Hong Kong Film Development Council (Hkfdc) has announced the first ten projects to receive grants under its Content Development Scheme for Streaming Platforms.
The ten projects, which will now enter phase two of the scheme, include series to be directed and/or produced by leading Hong Kong filmmakers such as Lawrence Ah Mon, Derek Yee, Peter Ho-sun Chan and Kenneth Bi (see full list of grantees below).
Shortlisted teams will each receive Hk$0.6M to Hk$1.2M as a script development fee for developing a production proposal and full scripts of an entire mini-series.
Winning teams selected to enter phase three will each receive Hk$4.5M to produce the first one or first two episodes of a series. Together with the script development fee, each final winning team will be awarded a total of up to Hk$5.7M.
Hkfdc chairman Wilfred Wong, said: “This new Scheme launched under the Film...
The ten projects, which will now enter phase two of the scheme, include series to be directed and/or produced by leading Hong Kong filmmakers such as Lawrence Ah Mon, Derek Yee, Peter Ho-sun Chan and Kenneth Bi (see full list of grantees below).
Shortlisted teams will each receive Hk$0.6M to Hk$1.2M as a script development fee for developing a production proposal and full scripts of an entire mini-series.
Winning teams selected to enter phase three will each receive Hk$4.5M to produce the first one or first two episodes of a series. Together with the script development fee, each final winning team will be awarded a total of up to Hk$5.7M.
Hkfdc chairman Wilfred Wong, said: “This new Scheme launched under the Film...
- 3/13/2024
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
The official Japanese box office numbers for 2018 are not yet in –the Motion Picture Producers’ Association of Japan (Eiren) will announce them in late January – but preliminary figures don’t look great for the home team.
“Code Blue: The Movie,” a medical thriller based on a Fuji TV series, was the year’s highest-earning film at $83 million, according to the Private Life entertainment data and ranking site, but only three of the box office top ten were Japanese. The other two, “Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer,” at $82 million, and “Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s Treasure Island,” at $48 million, were entries in long-running anime series.
A total of 29 Japanese films made JPY1 billion ($9.0 million) or more. This compares with 38 that passed the same milestone in 2017.
Faced with the prospect of more decline at home, as Japan’s aging population continues to trend down, the Japanese film industry is increasingly looking abroad...
“Code Blue: The Movie,” a medical thriller based on a Fuji TV series, was the year’s highest-earning film at $83 million, according to the Private Life entertainment data and ranking site, but only three of the box office top ten were Japanese. The other two, “Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer,” at $82 million, and “Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s Treasure Island,” at $48 million, were entries in long-running anime series.
A total of 29 Japanese films made JPY1 billion ($9.0 million) or more. This compares with 38 that passed the same milestone in 2017.
Faced with the prospect of more decline at home, as Japan’s aging population continues to trend down, the Japanese film industry is increasingly looking abroad...
- 12/26/2018
- by Mark Schilling
- Variety Film + TV
One Cut Of The Dead Wins Audience Choice At The 22Nd Edition Of Reel Asian
The festival announces its 2018 award winners including Finding Big Country, Dead Pigs, A Time To Swim and Menkes Audience Award winner
(Toronto – November 20, 2018) The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival (Reel Asian) closed its 22nd edition on Friday, November 16 following a successful 9 day run in downtown Toronto and North York. As Canada’s largest pan-Asian film festival, Reel Asian continues to celebrate Asian representation in film and media and fuel the growing appreciation for Asian cinema in Canada. This year, the festival took place from November 8 to 16 with 62 titles from 17 regions, over 50% of which directed by women. Reel Asian announced the award winners for the juried features and shorts prizes, the So You Think You Can Pitch? live competition, and the Menkes Audience Award.
Feature films honoured include the dark comedy Dead Pigs, the debut...
