Screen Filmart 2017 Day 1

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MONDAY, MARCH 13 2017

AT FILMART www.ScreenDaily.com

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“KONO SEK AI NO K ATASUMI NI” Directed by Sunao Katabuchi (Mai Mai Miracle) Based on the award-winning manga by Fumiyo Kouno From the Producers of Millennium Actress and Tokyo Godfathers

Winner Animation of the Year The 40th Japan Academy Film Prize

$20M Box Office Japan

Market Screening: 14th March, 10am at UA Cine Times House 2 www.inthiscornermovie.com

©Fumiyo Kouno/Futabasha/Konosekai no katasumini Project

DA Y

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MONDAY, MARCH 13 2017

AT FILMART www.ScreenDaily.com

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Workshop fulfils fantasies

BY LIZ SHACKLETON

Stuart Ford

IM Global boosts Huayi partnership IM Global has extended the output deal between its Anthem foreign sales division and Beijingbased Huayi Brothers, to handle international sales on the studio’s Chinese productions.

The new deal kicks off with Chang Zheng’s Explosion, which IM Global is introducing to buyers.

The film, which tells the story of an explosives expert who is both the sole survivor and prime suspect in a mining accident, is in postproduction for a summer release in China. IM Global is also selling Huayi Brothers’ Beautiful Accident, a romance directed by Ho Wi Ding.

“We have enjoyed a very fruitful relationship with Huayi Brothers over the last few years and we’re delighted to be extending our international sales partnership,” said IM Global CEO Stuart Ford.

Liz Shackleton

United Pictures goes biblical

BY JEAN NOH

Korea’s United Pictures (UP) has picked up Romans 8:37 (working title), directed by Shin Yeon-shick, who wrote and executive produced arthouse hit Dongju: The Portrait Of A Poet. Shin previously directed Rough Play, which premiered in Busan, and The Avian Kind.

In post-production, Romans 8:37 stars Lee Hyun-ho and Seo Dong-gap in the story of a sought-after church minister who is embroiled in a conflict with his predecessor. UP also has the market screening premiere of Ordinary Person, starring Son Hyun-joo and Jang Hyuk.

Distribution Workshop is unveiling a new slate of productions at Filmart, including Yuen Woo-ping’s The Thousand Faces Of Dunjia, produced by Tsui Hark and Nansun Shi. The martial-arts action fantasy stars Aarif Lee (Kung Fu Yoga) along with Dong Chengpeng (aka Da Peng), Zhou Dongyu and Ni Ni. Set during the Song Dynasty, the film follows a band of martial-arts

warriors who secretly protect the human race from evil outer-space creatures. Shi described the film as “a completely fresh approach at telling a story which combines traditional martial arts with science and aliens”. In post-production, the film is produced by Le Vision Pictures, Acme Image Film Cultural Co and Film Can Production.

The Thousand Faces Of Dunjia heads a busy slate for Distribution

Workshop, which is also launching sales on Adrian Kwan’s Find Your Voice, starring Andy Lau, and Alan Mak and Anthony Pun’s Extraordinary Mission, starring Huang Xuan (Blind Massage). Produced by Bona Film Group and Infinitus Entertainment, Find Your Voice tells the story of a former international conductor who sets up a choir with a group of problem students. The film is in post-production.

Stardust sends Parks across Asia

BY JEAN NOH

Japan’s Stardust Pictures (SDP) has sold Parks, directed by Natsuki Seta (A Liar And A Broken Girl, A Letter From Elsewhere), to mainland China (Time-in-Portrait Entertainment), Hong Kong (Sundream Motion Pictures), Taiwan (Sky Digi Entertainment), South Korea (Entermode), Thailand (Starlings) and worldwide in-flight (Encore Inflight Entertainment).

Set in and around Tokyo’s Inokashira Park, the drama stars Ai Hashimoto, Mei Nagano and Shota Sometani in a story about a girl who sets out to find a woman mentioned in a love letter written by her late father. Entermode CEO Bruce

D Lee says Parks is “such a good and heartwarming movie, like a Japanese version of La La Land”.

The film made its world premiere

at this month’s Osaka Asian Film Festival and will be released locally on April 22. It will have a market screening here tomorrow.

Parks

Ryon Lee finds Happiness on radio

BY SILVIA WONG

Malaysia’s prolific writer-director Ryon Lee is directing House Of Happiness as the first feature film project of local Chinese-language radio station 988. The feelgood comedy, which started production in early March, is scheduled for a

2018 Chinese New Year release.

The cast includes veteran Hong Kong actor Richard Ng, Malaysian actor Steve Yap and various popular 988 DJs such as Chan Fong.

Lee is co-directing with his assistant director JY Teng.

The film is produced by Lomo

Pictures, a new Malaysia-based company founded by Lee and producer Aron Koh. Lomo is also bringing to Filmart two more projects directed by Lee: drama The Dream and horror Haunted Road 2, both of which are co-produced with China’s Zhejiang Hewen TV & Film.

Thailand’s GDH 559 bows with Bad Genius Thai sales and production outfit GDH 559 makes its market debut at Filmart with thriller Bad Genius by director Nattawut Poonpiriya, which is due to open in Thailand in

May, and horror title The Promised by director Sophon Sakdaphisit.

GDH was launched last year after the breakup of GMM Tai Hub (GTH).

Its first title, One Day from top

local director Banjong Pisanthanakun, became a hit in Thailand, taking $3.2m. It opens in Taiwan on April 7.

Silvia Wong

TODAY

77 Heartbreaks, buzz titles, p20

NEWS New horizons Sparkle Roll Media launches international sales arm » Page 4

FEATURE HAF profiles: part 1 This year’s projects include filmmakers from Singapore, Taiwan and Japan » Page 14

Hot projects Buzz titles from China & Hong Kong » Page 20

SCREENINGS

» Page 24

One Cool sci-fi heads launch of sales arm

BY LIZ SHACKLETON

Hong Kong’s One Cool Group has launched an international sales arm, One Cool Pictures, which is arriving at Filmart with a slate headed by $45m sci-fi action title Warriors Of The Future, starring Louis Koo and Sean Lau. Produced by One Cool Film Production, the story is set in the future when Earth’s atmosphere has been destroyed and a mysterious vine appears to be the only hope for salvation. The film, which started shooting in February, is directed by visual-effects veteran Ng Yuen-fai, who runs One Cool’s VFX company FatFace Production.

