultural romance. The film also received investment from Kaohsiung Film Fund.
Also in the main competition is Shambhala, the second feature from Nepal's Min Bahadur Bham, which sees a woman journey across the Himalayas to prove her innocence. Liao Ching-Sung and Roger Huang are two executive producers from...
Black Tea is Abderrahmane Sissako's follow up feature after Timbuktu with Taiwan as a key location and two Taiwanese actors Chang Han from A Brighter Summer Day and Wu Ke-Xi of Nina Wu playing alongside Nina Mélo in this cross-cultural romance. The film also received investment from Kaohsiung Film Fund.
Also in the main competition is Shambhala, the second feature from Nepal's Min Bahadur Bham, which sees a woman journey across the Himalayas to prove her innocence. Liao Ching-Sung and Roger Huang are two executive producers from...
- 2/16/2024
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
The acclaimed director will no longer make ‘On The Shulan River’.
Acclaimed Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsiao-hsien has retired and stopped work on planned feature On The Shulan River, according to a statement from his family.
The 76-year-old director had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease prior to work beginning on what was to be his next film but his condition worsened after contracting Covid-19, said the statement.
Hou is known as a pioneer of the Taiwanese New Wave in the early 1980s and won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1989 with A City Of Sadness. His last...
Acclaimed Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsiao-hsien has retired and stopped work on planned feature On The Shulan River, according to a statement from his family.
The 76-year-old director had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease prior to work beginning on what was to be his next film but his condition worsened after contracting Covid-19, said the statement.
Hou is known as a pioneer of the Taiwanese New Wave in the early 1980s and won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1989 with A City Of Sadness. His last...
- 10/25/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
It’s official: Hou Hsiao-hsien has retired from filmmaking. Deadline reports that the Taiwanese filmmaker’s family released a statement earlier this week that confirms he’s retiring after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. That means “On The Sulan River,” the movie Hou Hsiao-hsien has been worked on since 2015’s “The Assassin,” will not longer continue production.
Read More: ‘Millenium Mambo’ Restoration Trailer: Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Ethereal 2001 Masterpiece Comes Back To The Screen
While Hou was beloved in Taiwain since his 1980 feature debut “Cute Girl,” he didn’t become a regular at international film festivals until 1985’s “A Time To Live, A Time To Die.” A global breakthrough happened in 1989 when he won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for “A City Of Sadness.” His follow-up, 1993’s “The Puppetmaster,” wont the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Continue reading Taiwanese Director Hou Hsiao-hsien Retires From Filmmaking...
Read More: ‘Millenium Mambo’ Restoration Trailer: Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Ethereal 2001 Masterpiece Comes Back To The Screen
While Hou was beloved in Taiwain since his 1980 feature debut “Cute Girl,” he didn’t become a regular at international film festivals until 1985’s “A Time To Live, A Time To Die.” A global breakthrough happened in 1989 when he won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for “A City Of Sadness.” His follow-up, 1993’s “The Puppetmaster,” wont the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Continue reading Taiwanese Director Hou Hsiao-hsien Retires From Filmmaking...
- 10/25/2023
- by Ned Booth
- The Playlist
Following recent speculation regarding Taiwanese director/writer/producer Hou Hsiao-hsien, his family has released a statement confirming that he has retired from filmmaking after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Most recently, the 76-year-old had been working on feature On the Shulan River, but is now unable to continue.
A festival regular and leading figure in Taiwan’s new wave cinema movement of the 1980s, Hou won the Golden Lion in Venice for 1989’s A City of Sadness, and the Best Director prize in Cannes for 2015’s The Assassin. His other credits include 1993’s The Puppetmaster which won the Jury Prize in Cannes, 1998’s Flowers of Shanghai, 2001’s Millennium Mambo and 2007’s Flight of the Red Balloon.
According to local media (and via translation), his family’s statement said, ”Before the diagnosis, he often told us that he found that his love for movies became more and more pure… He...
A festival regular and leading figure in Taiwan’s new wave cinema movement of the 1980s, Hou won the Golden Lion in Venice for 1989’s A City of Sadness, and the Best Director prize in Cannes for 2015’s The Assassin. His other credits include 1993’s The Puppetmaster which won the Jury Prize in Cannes, 1998’s Flowers of Shanghai, 2001’s Millennium Mambo and 2007’s Flight of the Red Balloon.
According to local media (and via translation), his family’s statement said, ”Before the diagnosis, he often told us that he found that his love for movies became more and more pure… He...
- 10/25/2023
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
The immediate family of leading Taiwanese film director Hou Hsiao-hsien said on Wednesday that he had retired from filmmaking due to illness and is now living peacefully in retirement. They said that their family-run company remains active and in business.
The statement (see below) was issued in response to news articles earlier this week that followed an introductory speech given in London by critic and curator Tony Rayns before a screening of 1985 title “A Time to Live and a Time to Die,” one of Hou’s best-known features.
Rayns was reported to have said that Hou has dementia, will not direct again and that members of Hou’s company had lost their jobs.
The family statement – signed by Cao Baofeng, Hou’s wife, son Isaac Hou and daughter Bess Hou – explained that Hou had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease before the Covid pandemic and that Covid had, to their surprise,...
The statement (see below) was issued in response to news articles earlier this week that followed an introductory speech given in London by critic and curator Tony Rayns before a screening of 1985 title “A Time to Live and a Time to Die,” one of Hou’s best-known features.
Rayns was reported to have said that Hou has dementia, will not direct again and that members of Hou’s company had lost their jobs.
The family statement – signed by Cao Baofeng, Hou’s wife, son Isaac Hou and daughter Bess Hou – explained that Hou had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease before the Covid pandemic and that Covid had, to their surprise,...
- 10/25/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSSubscribe to Notebook magazine before November 1 to receive Issue 4, which explores cinematic soundscapes in their diverse sonic forms and includes contributions from filmmakers like Pedro Costa, Garrett Bradley, and Dominga Sotomayor, pop musician Julia Holter, plus a wide range of artists, writers, and scholars. Subscribers will also receive with this issue a very special gift, a seven-inch record featuring a song by filmmaker Gus Van Sant and a field recording by sound designer Leslie Shatz.This week brought the sad, shocking news that the legendary Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien has retired from filmmaking due to illness. Hou's family confirmed in a statement that he is battling Alzheimer's, and the effects of long Covid have forced him to stop making films; they requested privacy during this time, adding that he is healthy overall, in the presence of family.
- 10/25/2023
- MUBI
Update: “Hou Hsiao-hsien’s family released a statement today confirming that Hou has Alzheimer’s. Initially, it didn’t affect his filmmaking work, but long Covid has forced him to stop. His company continues to operate, but he will no longer work,” reports Kevin Ma, from a translated report by Now News. “Hou’s family also adds that Hou is healthy and that his illness has also helped his family forge a tighter bond because he is spending so much time at home. They also ask for privacy and peace.”
Long-rumored, still unconfirmed, but seeming ever closer to terrible reality is Hou Hsiao-hsien’s retirement amidst struggles with dementia. It was alarming to read (via Twitter user @mattmccrac) that legendary Asian cinema scholar Tony Rayns claimed “Hou’s health is failing him and he likely won’t make another film.” A bit of dialogue with a colleague alleged this further...
