The third annual Pan-Asia Film Festival took place in London this month (March 2nd-13th). The event is organised by Asia House, a cultural centre that hosts a variety of events throughout the year, designed to promote understanding and exchange between Europe and Asia.
Although the Pan-Asia Film Festival presented just one film per day, with no repeat screenings, the programme reflected a good range of contemporary Asian cinema, both in terms of genre and country of origin. There were ambitious art films such as Tran Anh Hung’s Norwegian Wood (Noruwei no mori) which opened the festival, and political documentaries like Anne Gyrith Bonne’s biopic Aung San Suu Kyi, which was screened to coincide with International Women’s Day, and followed by a discussion with the director and BBC World Service broadcaster Nita Yin Yin May who was herself imprisoned in Burma for 3 years. More serious fare was...
Although the Pan-Asia Film Festival presented just one film per day, with no repeat screenings, the programme reflected a good range of contemporary Asian cinema, both in terms of genre and country of origin. There were ambitious art films such as Tran Anh Hung’s Norwegian Wood (Noruwei no mori) which opened the festival, and political documentaries like Anne Gyrith Bonne’s biopic Aung San Suu Kyi, which was screened to coincide with International Women’s Day, and followed by a discussion with the director and BBC World Service broadcaster Nita Yin Yin May who was herself imprisoned in Burma for 3 years. More serious fare was...
- 3/22/2011
- by Alison Frank
- The Moving Arts Journal
HeyUGuys brings you the latest in World Cinema film trailers in association with Film Dates UK.
Each week we’ll be showcasing some of most anticipated foreign releases as well as highlighting a few hidden gems which may have fallen off your radar. It’s no surprise that Hollywood has turned to World Cinema for inspiration in recent years with the number of remakes getting more and more popular.
Whilst it remains to be seen how many of these remakes go on to succeed or stay true to their original story counterparts, we decided it was high-time we turned the spotlight onto the next wave of foreign films to grace our screens.
This week we have 7 new trailers for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!
Au Revoir Taipei (Yi ye Taibei) UK Cinema Release Date: Sunday 13th March 2011
Synopsis: A love story takes place over the course of one evening in Taipei.
Each week we’ll be showcasing some of most anticipated foreign releases as well as highlighting a few hidden gems which may have fallen off your radar. It’s no surprise that Hollywood has turned to World Cinema for inspiration in recent years with the number of remakes getting more and more popular.
Whilst it remains to be seen how many of these remakes go on to succeed or stay true to their original story counterparts, we decided it was high-time we turned the spotlight onto the next wave of foreign films to grace our screens.
This week we have 7 new trailers for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!
Au Revoir Taipei (Yi ye Taibei) UK Cinema Release Date: Sunday 13th March 2011
Synopsis: A love story takes place over the course of one evening in Taipei.
- 3/8/2011
- by Andy Petrou
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The danger of making a light and fluffy caper movie is the risk you end up with a film so insubstantial it threatens to float away leaving nothing behind. Arvin Chen's Au Revoir, Taipei wants to be a charming little confection, the kind of matinee entertainment where nothing really bad ever happens and the audience remains glued to the screen from beginning to end, but despite some gorgeous production values and one or two moments of cinematic flair the whole is far too short and too scattershot to ever really gel.
The title refers to the lead, Kai (Jack Yao), a shiftless Taiwanese youth who's been half-heartedly pursuing a long-distance relationship with his girlfriend Faye, not long decamped to Paris. Kai dreams of visiting her, and spends long hours in a local bookstore teaching himself halting French while pretty clerk Susie (Amber Kuo) looks on, bemused.
The conflict originates...
The title refers to the lead, Kai (Jack Yao), a shiftless Taiwanese youth who's been half-heartedly pursuing a long-distance relationship with his girlfriend Faye, not long decamped to Paris. Kai dreams of visiting her, and spends long hours in a local bookstore teaching himself halting French while pretty clerk Susie (Amber Kuo) looks on, bemused.
The conflict originates...
- 8/11/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Specialty film festivals can pop up in the most unlikely of places. While the the film community thinks of Dallas as a poor second cousin to Austin (not without good reason), local residents, including myself, treasure and champion the events that bring diversity to a movie-going scene too often dominated by Hollywood product. And so Friday night was a mob scene in the lobby of Landmark's Magnolia Theater as the Asian Film Festival of Dallas opened its ninth edition.
Now, to be fair, the Magnolia is often jammed up on a weekend night: the lobby is small! Yet I'm told that the official opening night film, Arvin Chen's Au Revoir Taipei, filled the room; a very decent crowd (myself included) then filed in to witness Wong Jing's I Corrupt All Cops (the best title of the year), and the midnight showing of Japanese splatter pic Robogeisha sold out,...
