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NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.

Film Forum

Michael Roemer’s Dying and Pilgrim, Farewell, screen (watch our exclusive trailer debut); AI: From Metropolis to Ex Machina continues; a print of The Music Man screens on Sunday.

Anthology Film Archives

Wandering Women features films by Barbara Loden, Sembène, Ken Loach, Masao Adachi and more.

IFC Center

Eraserhead, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Mulholland Dr., and Inland Empire all screen; the classic rock doc Dig! returns with an extended recut Seven and Jennifer’s Body show late.

Roxy Cinema

Fat City screens on 35mm this Saturday alongside the return of City Dudes; Brick plays Friday.

Museum of Modern Art

A major highlight of any filmgoing year, To Save and Project continues.

Museum of the Moving Image

See It Big! Let It Snow brings The Shining, Larisa Shepitko’s The Ascent, and a 35mm print of The Gold Rush...

Welp, it’s January. That special time of year where everyone is simultaneously recovering from the holidays and trying to kick off the new year by putting their best foot forward. TV shows that have been on break will soon return and mid-season premieres quickly follow thereafter, but for film, January is often looked at as slow period for new releases, with offerings like “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera,” Leigh Whannell’s “Wolf Man,” and Steven Soderbergh’s “Presence” being unveiled. Films that have had awards-qualifying runs like Mike Leigh’s “Hard Truths” and Gia Coppola’s “The Last Showgirl” will also expand wider, boosting their profiles in time for Oscar voting, but generally, there’s not much going on to excite the average movie-goer this month. So what better time to say, “Out with the new, in with the old!”

Repertory theaters in New York and Los Angeles have...

Martial arts movies have a way of delivering some of the most inspiring stories in cinema. These films, famously and sometimes very obviously, aren’t just about epic fight scenes; they’re about personal growth, overcoming adversity, and finding strength in the most difficult moments. The characters almost always face obstacles, but it's the journey of rising above them that makes the story so compelling.

From House of Flying Daggers to The Karate Kid, some of the greatest martial arts classics show us the power of determination and self-discipline in the most profound way, without sacrificing their often breathtaking visuals. Beyond their entertainment factor, martial arts films teach us that, with perseverance, we can push through tough times. It's the mix of struggle, heart, and eventual success that makes them so inspirational and unforgettable, no matter how much time has passed.

The Protector (2005) Directed by Prachya Pinkaew

Your changes have...

In 1982, Prince urged everyone to “Party like it’s 1999.” Aiming to party somewhere roughly in the middle of that timespan is “Weekend in Taipei,” a throwback in the sense that it recalls the unpretentious — if also unmemorable — pleasures of many boilerplate action movies released in the peak Vcr era. Luc Besson is both a co-writer and producer on this French-Taiwanese enterprise, which provides George Huang his first directorial feature in some time, 30 years after his very different debut, “Swimming With Sharks.”

With “Fast & Furious” alumni Luke Evans and Sung Kang as the male leads, this tale of a DEA agent venturing East to battle a crime syndicate raises expectations of flashy chase and fight scenes. Those are duly met, even if the script Huang and Besson have devised is flimsy stuff. These 100 minutes offer the kind of energetic, no-brainer fun you may remember little of the morning after — but...

The martial arts subgenre has been around for quite some time, with the 2000s being a particularly significant year that produced many memorable films. Martial arts films found early success during the '70s and '80s, with Hong Kong producing the most notable films. Thanks to the work of martial artists like Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Donnie Yen, martial arts films had a sort of revival from the late '90s into the 2000s.

Many of the best martial arts films of the decade have left an indelible mark on the action genre, inspiring other parts of the world to try their hand at creating neatly choreographed sequences on par with Eastern films. The best martial arts films are not only influential in the film industry, but they also balance electrifying fight scenes with striking visuals and a compelling story.

Related 10 Best Martial Arts Movie Performances Of All...

Asian sales and production firm Distribution Workshop is using the Busan International Film Festival’s market to re-launch ambitious “Sons of the Neon Night,” a film it first became attached to in 2015. Only this time the Juno Mak-directed project is now in post-production, has a stellar cast and has expanded to become the highest-budget movie ever hatched in Hong Kong.

“Sons of the Neon Night” is pitched as a high-octane yet highly-stylized, police-crime-action-thriller set in a deconstructed and reimagined Hong Kong. It boasts an A-list cast headed by Takeshi Kaneshiro (“House of Flying Daggers”), Tony Leung Ka-fai (“Cold War”), Sean Lau Ching-wan (“Life Without Principle”), Louis Koo (“Warriors of Future”) and Ritchie Jen (“Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In”).