Long-rumored, still unconfirmed, but seeming ever closer to terrible reality is Hou Hsiao-hsien’s retirement amidst struggles with dementia. It was alarming to read (via Twitter user @mattmccrac) that legendary Asian cinema scholar Tony Rayns claimed “Hou’s health is failing him and he likely won’t make another film.” A bit of dialogue with a colleague alleged this further...
- 10/24/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
He may be the world’s greatest living filmmaker, and now we know we’ve seen his last film.
Hou Hsiao-hsien, director of timeless masterpieces such as “A City of Sadness,” “The Puppetmaster,” “Flowers of Shanghai,” and “Millennium Mambo” is battling dementia and is now retired from filmmaking. The 76-year-old Taiwanese auteur had been hoping to make his long-in-development film “Shulan River” up until the past couple years, and location scouting had begun. Now, 2015’s “The Assassin” will stand as his final film.
The news broke that Hou is now retired via film scholar Tony Rayns’ introduction to a screening of his 1985 film “A Time to Live and a Time to Die” at the Garden Cinema in London on October 23. IndieWire has since confirmed the news with a source close to Hou as well as with the film curator of the Garden Cinema, George Crosthwait, who said that the director “will certainly not work again.
Hou Hsiao-hsien, director of timeless masterpieces such as “A City of Sadness,” “The Puppetmaster,” “Flowers of Shanghai,” and “Millennium Mambo” is battling dementia and is now retired from filmmaking. The 76-year-old Taiwanese auteur had been hoping to make his long-in-development film “Shulan River” up until the past couple years, and location scouting had begun. Now, 2015’s “The Assassin” will stand as his final film.
The news broke that Hou is now retired via film scholar Tony Rayns’ introduction to a screening of his 1985 film “A Time to Live and a Time to Die” at the Garden Cinema in London on October 23. IndieWire has since confirmed the news with a source close to Hou as well as with the film curator of the Garden Cinema, George Crosthwait, who said that the director “will certainly not work again.
- 10/24/2023
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
The latest film from the director of ‘Farewell My Concubine’ will be released in China in late September.
Fortissimo Films has secured international rights to Chinese war epic The Volunteers: To The War by Chen Kaige, the acclaimed director of Farewell My Concubine and The Battle At Lake Changjin.
The Amsterdam and Beijing-based sales company will launch sales on the feature at the Asian Contents and Film Market in Busan next month, following its release in China on September 28. The international sales agreement excludes North America, Australia and New Zealand.
The film, previously known as The Great War, is the...
Fortissimo Films has secured international rights to Chinese war epic The Volunteers: To The War by Chen Kaige, the acclaimed director of Farewell My Concubine and The Battle At Lake Changjin.
The Amsterdam and Beijing-based sales company will launch sales on the feature at the Asian Contents and Film Market in Busan next month, following its release in China on September 28. The international sales agreement excludes North America, Australia and New Zealand.
The film, previously known as The Great War, is the...
- 9/25/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Shin-Hyun Joon stars as Inan, in the South Korean action film Night Of The Assassin. Courtesy of WellGoUSA
South Korea has been exporting a lot of high-octane action flicks in the past several years. They tend to emphasize hard-hitting stunts and gritty, dynamic fight choreography, largely eschewing the enhancements (or detriments) of CGI and fanciful wire work. That’s been consistently true for both period pieces and contemporary crime fare. This title, Nightof The Assassin, led me to expect another dose of slam-bang action. The reality turned out to be more contemplative for much of its running time, before wowing viewers with the inevitable climactic battles in grand style.
In this pre-gun era costume drama, Shin-Hyun Joon stars as Inan who is a rural region’s top assassin – all business, efficient, no ideology or emotions. The film opens with his collapsing after another swift success, and learning that he has...
South Korea has been exporting a lot of high-octane action flicks in the past several years. They tend to emphasize hard-hitting stunts and gritty, dynamic fight choreography, largely eschewing the enhancements (or detriments) of CGI and fanciful wire work. That’s been consistently true for both period pieces and contemporary crime fare. This title, Nightof The Assassin, led me to expect another dose of slam-bang action. The reality turned out to be more contemplative for much of its running time, before wowing viewers with the inevitable climactic battles in grand style.
In this pre-gun era costume drama, Shin-Hyun Joon stars as Inan who is a rural region’s top assassin – all business, efficient, no ideology or emotions. The film opens with his collapsing after another swift success, and learning that he has...
- 7/21/2023
- by Mark Glass
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The main jury for the upcoming Venice Film Festival has added a number of prestigious filmmakers, with Jane Campion, Martin McDonagh, Laura Poitras and Mia Hansen-Løve joining jury president Damien Chazelle for the festival.
Other jurors on the panel include Saleh Bakri (“Wajib”), Gabriele Mainetti (“They Call Me Jeeg”), Santiago Mitre and Shu Qi (“The Assassin”).
The jury is responsible for awarding the following prizes during the festival: Golden Lion for Best Film, Silver Lion – Grand Jury Prize, Silver Lion for Best Director, Coppa Volpi for Best Actress, Coppa Volpi for Best Actor, Special Jury Prize, Award for Best Screenplay and “Marcello Mastroianni” Award for Best New Young Actor or Actress.
The festival also unveiled the juries for the other sections on Thursday, with the Orizzonti section jury set to include Jonas Carpignano, Kaouther Ben Hania, Kahlil Joseph, Jean-Paul Salomé and Tricia Tuttle.
The “Luigi De Laurentis” award for a debut film,...
Other jurors on the panel include Saleh Bakri (“Wajib”), Gabriele Mainetti (“They Call Me Jeeg”), Santiago Mitre and Shu Qi (“The Assassin”).
The jury is responsible for awarding the following prizes during the festival: Golden Lion for Best Film, Silver Lion – Grand Jury Prize, Silver Lion for Best Director, Coppa Volpi for Best Actress, Coppa Volpi for Best Actor, Special Jury Prize, Award for Best Screenplay and “Marcello Mastroianni” Award for Best New Young Actor or Actress.
The festival also unveiled the juries for the other sections on Thursday, with the Orizzonti section jury set to include Jonas Carpignano, Kaouther Ben Hania, Kahlil Joseph, Jean-Paul Salomé and Tricia Tuttle.
The “Luigi De Laurentis” award for a debut film,...
- 7/13/2023
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Among those selected, Laura Poitras won the Golden Lion at the festival last year.
Jane Campion, Mia Hansen-Løve, Laura Poitras and Martin McDonagh have joined the main Competition jury of the 80th Venice Film Festival (August 30-September 9).
The filmmakers will be joined by Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri (Wajib); Italian director Gabriele Mainetti, who was in Competition at the festival in 2021 with Freaks Out; Argentinian writer/director Santiago Mitre, whose Argentina, 1985 premiered in Competition at Venice last year; and Chinese actress Shu Qi, known for her performances in Hou Hsiao-Hsien films Millennium Mambo, Three Times and The Assassin.
US director Poitras...
Jane Campion, Mia Hansen-Løve, Laura Poitras and Martin McDonagh have joined the main Competition jury of the 80th Venice Film Festival (August 30-September 9).