The festival announces its 2018 award winners including Finding Big Country, Dead Pigs, A Time To Swim and Menkes Audience Award winner
(Toronto – November 20, 2018) The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival (Reel Asian) closed its 22nd edition on Friday, November 16 following a successful 9 day run in downtown Toronto and North York. As Canada’s largest pan-Asian film festival, Reel Asian continues to celebrate Asian representation in film and media and fuel the growing appreciation for Asian cinema in Canada. This year, the festival took place from November 8 to 16 with 62 titles from 17 regions, over 50% of which directed by women. Reel Asian announced the award winners for the juried features and shorts prizes, the So You Think You Can Pitch? live competition, and the Menkes Audience Award.
Feature films honoured include the dark comedy Dead Pigs, the debut...
- 11/21/2018
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Successful entrepreneur Yuan Yuan is approached by a young woman on the eve of her latest fashion showcase. Keiko, The young girl from Japan has idolized the designers work and practiced fashion as well as Mandarin in hopes of meeting her. The two build a strong connection, but within their conversations and working together, Yuan Yuan begins to recall the past that she left behind and never made peace with.
“Wish You Were Here” is screening at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival
With a renewed determination to confront her past decisions and fears, Yuan Yuan sets off to the village and family she met behind. Hoping to find peace and finally reconcile with her first husband, as well as her mother in law who drove her to her emotional limit and forced her to leave everything behind. Yuan Yuan will have to confront harsh truths about herself in...
“Wish You Were Here” is screening at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival
With a renewed determination to confront her past decisions and fears, Yuan Yuan sets off to the village and family she met behind. Hoping to find peace and finally reconcile with her first husband, as well as her mother in law who drove her to her emotional limit and forced her to leave everything behind. Yuan Yuan will have to confront harsh truths about herself in...
- 11/18/2018
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
Kenneth Bi’s directorial debut, Rice Rhapsody (2004), won Outstanding Screenplay from Taiwan’s Gio and screened at the Tokyo International Film Festival. The Drummer (2007) was selected for competition at the Sundance Film Festival and opened the 2008 Toronto Reel Asian International Film festival. It also won Best Supporting Actor (Tony Leung Ka Fai) at the Golden Horse Awards. In 2010, Bi followed up with the topical social drama, Girl$, and in 2013, he directed the neo-noir suspense thriller Control, starring Daniel Wu, Simon Yam, Yao Chen and Leon Dai. Wish You Were Here is Bi’s fifth film.
On the occasion of “Wish You Were Here” having it’s North American debut at the Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival, we speak to him about his Shaw Brothers members parents, shooting in the snow, being comfortable with one’s own heritage. different cultures, the casting of the film, and many more topics .
You are...
On the occasion of “Wish You Were Here” having it’s North American debut at the Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival, we speak to him about his Shaw Brothers members parents, shooting in the snow, being comfortable with one’s own heritage. different cultures, the casting of the film, and many more topics .
You are...
- 11/13/2018
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
Directed by Kenneth Bi, his dystopian thriller Control is set to hit theatres across China next week. The movie stars actors Daniel Wu and Simon Yam from Hong Kong, as well as actress Yao Chen from the Chinese mainland. Not to sure about the iffy Matrix-esk visuals on the new poster, but the movie looks very good! There’s an English subbed version of the trailer to watch. Synopsis: Control takes place in a dystopian future, where everyone is monitored and maintains life within a specific set of boundaries. Exploring the ideas of being controlled and losing control, the film's main character, Mark (Daniel Wu) commits a crime for his company in order to financially help his mother. He later encounters a mysterious person that threatens Mark into participating in a bank robbery. His life becomes a disaster as he is manipulated by this mysterious person. When he finally decides he's had enough,...
- 11/9/2013
- 24framespersecond.net
To celebrate their 5th anniversary, the Arizona Underground Film Festival has expanded to a whopping nine nights on Sept. 21-29 for a cinematic event the likes of Tucson has never seen before!
The shenanigans kick off with the opening night film The Legend of Kaspar Hauser, an experimental Italian feature directed by Davide Manuli and starring Vincent Gallo as the hero and the villain to a strange young boy, then end with the closing night film Jason M. Solomon’s nostalgic documentary 7 Years Underground: A 60′s Tale, which profiles the legendary Cafe Au Go Go in NYC that hosted such up-and-coming acts such as Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, George Carlin, Lily Tomlin and more.