The original music score was composed by Nate Connelly, with the title theme by the late Sakamoto Ryuichi (“The Last Emperor”).

With a production budget of over $50 million, the movie is...

Taiwan-based sales agent Distribution Workshop is launching pre-sales on Juno Mak’s long-gestating Sons Of The Neon Night at the upcoming Asian Contents and Film Market (Acfm) during Busan International Film Festival.

The highly-stylized crime thriller stars Takeshi Kaneshiro (House Of Flying Daggers), Tony Leung Ka-fai (Cold War), Sean Lau (Life Without Principle), Louis Koo and Richie Jen, with the the latter two actors also appearing in Hong Kong’s Oscars submission Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In.

The film, which is set in a deconstructed and reimagined Hong Kong, also features original scores composed by the late Ryuichi Sakamoto.

The story begins with a gigantic explosion and shootout in a snow struck downtown Hong Kong, which turn out to be planned by the heir to a global pharmaceutical conglomerate (Kaneshiro), who is attempting to wipe out the global drugs trade.

Mak made his feature debut with Rigor Mortis in...

One of the most acclaimed films of 2004 is “Collateral,” starring Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx and Jada Pinkett Smith. Written by Stuart Beattie and directed by Michael Mann, the movie tells of a cab driver in nighttime Los Angeles who becomes the hostage of a contract killer. Released 20 years ago in August 2004, “Collateral” was a box office success, grossing $220 million worldwide on a $65 million budget. Read on for more about the “Collateral” 20th anniversary.

Most of the nation’s critics were positive on “Collateral.” Todd McCarthy in Variety wrote, “This intensely focused piece soars not only on the director’s precision-tooled style but also on the outstanding interplay between leads Cruise and Foxx.” Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called the film “a rare thriller that’s as much character study as sound and fury.” And Peter Travers in Rolling Stone said, “Mann hits a new peak, orchestrating action, atmosphere and...

Japanese director Tanigaki Kenji has completed production in Bangkok, Thailand, on his upcoming film “The Furious,” intended as an elite-level Asian martial arts actioner.

Written by Mak Tin Shu, the film follows a simple tradesman (portrayed by mainland Chinese star Xie Miao) who fights his way through a complex web of criminals and evil agents in a frantic attempt to win back his kidnapped daughter by any means necessary.

(For full Bangkok set report see here.)

Produced by the region’s top producer Bill Kong, Frank Hui and Shan Tam, the film features a pan-Asian cast that also includes Indonesian’s Joe Taslim, Thai star Jeeja Yanin (“Chocolate”), Yang Enyu, Brian Le, Joey Iwanaga and Yayan Ruhian.

Michael J. Werner, former principal at Fortissimo Films, joins Todd Brown and Aram Tertzakian of XYZ Films as an executive producer.

Kong’s Edko Films is financing the movie and will distribute in Hong Kong,...

Asian cinema has gifted the world with a plethora of iconic fighting movies that blend intense action with rich storytelling and cultural depth. Together, these films represent the diverse and dynamic world of Asian fighting movies, captivating audiences with their artistry and action. A few favorites include:

Enter the Dragon (1973) – Bruce Lee

A classic with Bruce Lee’s,”Enter the Dragon” sets the stage for martial arts films with groundbreaking choreography and charismatic performances.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) – Directed by Ang Lee

This movie was extremely popular across the globe and introduced audiences to the poetic beauty and elegance of wuxia cinema.

Ip Man (2008)

This movie is a biographical martial arts film that tells the story of the legendary Wing Chun master Ip Man, who later became the mentor of Bruce Lee, and his resistance against Japanese occupation in China during the 1930s.

The Raid: Redemption (2011)

“The Raid: Redemption” showcases...

The International Jury for this year’s Venice International Film Festival has been finalized after the previous confirmation of French actress Isabelle Huppert as its chair.

Now, American director and screenwriter James Gray, British director and screenwriter Andrew Haigh, Polish director, screenwriter, and producer Agnieszka Holland, and Brazilian director-screenwriter Kleber Mendonça Filho are the latest additions to the jury. They will join Mauritanian director, screenwriter and producer Abderrahmane Sissako, Italian director-screenwriter Giuseppe Tornatore, German director-screenwriter Julia von Heinz and Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi.

The prestigious Golden Lion for best film and other awards will be revealed during the festival’s closing ceremony on Sept. 7.

Gray made his directorial debut in 1994 with Little Odessa, which received the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival. His other projects include The Yards (2000), starring Joaquin Phoenix, Two Lovers (2008) and The Immigrant (2013). The Lost City of Z had its world premiere at the New York...