The filmmakers will be joined by Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri (Wajib); Italian director Gabriele Mainetti, who was in Competition at the festival in 2021 with Freaks Out; Argentinian writer/director Santiago Mitre, whose Argentina, 1985 premiered in Competition at Venice last year; and Chinese actress Shu Qi, known for her performances in Hou Hsiao-Hsien films Millennium Mambo, Three Times and The Assassin.
US director Poitras...
- 7/13/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Jane Campion, Laura Poitras, Martin McDonagh and Mia Hansen-Løve have joined the main jury of the upcoming Venice Film Festival.
The prominent directors, most of whom are Venice regulars – Poitras last year scored the Golden Lion with documentary “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” – will be joined by fellow jury members including Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri (“Wajib”); Chinese star Shu Qi (“The Assassin”); Italian director Gabriele Mainetti, who was at Venice last year with “Freaks Out”; and Argentinian auteur Santiago Mitre, whose “Argentina, 1985” also launched from the Lido last year.
They will join Damien Chazelle who, as previously announced, will serve as president of the Venice competition jury.
Venice revealed its jury just hours after talks broke down without a deal between actors union SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance for Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). A strike is expected to be called on Thursday morning, Pacific time, which could have...
The prominent directors, most of whom are Venice regulars – Poitras last year scored the Golden Lion with documentary “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” – will be joined by fellow jury members including Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri (“Wajib”); Chinese star Shu Qi (“The Assassin”); Italian director Gabriele Mainetti, who was at Venice last year with “Freaks Out”; and Argentinian auteur Santiago Mitre, whose “Argentina, 1985” also launched from the Lido last year.
They will join Damien Chazelle who, as previously announced, will serve as president of the Venice competition jury.
Venice revealed its jury just hours after talks broke down without a deal between actors union SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance for Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). A strike is expected to be called on Thursday morning, Pacific time, which could have...
- 7/13/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Arrow’s recent box sets Shawscope Volume One and Volume Two highlighted the golden age of Hong Kong’s Shaw Brothers studio, spanning roughly from the mid-1970s to their pivot toward TV in 1986. Now, Shout! Factory’s Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume 1 focuses on the studio’s rapid commercial ascendency at the end of the ’60s with their then-new, harder-edged take on martial arts cinema.
The earliest film in the set is, fittingly, Chang Cheh’s The Assassin, from 1967. Made hot on the heels of Chang’s (and the studio’s) breakout feature The One-Armed Swordsman from the same year, The Assassin furthers the filmmaker’s interest in moving the martial arts film away from its erstwhile emphasis on female heroes who are prone to musical outbursts and flowery romances as they are violence and toward the sort of male-centric revenge narratives that dominate the titles collected here.
One-Armed Swordsman...
The earliest film in the set is, fittingly, Chang Cheh’s The Assassin, from 1967. Made hot on the heels of Chang’s (and the studio’s) breakout feature The One-Armed Swordsman from the same year, The Assassin furthers the filmmaker’s interest in moving the martial arts film away from its erstwhile emphasis on female heroes who are prone to musical outbursts and flowery romances as they are violence and toward the sort of male-centric revenge narratives that dominate the titles collected here.
One-Armed Swordsman...
- 6/26/2023
- by Jake Cole
- Slant Magazine
Production wrapped recently in Canada.
Elliot Page and Hillary Baack have been unveiled as the stars of Close To You from Bafta-winning writer and director Dominic Savage.
Krishnendu Majumdar and Richard Yee developed the project under their Me + You Productions label in the UK and produce alongside Daniel Bekerman and Chris Yurkovich of Good Question Media in Canada, and Savage and Page, who conceived and co-wrote the story.
Kindred Spirit is co-financing the feature and Anita Gou and Sam Intili (I Saw The TV Glow) serve as executive producers alongside Rolling Dice’s Nia Vazirani (The Trial Of The Chicago 7...
Elliot Page and Hillary Baack have been unveiled as the stars of Close To You from Bafta-winning writer and director Dominic Savage.
Krishnendu Majumdar and Richard Yee developed the project under their Me + You Productions label in the UK and produce alongside Daniel Bekerman and Chris Yurkovich of Good Question Media in Canada, and Savage and Page, who conceived and co-wrote the story.
Kindred Spirit is co-financing the feature and Anita Gou and Sam Intili (I Saw The TV Glow) serve as executive producers alongside Rolling Dice’s Nia Vazirani (The Trial Of The Chicago 7...
- 6/12/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Academy Award nominee Elliot Page (The Umbrella Academy) is set to star opposite Hillary Baack (Sound of Metal) in Close to You, a new film from BAFTA-winning writer-director Dominic Savage (I Am…), which has wrapped production in Canada.
Pic follows Sam (Page), who has a chance encounter with an old friend (Baack) on his way home to a dreaded family reunion that forces him to confront long-buried memories.
Producers include Krishnendu Majumdar and Richard Yee, who developed the project under their UK banner, Me + You Productions; Daniel Bekerman and Chris Yurkovich of Good Question Media in Canada; and Savage and Page, who together conceived and co-authored the story. Kindred Spirit is co-financing with Anita Gou and Sam Intili (I Saw the TV Glow) exec producing alongside Rolling Dices Nia Vazirani (The Trial of Chicago 7), as well as Matt Jordan Smith of Page’s PageBoy Productions.
Pic follows Sam (Page), who has a chance encounter with an old friend (Baack) on his way home to a dreaded family reunion that forces him to confront long-buried memories.
Producers include Krishnendu Majumdar and Richard Yee, who developed the project under their UK banner, Me + You Productions; Daniel Bekerman and Chris Yurkovich of Good Question Media in Canada; and Savage and Page, who together conceived and co-authored the story. Kindred Spirit is co-financing with Anita Gou and Sam Intili (I Saw the TV Glow) exec producing alongside Rolling Dices Nia Vazirani (The Trial of Chicago 7), as well as Matt Jordan Smith of Page’s PageBoy Productions.
- 6/12/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Inaugural slate includes ‘Be With Me’ and ‘Abang Adik’.
Taiwanese distributor Applause Entertainment Taiwan is moving into sales and will make its market debut in Cannes, with Hou Hsiao-Hsien-produced Be With Me and Lee Sinje-produced award-winning Malaysian film Abang Adik on its inaugural slate.
Be With Me is directed by Hou’s long-time collaborator Hwarng Wern-Ying, who won the Golden Horse Awards for best art director and best makeup and costume design for Flowers Of Shanghai and The Assassin respectively. She also worked as a supervising art director on Martin Scorsese’s Silence, which shot in Taiwan.
Starring Ariel Lin,...
Taiwanese distributor Applause Entertainment Taiwan is moving into sales and will make its market debut in Cannes, with Hou Hsiao-Hsien-produced Be With Me and Lee Sinje-produced award-winning Malaysian film Abang Adik on its inaugural slate.
Be With Me is directed by Hou’s long-time collaborator Hwarng Wern-Ying, who won the Golden Horse Awards for best art director and best makeup and costume design for Flowers Of Shanghai and The Assassin respectively. She also worked as a supervising art director on Martin Scorsese’s Silence, which shot in Taiwan.
Starring Ariel Lin,...
- 5/16/2023
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
Alexi Tan, a screenwriter and director who was a protégé of John Woo, has teamed with artist Charles Simpson to launch comic book “Monk Wars.”