One Cool is also launching sales on $22m action title Taste Of Crime, from Hong Kong’s Nick Cheung (Ghost Rituals). Starring Cheung, Xu Jinglei and Yu Nan, it tells the story of a cop who uncovers collusion between the highest level of government and the triads.

Also on One Cool’s slate is Tam Wai Ching’s debut feature, In Your Dreams, produced by Hong Kong actress Carina Lau. The film, about a taboo romance between a 16-year-old student and his female teacher, is backed by Hong Kong’s First Feature Film Initiative. Lau and Ng Siu Hin head the cast.

One Cool Pictures is also selling $32m action title Back To The Past, which One Cool Film is co-producing with China’s Huace Pictures.

The film follows a cop who travels back in time to the Qin Dynasty.

NEWS

Golden Scene grasps Hands

BY LIZ SHACKLETON

Hong Kong’s Golden Scene has picked up international rights to martial-arts drama The Empty Hands, directed by Chapman To. Produced by To and Tang Wai But, the film tells the story of a girl whose only wish is to sell her father’s karate dojo when he dies, but discovers 51% of the business was left to one of his worst pupils.

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 Napping Kid, based on Mann Shin’s novel about the ransom of a computer file. In post-production, the film stars Cecilia So, Ng Siu Hin, David Siu and Candy Cheung.

Other titles on Golden Scene’s slate include Wong Chun’s Mad World, which it releases in Hong Kong on March 30, and JC Wong’s documentary Snuggle.

Sparkle Roll launches Hong Kong sales arm

BY LIZ SHACKLETON

Jackie Chan’s Sparkle Roll Media has launched a Hong Kong-based international sales arm, which is selling Feng Xiaogang’s drama Bloom Of Youth (Fang Hua) and Ding Sheng’s reboot of the A Better Tomorrow series.

Produced by Feng’s Zhejiang Dongyang Mayla Media, Bloom

Of Youth revolves around a military cultural troupe in China in the 1970s. The cast includes Huang Xuan, Miao Miao, Zhong Chuxi and Yang Caiyu. Ding’s A Better Tomorrow 4 resurrects the classic ‘heroic bloodshed’ series, directed by John Woo in the 1980s. Starring Wang Kai, Ray Ma and Talu Wang, the film fol-

lows the conflict between two brothers on opposite sides of the law. The film is produced by Beijing Jingxi Culture & Tourism Co. The new sales arm is headed by former Fortissimo executive Will Lin and Andree Sham, who worked with Peter Ho-sun Chan’s We Distribution. Katherine Lee will serve as a consultant to the company.

Showbox seals Prison deals South Korean distributor Showbox has sold action drama The Prison to Japan (The Klockworx) and well as to France, Switzerland and Africa (Swift Productions) and worldwide in-flight (Emphasis). Directed by Na Hyun, the film stars Kim Raewon as a jailed former policeman who finds the prison is run as a crime syndicate by an inmate (Han Seok-kyu).

Jean Noh

Singapore racers rev up Sing! China star

BY SILVIA WONG

Singaporean music sensation Nathan Hartono is set to make his big-screen debut in 2016 HAF project Warrior Of Love, a co-production between Singapore’s SIMF Management and Taiwan’s Opensky Entertainment. Hartono

was the first runner-up in last year’s reality TV singing competition Sing! China.

Billed as Singapore’s first carracing film, the $1.8m project is partly funded by the Singapore Film Commission.

The story follows the self-dis-

covery journeys of two car-racing lovers. The car stunts will be performed by professional racers, including Tengku Djan Ley and Leona Chin.

The film is directed by Derrick Lui, who grew up modifying and racing cars. Production will start

in August in Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan. Warrior Of Love is produced by SIMF’s Chan Pui Yin, whose credits include Homerun and I Not Stupid, and Taiwanese veteran filmmakers Audrey Peng and Joseph Sun through their new outfit Opensky.

AT HONG KONG FILMART | Stand 1C-F24 UK Film Centre EDWARD PARODI | Tel: +44 754 9992 746 | sales@filmconstellation.com | www.filmconstellation.com

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LAW OF THE LAND Action Drama / Finland / 2017

ODDSOCKEATERS

Animation / Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia / 2016

CRUELTY Crime / Iceland / 2016

LevelK at FILMART: The EFP Umbrella Stand # 1C - E14 Derek Lui derek@levelk.dk

OSKAR’S AMERICA Family / Norway / 2017

NEWS

FILMART BRIEFS Zombie leads Mei Ah slate Hong Kong-based Mei Ah Entertainment’s Filmart slate is headed by Wilson Yip’s Dragon Gate Zombie Inn, a mash-up of the martial arts and zombie thriller genres. In pre-production, the film will be produced by Soi Cheang, who is currently directing Filmko Entertainment’s big-budget fantasy sequel, The Monkey King 3.

Pegasus unveils Lucid Dreams, Tomorrow Pegasus Motion Pictures is bringing to Filmart Teddy Robin’s horror Lucid Dreams and Chan Tai Lee’s drama Tomorrow Is Another Day. Lucid Dreams comprises four short films and a prologue.

Produced by Winnie Tsang and Ng Kin-Hung, Tomorrow Is Another Day follows a middle-aged woman whose husband is cheating on her.

We brings Hui’s Expected Peter Ho-sun Chan’s We Distribution is launching sales on Derek Hui’s $18m romantic drama This Is Not What I Expected.

Starring Takeshi Kaneshiro and Zhou Dongyu, the film revolves around a female chef and a ruthless acquisitions executive.

Golden Network reads The Dude’s Manual Golden Network Asia has picked up international rights to The Dude’s Manual, produced by Taiwan’s Leste Chen for mainland Chinese company Magilm Pictures. Taiwan’s Kevin Ko directs a cast headed by Dong Zijian, Elane Zhong and Jessie Li. The film is in post-production.

Young Live sees red with Tag Along sequel

BY SILVIA WONG

Hong Kong-based Young Live Entertainment is launching sales on The Tag Along 2, the Taiwanese horror sequel based on the urban myth of the Little Red Girl. Once again produced by Hank Tseng and directed by Cheng Wei Hao, the film will bring back the original’s stars, Hsu Wei Ning and River Huang. Joining the cast are Rainie Yang and Francesca Kao, both winners of Taiwan’s Golden Bell best actress award.

Through the tales of the three women, the sequel will reveal the identity of the little girl in the red dress. In post-production, the $1.5m follow-up is financed mainly by Taiwanese companies CMC Movie Corp, Sky Films and Tseng’s Once Upon A Story.