Filmmakers James Gray, Andrew Haigh and Agnieszka Holland have joined the main competition jury of the 81st Venice Film Festival (August 28-September 7).

They are joined by Brazilian director and screenwriter Kleber Mendonça Filho; Mauritanian director, screenwriter and producer Abderrahmane Sissako; Italian director and screenwriter Giuseppe Tornatore; German director and screenwriter Julia von Heinz; and Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi.

As previously announced, the jury will be chaired by Isabelle Huppert, and award the Golden Lion for best film and the other official awards.

Gray’s Ad Astra screened in competition at Venice in 2019, and his directorial debut Little Odessa received the...

Not all martial arts stars were trained fighters, relying on illusion, intense training, or transferable skills from dance. Some actors initially untrained built up martial arts skills over time, impressing in martial arts classics and Hollywood blockbusters. Talent, commitment, and adaptability allowed actors like Tony Leung and Maggie Q to excel in martial arts roles despite lacking formal training.

Martial arts cinema was full of incredible performers capable of awe-inspiring feats of human ingenuity, but some viewers would be shocked to learn just how many stars were not actually trained as fighters. With the power of illusion, intense training packed into a few short months, or transferable skills from dancing, some actors convinced the world that they were true martial artists. Of course, martial arts cinema has greatly benefited from the varied skills of its performers, and actors dont always need to take a traditional approach when it comes to becoming a martial arts star.

Liu Cixin's sci-fi novel Three-Body Problem is being adapted into a new movie. The movie will be helmed by Hero and The Great Wall director Zhang Yimou. The movie will likely have to compete with the upcoming seasons of Netflix's splashy adaptation 3 Body Problem.

Three-Body Problem is being adapted into a new movie. The 2008 Liu Cixin sci-fi novel, which follows multiple timelines of Earth's interactions with extraterrestrials, is the first installment in the Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy. Most recently, the novel has been adapted into a Netflix show created by Alexander Woo with Game of Thrones' David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. 3 Body Problem season 2 and season 3 have already been renewed, allowing the show to adapt the complete trilogy.

Per Deadline, a new adaptation of the Three-Body Problem novel was announced at the Shanghai International Film Festival by Enlight Media chairman Wang Changtian. The movie,...

Zhang Yimou, director of many of China’s most spectacular and successful movies, is to try his hand at sci-fi. He will direct a film adaptation of “The Three-Body Problem.”

The project was announced Sunday by Wang Changtian, founder and CEO of Enlight Media, one of China’s top three studios, at a forum organized within the Shanghai International Film Festival.

Wang said that Zhang is in the early stages of preparations for the film. “We hope that director Zhang Yimou can grasp the essence of the ‘Three-Body Problem’ novel and make some breakthroughs and innovations, and gain something in the international market,” said Wang. Zhang has long been a creative consultant to Enlight and has shot several movies for the studio.

Chinese state media subsequently reported that copyright holder The Three-Body Universe Cultural Development had confirmed Wang’s information.

The 2008 novel is the first part of a trilogy written by Chinese author Liu Cixin.

The Great Wall aimed to cater to both American and Chinese audiences, boasting a star-studded international cast. Despite its success in China, the film underperformed in the US, leading to a significant loss for its producers. With a whopping budget of $150 million, The Great Wall's box office returns fell short, resulting in a $75 million net loss.

In 2017 Legendary Pictures released The Great Wall, which, despite its box office performance, still managed to lose a significant amount of money. The film is a fantasy story following a group of European mercenaries who travel to China and get caught up in the fight to defend the Great Wall from monsters. The film was directed by fantastic Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, who's had some crossover hits in America like Hero, House of Flying Daggers, and Raise the Red Lantern. He was a natural choice for a project designed to appeal to both American and Chinese audiences.

Mitsuhiro Mihara’s Takano Tofu won two awards including the top Golden Mulberry prize at the closing of Far East Film Festival (Feff) in Udine, Italy, where the honours were dominated by titles from Japan and South Korea.

The family drama centres on a father and daughter who run a tofu store, and stars Tatsuya Fuji and Kumiko Aso. It received its European premiere at Feff, where director Mihara accepted the award, decided by audience votes, on Thursday (May 2).

The film also won the Purple Mulberry Award, selected users of Italian film fan platform MYmovies. The online component of Feff,...

Pluto TV, Paramount’s free streaming service, has revealed its May highlights. The Pluto TV May 2024 schedule includes Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month programming, more anime content, new channels, and new film additions.