The “Monk Wars” universe is a dystopian gritty world filled with martial arts action and a broad array of diverse characters. The first book will follow Monk Ma, who has ancient animal powers, as he assembles his followers to take on the Rat-Men soldiers.
The project is being steered by David U. Lee’s Beijing-based Leeding Media which will manage all media rights to the comic book including film, television and web series. Weston Suh’s Los Angeles-based Final Order Comics has partnered to take print publication rights for the first book and subsequent issues.
“I want to create a world that introduces classic martial arts animal fighting styles from movies I grew up watching and turn them into superpowers for a new generation of young heroes,...
The “Monk Wars” universe is a dystopian gritty world filled with martial arts action and a broad array of diverse characters. The first book will follow Monk Ma, who has ancient animal powers, as he assembles his followers to take on the Rat-Men soldiers.
The project is being steered by David U. Lee’s Beijing-based Leeding Media which will manage all media rights to the comic book including film, television and web series. Weston Suh’s Los Angeles-based Final Order Comics has partnered to take print publication rights for the first book and subsequent issues.
“I want to create a world that introduces classic martial arts animal fighting styles from movies I grew up watching and turn them into superpowers for a new generation of young heroes,...
- 5/12/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Stars of ‘Decision To Leave’ and ‘Squid Game’ were among those on the red carpet.
The 24th Jeonju International Film Festival opened tonight (April 27) with stars on the red carpet, a dramatic taekwondo performance onstage, and Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne greeting the audience at the Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do before the screening of opening film Tori And Lokita.
“Thank you for welcoming us and for defending cinema in the world,” said the Belgian filmmaking duo on their much-anticipated first trip to the country. “Thank you also to the cinema of Korea, because we did not know South Korea except...
The 24th Jeonju International Film Festival opened tonight (April 27) with stars on the red carpet, a dramatic taekwondo performance onstage, and Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne greeting the audience at the Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do before the screening of opening film Tori And Lokita.
“Thank you for welcoming us and for defending cinema in the world,” said the Belgian filmmaking duo on their much-anticipated first trip to the country. “Thank you also to the cinema of Korea, because we did not know South Korea except...
- 4/27/2023
- by Jean Noh
- ScreenDaily
Hi-yah! (hiyahtv.com) the premier platform for streaming martial arts and Asian action movies in the U.S., today announced its official launch on mobile devices and connected TVs. As part of the launch, new users will be eligible for a 30-day free trial, after which a monthly subscription fee of only $3.99 will apply. Hi-yah!—available through app stores for devices including iOS, Android, Roku and Amazon Fire TV—offers both exclusive and non-exclusive content that will be refreshed monthly.
Hi-yah! currently provides subscribers with more than 500 hours of high-quality, commercial-free viewing of films featuring all-time favorite kung fu masters including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen and Tony Jaa, along with hits from acclaimed directors Johnnie To, Yuen Woo-Ping, Wilson Yip, Tsui Hark and more. As of today, subscribers can take advantage of Hi-yah!’s exclusive streaming release of Takashi Miike’s 2019 twisty, hyper-violent yakuza romp First Love, added...
Hi-yah! currently provides subscribers with more than 500 hours of high-quality, commercial-free viewing of films featuring all-time favorite kung fu masters including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen and Tony Jaa, along with hits from acclaimed directors Johnnie To, Yuen Woo-Ping, Wilson Yip, Tsui Hark and more. As of today, subscribers can take advantage of Hi-yah!’s exclusive streaming release of Takashi Miike’s 2019 twisty, hyper-violent yakuza romp First Love, added...
- 5/9/2020
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
The Toronto Film Festival today unveiled The Best Of The Decade: An Alternative View, a top ten movie list from the last decade. Tiff asked film curators, historians, and archivists from Canada and around the world to choose the best films of the 2010s — any length, genre, or format. Judging by the list, it’s fair to say that superhero movies weren’t front of mind.
Coming out on top of the arthouse list was…Lucrecia Martel’s 2017 festival favourite Zama, the dreamlike tale about a Spanish officer in Seventeenth century Asunción, Paraguay, awaiting his transfer to Buenos Aires. Plenty of great movies make the cut. Check it out below.
“Many of the films in the poll’s top 10 address the perilous era we have just lived through, with such prescient works as Film Socialisme, Neighboring Sounds, and Sieranevada predicting various types of ecological, political, and social calamity,” said Tiff Senior Programmer James Quandt.
Coming out on top of the arthouse list was…Lucrecia Martel’s 2017 festival favourite Zama, the dreamlike tale about a Spanish officer in Seventeenth century Asunción, Paraguay, awaiting his transfer to Buenos Aires. Plenty of great movies make the cut. Check it out below.
“Many of the films in the poll’s top 10 address the perilous era we have just lived through, with such prescient works as Film Socialisme, Neighboring Sounds, and Sieranevada predicting various types of ecological, political, and social calamity,” said Tiff Senior Programmer James Quandt.
- 11/27/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
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
Above: some runners-up among my favorite posters of the decade. From left: Black Swan by La Boca (2010); Obit (2016) by Kristin Bye; Nebraska (2013) by Blt Communications; Wreck-It Ralph (2012) designer unknown; Escapes (2017) by Brandon Schaefer.Ten years ago, not long after I had started writing about movie posters for Mubi (back when it was called The Auteurs), I was called upon to come up with my favorite movie posters of the decade. It was a daunting task since I hadn’t been keeping track quite as carefully as I have these past ten years, but it was also somewhat of a novelty since there weren’t a lot of people talking about movie posters either in print or online back then. Looking back at that list of ten years ago, there are a couple of posters I might not choose today and I’d definitely bump Neil Kellerhouse’s poster for The Girlfriend Experience...
- 11/8/2019
- MUBI
“Somewhere Winter,” a Chinese-language romantic drama, has joined the sales slate of Distribution Workshop in time for the Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Film Market.
The film is directed by David Wang Weiming (“Sex Appeal”) and stars Ma Sichun and Wallace Huo (“Our Time Will Come”).
The movie tells a love story about two generations and three cities. Destiny brings the lovers together and then tears them apart. With all ups and downs over the years, only the song “It’s About in Winter” remains the same. The story is based on the eponymous novel by Rao Xueman which was in turn inspired by famous singer Chyi Chin’s popular 1987 song “It’s About in Winter.”
Production is by Jimmy Huang. Production companies and investors include: Beijing Dino Films, Jiangsu Xue Man She Film Production, and Tencent Pictures (Hong Kong). Cinematopgraphy is by ace Mark Lee Ping Bing.
Distribution...
The film is directed by David Wang Weiming (“Sex Appeal”) and stars Ma Sichun and Wallace Huo (“Our Time Will Come”).
The movie tells a love story about two generations and three cities. Destiny brings the lovers together and then tears them apart. With all ups and downs over the years, only the song “It’s About in Winter” remains the same. The story is based on the eponymous novel by Rao Xueman which was in turn inspired by famous singer Chyi Chin’s popular 1987 song “It’s About in Winter.”
Production is by Jimmy Huang. Production companies and investors include: Beijing Dino Films, Jiangsu Xue Man She Film Production, and Tencent Pictures (Hong Kong). Cinematopgraphy is by ace Mark Lee Ping Bing.
Distribution...
