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Directors include Huang Hsin-yao, Tom Lin Shu-yu, Lam Sum, Ng Ka-leung and Daishi Matsunaga.

Taiwan’s Golden Horse Film Project Promotion (Fpp) has revealed a diverse selection of 46 films for its 2023 project market, including directors Huang Hsin-yao, Tom Lin Shu-yu and Hsu Chih-yen from Taiwan, Lam Sum and Ng Ka-leung from Hong Kong and Daishi Matsunaga from Japan

The market is scheduled to take place from November 20-22 during the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival with a the total prize pool of nearly $250,000 (Nt$8m), including a grand prize worth $32,000 (Nt$1m). All projects in the selection are eligible to...

The Far East Film Festival in Italy’s Udine will open with a double bill of He Shuming’s “Ajoomma” and Kai Ko’s “Bad Education.” It will close with Zhang Yimou’s blockbuster period epic “Full River Red.”

In between, the festival will showcase a stunning 78-title array of commercial and art-house films from across East Asia. Operating according to a motto of diversity –implying cultural asymmetries and artistic multiplicities – the 25th edition of the festival will run April 21-29.

Organizers say that their selection “shows in real time how the cinemas of East and Southeast Asia have re-emerged from the gruelling period of the pandemic, not all in the same way and not all with the same results.”

They point to the impact of Covid, politics and emigration from Hong Kong, and the recent resurgence of Cantonese-language cinema.

Similarly, Udine’s organizers note the recent box office struggles of South Korean cinema,...

After highlighting the most overlooked films of 2022 and our overall favorites of 2022, today we put our spotlight on those that need a home in the first place: movies we loved on the festival circuit—from Berlinale, Sundance, TIFF, NYFF, Rotterdam, and beyond—still seeking U.S. distribution.

We hope that highlighting these titles spurs some distributor interest and a forthcoming release; we’ll be sharing any updates in this regard on Twitter, so make sure to follow us there. As we move into 2023, one can also track our upcoming festival coverage here.

The Adventures of Gigi the Law (Alessandro Comodin)

In the heat of late summer, San Michele al Tagliamento is a humid emulsion of corn fields, cypress trees, and silent streets. Sitting along the border between Veneto and Friuli, in the northeast of Italy, it’s a rural town in which nothing ever happens, everyone knows each other, and...

Chicago – Season 15 of the Asian Pop-Up Cinema (Apuc) is wrapping up its Fall Edition with Hong Kong Week, and this final weekend is packed with films and in-person events. Click links for details, the following two are on Saturday, November 5th … Far Far Away, The First Girl I Loved. And on Sunday, November 6th … Pretty Heart, Septet and Screenings With The Stars

‘Far Far Away,’ Directed by Amos Why (inset)

Photo credit: AsianPopUpCinema.org

“Far Far Away” is the story of Hau (Kari Shum), stumbling through his quest for love. He meets five young women – all different in their status and goals – that have one thing in common … they all live on the outskirts of Hong Kong. The film is a modern romantic comedy of Hong Kong that explores human connections and the idea of home.

In a Podtalk with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, director Amos Why and his...

Projects by Mag Hsu from Taiwan, Kiwi Chow from Hong Kong, and Japan’s Akira Ikeda were among those selected.

Taiwan’s Golden Horse Film Project Promotion (Fpp) has revealed a record 48 film projects, including projects by Mag Hsu, Chang Jung-chi and Lin Yu-hsien from Taiwan, Kiwi Chow, Chapman To and Jevons Au from Hong Kong, and Akira Ikeda and Yukinori Makabe from Japan.

The Fpp project market is one of the key events under the Golden Horse umbrella. Scheduled to take place from November 15-17 during the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, its attendance of international filmmakers and guests...

Asian Pop-Up Cinema: Season 15 is taking its show on the road to various ethnic communities throughout Chicago and the north suburbs. The in-person festival will present 31 films and opens on September 10 and runs through November 6. Tickets are on sale now at https://buytickets.at/apuc

The festival will highlight the best of Asian animation with a unique lineup of films from Taiwan, China, and South Korea. Programming highlights include films from Japan and special guest appearances from Japan Cinema Showcase host Mark Schilling; this year’s Bright Star Award recipient, Hong Kong actress Jennifer Yu (Pretty Heart); director Yeung Chiu-hoi (The First Girl I Loved); and lead actor Kaki Shum, director Amos Why, and producer Teresa Kwong of Far Far Away.

To enhance the audience’s understanding of the cultural and artistic background of the films, Columbia College Chicago’s Professor Ron Falzone will be leading the post-film discussion...

Amos Why got some notoriety with his debut feature, the romantic drama “Dot 2 Dot” (2014) which revolved around a girl who came to Hong Kong from mainland China and got fascinated by the place’s culture. His next film was “Napping Kid” (2018), a tech thriller with some political undertones that ultimately suffered from the convoluted plot.

Why is back to the romance genre with his latest work, “Far Far Away” based on a simple premise of a shy and nerdy It guy who all of a sudden draws the interest of five different good-looking girls. The film premiered at the last year’s edition of Hong Kong Asian Film Festival, while its theatrical release was scheduled for this year’s Valentine’s Day. We caught it at Osaka Asian Film Festival, where it had its international premiere.

“Far Far Away” is screening at Udine Far East Film Festival

Hau (played by...