In between those two films lies a twisted carnage of movie mayhem, including Spencer Parsons’ demented homage to ’70s mystery cartoons Saturday Morning Massacre; Michael Melamedoff exploitative semi-doc The Exhibitionists; Stephen Amis’ Australian WWII sci-fi...
The shenanigans kick off with the opening night film The Legend of Kaspar Hauser, an experimental Italian feature directed by Davide Manuli and starring Vincent Gallo as the hero and the villain to a strange young boy, then end with the closing night film Jason M. Solomon’s nostalgic documentary 7 Years Underground: A 60′s Tale, which profiles the legendary Cafe Au Go Go in NYC that hosted such up-and-coming acts such as Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, George Carlin, Lily Tomlin and more.
In between those two films lies a twisted carnage of movie mayhem, including Spencer Parsons’ demented homage to ’70s mystery cartoons Saturday Morning Massacre; Michael Melamedoff exploitative semi-doc The Exhibitionists; Stephen Amis’ Australian WWII sci-fi...
- 9/14/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Director Kenneth Bi is well familiar to Twitch readers thanks to The Drummer, one of the first serious starring roles for Jaycee (son of Jackie) Chan. Bi's latest, Girl$ tackles very different material and is due to premiere at the Hong Kong International Film Festival.
A drama about four teenage girls who engage in prostitution for very different reasons, with very different consequences, the trailer looks like typical Bi. Which is to say very well crafted indeed. Check it below.
A drama about four teenage girls who engage in prostitution for very different reasons, with very different consequences, the trailer looks like typical Bi. Which is to say very well crafted indeed. Check it below.
- 3/5/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Based on Law's childhood experience, the story intends to bring out the nostalgia of the Hong Kongers through the portrayal of those good old days. It has yet to premiere in Hong Kong, but is set for a March 11th release and it'll also will be able to be seen during the Hong Kong International Festival. - Hong Kong Film Scene: LocalThe 34th edition of the Hong Kong International Festival will be bookended by homegrown films this year -- Crossing Hennessy, the sophomore feature from Ivy Ho (Claustrophobia) will open the fest alongside Like A Dream starring Daniel Wu. The festival which includes several international titles from last year's Cannes, Toronto and Venice film fests, contains some newer, attention-getting titles such as Love in a Puff -- Pang Ho-Cheung’s first time collaboration with Haiward Mak, who first caught Hong Kong film critics’ attention with her debut feature High Noon.
- 3/4/2010
- IONCINEMA.com
The sound of drums can penetrate the soul and resonate deeper than any musical instrument if performed by a true master, which I think is why it is an art and a discipline older than any other musical pursuit. This concept lies at the core of The Drummer, a powerful new film from writer and director Kenneth Bi (Rice Rhapsody). This is a story of one young man named Sid whose love of the drums developed at an early age out of anger and frustration. Sid plays drums for a rock band, but his life mimics his music as he is drawn to mischief and chasing women. One night, Sid is caught fooling around with the youthful girlfriend of Stephen Ma (Kenneth Tsang), a powerful suited gangster. With his life in danger, Sid’s father (Tony Leung Ka Fai) also a small-time gangster, sends him away with his best man...
- 11/13/2009
- by Travis
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Before we look back at the past week, let's peak at what's opening this weekend: Francis Ford Coppola's family drama Tetro; Duncan Jones' sci-fi trip Moon; Daryl Wein's AIDS activist doc Sex Positive; Tommy Wirkola's Nazi zombie flick Dead Snow; Robert Kenner's appetizing (maybe) doc Food, Inc.; and Chai Vasarhelyi's music / tolerance plea Youssou Ndour: I Bring What I Love (poster and more info after the jump).