- 10/4/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Born in 1974, screenwriter and director, graduate of Beijing Film Academy, member of the Sixth Generation of Chinese filmmakers. His graduate short feature won a Cinéfondation award at Cannes Iff in 2001. His debut feature, “Passages,” also premiered in Cannes and received a Special Mention. Making “Crosscurrent” took him almost 10 years.
The concept for the film was created in cooperation with cinematographer Mark Lee Ping-bing. The film brought him a Silver Bear at this year’s Berlinale.
On the occasion of Crosscurrent screening at Five Flavours 2017, we speak with him about the long process that brought the film to life, the Yangtze River and Science Fiction genre.
We know that Crosscurrent took almost 10 years to be realized. Can you tell us a bit about the structure of this long process?
The first six years of my work were spent basically scouting for locations and travelling around the Yangtze River, trying to find...
The concept for the film was created in cooperation with cinematographer Mark Lee Ping-bing. The film brought him a Silver Bear at this year’s Berlinale.
On the occasion of Crosscurrent screening at Five Flavours 2017, we speak with him about the long process that brought the film to life, the Yangtze River and Science Fiction genre.
We know that Crosscurrent took almost 10 years to be realized. Can you tell us a bit about the structure of this long process?
The first six years of my work were spent basically scouting for locations and travelling around the Yangtze River, trying to find...
- 8/13/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
As I have stated many times before in the past, wuxia is a preterit genre in my book, particularly because Hk cinema and particularly Shaw Brothers have exhausted it in every way possible. Occasionally, efforts to reinvigorate it appear, with films like Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, Zhang’s own “Hero” and “House of Flying Daggers” and Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s “The Assassin”. And although these films have succeeded in this regard (not in the same degree), I feel that no one has managed to shoot a wuxia that encompasses all the traditional elements of the category but also manages to be quite contemporary. Until I watched “Shadow”.
“Shadow” is screening at Fantasia International Film Festival
Years ago, the kingdom of Pei lost the important city of Jingzhou to the kingdom of Yang after the popular Commander Ziyu lost a duel to the infamously unbeatable Yang Cang. At the time the movie begins,...
“Shadow” is screening at Fantasia International Film Festival
Years ago, the kingdom of Pei lost the important city of Jingzhou to the kingdom of Yang after the popular Commander Ziyu lost a duel to the infamously unbeatable Yang Cang. At the time the movie begins,...
- 7/15/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Adapted from a popular sci-fi romantic novel by writer Jiang Nan, “Shanghai Fortress” stars Hong Kong actor Shu Qi and Chinese Singer-cum-actor Lu Han.
Filmmaker Teng Huatao, popular for Sky of Love, Romantic comedy Up in the Wind, would be directing the film. The futuristic visuals of the film is accomplished with the help of Hollywood VFX team.
Shu Qi
Synopsis
Set in the future, the city of Shanghai China battles to defend itself against an ongoing attack by an alien force that has attacked that has laid siege to numerous cities around the globe in its quest to harvest hidden energy only found on earth.
Shanghai Fortress releases domestically on August 9, 2019.
Shanghai Fortress 2019 Trailer...
Filmmaker Teng Huatao, popular for Sky of Love, Romantic comedy Up in the Wind, would be directing the film. The futuristic visuals of the film is accomplished with the help of Hollywood VFX team.
Shu Qi
Synopsis
Set in the future, the city of Shanghai China battles to defend itself against an ongoing attack by an alien force that has attacked that has laid siege to numerous cities around the globe in its quest to harvest hidden energy only found on earth.
Shanghai Fortress releases domestically on August 9, 2019.
Shanghai Fortress 2019 Trailer...
- 7/3/2019
- by tyriter
- AsianMoviePulse
An above-average action thriller set in the snow-covered environs of Baekdu Mountain on the China-North Korea border, “Savage” marks a confident directing debut for Chinese screenwriter Cui Siwei (“The Island”). This no-nonsense affair about a dogged detective squaring off with a trio of vicious crooks packs plenty of excitement and visual splendor into a familiar scenario, and is well performed by a top-notch cast including Chang Chen (“The Assassin”) and Liao Fan. Another example of China’s increasing ability to produce slick commercial fare with broad international appeal, “Savage” opened strongly in local cinemas on April 30 and ought to perform credibly in North America when released by Well Go USA on May 3.
Produced by veteran hitmaker and frequent John Woo collaborator Terence Chang, “Savage” shared the New Currents Award (given to best first or second film) at Busan with the South Korean psychodrama “Clean Up” — a notable feat considering Cui...
Produced by veteran hitmaker and frequent John Woo collaborator Terence Chang, “Savage” shared the New Currents Award (given to best first or second film) at Busan with the South Korean psychodrama “Clean Up” — a notable feat considering Cui...
- 5/3/2019
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
Chinese films have won a shelf-full of top prizes at major festivals in the past few years. And the country is now making major movies that increasingly top global box office charts – Chinese sci-fi title “The Wandering Earth” is by far the highest- grossing movie in the world so far in 2019, grossing more than $676 million in China alone – but none of that is helping shore up the business of independent Chinese sales agents.
“It is a tough business, we may not be doing it after Cannes,” says Yang Ying, head of sales at Movie View Intl. The company, which represented the stunning 2017 experimental film “Dragonfly Eyes” and star-studded drama “Forever Young,” may instead fall back to its magazine publishing and local marketing strengths.
The problems are multifold: Chinese films have little recent record of scoring with international audiences; China’s sales companies are mostly small and fragile; and recent turmoil...
“It is a tough business, we may not be doing it after Cannes,” says Yang Ying, head of sales at Movie View Intl. The company, which represented the stunning 2017 experimental film “Dragonfly Eyes” and star-studded drama “Forever Young,” may instead fall back to its magazine publishing and local marketing strengths.
The problems are multifold: Chinese films have little recent record of scoring with international audiences; China’s sales companies are mostly small and fragile; and recent turmoil...
- 3/17/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The airplane runs into turbulence, the seatbelt announcement sounds, and Yaojun (Wang Jingchun) and his wife Liyun (Yong Mei) automatically clutch hands. The rough air passes, the craft steadies and their hands unclasp. “Isn’t it funny,” says Liyun, whose hair is finally graying at the temples, but whose unlined face has been made somehow more serene by sadness, “that we are still afraid of dying?”
Sixth Generation Chinese director Wang Xiaoshuai’s utterly wrenching, decades-spanning intimate epic “So Long, My Son” has few enough such moments, in which the stoic characters talk about how they feel, much less overtly acknowledge their helplessness against fate or social engineering or air pressure or ideology or any of the other million uncontrollable forces bearing down on them as ordinary Chinese people living quietly at the end of the last century. And so when these moments come, they land like little bombs.
Wang...
Sixth Generation Chinese director Wang Xiaoshuai’s utterly wrenching, decades-spanning intimate epic “So Long, My Son” has few enough such moments, in which the stoic characters talk about how they feel, much less overtly acknowledge their helplessness against fate or social engineering or air pressure or ideology or any of the other million uncontrollable forces bearing down on them as ordinary Chinese people living quietly at the end of the last century. And so when these moments come, they land like little bombs.
Wang...
