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Hong Kong’s box office managed to stage a partial recovery in the second half of 2022, despite cinemas being closed for nearly four months earlier in the year, due to US titles including Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way Of Water and a strong line-up of local movies.

Total box office for 2022 came in at HK1.14bn (US146.41m), according to figures from Hong Kong Box Office Limited, which was only 5 down on 2021. However, these figures were more than 40 down on the 2019 pre-pandemic box office tally of HK1.92bn (US246.17), prompting Hong Kong Box Office to state that “the situation of the film industry is still very severe”.

Hong Kong cinemas were closed from January 7 to April 20 in 2022, wiping out the lucrative Chinese New Year and Easter periods, compared to a shutdown of 48 days in 2021. When cinemas finally reopened last year, they were subject to a 50 seating capacity for one month,...

After successfully debuting with her feature “28+1”, Hong Kong director Kearan Pang experimented with other media and formats, ultimately leading to the inspiration for what would become “Mama’s Affair”. Her work as creative director for singer Joey Yung’s concert series “My Secret Live” as well as a coach on the reality competition “King Maker” gave her some insight into the music industry, the way bands and artists are pushed and how talents are discovered. These themes heavily influenced the characters and the plot for “Mama’s Affair” which sees a former talent manager getting back to her old ways as she seeks to support the dancing and singing skills of a young man, an enterprise resulting in a promising start for a new career, but also in conflicts with her family.

“Mama’s Affair“ is screening at San Diego Asian Film Festival

After the birth of her...

After successfully debuting with her feature “28+1”, Hong Kong director Kearan Pang experimented with other media and formats, ultimately leading to the inspiration for what would become “Mama’s Affair”. Her work as creative director for singer Joey Yung’s concert series “My Secret Live” as well as a coach on the reality competition “King Maker” gave her some insight into the music industry, the way bands and artists are pushed and how talents are discovered. These themes heavily influenced the characters and the plot for “Mama’s Affair” which sees a former talent manager getting back to her old ways as she seeks to support the dancing and singing skills of a young man, an enterprise resulting in a promising start for a new career, but also in conflicts with her family.

Trinity Cine Asia is releasing “Mama’s Affair” to UK screens starting August 19th

After the birth of her son Mei-fung...

Music-biz drama featuring Hong Kong pop stars Keung To and Jer Lau bids for cross-generational appeal but gets lost in cliches

Hotly awaited as the big screen debut for pop idols Keung To and Jer Lau, members of the boyband sensation Mirror, Kearen Pang’s sophomore effort has a cross-generational appeal, as it revolves around the challenges faced by a housewife’s return to the workforce.

After giving up a successful career as a record company executive to raise a family, Mei-fung (Teresa Mo) grows dissatisfied with a marriage that is falling apart, and a distant relationship with her hardworking but reticent 17-year-old son Jonathan (Jer Lau). Thanks to her past contacts, Mei-fung gingerly steps back into the entertainment world, as she starts working at a small arts centre for kids. A chance encounter with Fong Ching (Keung To), a young delivery guy with killer moves and an angelic voice,...

Exclusive: Trinity CineAsia has acquired UK rights to Hong Kong family drama Mama’s Affair, which marks the film acting debut of two members of hot local boy band Mirror, Keung To and Jer Lau, from Hong Kong’s Emperor Motion Pictures.

Directed by Kearen Pang, the film opened at the Hong Kong box office last weekend (August 11), where it took the number one position with a weekend gross of HK10.1m (1.29m), including HK930,440 from previews, in the process out-performing Brad Pitt-starrer Bullet Train now in its second weekend.

Mama’s Affair is being released in the UK on August 19, just one week after its Hong Kong debut. It premiered at Japan’s Osaka Asian Film Festival in March and recently played at New York Asian Film Festival.

Cast in the film also includes Teresa Mo, playing a former top artiste manager, who chose family over career when she got pregnant.

The 20th edition of the festival will return as a full in-person event in July.

The New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff) has unveiled the full line-up for its 20th edition, which will include honorary awards for Japanese horror director Takashi Shimizu, acclaimed Japanese actor Hiroshi Abe and South Korean rising star Kim Hye-yoon.

This year will mark Nyaff’s fully-fledged return to the big screen, following a virtual 2020 edition and a hybrid event in 2021. More than 60 new and classic titles from Asia, including six world premieres, will be presented as in-person screenings at Film at Lincoln Center (Flc) and the Asia Society,...

For the first time in two years, the New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff) will have a full return to big-screen viewing as they celebrate their 20th Anniversary!

Following a fully virtual 2020 edition and a hybrid 2021 edition, Nyaff is delighted to present this year’s 60+ new and classic titles fully in person at Film at Lincoln Center and the Asia Society, from July 15 to July 31. Mark your calendars now to celebrate this major cinematic anniversary in July!

We’ll be announcing more titles and exciting guests in coming weeks, but here are some initial highlights to look out for:

Thailand Fast & Feel Love © 2022 Gdh 559 Co.,Ltd.