Box Office. Opening in four theaters, Sam Mendes' Away We Go scored a smashing $32,603 per-screen average last weekend, according to Box Office Mojo. The road trip comedy / drama, starring John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph as anxious, expectant parents searching for a place to raise their family, far outpaced other debuting indies, which had, on their own terms, decent returns: Seraphine ($6,640 per-screen at four theaters), Unmistaken Child ($6,293, one screen), and 24 City ($6,082, one screen). Our critic William Goss feels...
Box Office. Opening in four theaters, Sam Mendes' Away We Go scored a smashing $32,603 per-screen average last weekend, according to Box Office Mojo. The road trip comedy / drama, starring John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph as anxious, expectant parents searching for a place to raise their family, far outpaced other debuting indies, which had, on their own terms, decent returns: Seraphine ($6,640 per-screen at four theaters), Unmistaken Child ($6,293, one screen), and 24 City ($6,082, one screen). Our critic William Goss feels...
- 6/11/2009
- by Peter Martin
- Cinematical
Film Movement has acquired North American rights to Kenneth Bi's "The Drummer," starring Jaycee Chan as the rebellious son of a Hong Kong crime boss.
A limited theatrical run for the Mandarin- and Cantonese-language film is planned in the fall along with a day-and-date release on cable VOD.
The acquisition was negotiated by Film Movement president Adley Gartenstein and Brigitte Suarez of The Match Factory.
"Kenneth Bi has managed to create a uniquely original film. 'The Drummer' is a completely successful amalgam of genres that both moves and entertains on different levels. It's a thoroughly thrilling ride we can't wait to share with North American audiences," Gartenstein said.
A limited theatrical run for the Mandarin- and Cantonese-language film is planned in the fall along with a day-and-date release on cable VOD.
The acquisition was negotiated by Film Movement president Adley Gartenstein and Brigitte Suarez of The Match Factory.
"Kenneth Bi has managed to create a uniquely original film. 'The Drummer' is a completely successful amalgam of genres that both moves and entertains on different levels. It's a thoroughly thrilling ride we can't wait to share with North American audiences," Gartenstein said.
- 6/9/2009
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
- After showing The Drummer at Sundance back in 2008 film festivals around the world, Kenneth Bi has finally found a home for a drama merges the triad life and that of the more disciplined one of the Zen Drummers. Film Movement have picked up the North American rights to the picture and have set it for an autumn release with a day and date DVD and cable VOD release not to far behind. We had a fairly lengthy interview with Kenneth (read here) and look forward to the Gotham release.The Drummer tells the story of Sid, the rebellious son of Kwan, a controlling and savage triad boss in Hong Kong, has to flee to Taiwan upon enraging his father’s adversary, a powerful and underground business leader. Hiding out in the mountains, Sid encounters a group of Zen Drummers whose mesmerizing art, rigourous physical training and austere way of
- 6/9/2009
- IONCINEMA.com
Jaycee Chan is Sid, the son of a small Triad boss who spends his time drumming in a band and fooling around with the woman of a rival gang boss. It is only a matter of time before they are caught and Sid’s arrogance gets the better of himself and he insults the rival gang boss Ma. Desperate to save his son’s life Sid’s father sends him to Taiwan to lay low until things cool down.
One morning Sid awakens to the sound of drumming coming from the mountains. At the end of his hike he comes upon a group of Zen drummers training. Hypnotized by the rhythm of the beat he desires to join the group. He begins his journey of self discovery and growth.
Kenneth Bi’s The Drummer was tonight’s opening film at the Reel Asian Film Festival.
One morning Sid awakens to the sound of drumming coming from the mountains. At the end of his hike he comes upon a group of Zen drummers training. Hypnotized by the rhythm of the beat he desires to join the group. He begins his journey of self discovery and growth.
Kenneth Bi’s The Drummer was tonight’s opening film at the Reel Asian Film Festival.
- 11/13/2008
- by Mack
- Screen Anarchy
The 2008 edition of the Reel Asian Film Festival here in Toronto - one of the oldest and largest Asian focused film festivals in the world - has just announced their lineup for 2008 and, go ahead, ask me how I feel about Twitch being a sponsor of this year’s festival? Sure, I’ve always felt good about working with Reel Asian, they’re good people who bring in excellent films, but this has got to be by far their Twitchiest edition yet.