The Tag Along 2

The Tag Along 2 is scheduled to open in Taiwan in August during the Chinese hungry ghost month.

The first film, released in 2015, became the biggest locally financed and produced horror film in Taiwan. It also won Hsu a best actress award at Taipei Film Festival.

Other Taiwanese films on

Young Live’s slate include adventure comedy Loser Hero, directed

by White Hero and Wu Zhen Ya and starring Jacky Wu and Wan Guopeng, and Wang Dao Nan’s comedy Hidden Treasures In The Mountain with Esther Huang, Soda Voyu and Sakinu. Both titles are in post-production.

Wizart’s Oz on road to South Asia

BY ANDREAS WISEMAN

Russian animation sales outfit Wizart has inked deals on recently completed Fantastic Journey To Oz. The 3D family feature has gone to Runaway-Luminosity Distribution for India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Afghanistan and the Maldives.

Melnitsa Studio’s spin on The Wizard Of Oz tells the story of the cunning Urfin, whose plot to rule Magic Land is undone by Dorothy and her friends. Director Vladimir

6 Screen International at Filmart March 13, 2017

Toropchin’s film is written by Alexandr Boyarsky. Producers are Anton Zlatopolsky, Sergey Selyanov and Boyarsky.

Russian animation has been making headway in Asian markets. In 2015, the debut instalment of Wizart’s 3D animated franchise The Snow Queen became the first Russian animated feature released in China. Its sequel saw a wide release in 2016, grossing $5m, while the company’s Sheep & Wolves is set for release this

summer. Flame Node Entertainment handled the trio in the market. All three Snow Queen films received a release in Korea — the first two via Next Entertainment World and the third earlier this year via Cinema Republic.

Separately, European distributors from Norway (Storytelling Media) and Hungary (ADS Service) have picked up Sheep & Wolves, while The Snow Queen 2 has recently sold to Spain (Vercine).

Comedy, crime fortify CJ slate Korea’s CJ Entertainment is launching sales on body-swap comedy Daddy You, Daughter Me, period comedy The King’s Case Note and crime film The Merciless.

Kim Hyung-hyub’s Daddy You, Daughter Me stars Yoon Je-moon and Jung So-min as a bickering father and daughter whose souls are magically switched. The film is set for an April release locally.

Directed by Moon Hyun-sung, The King’s Case Note stars Lee Sun-kyun as a whimsical king and Ahn Jae-hong as his clever court chronicler who set out to solve a crime that threatens the country. It is set for local release next month.

Byun Sung-hyun’s The Merciless stars Sul Kyung-gu as the top dog in a prison who takes a newbie played

by Yim Si-wan under his wing, unaware he is an undercover cop.

The film is set for release in the second quarter of 2017.

Jean Noh

Finecut pacts with BOM

BY JEAN NOH

South Korean sales company Finecut has signed with Oh Jungwan’s BOM Film Productions to represent their films internationally. Oh established BOM in 1999, contributing to Korean cinema’s renaissance with films from directors such as Kim Jee-woon, Hong Sangsoo and Park Chan-wook.

Finecut will rep BOM titles including Kim Jee-woon’s A Tale Of Two Sisters, Park Chan-wook’s short Cut and E J-yong’s Untold Scandal.

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HKTDC RAYMOND YIP

Welcome Welcome to this year’s Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART), Asia’s largest entertainment market, which brings together exhibitors, buyers and services providers from around the world.

We have a record number of over 800 exhibitors from 35 countries and regions this year, with group participation from Canada, Chinese mainland, France, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Highlighting Hong Kong’s reputation as a global entertainment hub, FILMART 2017 welcomes more than 330 exhibitors from 15 Belt and Road countries, including such ones as Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Poland, Turkey and Ukraine.

Among the fairground highlights is TV World, presenting more than 300 TV exhibitors from all corners of the globe. And the TV World International Forum will focus on the opportunities and challenges posed by the Internet platform. & Digital Entertainment Pavilion Digital entertainment is another focus at this year’s FILMART. The Hong Kong Animation ent. They will showcase entertainm digital of sectors different ng returns this year with more than 30 local companies representi Pavilion. the at up set zone tion their expertise at a demonstra ies presented by the everVarious thematic conferences to be held throughout FILMART will spotlight the many opportunit digital entertainment, aries, document of areas the in including Asia, in content ent rising demand for high-quality entertainm at FILMART, not to screened be will animation and online programming. In addition, around 40 world and regional premieres event. trade four-day the t throughou held be to mention the myriad networking activities and media events for the industry to meet and trade Now in its 21st edition, FILMART has become one of the world’s most effective platforms Entertainment Expo Hong Kong the in featured events right here in the heart of Asia. FILMART is also one of 10 glittering music. and ent entertainm digital TV, lm, fi of mix global a (13 March-25 April), which covers I wish all participants an action-filled and memorable experience at FILMART 2017.

Raymond Yip Deputy Executive Director Hong Kong Trade Development Council

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REVIEWS

HAF PROFILES, PAGE 14

Reviews edited by Fionnuala Halligan finn.halligan@screendaily.com

Joshua: Teenager Vs Superpower Reviewed by Sarah Ward

Kung Fu Yoga Reviewed by Sarah Ward He has flexed his fighting muscles and showed his comic side; now, in Kung Fu Yoga, Jackie Chan attempts an Indiana Jones moment. Reuniting with Rumble In The Bronx director Stanley Tong for an Indo-Chinese mash-up of martial arts and Bollywood, the Hong Kong star plays one of China’s top archaeologists on a treasure hunt to locate ancient artefacts. What he discovers is a broad but fast-paced cross-cultural adventure comedy.

Kung Fu Yoga has already drawn a crowd in several territories, including the US, China and Hong Kong, following its January roll-out. The rest of the cast — Indian actress/model Disha Patani, Bollywood star Sonu Sood, Chinese singer Lay Zhang and Hong Kong actor/singer Aarif Rahman — may add appeal in their respective homelands, but the film’s global prospects are far from assured. An amiable caper-like quest remains just that, even with recognisable talent.

Chan plays a professor (also named Chan) who is sought out by a younger Indian counterpart, Ashmita (Patani), to recover long-lost items dating back to 647ad. She has a map, he has the smarts and they each have the skills, as steeped in their cultures, that give the film its title.