The 20th Anniversary edition of Nyaff will kick off with the international premiere of the propulsively-paced Thai romantic comedy Fast & Feel Love, directed by Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit and starring Urassaya “Yaya” Sperbund, who will be honored on stage with the Screen International Rising Star Award.

Further titles include Herman Yau’s War Customised and Alan Mak’s Insider.

Hong Kong’s Emperor Motion Pictures (Emp) has unveiled a slate of 12 upcoming films, including a sequel to Zhang Yimou’s box office hit Cliff Walkers and new all-star features from Herman Yau and Alan Mak.

It has also released the first images of Felix Chong’s The Goldfinger, which reunites Infernal Affairs stars Tony Leung and Andy Lau for the first time in nearly 20 years (see below).

The 12 titles, along with two projects in development, equate to an investment of $191.7m (Hk$1.5b), representing the company...

The Osaka Asian Film Festival has unveiled its biggest ever program – a total of 76 films – to unspool next month.

Its competition section includes the acclaimed Korean debut film “Aloners,” which offers an exacting critique of the alienating effects upon life of modern capitalist economies; Hong Kong biopic “Anita”; the world premiere of “Angry Son,” which combines LGBT and mixed race themes in a heartwarming comedy; Kong Dashan’s new take on “Journey to the West,” as a ragtag group of people on a UFO hunt; “Mama’s Affair,” the second film by Kearen Pang, whose 2017 debut “29+1” won Osaka’s audience award, “No Land’s Man” from Mostofa Sarwar Farooki and festival circuit hit “Barbarian Invasion.”

The spotlight section includes ten titles. Among them are “The Ground Beneath her Feet” from Bangladesh’s Mohammad Rabby Mridha; “A Room of Her own” from China’s Xie Yiran; and Carlo Francisco Manatad’s “Whether the Weather is Fine.

Other contenders include biopic ‘Anita’, ‘Drifting’ and ‘Raging Fire’, the final thriller by the late Benny Chan.

Soi Cheang’s crime thriller Limbo leads the pack for the 40th Hong Kong Film Awards (Hkfa) with 14 nominations, as the event prepares to return as an in-person ceremony following last year’s cancellation as a result of the pandemic.

The black and white crime noir, which premiered in Berlinale Special in 2021, secured nods including best film, best director and for actors Lam Ka Tung[/link], Cya Liu and Fish Liew. The thriller centres on a veteran detective and rookie copy who team up to catch a serial killer.

Keung To and Jer Lau, two members of the wildly-popular Hong Kong boy band Mirror will make their screen debut with a feature film produced by Emperor Motion Pictures, the company announced on Monday.

The currently untitled production is to be directed by writer-director Kearan Pang (“29+1”) and will also star award-winning actress Teresa Mo (“Tomorrow Is Another Day”). Pang was previously a guest star of ViuTV’s reality show “King Maker,” in which Mirror was discovered.

Details of the production such as story synopsis, budget, start date and international sales company are yet to be revealed. However, it was indicated that Mo and Keung will play mother and son roles.

Mirror and four-piece boy band Error were formed following the first season of “King Maker” in 2018. But they did not shoot to superstardom until this year. In the last few months, they have become an antidote to the political strife...

Louis Koo named best actor for Paradox; Teresa Mo wins best actress for Tomorrow Is Another Day.

Ann Hui’s period drama Our Time Will Come was the big winner at this year’s Hong Kong Film Awards (April 15), taking five prizes including best film and best director.

The film (pictured), about Hong Kong’s resistance to Japanese occupation during the Second World War, also won best supporting actress for Deanie Ip’s performance, best art direction and best original film score (Joe Hisaishi). Hisaishi was also awarded best original music for the film at the Asian Film Awards last month.

29+1, starring Chrissie Chau and Joyce Cheng, is the latest film from Hong Kong Cinema’s Fresh New Wave. Kearen Pang makes her debut as a film director with this adaptation of her own play of the same title. She wrote, directed and starred in the original play. Thanks to Magnum Films, we have Five double passes for the film to give away to our readers. For a chance to win, all you have to do is to follow these two steps: 1) Like the Magnum Film Facebook page, and 2) Email your name and postal address to me at: hugo[at]screenanarchy.com 29+1 will open in Australian cinemas on May 25 and this competition will close at 3pm on May 23....

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Port Of Call director Philip Yung to helm detective thriller.

Hong Kong-based China 3D Digital Entertainment launched a new slate of six titles at Hong Kong Filmart, including $13m (Hk$100m) detective crime thriller The Death Notice (working title).

Directed by Philip Yung, whose last film Port Of Call is a multiple award-winning crime thriller, the new picture is a co-production with Chinese streamlining platform iQiyi. A-list actors are expected to be cast.

The Death Notice was originally published as an Internet novel. It has subsequently been adapted into a highly popular Internet drama with reportedly a billion click-throughs.

Also on China 3D’s new slate is The Menu, which is the big screen adaptation of Hktv’s series and reunites the series director Pun Man Hung with his cast Gregory Wong, Catherine Chau and Kate Yeung; 29+1, which is based on actress-director-playwright Kearen Pang’s theatre production of the same name and stars Chrissie Chau and Joyce...