First of all, we’re co-presenting two programs of late night short films, which is always a fun thing to do, but then things get rolling with the feature lineup. The opening film? Kenneth Bi’s The Drummer, which we’ve written about extensively in these pages. Closing? A little Japanese picture called Adrift in Tokyo, which I firmly believe is one of the five best films in...
First of all, we’re co-presenting two programs of late night short films, which is always a fun thing to do, but then things get rolling with the feature lineup. The opening film? Kenneth Bi’s The Drummer, which we’ve written about extensively in these pages. Closing? A little Japanese picture called Adrift in Tokyo, which I firmly believe is one of the five best films in...
- 10/21/2008
- by Todd Brown
- Screen Anarchy
HONG KONG -- Screening in competition at Sundance, Kenneth Bi's "The Drummer" stars Josie Ho, daughter of billionaire gambling mogul Stanley Ho. It's the first Hong Kong film to make it to Park City, and is a chance for the audience there a chance to view cinema outside the typical Hong Kong gangster-comedy-art house troika embodied by directors Johnnie To ("Exiled"), Stephen Chow ("Kung Fu Hustle") and Wong Kar-wai ("My Blueberry Nights"). Ho followed her dream into the world of singing, then acting from an early age. After a slew of bit parts playing bad girls, Ho shined in "Exiled" and later found herself on Forbes list of "20 Most Intriguing Billionaire Heiresses" after gaining attention through such antics as calling Chinese film industry execs "cock-faces" on her blog. Ho was too busy working to get to Sundance but took time to chat with The Hollywood Reporter's Saul Symonds in her trendy cafe in Hong Kong's Causeway Bay.
The Hollywood Reporter: What attracted you to "The Drummer"?
Josie Ho: What fascinated me about the whole concept of "The Drummer" was that someone could write a story out of these musicians. When I first heard the story from the director, he was so enthusiastic telling me what these bands where about and that kind of interested me.
THR: What about your particular role attracted you?
Ho: I always seem to have been approached to play bad girls or negative roles with twisted morals, and suddenly here was such a positive vibe. I guess it was the character's positive vibe that attracted me, because no one asked me to do such roles before. She's a rebel with a cause, and it's a whole different mindset.
The Hollywood Reporter: What attracted you to "The Drummer"?
Josie Ho: What fascinated me about the whole concept of "The Drummer" was that someone could write a story out of these musicians. When I first heard the story from the director, he was so enthusiastic telling me what these bands where about and that kind of interested me.
THR: What about your particular role attracted you?
Ho: I always seem to have been approached to play bad girls or negative roles with twisted morals, and suddenly here was such a positive vibe. I guess it was the character's positive vibe that attracted me, because no one asked me to do such roles before. She's a rebel with a cause, and it's a whole different mindset.
- 1/25/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
- [Ioncinema.com is proud to feature the rookie and veteran filmmakers showcased and nurtured at the 2008 edition of the Sundance Film Festival. This is part of collection of emailer interviews conducted prior to the festival - we would like to thank the filmmakers for their time and the hardworking publicists for making this possible.] Kenneth Bi You pretty much grew up on film sets…when did you understand you wanted to be behind the camera?Even though I grew watching my parents make films on film sets, it didn't impact me until I was in university and studied theatre. I focused on theatre because it's a much more universal and ancient practice and need for us. The emotions, ideas and the wealth of material about being human were liberating. So when I finally decided to immerse myself in filmmaking at the end of 1992 (25 years old) I came into it with the express interest in exploring human conditions in film and always as a writer/director.With a background in kind of "humanitites" I wanted to learn about various types of filmmaking, philosophical, commercial an technical. Really to find my way of telling stories. There are so many ways one can tell a story.
- 1/22/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
Sundance Film Festival
PARK CITY -- Jaycee Chan, the son of Jackie Chan, might turn out to be a chip off the old block. In The Drummer, he doesn't try to imitate his father's martial arts moves but demonstrates plenty of movie star charisma in his own right.