No sooner has Chan followed his new colleague and her offsider Kyra (Amyra Dastur) to the Kunlun Mountains than a gang encroaches on their camp. An icy ambush ensues, as well as one of the oldest reasons for combat in the book: knowledge and history versus greed and modernity. Cue subterfuge, action hijinks and piecing together ancient clues, as well as camel races, ravenous hyenas, angry snakes and a lion called Little Jackie.

More than a decade since Tong and Chan last collaborated on 2005’s The Myth, which also cast the star as an archaeologist, the helmer and scribe has not forgotten how to best illustrate the skill that first brought his lead to fame. No one watches a Chan film for the acting, which is just as well given Kung Fu Yoga’s wooden but jovial display; though mildly tempered by his age (62), reliable displays of flying fists and other physical feats occur at regular intervals. Indeed, Chan gives the special effectsheavy offering some much-needed zest.

10 Screen International at Filmart March 13, 2017

CREDITS Chi-Ind. 2017. 107mins Director/screenplay Stanley Tong Production companies Sparkle Roll Media, Taihe Entertainment Corporation, Shinework Pictures International sales Golden Network Asia, info@goldnetasia.com Producer Barbie Tung Executive producers Wei Wang, Jackie Chan, Jianhong Qi, Jonathan Shen, Sailesh Pathak Cinematography Horace Wong Editor Kong Chi Leung Production design James Cheung Music Nathan Wang Cast Jackie Chan, Disha Patani, Sonu Sood, Lay Zhang, Aarif Rahman, Amyra Dastur, Miya Muqi

In an earlier age, Joshua Wong might have been the perfect Frank Capra hero. An idealistic, unassuming student activist, he is driven by a staunch belief that the power of Hong Kong’s people will be sufficient to win the day in the David-and-Goliath struggle with Chinese rule. Joe Piscatella’s absorbing documentary captures the triumphs and disappointments of the young dissident’s life, and has a clarity and urgency that lends it the feel of a political thriller.

He combines extensive television reports and interviews to chart the journey of a passionate, eloquent young man who became a high-profile advocate of civil disobedience in the wake of successive Chinese initiatives that violated the ‘one country, two systems’ promises that were made to Hong Kong in 1997.

Wong seems symptomatic of a younger generation that feels the need to act before Hong Kong’s independence is erased. In 2012, the 14-year-old Joshua formed the student organisation Scholarism in protest at the Chinese government’s intended imposition of a National Education plan that would dictate what was taught in Hong Kong’s schools. There is a giddy sense of elation when a compromise is reached, effectively leaving schools with the option of setting their own curriculum. A reality check follows, however, as the Scholarism movement joins forces with Benny Tai’s Occupy Central to fight for universal suffrage and democracy.

Piscatella manages to both capture the complexity of what has been happening in Hong Kong in recent years, and create a film that is accessible to a general audience.

Wong’s body-and-soul commitment to his cause cannot help but inspire a little hero worship as he is arrested and goes on hunger strike in the pursuit of what he believes to be the right thing.

The power of the Chinese government and the potential consequences for anyone who defies it make the outcome seem bleak. Yet we witness Wong and his generation growing more savvy and sophisticated in their activism, forming political party Demosisto, running for election and seeking to make changes from within the political system rather than through mass protests.

CREDITS US. 2016. 78mins Director/screenplay Joe Piscatella Production company/ international sales June Pictures, cchidsey@ junepictures.com Producers Andrew Duncan, Joe Piscatella, Matthew Torne, Mark Rinehart Cinematography Jonathan Young, Darryl Smith, Jeycob Carlson, Andy Schocken Editor Matthew Sultan Music Bennett Barbakow, Rob Amjarv

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EVENTS 10:00 – 12:00 WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE CHINESE FILM MARKET? Venue Starlight Theatre,

Hall 1, HKCEC Organiser HKTDC Moderator Shengyang

Jiang, presenter, Phoenix TV Speakers Daniel Chan, CEO, Fu Jian HengYe Pictures; Defu Jiang, General Manager, Wanda Media; Hong Qin, Chairman, JQ Pictures Holdings; Chao Yin, CEO, Beijing Tmeng Network Technology; Stanley Tong, producer and director, General Manager, China Film International Media Languages Cantonese, Mandarin, English After five years of astonishing growth,

» Event times and venues are correct at the time of going to press but subject to alteration

China’s box office recorded its slowest growth rate in a decade with only 3.7% in 2016. While some film investors consider the 2016 figures to be a healthy adjustment and remain optimistic about the market, others believe it may have entered a critical stage of survival of the fittest. The panel members, made up of investors, producers and directors from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, will share their views on the subject.

13:00 – 14:00

10:30 – 12:00 JAPAN-HONG KONG COLLABORATION SEMINAR: BEST DESTINATION FOR FILM SHOOTING IN JAPAN — LISTEN TO WHAT JAPAN CAN OFFER! Venue Moonlight Theatre,

Hall 1, HKCEC Organiser HKTDC Speakers Hiroshi Arakawa,

Manager, Okinawa Film Office, Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau; Shuei Ueda, Manager, Kitakyushu Film Commission; Kayi Lee, Coordinator, Sapporo Film Commission, Sapporo Electronics and Industries Cultivation Foundation; Rason Chau, R By R Production Languages Cantonese, Mandarin, English, Japanese

10:30 – 12:00 ‘PARADOX’ PRESS CONFERENCE Venue Galaxy Theatre,

Hall 1, HKCEC Organiser Sun Entertainment Culture Language Cantonese

‘EXPERIENCE MACAO CINEMATIC STYLE’ COCKTAIL RECEPTION

Venue Starlight Theatre,

Hall 1, HKCEC Organiser MM2 Entertainment Language Mandarin

Venue Moonlight Theatre,

Hall 1, HKCEC Organiser Macao Government Tourism Office Languages Cantonese, English 14:30 – 15:00

16:30 – 17:55 15:00 – 16:45 INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN THE FILM INDUSTRY: FILMING IN CHINA WITH GOVERNMENT INCENTIVE AND DISTRIBUTE OUT OF CHINA