2022 brings Far East Film back to its historical dimension. The Feff is once again what it has always been since 1999, but it also carries the imprint of all the latest changes: it is an augmented festival, more inclusive, and even more curious. If in the last two years Far East Film was forced to reinventing itself and review its formula with different parameters, these last few months have generated a sudden and wonderful acceleration: a wave of new energy, a vital frenzy which has shaped the twenty-fourth edition.

The Teatro Nuovo “Giovanni da Udine” with its 1200 seats will firmly resume its role as headquarters and it will be joined by the Visionary, an outpost of the special sections and retrospectives. The 2022 selection will include a total of 72 titles of which 42 in competition. 15 countries will be represented (including an Italy-China co-production), the number of female directors rises to 12 (of which 8 in...

The issue of the difficulty of relationships in the modern, social-media dominated, extremely fast-pace society has been a recurring one in Asian cinema. Amos Why and Nora Lam present the issue in all its “glory” in four segments revolving around the relationships a young woman establishes, or at least tries to.

“Four Times Four ” is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival

The first one shows how the man she is about to have a date with, uses social media to “con” a number of women, while also focusing on the importance appearance plays for women. The second one focuses on the concept of one-night stands and the connection between sex and relationships. The third one deals with what consists a steady, permanent relationship in contrast to dating, and how Hk society perceives the former. The fourth one deals with the difficulty commitment poses.

Through these segments, the directors highlight the...

In the past decade, Hong Kong has seen a growing number of first-time and emerging filmmakers. To help young film talents build a long-term sustainable career and meet the needs of an increasingly diversified audience culture and film industry, the Hkac sees a pertinent need to assist filmmakers to expand their professional and personal visions, enrich their crafts, network and get recognised on local and international levels. In 2019, coinciding with the 50th Anniversary of the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, one of the world’s most prestigious and influential breeding grounds for accomplished filmmakers, the Hkac presents New Waves, New Shores: Cannes Directors’ Fortnight 50 Meets Hong Kong Cinema (New Waves, New Shores) to introduce how film festivals shape local and international film cultures, markets and industries, and how festivals inspire budding filmmakers to think out of the box and assist their careers. Hong Kong-based film critic, journalist and curator, Clarence Tsui, is...

Corporate Espionage is, in this day and age, very much a real threat. Director Amos Why, in his sophomore feature “Napping Kid”, tries to convince us that corporate kidnapping is as well. Based on a novel of the same name by Hong Kong/Canadian author Mannshin, “Napping Kid” is a timely film that shows us just how much is at stake with digital files, while offering a look at the current state of Hong Kong society.

Tong is a hard cop who believes in getting results any way he can. He is called to the company where his ex-wife Irene works as a senior executive when a highly sensitive document consisting of financial analysis for a Chinese It company is “stolen” from their database. Shortly after, Irene’s boss receives an email from one K Kidnapper asking for a surprisingly low ransom, along with a series of tasks that he wants the company to undertake.

Exclusive: Martial arts drama has been picked up by Hong Kong outfit Golden Scene.

Hong Kong’s Golden Scene has picked up international rights to martial arts drama The Empty Hands, directed by and starring Chapman To [pictured].

Produced by To and Tang Wai But, the film tells the story of a young girl whose only wish is to sell her father’s karate dojo when he dies, but discovers that 51% of the business was left to one of his worst pupils.

Currently in post-production, the film is scripted by To and Erica Li. To also stars with Stephy Tang, Yasuaki Kurata and Stephen Au.

Golden Scene is also selling Amos Why’s second feature, Napping Kid, basedon Mann Shin’s novel about the kidnapping of a confidential computer file. Currently in post-production, the film stars Cecilia So, Ng Siu Hin, David Siu and Candy Cheung.

Other titles on Golden Scene’s Filmart slate include Wong Chun’s award-winning...

Exclusive: Adaptation of award-winning novel debuting at Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf).

Hong Kong-based sales outfit Golden Scene has picked up the worldwide rights to Amos Why’s Napping Kid, which is making its project debut at Haf.

Adapted from an award-winning novel, Napping Kid follows the investigation by an investment bank It engineer of a confidential computer file that is held ransom but for a ridiculously small amount.

The cast includes Candy Cheung, who was nominated for best new performer at the Hong Kong Film Awards for Why’s first feature Dot 2 Dot, and rising star Ng Siu Hin, who was last seen in Ten Years and Adam Wong’s She Remembers, He Forgets.

Golden Scene managing director Winnie Tsang said: “I believe in Amos from our working experience on his previous film Dot 2 Dot. Besides, Napping Kid has a universal subject matter, which will appeal to a lot more overseas markets.”

Golden Scene is also...

Wang Bing, Adam Wong, Pema Tseden and Lav Diaz (pictured) among directors with projects in line-up.Scoll down for full line-up

The 14th Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf) (March 14-16) has revealed its full line-up of 31 projects, including new works from renowned filmmakers such as Wang Bing, Pema Tseden and Lav Diaz as well as from new talents.

Hong Kong is well-represented with five projects, including The Way We Dance director Adam Wong’s new project Trains In The Night; 2012 Hong Kong Film Awards best new director Jessey Tsang’s erotic feature The Lady Improper; and Dot 2 Dot director Amos Why’s adaptation of award-winning suspense novel Napping Kid.

Other Chinese-language projects from Taiwan and China include Taiwan actress Rene Liu’s directorial debut Lieutenant Yi, which will be produced by her regular collaborator Sylvia Chang; new director Huang Zi’s From Black And White To Shades Of Grey, produced by Monga...