Pluto TV is the leading free streaming television service, delivering hundreds of live linear channels and thousands of titles on-demand to a global audience.

The Emmy Award-winning service curates a diverse lineup of channels in partnership with hundreds of international media companies. It offers a wide array of genres, languages, and categories featuring movies, television series, sports, news, lifestyle, kids, and much more.

Pluto TV can be easily accessed and streamed across mobile, web, and connected TV devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Pluto TV’s growing international footprint extends across three continents and over 35 markets.

Pluto TV May 2024 Programming

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, And Pacific Islander Heritage Month

To pay tribute, Pluto TV...

Yesterday Variety broke news that legendary Hong Kong producer Bill Kong has started production on a new action film called The Furious in Bangkok, Thailand, and he's enlisted the help of some of Asia's leading action talent. Like, the best of the best. The Furious will be directed by Japanese stunt director and action choreographer Tanigaki Kenji. His Pan-Asian cast includes former Chinese child actor and action star Xie Miao, Indonesia’s Joe Taslim (The Raid: Redemption), Thailand’s Jeeja Yanin (Chocolate), Yang Enyu and Indonesia’s Yayan Ruhian (The Raid: Redmeption). That's a lot of heavy hitters. Here's the scoop from Variety, of what to expect...

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

Whereas his last project “Happy Times”, a blend of comedy and tragedy, garnered favorable reviews but to this day remains one of the director's smaller features, Zhang Yimou's next movie, the wuxia drama “Hero” marked a huge success for its director, both critically and commercially. Even today, “Hero” is one of the fan favorites among the many films by Zhang, and together with such features as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” started a renaissance of the genre, to which the Chinese filmmaker has contributed many other stories, albeit with lesser success. In the 2002 film he tells the story of the founding of China's first dynasty, which resulted in the unification of the country after seven warring states had fought for many years to rule it entirely. Apart from being visually stunning, even by today's standards, “Hero” is a timeless story about the passions of men and how they can manipulate...

Three-hour sci-fi action epic The Wandering Earth II (2023) was the ninth-highest grossing film worldwide last year, starring Andy Lau, and Wu Jing (Meg 2). A thrilling ride that must be seen to be believed.  

Hero (2002) is arriving in a 2-Disc Limited Edition Hardbox featuring both cuts, a modern wuxia classic starring Jet Li from legendary director Zhang Yimou. Packed with extensive special features, this is a visual spectacular not to be missed. 

Our final title to announce for June is Zu Warriors (2001), a remake of the 1983 film filled with incredible action sequences from Tsui Hark.

Check out their homepage to check out the special features and pre-order your copy today.  ...

Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist was named best film at the Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong on Sunday evening (March 10).

The Japanese drama, which premiered in competition at Venice where it won five awards including the grand jury prize, also picked up best original music for composer Eiko Ishibashi.

Scroll down for full list of winners

While Hamaguchi was not at the ceremony, held in the Grand Theatre of the Xiqu Centre in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District, the top prize was accepted in-person by Ishibashi, cinematographer Yoshio Kitagawa and co-editor Azusa Yamzaki – presented by...

Veteran Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou will receive both the Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2023 Highest-Grossing Asian Film Award for his last feature Full River Red at this week’s Asian Film Awards.

The Asian Film Awards body has said the two awards are a “testament to Zhang’s extraordinary achievements but also to his continued success.” He was last feted by the awards body in 2021 when he picked up best director for One Second. In 2010 he was also handed the Asian Film Contribution Award.

Widely credited as one of the central figures of China’s Fifth Generation Cinema, Zhang made his directorial debut with Red Sorghum (1987). Since then, he has tackled a wide range of film genres in work like The Story of Qiu Ju (1992), To Live (1994), The Road Home (1999), House of Flying Daggers (2004), The Great Wall (2016) and Cliff Walkers (2021). Full River Red was released during the 2023 Chinese New Year...

Acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou is to be feted with two honours at the Asian Film Awards on Sunday (March 10) in recognition of his career and recent box office success.

Zhang will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2023 Highest-Grossing Asian Film Award for Full River Red, which made $667m worldwide according to ticketing agency Maoyan following its release in January last year.

It marks a return to AFAs for the director, who won the Asian Film Contribution Award at in 2010 and best director in 2021 for One Second.

“Having been in the industry for over four decades, I am grateful...

Veteran mainland Chinese director Zhang Yimou is to be honored twice over at the Asian Film Awards ceremony on Sunday. He will be presented with a lifetime achievement award and a separate prize for directing the highest-grossing Asian film of 2023.