- 2/14/2019
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
A new documentary component means that the work-in-progress section of this year’s Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum will double from 10 to 20 projects. The selection includes Ruby Yang (“The Blood of Yingzhou District”) and Hou Hsiao-hsien (“The Assassin”) as documentary producers, and Brillante Mendoza (“Kinatay”) as producer on the fiction side.
The Wip program expands the long-running Haf project support operations. It creates a platform for late-stage projects seeking closing funds, post-production partners, distributors, sales agents, festivals and other film-industry services
In its first two years the Wip section of Haf has presented notable films which enjoyed festival success last year. They include “Ayka,” which collected the best actress award in Cannes this year, and “The Man Who Surprised Everyone,” which won the Orrizonti Award for best actress at the Venice festival.
“With the expanded platform, Haf will become the first project market to receive both fictional and documentary...
The Wip program expands the long-running Haf project support operations. It creates a platform for late-stage projects seeking closing funds, post-production partners, distributors, sales agents, festivals and other film-industry services
In its first two years the Wip section of Haf has presented notable films which enjoyed festival success last year. They include “Ayka,” which collected the best actress award in Cannes this year, and “The Man Who Surprised Everyone,” which won the Orrizonti Award for best actress at the Venice festival.
“With the expanded platform, Haf will become the first project market to receive both fictional and documentary...
- 1/24/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’re highlighting the noteworthy titles that have recently hit platforms. Check out this week’s selections below and an archive of past round-ups here.
A24 Films on Kanopy
With FilmStruck sadly heading into its early grave last night, one may be looking for more options for streaming. One of the best alternatives is Kanopy, which can be accessed for free with a library card in select areas. They’ve also just added a wealth of A24 films ranging from this year’s First Reformed and Lean on Pete all the way back to their first offerings like Enemy and Spring Breakers.
Where to Stream: Kanopy
De Palma (Noah Baumbach and Jake Paltrow)
Recently, Kent Jones’ Hitchcock /Truffaut — a documentary on the famous interview sessions between the two directors — boasted perhaps the most chaotic,...
A24 Films on Kanopy
With FilmStruck sadly heading into its early grave last night, one may be looking for more options for streaming. One of the best alternatives is Kanopy, which can be accessed for free with a library card in select areas. They’ve also just added a wealth of A24 films ranging from this year’s First Reformed and Lean on Pete all the way back to their first offerings like Enemy and Spring Breakers.
Where to Stream: Kanopy
De Palma (Noah Baumbach and Jake Paltrow)
Recently, Kent Jones’ Hitchcock /Truffaut — a documentary on the famous interview sessions between the two directors — boasted perhaps the most chaotic,...
- 11/30/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
If ever you wanted to watch a movie on YouTube for free without breaking the law, now is your time. Feature films have been available to purchase and/or rent on the Google-owned site for years, but last month YouTube rolled out a number of free, ad-supported offerings without making an explicit announcement about the new feature. Among the 100 or so titles currently available are “Rocky,” “Legally Blonde,” and “The Terminator.”
As for the ads themselves, they aren’t as obtrusive as you might fear: Watching Arnold Schwarzenegger say “I’ll be back,” for instance, will require you to endure nine commercial breaks across the sci-fi classic’s 107-minute runtime.
“We saw this opportunity based on user demand, beyond just offering paid movies. Can we do ad-supported movies, free to the user?” Rohit Dhawan, director of product management at YouTube, said to AdAge. “It also presents a nice opportunity for advertisers.
As for the ads themselves, they aren’t as obtrusive as you might fear: Watching Arnold Schwarzenegger say “I’ll be back,” for instance, will require you to endure nine commercial breaks across the sci-fi classic’s 107-minute runtime.
“We saw this opportunity based on user demand, beyond just offering paid movies. Can we do ad-supported movies, free to the user?” Rohit Dhawan, director of product management at YouTube, said to AdAge. “It also presents a nice opportunity for advertisers.
- 11/17/2018
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Written by Alex Paknadel | Art by Budi Setiawan | Published by Titan Comics
Last issue was an absolute stormer, helped in part by Alex Paknadel taking over as scripter from Ollie Masters. Masters obviously plotted out the entire arc, so kudos for that, but the devil in the detail last issue came from Paknadel who really energised the issue. Last issue also saw the two different storylines we have been following, Teja and Rama/Yuda in prison and Bejo’s turf war with rival boss Otomo, finally link up. A police informant told Bejo that a cop in prison (Teja) is talking to Bunawar, the anti-corruption task force, and that the trail will ultimately end up at the feet of Bejo. Not the most subtle of men, Bejo’s solution? Hammer Girl, Baseball Bat Man, and The Assassin make a house call.
Well, more a prison call, as that is where Teja is currently being held.
Last issue was an absolute stormer, helped in part by Alex Paknadel taking over as scripter from Ollie Masters. Masters obviously plotted out the entire arc, so kudos for that, but the devil in the detail last issue came from Paknadel who really energised the issue. Last issue also saw the two different storylines we have been following, Teja and Rama/Yuda in prison and Bejo’s turf war with rival boss Otomo, finally link up. A police informant told Bejo that a cop in prison (Teja) is talking to Bunawar, the anti-corruption task force, and that the trail will ultimately end up at the feet of Bejo. Not the most subtle of men, Bejo’s solution? Hammer Girl, Baseball Bat Man, and The Assassin make a house call.
Well, more a prison call, as that is where Teja is currently being held.
- 11/12/2018
- by Dean Fuller
- Nerdly
Written by Alex Paknadel | Art by Budi Setiawan | Published by Titan Comics
Last issue, in the common vernacular, it was all kicking off. Good guy, bad guy, didn’t matter, everyone was facing challenges all over the place. Special forces cop Rama, known undercover as Yuda, is still protecting Teja, the cop falsely imprisoned for trying to take down crime boss Bejo. Prison’s not the best place for a cop, obviously. Bejo, though, coming from lowly stock is looked at as something of an upstart among fellow crime bosses, and he has been provoked to his limits by Utomo, a more senior crime boss. Utomo is so busy burning down Bejo’s restaurant he hasn’t realised Bejo has an ace up his sleeve. Two aces, actually, in Hammer Girl and Baseball Bat Man. Things can only get uglier…
We start with a family feel to proceedings, but in a uniquely The Raid way.
Last issue, in the common vernacular, it was all kicking off. Good guy, bad guy, didn’t matter, everyone was facing challenges all over the place. Special forces cop Rama, known undercover as Yuda, is still protecting Teja, the cop falsely imprisoned for trying to take down crime boss Bejo. Prison’s not the best place for a cop, obviously. Bejo, though, coming from lowly stock is looked at as something of an upstart among fellow crime bosses, and he has been provoked to his limits by Utomo, a more senior crime boss. Utomo is so busy burning down Bejo’s restaurant he hasn’t realised Bejo has an ace up his sleeve. Two aces, actually, in Hammer Girl and Baseball Bat Man. Things can only get uglier…
We start with a family feel to proceedings, but in a uniquely The Raid way.
- 10/23/2018
- by Dean Fuller
- Nerdly
Written by Ollie Masters | Art by Budi Setiawan | Published by Titan Comics
I enjoyed the last issue, without loving it. Considering the two films worth of material that this book can pull from, the first issue felt surprisingly lightweight. What it did best was to replicate the style and feel of the films. Very violent, very visual, very fast panel cuts, and that all worked very well indeed. As the blurb told us last issue, this story takes place during the events of The Raid 2, so if you’ve seen that film characters and events may take on deeper meaning, but it’s still very readable as a stand-alone book in its own right.