It's fitting that the film is in part a story about a rebellious young man trying to carve out his own identity in the shadow of an overbearing father. This Sundance premiere, competing in the world cinema dramatic section, might not have the art film cachet of other movies in the category, but it's a most entertaining ride with audience appeal well beyond the festival circuit.
Sid (Chan) is the hedonistic playboy son of Kwan (veteran actor Tony Leung Ka Fai), a Hong Kong crime boss. With cheeky insolence, Sid seduces the mistress of his father's gangland rival, Stephen Ma (Kenneth Tsang). Stephen is furious and demands that the boy be punished. To get him out of harm's way, Kwan ships Sid to a remote mountainous region of Taiwan. There, Sid encounters a group of Zen drummers and decides to join their troupe. He undergoes a spiritual and romantic awakening (courtesy of a fellow drummer, played by the fetching Lee Sinje), though of course he eventually will have to return to Hong Kong and settle scores with the criminals.
The film is an odd hybrid of violent action picture and earnest spiritual odyssey, but somehow it all works. This is partly because of the skill of writer-director Kenneth Bi, who brings ferocious energy to the action scenes and sensitivity to the interactions of the drummers, played by U Theatre, a well-known group of Taiwan artists. Scenes in which the Zen masters discipline the headstrong Sid have considerable charm. The script has enough twists and turns to keep us engaged, and the casting is superb.
It's hard to imagine the film without Chan in the lead. A bundle of energy and youthful impudence, he has a face that the camera loves, and he manages to be equally convincing in his gangster and tranquil Zen modes. Leung brings the right sense of danger to his role, and there are strong supporting turns by Sinje, Josie Ho as Sid's feisty sister and Roy Cheung as a solicitous bodyguard who is not quite what he appears to be.
Besides the great cast, the film boasts first-rate technical credits. Sam Koa's photography of the Taiwanese countryside is spectacular, and the urban scenes are sharply edited by Bi and Isabel Meier. The musical interludes also register effectively. You don't have to take the movie's spiritual message seriously to enjoy Drummer. This is a true guilty pleasure that will tickle audiences all over the world.
THE DRUMMER
Emperor Motion Pictures (Hong Kong)
Kenbiroli Films, Twenty Twenty Vision Filmproduktion
Credits:
Director-screenwriter: Kenneth Bi
Producers: Rosa Li, Peggy Chiao, Thanassis Karathanos
Executive producers: Albert Yeung, William Fu
Director of photography: Sam Koa
Production designer: Alex Mok Siu Chung
Music: Andre Matthias
Co-producer: Albert Lee
Costume designer: Cindy Cheung
Editors: Isabel Meier, Kenneth Bi
Cast:
Sid: Jaycee Chan
Kwan: Tony Leung Ka Fai
Hong Dou: Lee Sinje
Ah Chiu: Roy Cheung
Sina: Josie Ho
Stephen Ma: Kenneth Tsang
Lan Jie: Liu Ruo-Yu
Running time -- 116 minutes
No MPAA rating...
PARK CITY -- Jaycee Chan, the son of Jackie Chan, might turn out to be a chip off the old block. In The Drummer, he doesn't try to imitate his father's martial arts moves but demonstrates plenty of movie star charisma in his own right.
It's fitting that the film is in part a story about a rebellious young man trying to carve out his own identity in the shadow of an overbearing father. This Sundance premiere, competing in the world cinema dramatic section, might not have the art film cachet of other movies in the category, but it's a most entertaining ride with audience appeal well beyond the festival circuit.
Sid (Chan) is the hedonistic playboy son of Kwan (veteran actor Tony Leung Ka Fai), a Hong Kong crime boss. With cheeky insolence, Sid seduces the mistress of his father's gangland rival, Stephen Ma (Kenneth Tsang). Stephen is furious and demands that the boy be punished. To get him out of harm's way, Kwan ships Sid to a remote mountainous region of Taiwan. There, Sid encounters a group of Zen drummers and decides to join their troupe. He undergoes a spiritual and romantic awakening (courtesy of a fellow drummer, played by the fetching Lee Sinje), though of course he eventually will have to return to Hong Kong and settle scores with the criminals.