“These two awards are not only a testament to Zhang’s extraordinary achievements, but also to his continued success, having won the Asian film contribution award at the 4th AFAs in 2010 and the best director award at the 15th Asian Film Awards in 2021 for ‘One Second’,” Afa organizers said.

“I consider myself very fortunate to have chosen filmmaking as my lifelong profession. Having been in the industry for over four decades, I am grateful to everyone who appreciates my films [..] I will keep learning and strive to surpass myself. Always having anticipations for the future, I hope that my best film will be my next one,” said Zhang in a prepared statement.

The Kung Fu Panda franchise is awaiting the release of its fourth film, which has come a long way from its concept of an anthropomorphic animal learning kung fu. Starring Jack Black as Po, Kung Fu Panda 4 sees many familiar characters such as Master Shifu, Tai Lung, and Kai, while introducing new villains such as The Chameleon.

The first film was known for its bizarre concept of a Panda learning kung fu and was one of the most anticipated films of 2008. The film was one of the commercially successful films by DreamWorks Animation, earning over $631 million. While a simplistic comedy with action, the concept of Kung Fu Panda was reportedly inspired by the iconic film Kung Fu Hustle.

When Was Kung Fu Panda Developed? A still from Kung Fu Panda

The Jack Black starrer Kung Fu Panda was one of the most beloved animated franchises in the world. The...

Chinese director Zhang Yimou is a superstar and there is no mistaking that when watching his latest film Full River Red. It's an almost impossibly lush film in its production values, with money bleeding off of the screen in every shot. In previous outings, he used this to experiment with whatever tickled his fancy at that moment, be it color as a narrative tool in Hero or digital multidirectional sound in House of Flying Daggers. His Shadow (reviewed here) made every shot look like a painting in black, white and red while keeping a realistic aesthetic. Which brings the question: what is he trying out this time? His latest film dumps us straight into a political cesspool. The setting is a fortress with a large...

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

It’s an interesting month ahead on Hulu, as the streamer rolls out some of the series it’s been keeping in its back pocket for the holiday season.

On December 15, the first season of Such Brave Girls will arrive. The sitcom follows a dysfunctional family – and we mean dysfunctional! – that includes real-life sisters Kat Sadler and Lizzie Davidson. British comedian Sadler has previously written for The News Quiz, Hypothetical, and Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable, but this is her first big TV project. “Everything we joke about in the show is from a place of lived experience,” she told Funny Women. “I wish I could say this is a heart-warming show about overcoming trauma, but that would be a lie. It’s about three toxic, damaged egomaniacs manipulating the world and each other for their own personal gain, vengeance and glory…just like in Little Women.” Sounds good!

Later in the month,...

Clockwise from top left: It Lives Inside (Neon), Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (Sony Pictures Releasing), The Matrix Resurrections (Warner Bros. Pictures)Image: The A.V. Club

For the holiday season, Hulu is adding some genre favorites and promising new movies to its library. The streaming platform in December welcomes...

Make yourself at home for the holidays with Hulu! The streamer is heading into the final month of the year with a wide variety of new and classic movies, series from around the globe, anime subs and dubs, documentaries, and much more to binge your way through your vacation days.

Plus, Hulu is making your travel plans easier, be it domestic with the premiere of the Original documentary “We Live Here: The Midwest” or internationally with final season of Canada’s “Letterkenny” and the United States premiere of the A24 Brit-com “Such Brave Girls.”

Check out The Streamable’s top picks for the month and find out everything coming to Hulu this December!

30-Day Free Trial $7.99+ / month hulu.com

Through Cyber Monday, Get Hulu For Just $0.99/mo. For Next 12 Months.

What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Hulu in December 2023? “We Live Here: The Midwest” | Wednesday, Dec. 6

The...

Hailed as one of the biggest epics of the wuxia genre, “A Touch of Zen” is a true masterpiece of the category that stands apart particularly due to its technical prowess and high symbolism. The script is based on a short story titled “The Magnanimous Girl” by Pu Songling that was published in 1679.

A Touch of Zen is screening at Five Flavours

Gu is a talented painter and scholar who still lives with his mother, who worries about him being unambitious, unmarried and his decline to apply for a civil servant position. Eventually, a young girl named Yang and her mother settle in an abandoned house nearby, which everybody considers haunted. Gu's mother however, does not seem at all bothered by the fact and she proceeds in an effort to arrange a marriage between Gu and Yang. The girl declines but she and Gu strike a peculiar friendship, after she...