So, in a nutshell, last issue saw our hero, Jakarta special forces officer Rama undercover in prison where he is trying to take down the criminal empire of big boss Bejo, who runs most of Jakarta.
I enjoyed the last issue, without loving it. Considering the two films worth of material that this book can pull from, the first issue felt surprisingly lightweight. What it did best was to replicate the style and feel of the films. Very violent, very visual, very fast panel cuts, and that all worked very well indeed. As the blurb told us last issue, this story takes place during the events of The Raid 2, so if you’ve seen that film characters and events may take on deeper meaning, but it’s still very readable as a stand-alone book in its own right.
So, in a nutshell, last issue saw our hero, Jakarta special forces officer Rama undercover in prison where he is trying to take down the criminal empire of big boss Bejo, who runs most of Jakarta.
- 9/10/2018
- by Dean Fuller
- Nerdly
On Thursday, 6 September 2018, Kino Lumière in Bratislava screens the first of the eleven films included in the Programme Cycle “Taiwanese Season“ that brings Taiwanese films spanning from the 1960s till today. The screenings will include introductions and are scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6.15 Pm, with the last film programmed for 18 October.
“Taiwanese cinema offers many works by recognized film-makers as well as artistically influential films, many of which are not known to Slovak audience,” says Kristína Aschenbrennerová of the Slovak Film Institute, Curator of Taiwanese Season. “Our intention is to present Taiwanese films as a part of Taiwanese cultural identity, as well as an integral part of the popular entertainment. That is also why the line-up of Taiwanese Season spreads over different decades and genres and lists art house films, social realist ʻblack filmsʻ and wuxia films alongside romantic films or socially critical films from the 1960s until today.
“Taiwanese cinema offers many works by recognized film-makers as well as artistically influential films, many of which are not known to Slovak audience,” says Kristína Aschenbrennerová of the Slovak Film Institute, Curator of Taiwanese Season. “Our intention is to present Taiwanese films as a part of Taiwanese cultural identity, as well as an integral part of the popular entertainment. That is also why the line-up of Taiwanese Season spreads over different decades and genres and lists art house films, social realist ʻblack filmsʻ and wuxia films alongside romantic films or socially critical films from the 1960s until today.
- 9/4/2018
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Chinese comedy superstar Huang Bo (“Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons”) makes a good first stab at directing with “The Island,” an entertaining if overlong dramedy about company workers splitting into rival factions after being shipwrecked on a desert island. This mix of broad humor, survivalist drama and romance opens brightly and ends with a bang but stutters a little in the middle. Huang’s name and a cast including box-office draws Shu Qi and Wang Baoqiang should ensure strong domestic business, while the universally accessible “Lord of the Flies”-like premise ought to help attract audiences in offshore markets. “The Island” opens in China, North America, and several other international territories on Aug. 10.
Huang, who collaborated on the screenplay with no less than six writers, also plays the central role of Ma Jin, a debt-ridden, middle-aged loser. Along with goofy best buddy Xing (Zhang Yixin), Ma is obliged...
Huang, who collaborated on the screenplay with no less than six writers, also plays the central role of Ma Jin, a debt-ridden, middle-aged loser. Along with goofy best buddy Xing (Zhang Yixin), Ma is obliged...
- 8/10/2018
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
Written by Ollie Masters | Art by Budi Setiawan | Published by Titan Comics
The words ‘cult hit’ are bandied around a lot these days, perhaps a bit too freely. Rather like the over use of the word ‘supermodel’, but don’t get me started on that… The Raid film, and subsequent pop culture love, actually passed me by back in 2011. Sure I had heard of it in passing, but never really thought enough of it to actually watch the film. It seems that was a mistake, if all the stuff I see all over the internet is anything to go by. So, while I am going to go and watch the films at some point, I am coming in to this review as a complete neutral, which may on balance actually be a good thing.
For fans of the films, you can skip most of this next paragraph. For newbie’s like me,...
The words ‘cult hit’ are bandied around a lot these days, perhaps a bit too freely. Rather like the over use of the word ‘supermodel’, but don’t get me started on that… The Raid film, and subsequent pop culture love, actually passed me by back in 2011. Sure I had heard of it in passing, but never really thought enough of it to actually watch the film. It seems that was a mistake, if all the stuff I see all over the internet is anything to go by. So, while I am going to go and watch the films at some point, I am coming in to this review as a complete neutral, which may on balance actually be a good thing.
For fans of the films, you can skip most of this next paragraph. For newbie’s like me,...
- 8/8/2018
- by Dean Fuller
- Nerdly
Feature marks South Korean auteur Lee’s first film in eight years since Poetry.
Well Go USA has picked up North American rights to Lee Chang-dong’s acclaimed Cannes selection Burning.
The film earned the Fipresci Prize in Cannes and marks Lee’s first film in eight years after Poetry. It is produced by Pinehouse Film, Nhk and Now Film Co.
Japanese broadcaster Nhk invited Lee to adapt a short story by Murakami and he chose Barn Burning, about an alienated young man whose world is turned inside-out by the arrival of a spirited woman and her male trip companion.
Well Go USA has picked up North American rights to Lee Chang-dong’s acclaimed Cannes selection Burning.
The film earned the Fipresci Prize in Cannes and marks Lee’s first film in eight years after Poetry. It is produced by Pinehouse Film, Nhk and Now Film Co.
Japanese broadcaster Nhk invited Lee to adapt a short story by Murakami and he chose Barn Burning, about an alienated young man whose world is turned inside-out by the arrival of a spirited woman and her male trip companion.
- 6/28/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Well Go USA has acquired all North American rights to Lee Chang-dong’s Korean drama “Burning,” which won the Fipresci Prize last month at the Cannes Film Festival.
Well Go USA will release “Burning” to theaters across the nation beginning Oct. 26 in New York City, with expansion to follow throughout November. Based on a story by Haruki Murakami, “Burning” centers on an alienated young man, played by Ah-in Yoo as a frustrated introvert whose already difficult life is complicated by the appearance of two people into his orbit: a spirited young woman (Jong-seo Jun) who offers romantic possibility, and a wealthy young man (Steven Yeun of “The Walking Dead”) she returns from a trip with.
Art director Shin Jeom-hui won the Vulcan Award of the Technical Artist at Cannes, an independent prize given to the best technical artist in filming, editing, art, and sound.
Peter Debruge of Variety called the...
Well Go USA will release “Burning” to theaters across the nation beginning Oct. 26 in New York City, with expansion to follow throughout November. Based on a story by Haruki Murakami, “Burning” centers on an alienated young man, played by Ah-in Yoo as a frustrated introvert whose already difficult life is complicated by the appearance of two people into his orbit: a spirited young woman (Jong-seo Jun) who offers romantic possibility, and a wealthy young man (Steven Yeun of “The Walking Dead”) she returns from a trip with.
Art director Shin Jeom-hui won the Vulcan Award of the Technical Artist at Cannes, an independent prize given to the best technical artist in filming, editing, art, and sound.
Peter Debruge of Variety called the...