The film is an odd hybrid of violent action picture and earnest spiritual odyssey, but somehow it all works. This is partly because of the skill of writer-director Kenneth Bi, who brings ferocious energy to the action scenes and sensitivity to the interactions of the drummers, played by U Theatre, a well-known group of Taiwan artists. Scenes in which the Zen masters discipline the headstrong Sid have considerable charm. The script has enough twists and turns to keep us engaged, and the casting is superb.
It's hard to imagine the film without Chan in the lead. A bundle of energy and youthful impudence, he has a face that the camera loves, and he manages to be equally convincing in his gangster and tranquil Zen modes. Leung brings the right sense of danger to his role, and there are strong supporting turns by Sinje, Josie Ho as Sid's feisty sister and Roy Cheung as a solicitous bodyguard who is not quite what he appears to be.
Besides the great cast, the film boasts first-rate technical credits. Sam Koa's photography of the Taiwanese countryside is spectacular, and the urban scenes are sharply edited by Bi and Isabel Meier. The musical interludes also register effectively. You don't have to take the movie's spiritual message seriously to enjoy Drummer. This is a true guilty pleasure that will tickle audiences all over the world.
THE DRUMMER
Emperor Motion Pictures (Hong Kong)
Kenbiroli Films, Twenty Twenty Vision Filmproduktion
Credits:
Director-screenwriter: Kenneth Bi
Producers: Rosa Li, Peggy Chiao, Thanassis Karathanos
Executive producers: Albert Yeung, William Fu
Director of photography: Sam Koa
Production designer: Alex Mok Siu Chung
Music: Andre Matthias
Co-producer: Albert Lee
Costume designer: Cindy Cheung
Editors: Isabel Meier, Kenneth Bi
Cast:
Sid: Jaycee Chan
Kwan: Tony Leung Ka Fai
Hong Dou: Lee Sinje
Ah Chiu: Roy Cheung
Sina: Josie Ho
Stephen Ma: Kenneth Tsang
Lan Jie: Liu Ruo-Yu
Running time -- 116 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 1/22/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
- There were 983 submissions from 15 countries in this category and apart from a couple of names, I know not one of the final selections below. World Cinema Dramatic Competition"Absurdistan" (Germany), directed by Veit Helmer, written by Helmer, Zaza Buadze, Gordan Mihic and Ahmet Golbol, about a sex strike by village women that threatens a young couple's first night together."Blue Eyelids" (Mexico), directed by Ernesto Contreras, about the ramifications of a single woman's winning of a beach trip for two."Captain Abu Raed" (Jordan), directed and written by Amin Matalqa, concerning an aging airport janitor who relates tall tales to local kids who think he's a pilot."The Drummer" (Hong Kong), directed and written by Kenneth Bi, the story of a young man who matures from reckless gangster to serious grownup due to the influence of Zen drumming."Elite Squad" (Brazil), directed by Jose Padilha ("Bus 174") and written by Braulio Mantovani and Padilha,
- 11/28/2007
- IONCINEMA.com
MOSCOW -- Turkey's third international Eurasia Film Festival will open in mid-October with the local premieres of more than 80 films and a prize purse worth $115,000.
Dubbed the "international gateway" to its older, concurrent sister event, Turkey's national Antalaya Film Festival, which opens its 44th edition at the same time, Eurasia offers its best film an award worth $75,000 and best director $25,000.
Additionally, a new Critics Award, worth $15,000, will be offered for the first time, organizers said Tuesday.
Opening Oct. 19, the international competition lineup includes Russia's latest epic, Sergei Bodrov's Ghengis Khan biopic "Mongol"; "You the Living", Roy Andersson's reflection on mankind's need to love and be loved; Tony Ayres' "The Home Song Stories", the story of a Chinese singer and her family who settle in Australia in '70s; and Kenneth Bi's Chinese Zen drumming movie, "The Drummer".