“Jaw-droppingly epic” Digital Spy

“The mother of all blockbusters” Filmhounds Magazine

“A stunning sci-fi epic” Eastern Film Fans

“Hugely entertaining” Invincible Asia

“A nail-biting and thrilling ride” Morning Star

Boasting incredible and epic visuals, this stunning interstellar blockbuster is a fresh prequel to one of the highest grossing films of all time, a $700m box office success, and Netflix global smash hit. Based on the popular novella by science fiction author Liu Cixin, The Wandering Earth II is a true sci-fi blockbuster, directed by Frant Gwo (The Sacrifice) and starring Andy Lau and Wu Jing.

In the near future, the sun is rapidly expanding and will engulf the earth within 100 years. To ensure the survival of humankind, nations join hands to form an unprecedented, ambitious global project to build powerful engines on the earth’s surface and propel the planet away from impending doom. Meanwhile, protests have broken out to...

“The pandemic has finally passed, and cinema has returned to normal, but the way people think has changed dramatically,” Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou concluded when quizzed by Deadline about cinema post-Covid 19 during a brief chat at the Tokyo Film Festival (TIFF).

“That is,” he continued, “people now value a peaceful and healthy life even more.”

Zhang, one of China’s most enduring filmmakers, is in Tokyo to receive the festival’s honorary lifetime achievement award. He picked up the gong Monday at the TIFF opening ceremony held at Tokyo’s Takarazuka Theatre.

“This is like a new start for me,” Zhang said, accepting the award. He added that he has traveled to the Tokyo Film Festival twice before, but the lifetime achievement award felt like the spark of a new chapter in his career. But with what Zhang described as a dramatic change in the mentality of audiences, has his approach to filmmaking changed?...

Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou has been set as the recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement award at the forthcoming Tokyo Film Festival (TIFF), running October 23 – November 1.

He will receive the award at the TIFF opening ceremony on October 23. After graduating from the Beijing Film Academy in 1982, he made his directorial debut with Red Sorghum (1987). Since then, he has tackled a wide range of film genres in work like The Story of Qiu Ju (1992), To Live (1994), The Road Home (1999), House of Flying Daggers (2004), The Great Wall (2016) and Cliff Walkers (2021).

Yimou’s latest work, Full River Red, was released during the Chinese New Year this year and is currently the highest-ranking 2023 Chinese film in the country. The film has also been selected as part of the Gala Selection section at this year’s TIFF. As part of his time in Tokyo, Yimou will take part in a keynote session co-hosted by the Japan Foundation.

The director of ‘House Of Flying Daggers’ and ‘Full River Red’ will attend the festival in October.

Acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou is to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) later this month.

The director of House Of Flying Daggers and more recently box office hit Full River Red, which will screen in the gala strand of TIFF, will be honoured in recognition of his career and long-standing contributions to the film industry.

The filmmaker will receive the award at the TIFF opening ceremony on October 23 and later participate in a talk as part...

Chinese filmmaking icon Zhang Yimou will receive the Tokyo International Film Festival’s lifetime achievement award, the event’s organizers revealed Tuesday. Zhang will be presented with the honor at the Tokyo festival’s opening ceremony on Oct. 23 in “recognition of his extraordinary career and long-standing contributions to the film industry.” The director will later participate in a special talk session at the TIFF Lounge, a panel series curated by noted Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda.

The most prominent of China’s fabled “Fifth Generation” of filmmakers, Zhang made his directorial debut in 1988 with Red Sorghum, which won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. He has directed 25 features since, including Ju Dou (1990), Raise the Red Lantern (1991), and Hero (2003) — all Oscar nominees in the best international film category. Hero and his 2004 follow-up, House of Flying Daggers, are among China’s most internationally successful commercial films of all time, having earned $147 million and $83 million,...

Leading Chinese film director Zhang Yimou is to receive a lifetime achievement award at the Tokyo International Film Festival later this month.

The award will be presented to him during the festival’s opening ceremony on Oct. 23.

Later, Zhang will take part in a special talk session at the TIFF Loungeco-hosted by the Japan Foundation.

Additionally, his “Full River Red,” which was a box office sensation in China at the beginning of the year, will play as a gala selection during the Tokyo festival.

Zhang, consider to be among China’s “fifth generation” of filmmakers, has had an extraordinary career that he has sustained for over three decades. His first film as director was “Red Sorghum,” which he has followed with pictures in a wide range of genres, including “The Story of Qiu Ju” (1992), “To Live” (1994), “The Road Home” (1999), “House of Flying Daggers” (2004), “The Great Wall” (2016) and “Cliff Walkers” (2021).

He...