ENTERTAINMENT EXPO HONG KONG KICK-OFF CEREMONY

Venue Meeting Room

Venue Galaxy Theatre,

Animation Media Production Ltd Languages Cantonese, Mandarin, English

Hall 1, HKCEC Organiser HKTDC Languages Cantonese,

Hall 1, HKCEC Organiser Sun Entertainment Culture Language Cantonese

SIL-METROPOLE ORGANISATION PRESS CONFERENCE Venue Starlight Theatre,

Hall 1, HKCEC Organiser Sil-Metropole

Organisation Ltd Languages Cantonese, Mandarin, English

S221, HKCEC Organiser China

16:30 – 18:00 TAIWAN COCKTAIL PARTY Venue Moonlight Theatre,

Mandarin, English

Hall 1, HKCEC

By invitation only

Organiser Bureau of

14:30 – 16:00 MM2 PRESENTATION 2017

16:30 – 17:50 SUN ENTERTAINMENT PRESS CONFERENCE Venue Galaxy Theatre,

Audiovisual and Music Industry Development, Ministry of Culture Language Mandarin

The voice of the international film industry

SPECIAL FILMART OFFER

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TheFurlough_full_screen_3.qxp_Layout 1 09/03/17 17:20 Pagina 1

Come visit us at EFP booth 1C - E14

Market screenings: Today March 13th - 4.00 pm - CEC Meeting Rooms N109-N110 Tomorrow March 14th - 12.15 pm - CEC Meeting Rooms N109-N110

HAF PROFILES A F W WA OX IN R NE D R

SCREENINGS, PAGE 24

Drifting Lives

Impossible Split

La Luna

Dir Danlly Li

Dir Tommy Tom

Dir M Raihan Halim

Project’s country of origin China

Project’s country of origin Hong Kong

Project’s country of origin Singapore

This year’s HAF/FOX project award winner is a crime thriller about the investigation into the murder of a female student. The police follow three main suspects: a cook, a leading professor and the dead woman’s boyfriend.

“There are very few crime films in China, let alone crime films that examine human nature,” says firsttime writer-director Danlly Li. “What attracted me to this story is its exploration of human prejudice, which as a natural part of human nature can be destructive under extreme circumstances.”

Li has spent two years working on the screenplay.

It is inspired by true events but the characters and locations are fictional. She will set the story in the 1990s and plans to shoot in a third-tier city that still retains a 1990s feel, in an effort to keep production costs down.

After completing a masters degree at Hong Kong Baptist University, Yunnan-born Li worked at Emperor Motion Pictures from 2013-16. She has worked on Two Thumbs Up, As The Light Goes Out, Kung Fu Jungle and But Always, all of which were produced by Ray Chan.

Drifting Lives is being produced by YNTV Motion Magic Digital Studios, which is a joint venture between Yunnan Television and Shanghai Media Group. The co-producer is Kozmo Production, which previously produced I Love That Crazy Little Thing and But Always, as well as Norway co-production Ping Pong.

Silvia Wong

Tommy Tom was the visual-effects producer on Kill Bill and Kung Fu Hustle. He makes his directorial feature debut with this portrait of Hong Kong ten-pin bowling champion Wu Siu Hong. Based on true events, the story revolves around the bowling prodigy whose promising career suffers as he fails to cope with tremendous pressure from his early success (the film’s title refers to one of ten-pin bowling’s most difficult shots). But he keeps on training even when both he and his father are diagnosed with cancer.

“People usually define success by their achievement or wealth. But to me, it’s the strength and courage to face failure and stand back up that deserves the most applause,” says Tom. Tom joined Hong Kong post-production house Centro Digital Pictures after studying computer animation in Canada. He has gained extensive postproduction experience on TV commercials and feature films. In 2008 he launched his production house Picturethat for his directing and writing ventures. Two of his commercials won TVB awards in 2015. His latest completed work is Below The Lion Rock: The Story Of A Young Farmer, a TV drama for Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK).

Serena Lee, who collaborated with Tom on The Story Of A Young Farmer, is writing the screenplay of Impossible Split. Adam Wong, whose directing credits include The Way We Dance and She Remembers, He Forgets, is producing.

Silvia Wong

While filming a TV movie in Malaysia, Singapore director M Raihan Halim read about an arson attack on a lingerie shop. “I couldn’t decide if it was hilarious or otherwise, but I couldn’t get the story out of my head,” he says.

This became the backbone of his latest project La Luna, which sees a young woman challenging ageold traditions and while attempting to toe religious lines with her newly opened lingerie shop in a strict Muslim village.

Raihan is aware the subject matter could be perceived as risqué but is quick to point out that is not his aim. “At the end of the day, I’m setting out to make a cute, quirky and heartwarming comedy,” he explains.

He plans to shoot the Malay-language film in Perak, Malaysia. It will serve as the second part of his ‘Muslim Girl’ trilogy, following his first feature, Banting, about a young woman attempting to fulfil her dream to be a wrestler.

Banting, a recipient of the New Talent Feature Grant from Singapore’s IMDA, was released in both Singapore and Malaysia.

Raihan is also one of the four directors of romantic omnibus 4Love. On television, he is best known for heist film Big Time In Little Street, which was nominated for best TV movie at the Asian Television Awards in 2010.

Papahan Films, a company launched in 2008 by Raihan and Edmund D Lim, produces La Luna.

Silvia Wong

Drifting Lives

Impossible Split

La Luna

Producers Ray Chan, Kozmo Production, YNTV Motion Magic Digital Studios Budget $1.5m Contact Ray Chan raychan618@qq.com

Producers Adam Wong, Picturethat Budget $1.2m ($100,000 raised) Contact Tommy Tom tommy@ picturethat.tv

Producers Asra Aman, Edmund D Lim, Sulaiman Salamon, Papahan Films Budget $600,000 Contact Asra Aman asra@papahanfilms.com

14 Screen International at Filmart March 13, 2017

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SCREEN_INTERNATIONAL_EFP_FILMART_2017_160217.indd 1

2/20/17 9:32 AM

HAF PROFILES

Pawns With No Return

The Asadas

Femme Fatale

Dir Chen Yi Jung

Dir Ryota Nakano

Dir Kyoko Miyake

Project’s country of origin Taiwan

Project’s country of origin Japan

Project’s countries of origin France, UK, Japan

The sole Taiwan project at HAF this year is about a young boy who develops a long-lasting friendship with an elderly man over the Chinese chessboard.

Only after the man’s death does the boy discover his beloved opponent was a chess champion in China before being enlisted to the war.

First-time feature director Chen Yi Jung aims to pay tribute to the Chinese soldiers who left everything behind and came to Taiwan during the 1940s civil war. “The soldiers can never return home, just like the pawns on the chessboard which can’t move backward after crossing the river. Now most of them have died and the surviving ones are very old,” she says.