Other competition films include Eran Korilin's feature directorial debut, "The Band's Visit", an Un Certain Regard winner at this year's Festival de Cannes, and "Assembly", the latest film from Chinese helmer Xiaogang Feng.
Dubbed the "international gateway" to its older, concurrent sister event, Turkey's national Antalaya Film Festival, which opens its 44th edition at the same time, Eurasia offers its best film an award worth $75,000 and best director $25,000.
Additionally, a new Critics Award, worth $15,000, will be offered for the first time, organizers said Tuesday.
Opening Oct. 19, the international competition lineup includes Russia's latest epic, Sergei Bodrov's Ghengis Khan biopic "Mongol"; "You the Living", Roy Andersson's reflection on mankind's need to love and be loved; Tony Ayres' "The Home Song Stories", the story of a Chinese singer and her family who settle in Australia in '70s; and Kenneth Bi's Chinese Zen drumming movie, "The Drummer".
Other competition films include Eran Korilin's feature directorial debut, "The Band's Visit", an Un Certain Regard winner at this year's Festival de Cannes, and "Assembly", the latest film from Chinese helmer Xiaogang Feng.
- 9/19/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
- The jury composed of Walter Carvalho, Saverio Costanzo, Irène Jacob, Jia Zhang-ke, Romuald Karmakar and Bruno Todeschini gave out a bunch of leopards on the weekend. Masahiro Kobayashi (see pic above) won the Golden Leopard for his film Ai no yokan (The Rebirth). Best Director was awarded to Capitaine Achab by Philippe Ramos (France) and the Special Jury Prize went to Memories (Jeonju Digital Project 2007) by Pedro Costa, Harun Farocki and Eugène Green. Spanish actress Carmen Maura and the French actor Michel Piccoli both received an Excellence Award (Michel Piccoli also received the prize for best actor in Sous les toits de Paris, joint winner was Michele Venitucci in Fuori dalle corde). And finally (and not surprisingly), Death at a Funeral (the Brit comedy by Frank Oz) won the audience award – this making it the 5th or 6th time that it has walked away from an international festival with such honors.
- 8/13/2007
- IONCINEMA.com
Jackie Chan is one of the world's most enduring action stars. With a career that started when his parents sent him as a young boy to train with an opera troupe in Hong Kong, Chan has risen to become one of the world's top international celebrities. Despite a busy Hollywood career these days, Hong Kong's "Big Brother", as he is known, remains committed to his home roots through new films and business investments, including interests in various production companies, restaurants and jewelry and fashion lines. Last month he formed JCE Movies, a joint venture between Chan and Hong Kong entertainment group Emperor Multimedia principal Albert Yeung, in a bid to nurture new local talent, kicking off with two movies to be directed by first-time feature film directors Stephen Fung and Kenneth Bi. Winnie Chung for The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Chan on the set of his upcoming Hong Kong movie "New Police Story", directed by Benny Chan ("Gen-X Cops"), to talk about his efforts to unite Hong Kong's film industry, which has been bruised and battered in recent years due to piracy, poor audience reception, a blowout in budgets and a general economic downturn, in addition to suffering repercussions of the SARS outbreak....
- 11/10/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
HONG KONG -- JCE Movies, a company formed last month by Jackie Chan and Emperor Multimedia Group principal Albert Yeung, is embarking on aggressive strategy of nurturing new local talent with two movies to be helmed by first-time feature film directors Stephen Fung and Kenneth Bi. Fung's $2 million Enter the Phoenix is slated to start shooting at the end of the month, while Bi's $1 million comedy Hainan Chicken Rice (working title) is expected to start shooting in Singapore in mid-November. "The vision of JCE is to work on films of different genres and to nurture new actors and directors, and Jackie wanted to achieve that not only locally but around the world as well," said Solon So, senior vp at Chan's JC Group, who oversees JCE with Chan Hong's Kong manager, Willie Chan. "We're looking for projects and talents with potential and not just projects to make money."...
- 10/21/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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