Hong Kong multihyphenate Andy Lau may just be ready to star in a Hollywood movie after long being a box office king and pop star in Asia. But only if the major studios will meet him on his terms.

“I’m ready for Hollywood, as long as Hollywood is ready for me,” Lau said during an informal conversation at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday after a more than four-decade career stopping short of following his contemporaries and heading to Hollywood.

In Toronto to receive a special tribute award ahead of the Sept. 15 world premiere of Ning Hao’s The Movie Emperor, Lau said he always enjoyed playing the bad guy in movies as a change of pace early in his career. “I don’t know why in the beginning, everyone saw me as the good guy,” he insisted.

Lau, who sits near the top of China’s A-list...

Sometimes, being visually beautiful is enough to make a movie worthwhile - even without the plot. Some of the greatest movies ever made are those with colorful cinematography and inventive visual styles that leave a lasting impression on the audience, and the story isn’t the most important part of the project at all. While the narratives might be great, it’s the visuals that stick around after the credits roll and introduce audiences to a whole new style of filmmaking with which they may not have been familiar before.

Great cinematography isn’t confined to modern movies either. Some of the boldest, most colorful, and most creative visual styles can actually be found in older, classic Hollywood movies that pushed the boundaries of what film could be. The movies with the best cinematography are the ones that actually use it for a purpose, blending an emotional color palate that...

Fest runs September 7-17.

TIFF has announced additional TIFF Tribute Award recipients, with Brazilian filmmaker Carolina Markowicz, Polish cinematographer Lukasz Zal, and Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau joining the roster.

Markowicz will receive the TIFF Emerging Talent Award presented by MGM Studios. The award is in the spirit of Torontonian Mary Pickford, the groundbreaking actor, producer, and co-founder of United Artists.

Markowicz will present the world premiere of her second feature Toll on September 9. The film centres on a Brazilian mother who falls in with a gang of thieves in an attempt to keep her family afloat. Her first film...

Fest runs September 7-17.

Pedro Almodóvar, Lee Byung-hun and Park Seo-jun, and Andy Lau will take part in the TIFF In Conversation With… series of on-stage talks next month.

“TIFF’s 2023 In Conversation With… series exemplifies our belief that film can ignite perspectives and fuel transformation,” said Anita Lee, TIFF chief programming officer. “We are delighted to welcome a powerhouse line-up of international iconoclasts from Spain, South Korea, and Hong Kong for film lovers of all genres.”

Almodóvar will present the North American premiere of his short film Strange Way Of Life starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal. His credits include All About My Mother,...

Toronto International Film Festival has announced the participants for this year’s “In Conversation With…” series, including headliners Pedro Almodóvar, Andy Lau and Lee Byung-hun and Park Seo-jun.

“TIFF’s 2023 In Conversation With… series exemplifies our belief that film can ignite perspectives and fuel transformation,” said TIFF Chief Programming Officer Anita Lee. “We are delighted to welcome a powerhouse lineup of international iconoclasts from Spain, South Korea, and Hong Kong for film lovers of all genres.”

The 2023 lineup represents a global and diverse gathering which will weave together unique perspectives that contribute to shaping the global entertainment landscape.

Almodóvar will receive this year’s Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media at the TIFF Tribute Awards. The Oscar-winning director of “All About My Mother,” “Talk to Her” and “Pain and Glory” will present the North American premiere of his short feature “Strange Way of Life.” The western romance, starring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal,...

TIFF has begun announcing their Conversation With… (Icw) series for this year’s fest with Oscar winner Pedro Almodóvar, Hong Kong actor Andy Lau and Concrete Utopia Korean stars Lee Byung-hun and Park

Seo-jun set to sit down for chats.

“TIFF’s 2023 In Conversation With… series exemplifies our belief that film can ignite perspectives and fuel

transformation,” said Anita Lee, TIFF Chief Programming Officer. “We are delighted to welcome a powerhouse lineup of international iconoclasts from Spain, South Korea, and Hong Kong for film lovers of all genres.”

Almodóvar is already set to receive TIFF’s Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media this year at the fest’s Tribute Awards. His short, Strange Way of Life, which played at Cannes, will also make its North American premiere at TIFF. Short follows the relationship between a sheriff (Ethan Hawke) and a rancher

(Pedro Pascal) and their shared past.

Concrete Utopia stars...