Chen was inspired by a true story. Cinematically, she intends to reference Giuseppe Tornatore’s Cinema Paradiso, Philippe Muyl’s The Butterfly and Walter Hill’s Crossroads. The confirmed cast includes Wu Pong Fong, who was the 2010 Golden Horse Awards’ best supporting actor for 7 Days In Heaven, theatre actor Fan Jyun Ming and awardwinning dancer Chieh Ching Ying.

After completing a masters degree at France’s Lumiere University in 2010, Chen returned to Taiwan and started a career in TV commercials and documentaries.

Producer Lin Jing Jie is a veteran award-winning filmmaker whose directing credits include The Most Distant Course, which won the Critics’ Week award at Venice in 2007, The Man Behind The Book and more recently Elena, on which Chen worked as assistant director.

Silvia Wong

Japanese director Ryota Nakano’s family drama The Asadas is inspired by the work of celebrated compatriot photographer Masashi Asada, who has built his artistic reputation on his family portraits, which capture relatives in staged settings and roles, often typically Japanese, such as workers at a ramen shop or political canvassers campaigning out of a white van.

The driving force behind the film is Shinji Ogawa, the former Asmik Ace Entertainment executive, who is producing the project. Ogawa, who hails from the same part of Japan as Asada, hit on the idea after meeting the photographer in person. He brought Nakano in to direct and commissioned screenwriter Tomoe Kanno to write a fictional screenplay based on real episodes in the lives of the Asadas, who will be played by professional actors.

The director has decided to focus on Asada’s response to the devastating Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, when he lost his desire to take photos and signed up for a voluntary photo-cleaning programme. He found muddy albums, cleaned up the contents and attempted to reunite them with their owners when possible. The work brought him into contact with two sisters, whose fate inspired a new approach to his photography and moved him back behind the camera.

Ogawa is producing under his Yokohama-based Bridgehead Inc banner. The Asadas is Nakano’s third feature following the poignant family dramas Capturing Dad and Her Love Boils Bathwater.

Melanie Goodfellow

London-based Japanese filmmaker Kyoko Miyake hits HAF with her first feature-length fiction Femme Fatale. Inspired by a real-life crime, it revolves around an encounter between a murderous seductress — who smothers her victims in maternal love, sexual pleasure and fine food — and a female reporter and loner who is unlucky in work and love.

Miyake’s credits include several high-profile documentaries including the award-winning short Hackney Lullabies, the BBC Storyville-backed Brakeless and Tokyo Idols, which premiered at Sundance in January.

Femme Fatale is based on true events. “This story is inspired by a real case but the strength of the project lies in Kyoko’s female point of view, both on the special protagonist and the journalist,” says the film’s producer Guillaume de Seille of Paris-based Arizona Productions. “The main action is not so much about killing — there is no blood in the film — but rather fine-cooking someone to death.”

De Seille is producing alongside Freddy Olsson of Swedish company Bokomotive Films and Felix Matschke at UK-based Brakeless Ltd. He and Olsson first came across the project during an EAVE-backed Ties That Bind workshop in Singapore in 2015 aimed at encouraging collaboration between Asian and European filmmakers and producers.

The project was presented at the Cannes Atélier co-production event in May 2016 and won funding from France’s CNC last July. It is at the financing stage, with casting due to begin in Japan by spring 2017 ahead of a summer 2018 shoot.

Melanie Goodfellow

Pawns With No Return

The Asadas

Femme Fatale

Producers Lin Jing Jie, Hana Studio de Création Audiovisuelle Indépendant Budget $315,000 Contact Chen Yi Jung gnujiynehc@gmail.com

Producers Shinji Ogawa, Bridgehead Inc Budget $1.4m ($290,000 raised) Contact Toshiyuki Hasegawa

Producers Guillaume de Seille, Arizona Productions (Fr); Freddy Olsson, Bokomotive Films (Swe); Felix Matschke, Brakeless (UK) Budget $1.2m ($460,000 raised) Contact Guillaume de Seille guillaume@arizonafilms.net

16 Screen International at Filmart March 13, 2017

toshiyuki.movie@gmail.com

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UPCOMING

Simple task, uphill journey A film by Andrea Magnani

EASY Italie, Ukraine - 91’ - Comedy

A film by Marine Place

UPCOMING

Breathing under the sea France - 86’ - Drama

A film by Dechen Roder

Bhutan - 132’ - Mystery thriller

HONEYGIVER AMONG THE DOGS Market screenings TUESDAY, MARCH 14–12.40PM UA Cine Times House 2

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15–10AM CEC Meeting Room N101A

Attending Filmart: March 13-16, 2017 Unifrance Booth 1C-D14 Contact: Leslie SAUSSEREAU ls@premium-films.com

Highest grossing German Film of 2016 with more than 3.5 Million admissions/ 30 Million USD box office and still going...

“HOWLINGLY FUNNY!” DIE WELT

“A FILM OF AWE-INSPIRING COURAGE…” DER SPIEGEL

Head Office Picture Tree International GmbH / Husemannstr. 7 / 10435 Berlin / www.picturetree-international.com

Our Office @ Honk Kong Filmart Stand # 1C E14, Hall 1 (European Film Promotion Umbrella)

From the producers of THE LIVES OF OTHERS WHO AM I & THE JOY OF FATHERHOOD

Directed by Simon Verhoeven MEN IN THE CITY FRIEND REQUEST

Top cast Elyas M‘Barek FACK JU GOETHE 1&2 THE PHYSICIAN

Florian David Fitz THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DAY VINCENT WANTS TO SEA

Senta Berger CAST A GIANT SHADOW

Heiner Lauterbach MEN..., ROSSINI

Uwe Ochsenknecht SCHTONK!

Eric Kabongo

E-Mail: yuan@picturetree-international.com / Mobile: : +49 151 5061 7388

Scan for our full Lineup:

HOT PROJECTS HONG KONG & CHINA

Duan Yihong in Chang Zheng’s action thriller Explosion

There is a thrilling selection of Chinese-language titles at Filmart this year. Liz Shackleton picks out some of the most promising

Blast off W

ith very few Hong Kong or mainland Chinese sellers making the journey to Berlin’s European Film Market in February, Filmart offers a chance for buyers to catch up with the Chineselanguage titles that will be rolled out in the region for the rest of the year.

After serving up the biggest film of the Chinese New Year holiday — Kung Fu Yoga, starring Jackie Chan and directed

by Stanley Tong — China’s Sparkle Roll Media has launched a Hong Kong-based sales arm that is selling Ding Sheng’s reboot of the A Better Tomorrow series.