- 6/28/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Japanese composer-filmmaker Yoshihiro Hanno is directing the film produced by Taiwan’s Joint Pictures and Japan’s Shimensoka Co.
Japanese stars Satoshi Tsumabuki and Etsushi Toyokawa will head the cast of Japan-Taiwan co-production Paradise Next, which is gearing up to shoot in Taiwan.
Directed by Japanese composer-filmmaker Yoshihiro Hanno, the film will feature a theme song composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto. Taiwan’s Joint Pictures and Japan’s Shimensoka Co will co-produce.
The story follows two Japanese hit men who are forced into exile in Taiwan, where they embark on a journey of atonement. Production is scheduled to start on June...
Japanese stars Satoshi Tsumabuki and Etsushi Toyokawa will head the cast of Japan-Taiwan co-production Paradise Next, which is gearing up to shoot in Taiwan.
Directed by Japanese composer-filmmaker Yoshihiro Hanno, the film will feature a theme song composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto. Taiwan’s Joint Pictures and Japan’s Shimensoka Co will co-produce.
The story follows two Japanese hit men who are forced into exile in Taiwan, where they embark on a journey of atonement. Production is scheduled to start on June...
- 5/11/2018
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
Cate Blanchett, main, and, from top, Andrey Zvyagintsev, Khadja Nin, Denis Villeneuve, Kristen Stewart, Chang Chen, Ava DuVernay, Robert Guédiguian, and Léa Seydoux Photo: Photo composite: Festival de Cannes With only two and a bit weeks to go before the start of this year’s 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival on May 8 the organisers today have confirmed the jurors who will sit alongside president Cate Blanchett on the official Competition jury to adjudicate on the prestigious Palme d’Or among other top awards.
Selma director Ava DuVernay and Twilight star Kristen Stewart have been named as well as Blade Runner 2049 director Denis Villeneuve and Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev, who won the screenplay prize for Leviathan in 2014 and the jury prize for Loveless last year.
French actress Léa Seydoux, Chinese star Chang Chen (The Assassin), French director-producer Robert Guédiguian and Burundian singer-songwriter Khadja Nin complete the suitably mixed line-up.
Selma director Ava DuVernay and Twilight star Kristen Stewart have been named as well as Blade Runner 2049 director Denis Villeneuve and Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev, who won the screenplay prize for Leviathan in 2014 and the jury prize for Loveless last year.
French actress Léa Seydoux, Chinese star Chang Chen (The Assassin), French director-producer Robert Guédiguian and Burundian singer-songwriter Khadja Nin complete the suitably mixed line-up.
- 4/18/2018
- by Richard Mowe
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Further jury members are Chang Chen, Robert Guédiguian, Khadja Nin, Léa Seydoux and Andrei Zvyagintsev.
The 2018 Cannes Film Festival (May 8-19) has unveiled the jury for its main competition.
Comprising five women and four men, the Jury features:
Chinese actor Chang Chen, who starred in Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Three Times and The Assassin, and Kim Ki-duk’s Breath, which all screened in Competition at Cannes. His other films include John Woo’s Red Cliff and Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
Writer, director, producer Ava DuVernay, whose features include Disney sci-fi A Wrinkle In Time, Selma, for which she...
The 2018 Cannes Film Festival (May 8-19) has unveiled the jury for its main competition.
Comprising five women and four men, the Jury features:
Chinese actor Chang Chen, who starred in Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Three Times and The Assassin, and Kim Ki-duk’s Breath, which all screened in Competition at Cannes. His other films include John Woo’s Red Cliff and Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
Writer, director, producer Ava DuVernay, whose features include Disney sci-fi A Wrinkle In Time, Selma, for which she...
- 4/18/2018
- by Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
While the Competition at the 71st Festival de Cannes (May 8-19) so far includes only three women directors, Cannes has selected many films from women filmmakers in such sidebars as Un Certain Regard, Critics’ Week, and Directors’ Fortnight. And the Competition jury led by president Cate Blanchett is dominated by women.
The jury features five women, four men, seven nationalities, and five continents. They will reveal the winners on Saturday, May 19 during the Closing Ceremony.
The 2018 Jury
Cate Blanchett – President (Australian actress, producer)
Chang Chen (Chinese actor)
Ava DuVernay (American writer, director, producer)
Robert Guédiguian (French director, writer, producer)
Khadja Nin (Burundian songwriter, composer, singer)
Léa Seydoux (French actress)
Kristen Stewart (American actress)
Denis Villeneuve (Canadian director, writer)
Andrei Zvyagintsev (Russian director, writer)
Cannes Biographies (below):
Chang Chen – Chinese actor
Chang Chen made his film debut in the late Edward Yang’s “A Brighter Summer Day.” He rose to...
The jury features five women, four men, seven nationalities, and five continents. They will reveal the winners on Saturday, May 19 during the Closing Ceremony.
The 2018 Jury
Cate Blanchett – President (Australian actress, producer)
Chang Chen (Chinese actor)
Ava DuVernay (American writer, director, producer)
Robert Guédiguian (French director, writer, producer)
Khadja Nin (Burundian songwriter, composer, singer)
Léa Seydoux (French actress)
Kristen Stewart (American actress)
Denis Villeneuve (Canadian director, writer)
Andrei Zvyagintsev (Russian director, writer)
Cannes Biographies (below):
Chang Chen – Chinese actor
Chang Chen made his film debut in the late Edward Yang’s “A Brighter Summer Day.” He rose to...
- 4/18/2018
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
While the Competition at the 71st Festival de Cannes (May 8-19) so far includes only three women directors, Cannes has selected many films from women filmmakers in such sidebars as Un Certain Regard, Critics’ Week, and Directors’ Fortnight. And the Competition jury led by president Cate Blanchett is dominated by women.
The jury features five women, four men, seven nationalities, and five continents. They will reveal the winners on Saturday, May 19 during the Closing Ceremony.
The 2018 Jury
Cate Blanchett – President (Australian actress, producer)
Chang Chen (Chinese actor)
Ava DuVernay (American writer, director, producer)
Robert Guédiguian (French director, writer, producer)
Khadja Nin (Burundian songwriter, composer, singer)
Léa Seydoux (French actress)
Kristen Stewart (American actress)
Denis Villeneuve (Canadian director, writer)
Andrei Zvyagintsev (Russian director, writer)
Cannes Biographies (below):
Chang Chen – Chinese actor
Chang Chen made his film debut in the late Edward Yang’s “A Brighter Summer Day.” He rose to...
The jury features five women, four men, seven nationalities, and five continents. They will reveal the winners on Saturday, May 19 during the Closing Ceremony.
The 2018 Jury
Cate Blanchett – President (Australian actress, producer)
Chang Chen (Chinese actor)
Ava DuVernay (American writer, director, producer)
Robert Guédiguian (French director, writer, producer)
Khadja Nin (Burundian songwriter, composer, singer)
Léa Seydoux (French actress)
Kristen Stewart (American actress)
Denis Villeneuve (Canadian director, writer)
Andrei Zvyagintsev (Russian director, writer)
Cannes Biographies (below):
Chang Chen – Chinese actor
Chang Chen made his film debut in the late Edward Yang’s “A Brighter Summer Day.” He rose to...
- 4/18/2018
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
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