Now, to be fair, the Magnolia is often jammed up on a weekend night: the lobby is small! Yet I'm told that the official opening night film, Arvin Chen's Au Revoir Taipei, filled the room; a very decent crowd (myself included) then filed in to witness Wong Jing's I Corrupt All Cops (the best title of the year), and the midnight showing of Japanese splatter pic Robogeisha sold out,...
- 7/25/2010
- by Peter Martin
- Cinematical
[Our thanks to Josh Hurtado for the review. He'll be covering the Asian Film Festival of Dallas for us again, which should make for a good counterpoint to the views by Liz Reed, who's also writing about the fest for Twitch.]
The ninth annual Asian Film Festival of Dallas opens on Friday with a special premiere presentation of Au Revoir Taipei, the debut feature from Arvin Chen. Is it a worthwhile debut? Read on...
Au Revoir Taipei follows a lovesick Kai through a crazy night as he attempts to reconnect with a former love that has flown off to Paris to study. Kai is about the most pathetic character you can conjure.The film opens on him sending his girlfriend off to the airport to fly away, and everyone watching the film knows that this is goodbye except Kai.In fact, he begins loitering in a local book store, learning French from borrowed books in the honest expectation that they will rendezvous in Paris and resume their happily ever after.Using a tool possibly borrowed from one of the great romantic films about unrequited love, Chungking Express, Kai even leaves seemingly...
The ninth annual Asian Film Festival of Dallas opens on Friday with a special premiere presentation of Au Revoir Taipei, the debut feature from Arvin Chen. Is it a worthwhile debut? Read on...
Au Revoir Taipei follows a lovesick Kai through a crazy night as he attempts to reconnect with a former love that has flown off to Paris to study. Kai is about the most pathetic character you can conjure.The film opens on him sending his girlfriend off to the airport to fly away, and everyone watching the film knows that this is goodbye except Kai.In fact, he begins loitering in a local book store, learning French from borrowed books in the honest expectation that they will rendezvous in Paris and resume their happily ever after.Using a tool possibly borrowed from one of the great romantic films about unrequited love, Chungking Express, Kai even leaves seemingly...
- 7/23/2010
- Screen Anarchy
[Our thanks to Liz Reed of MangaLife.com for this review.]
Showing on July 23 at 7:00 p.m. at the Landmark Magnolia in Dallas, as part of the Asian Film Festival of Dallas.
If you could blend awkward relationships, quirky humor, and upbeat guitar-and-fiddle music with stunning shots of urban Taiwan, you'd get a taste of what Au revoir Taipei is all about. As a film without a clear-cut genre (I'd say indie-romantic-comedy with a splash of crime), you wouldn't expect it to be so intriguing and lighthearted at the same time. But first-time director Arvin Chen took risks, and they definitely paid off.
The script follows the lovesick Kai (Jack Yao), who is determined to learn French and win back the affection of his Paris-bound girlfriend. As he studies every night, he attracts the attention of a bookstore employee, Susie (Amber Kuo), who attempts to make conversation despite Kai's indifference. But when Kai borrows money from a retired gangster (Frankie...
Showing on July 23 at 7:00 p.m. at the Landmark Magnolia in Dallas, as part of the Asian Film Festival of Dallas.
If you could blend awkward relationships, quirky humor, and upbeat guitar-and-fiddle music with stunning shots of urban Taiwan, you'd get a taste of what Au revoir Taipei is all about. As a film without a clear-cut genre (I'd say indie-romantic-comedy with a splash of crime), you wouldn't expect it to be so intriguing and lighthearted at the same time. But first-time director Arvin Chen took risks, and they definitely paid off.
The script follows the lovesick Kai (Jack Yao), who is determined to learn French and win back the affection of his Paris-bound girlfriend. As he studies every night, he attracts the attention of a bookstore employee, Susie (Amber Kuo), who attempts to make conversation despite Kai's indifference. But when Kai borrows money from a retired gangster (Frankie...
- 7/21/2010
- Screen Anarchy
[Thanks to our friend Josh Hurtado for providing an advance look at the schedule.]
It is July. For me this means gearing up for my annual marathon movie event, the Asian Film Festival of Dallas. The organizers have been tossing hints at titles out via facebook and Twitter, but yesterday they finally let the cats out of the bag.
This year Affd is screening 30+ features as well as their usual shorts programs. I'm pretty sure this may be their biggest festival ever in terms of variety. The schedule looks great, with some really awesome titles and some surprises (which are almost always my favorite part!). Affd has a newly redesigned website that makes it easy to explore the titles, watch trailers, make your own schedule, and learn about the events. Facebook friends and Twitter followers are always the first to know about cool events and news, so be sure to check them out there as well as the official site for all the latest!