Other high-profile action titles new to market include Distribution Workshop’s Extraordinary Mission, from the creative teams behind the Infernal Affairs and Overheard series, and Huayi Brothers’ crime drama Explosion,, starring Duan Yihong.

Previously announced projects moving closer to completion include John Woo’s highly anticipated action thriller Manhunt;; Leste Chen’s high-concept thriller Battle Of Memories;; Herman Yau’s Shock Wave, starring Andy Lau; Wong Jing’s Chasing The Dragon,, with Donnie

20 Screen International at Filmart

Yen; and Fruit Chan’s Invincible Dragon, starring Zhang Jin (Ip Man 3).

At the lower end of the budget spectrum, Hong Kong filmmakers are also turning out local stories such as Chapman To’s The Empty Hands and Andrew Wong’s With Prisoners, along with quirky horrors such as Pak Wing Yan’s Vampire Cleanup Department, which is already shaping up as a fantasy film festival hit.

With growth at the China box office flatlining last year, local producers will hope at least some of these titles keep up the momentum of the Chinese New Year holiday period. Kung Fu Yoga emerged as the top-grossing release of the holiday with $250m, followed by Journey To The West: The Demons Strike Back with $236m. These titles are now the third and fifth highest-grossing Chinese films of all time.

77 Heartbreaks Dir Herman Yau Fresh from its world premiere at this month’s Osaka Asian Film Festival, this romantic drama reunites the team behind award-winning 2014 drama Sara: director Herman Yau, writer Erica Lee and actress Charlene Choi. Pakho Chau also stars in the story of a man who cannot understand why he has been dumped until he reads his ex-girlfriend’s diary and realises it is the culmination of 77 heartbreaks.

Contact May Yip, Emperor Motion Pictures mayyip@emperorgroup.com

Battle Of Memories Dir Leste Chen The follow-up to Leste Chen’s 2014 psychological thriller The Great Hypnotist

tells the story of a famous novelist who recovers from a nasty divorce by having a decade of his memory wiped. When he tries to recover the lost memories, he finds himself in the mind of a serial killer.

Huang Bo, Xu Jinglei and Yang Zishan head the cast of the $22m film, which is scheduled for release on April 28.

Contact Annabelle Hao, Wanda Pictures shuanghao0605@gmail.com

A Better Tomorrow 4 Dir Ding Sheng Jackie Chan’s long-time collaborator Ding Sheng is rebooting John Woo’s classic A Better Tomorrow series with this ‘heroic bloodshed’ action title, which is in pre-production. Starring Wang Kai (Railroad Tigers), Ray Ma (Ice Fantasy) and Talu Wang (Railroad Tigers, Our Times), the film follows the conflict between two brothers — one heading a smuggling operation and the other an up-and-coming star in the police department’s narcotics division.

Contact Andree Sham, Sparkle Roll Media andree.sham@sparklerollmedia.com

Chasing The Dragon Dirs Wong Jing, Jason Kwan

77 Heartbreaks, and (left) Chasing The Dragon

Donnie Yen plays real-life 1970s gangster Ng Sek-ho (aka Crippled Ho) in this action-crime drama, backed by Bona Film Group and Wong Jing’s Mega-

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Love Off The Cuff

Vision Project Workshop. Andy Lau also stars and Wong Jing directs along with acclaimed cinematographer Jason Kwan.

Now in production, the film follows Ho from his days as an illegal immigrant through his rise to becoming one of Hong Kong’s most powerful drug lords.

Dir Pang Ho-Cheung Miriam Yeung and Shawn Yue are resuming their roles as star-crossed lovers Cherie and Jimmy in Pang HoCheung’s follow-up to romantic comedy hits Love In A Puff and Love In The Buff.

In this third instalment, set in Hong Kong and Taipei, the couple’s relationship is tested when Jimmy’s childhood friend asks him to donate sperm for her artificial insemination. Set to receive its world premiere as the opening film of this year’s Hong Kong International Film Festival (April 11-25), the film will be released in Hong Kong in late April.

Contact Angela Wong, Mega-Vision Project Workshop angelaolwong@mvphk.biz

The Empty Hands Dir Chapman To

Manhunt

Following his directorial debut Let’s Eat, actor Chapman To has directed this drama about the daughter of a karate coach whose only wish is to sell her late father’s dojo. But when the day arrives, she finds that 51% of the business was left to one of her father’s worst pupils. In post-production, the film stars To, Stephy Tang, Yasuaki Kurata and Stephen Au.

Contact Fred Tsui, Media Asia frederick_tsui@mediaasia.com

Manhunt Dir John Woo

Contact Felix Tsang, Golden Scene felix@goldenscene.com

Explosion Dir Chang Zheng Produced by Huayi Brothers, this crime drama stars Duan Yihong (The Dead End) as a technician who is the sole survivor of an explosion in a mine shaft.

When he begins to investigate the incident, some of his fellow miners are murdered and he is framed as the prime suspect. Wang Jingchun (Time Raiders) and Yu Nan (The Expendables 2) also star in Explosion, which is in post-production for release in the summer.

Contact Leslie Chen, IM Global leslie_chen@imglobalfilm.com

Extraordinary Mission Dirs Alan Mak, Anthony Pun Huang Xuan (Blind Massage), Duan Yihong and Lang Yueting (Mountain Cry) star in this crime action title from the team behind the Infernal Affairs and Overheard series. Scripted by Felix Chong, Extraordinary Mission follows a police officer who goes undercover in a drugs cartel and discovers his boss’s colleague has been held captive by the gang for 10 years. In post-production, the film is co-directed by Alan Mak and acclaimed DoP Anthony Pun. Contact Virginia Leung, Distribution Workshop virginia@distributionworkshop.com

The Golden Monk Dirs Wong Jing, Billy Chung Starring Zheng Kai and Zhang Yuqi, Wong Jing’s action adventure tells the story of a monk who realises he is the

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The Liquidator

reincarnation of a fairy spirit that was cast down from heaven and seeks out his true fairy love. Now in post-production, the film is produced by Beijing Hairun Pictures and Mega-Vision Project Workshop. Zheng’s credits include Personal Tailor, Running Man and Zhang Yimou’s The Great Wall.