Often, cinema forces audiences to confront harsh realities, even if they seem like accepted elements of a specific culture. Zhang Yimou is no stranger to showing the beautiful qualities of China, yet is not afraid to address the darker sides of his country, such as the history, political corruption, or elements of culture. Nowadays, the director is internationally recognized for his martial arts features such as “Hero,” “House of Flying Daggers,” and “Shadow.” Yet, his directorial career began primarily directing personal dramas that followed women in their struggles against oppression and strict cultural expectations. One of Yimou's most confrontational films is his haunting masterpiece “Raise the Red Lantern.”

on Amazon by clicking on the image below

The movie is based on the novella of the same name written by Su Tong. Another recognized title for the story is “Wives and Concubine.” Writing the screenplay is Ni Zhen',...

Named after one of China’s most famous poems––one the film says the nation can still recite by memory today––Zhang Yimou’s Full River Red takes us back to the Southern Song Dynasty, four years after Prime Minister Qin Hui (Lei Jiayin) framed legendary general Yue Fei and had him executed to solidify a newly formed alliance with their enemies, the Jin Dynasty. The poem is attributed to Fei despite discrepancies which some believe push its origins well past his death. As such, Zhang and co-writer Yu Chen use artistic license to concoct an elaborate suspense comedy to confirm it via the fictionalized surviving witnesses of his martyrdom: true patriots who refuse to forget what happened and those they’d risk everything to murder and avenge their hero.

They’re all at the border for a planned meeting between Song and Jin leadership. Before it can start, however,...

Murder, treachery and political intrigue are the juicy ingredients of Zhang Yimou’s “Full River Red,” an entertaining if overlong mystery-comedy set in the narrow passageways and dark chambers of a Song dynasty military compound in 1146. With a twist-packed plot to match its labyrinthine location, Zhang’s fast-paced film motors along nicely as an engaging “Knives Out”-style whodunnit before stumbling a little in the protracted final act. A Lunar New Year smash hit in China, “Full River Red” will be released on 150 North American screens by specialty distributor Niu Vision Media on March 17.

The biggest commercial success of Zhang’s distinguished 35-year career, “Full River Red” has already grossed a whopping $671 million at home since Jan. 22. The 157-minute blockbuster continues the string of hits he’s delivered since big-budget international co-production misfire “The Great Wall” in 2016. Much less ornately decorated and colorfully photographed than Zhang’s famous wuxia epics...

Legendary Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou’s period thriller Full River Red — the world’s biggest blockbuster of 2023, so far, with $644 million and counting at China’s theatrical box office — is headed to the U.S.

Specialty distributor Niu Vision Media has acquired North American rights to the film and lined up a limited release March 17 in 150 theaters across the U.S. and Canada. Niu Vision picked up Full River Red from Bill Kong’s Edko Films, which is handling worldwide sales on the film and will continue offering it to buyers in select territories at next week’s Filmart industry confab in Hong Kong.

Produced by rising studio Huanxi Media, Full River Red was the big winner at China’s Lunar New Year box office race in late January. Frank Guo’s sci-fi sequel The Wander Earth 2 was the market favorite in the lead-up to the lucrative holiday release period,...

Chinese director reveals the challenges of making the Winter Games documentary.

Amsterdam and Beijing-based Fortissimo Films has scored international rights to Lu Chuan’s Olympics documentary Beijing 2022 and is launching sales at the European Film Market.

Shot over more than two years, the official film of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing goes behind the scenes to share the stories of international and Chinese athletes, volunteers, medical personnel and officials – against the backdrop of a global pandemic.

An international team extended coverage to the US, France, Belgium, Austria and beyond to record the preparation of athletes. More than 1,200 hours...

Happy Valentines Day, whether or not you're feeling the love! Sometimes it's hard to tell, right? The image above, from House of Flying Daggers (2004) is perfectly non-committal about romance which seems appropriate for this divisive holiday. 

One thing we're always in the mood for is screen kisses, though. Our choices for "Best Kiss" from 2022 aren't ready but in the meantime, do share your favourite recent screen kisses in the comments.  ...

Acting and directing were not on Jay Chou’s mind when he first began his music career nearly two decades ago. But over the years, he has accumulated several memorable film and TV roles locally in Asia and in Hollywood. And, between music ventures, he has sat in the film director’s chair.

“I was born to believe in myself and complete my work on my own,” Chou said in a 2012 interview, discussing his work in acting and directing. “Once I understand how something works, I like to do it myself.”

His screen career began in 2005, when Chou made his film debut with the release of car-racing action feature “Initial D,” an on-screen adaptation of the Japanese manga of the same name, directed by Hong Kong’s Andrew Lau and Alan Mak (“Infernal Affairs”).

The singer-songwriter from Taiwan was cast to play the film’s lead role, an emotionally reserved...