It is July. For me this means gearing up for my annual marathon movie event, the Asian Film Festival of Dallas. The organizers have been tossing hints at titles out via facebook and Twitter, but yesterday they finally let the cats out of the bag.
This year Affd is screening 30+ features as well as their usual shorts programs. I'm pretty sure this may be their biggest festival ever in terms of variety. The schedule looks great, with some really awesome titles and some surprises (which are almost always my favorite part!). Affd has a newly redesigned website that makes it easy to explore the titles, watch trailers, make your own schedule, and learn about the events. Facebook friends and Twitter followers are always the first to know about cool events and news, so be sure to check them out there as well as the official site for all the latest!
- 7/8/2010
- Screen Anarchy
With the Edinburgh Film Festival finished for this year, I thought that it would be a great opportunity to list my personal top ten films at the festival.
Although I loved all of these films, there has to be a winner out of the bunch and so I will count from my tenth favourite film to my number one from the fantastic film festival and it’s amazing line-up.
You can click on the name of the film to link to my review.
10. Winter’s Bone
This dark drama managed to win the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and really deserves its critical success, with a strong female protagonist, shifty characters and a dark, realistic story that keeps your attention all the way through. The reason for being number ten? It’s a dark, gritty film that I loved seeing on the big screen, but...
Although I loved all of these films, there has to be a winner out of the bunch and so I will count from my tenth favourite film to my number one from the fantastic film festival and it’s amazing line-up.
You can click on the name of the film to link to my review.
10. Winter’s Bone
This dark drama managed to win the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and really deserves its critical success, with a strong female protagonist, shifty characters and a dark, realistic story that keeps your attention all the way through. The reason for being number ten? It’s a dark, gritty film that I loved seeing on the big screen, but...
- 7/2/2010
- by Martyn Warren
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Director Arvin Chen has two well received short films in the bag, one a straight comedy and the other a romantic story, and with Au Revoir Taipei Chen has blended the two genres with great results.
The film is a great multi-stranded romantic comedy that follows numerous characters that are caught up in the story of a secret parcel, resulting in a surprisingly funny, engaging film.
The film opens with Kai saying goodbye to his girlfriend who has travelled to Paris and during the course of the film, we see him trying to learn French at the local book store and after failing to get the money he needs to travel to Paris, he asks his uncle a favour and agrees if he can pick up and hand him a package. Meanwhile, we also see his slow-building relationship with the employer at the local bookshop.
At the same time we...
The film is a great multi-stranded romantic comedy that follows numerous characters that are caught up in the story of a secret parcel, resulting in a surprisingly funny, engaging film.
The film opens with Kai saying goodbye to his girlfriend who has travelled to Paris and during the course of the film, we see him trying to learn French at the local book store and after failing to get the money he needs to travel to Paris, he asks his uncle a favour and agrees if he can pick up and hand him a package. Meanwhile, we also see his slow-building relationship with the employer at the local bookshop.
At the same time we...
- 6/30/2010
- by Martyn Warren
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Two highly-anticipated second feature films from U.S. underground filmmakers will be making their World Premieres all the way over at the 64th annual Edinburgh International Film Festival, which will run for twelve days on June 16-27. The films are Rona Mark’s The Crab and Zach Clark’s Vacation!.
The Crab, which screens on June 21, is the touching story of a verbally abusive man born with two enormous, mutant-like hands; while Vacation!, which screens on June 20, tracks four urban gals let loose in a sunny seaside resort down South.
Both Mark and Clark previously screened their debut features at Eiff. Mark’s Strange Girls screened there in 2008 and Clark’s Modern Love Is Automatic screened in 2009. Both films also ended up as runners-up in Bad Lit’s annual Movie of the Year award, again Strange Girls in 2008 and Modern Love in 2009. Sadly, these two masterpieces are still unavailable on...
The Crab, which screens on June 21, is the touching story of a verbally abusive man born with two enormous, mutant-like hands; while Vacation!, which screens on June 20, tracks four urban gals let loose in a sunny seaside resort down South.
Both Mark and Clark previously screened their debut features at Eiff. Mark’s Strange Girls screened there in 2008 and Clark’s Modern Love Is Automatic screened in 2009. Both films also ended up as runners-up in Bad Lit’s annual Movie of the Year award, again Strange Girls in 2008 and Modern Love in 2009. Sadly, these two masterpieces are still unavailable on...
- 6/4/2010
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
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