Contact Angela Wong, Mega-Vision Project Workshop angelaolwong@mvphk.biz

Have A Nice Day Dir Liu Jian Fresh from its world premiere at Berlin, where it received rave reviews and strong buyer interest, Liu Jian’s animated feature is a black comedy about a chauffeur who steals $1m from his boss to fix his girlfriend’s failed plastic surgery, setting off a farcical chain of events. Produced by Yang Cheng’s NeZha Bros Pictures and Le-joy Animation Studio, the film is Liu’s second feature following Piercing I (2010), which screened at Annecy and won the best animated feature prize at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.

International contact Memento Films sales@memento-films.com Asia contact Julian Chiu, Edko Films chiujulian@edkofilm.com.hk

Invincible Dragon Dir Fruit Chan Zhang Jin (Ip Man 3), JuJu Chan and mixed martial-arts star Anderson Silva

star in this $20m action film, which Fruit Chan recently finished shooting in Hong Kong and Macau. Produced by Pegasus Motion Pictures, the film follows a detective on the trail of a serial killer who may have abducted his fiancé.

Key crew also includes DoP Cheng Siu Keung (Election) and action director Stephen Tung Wei (Operation Mekong).

Contact Alvina Wong, Pegasus Motion Pictures alvina.wong@pegasusmovie.com

The Liquidator Dir Xu Jizhou Bill Kong produces this action title about a criminal psychologist tracking down a serial killer who targets people who have been acquitted of notable crimes and uses their guilt as his modus operandi.

The cast is headed by Deng Chao (The Mermaid), Taiwanese actor Ethan Ruan (The Assassin) and Hong Kong actress Karena Lam (Zinnia Flower).

In post-production for release in the second half of 2017, the film marks the feature debut of Xu Jizhou, who has directed several hit Chinese TV series.

Contact Julian Chiu, Edko Films chiujulian@edkofilms. com.hk

Chinese actor Zhang Hanyu and Japan’s Masaharu Fukuyama star in John Woo’s $50m action thriller Manhunt, which is in post-production after shooting in Japan. Produced by Chan Hing Kai and Gordon Chan, the film is based on a novel by Juko Nishimura about a lawyer who is framed for murder and sets out on a mission to clear his name. The book was first adapted into a popular 1976 Japanese film starring Ken Takakura.

Contact Fred Tsui, Media Asia frederick_tsui@mediaasia.com

Meow Dir Benny Chan Benny Chan’s fantasy drama imagines a world where cats are an alien intelligence that secretly rule the world, as both free-spirited mafia dons or seemingly harmless household pets. Louis Koo and Ma Li head the human cast of the film, which is being lined up for a tentative summer release. Chan Hing Kai, who recently produced Weeds On Fire, is on board as a script consultant.

Contact May Yip, Emperor Motion Pictures mayyip@emperorgroup.com

A Nail Clipper Romance Dir Jason Kwan

The directing debut of acclaimed DoP Jason Kwan, this surreal romantic comedy tells the story of a Chinese-American surfer in Hawaii who meets a woman claiming to be a ‘nail clipper monster’ — a special subtype of human that eats only nail clippers. Produced by Pang Ho-Cheung and starA Nail Clipper Romance ring Chang Hsiao-Chuan »

March 13, 2017 Screen International at Filmart 21

HOT PROJECTS HONG KONG & CHINA

and Zhou Dongyu, the film is scheduled for Hong Kong release on April 14.

Contact Ricky Tse, Bravos Pictures ricky.tse@bravospictures.com

Napping Kid Dir Amos Why Currently in post-production, Amos Why’s second feature is an adaptation of Mann Shin’s award-winning novel about an IT engineer investigating the ‘kidnapping’ of a confidential computer file that is being held for an abnormally low ransom. Produced by Teresa Kwong, the film stars Cecilia So and Ng Siu Hin, who both appeared in Adam Wong’s She Remembers, He Forgets, and Candy Cheung, who starred in Why’s debut feature Dot 2 Dot.

Shock Wave

Vampire Clean-Up Department

Vampire Clean-Up Department

Contact Felix Tsang, Golden Scene felix@goldenscene.com

Dir Pak Wing Yan Writer Pak Wing Yan (Full Strike) is making his directing debut with this reboot of Hong Kong’s comedy-horror vampire genre. Babyjohn Choi (The Way We Dance), Siu Ho Chin (Rigor Mortis) and Min Chen Lin head the cast of the film about a vampire hunter who infuriates his boss by falling for a female vampire.

Scheduled for Hong Kong release on March 16, the film has been selected for Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival in April and Montreal’s Fantasia International Film Festival in July.

Our Time Will Come Dir Ann Hui Following her critically acclaimed biopic The Golden Era, Ann Hui is tackling another historical drama, this time following a group of plucky youths fighting for freedom during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. Eddie Peng and Zhou Xun head the cast of the film, which Bona Film Group is lining up for tentative release in July.

Contact Virginia Leung, Distribution Workshop virginia@ distributionworkshop.com

Reset Dir Chang Produced by Jackie Chan and directed

by Korean filmmaker Chang, this sci-fi adventure follows a female scientist who travels back in time to rescue her kidnapped son. Yang Mi (You Are My Sunshine) heads a cast that includes Wallace Huo (The Honey Enemy), Taiwanese veteran King Shih-chieh (Brotherhood Of Blades) and newcomer Liu Chang. The film is in the final stages of post-production for tentative release in July.

Contact Clarence Tang, Golden Network Asia clarence@goldnetasia.com

With Prisoners

Shock Wave Dir Herman Yau Andy Lau is producing and stars in this $22m crime thriller about a cop up against a mob boss who is planning a bomb attack in the busiest crossharbour tunnel in Hong Kong. The cast also includes Jiang Wu (A Touch Of Sin) and Philip Keung (Firestorm). Herman Yau (Ip Man: The Final Fight) is directing, while Dion Lam (Kung Fu Jungle) is on board as action choreographer. Universe Entertainment and Bona Film Group are co-financing the film, which is in post-production for tentative release in April.

Contact Mia Sin, Universe Films Distribution, mia_sin@uih.com.hk

This Is Not What I Expected Dir Derek Hui Take-

shi Kaneshiro and Zhou Dongyu head the cast of this $18m romantic drama about a talented chef at a Shanghai (Left) Zombiology: Enjoy Yourself Tonight

hotel who becomes involved with a guest, unaware that he is a ruthless acquisitions executive whose actions will end her employment. In post-production, the film is produced by Peter Hosun Chan, who most recently directed Dearest and produced Derek Tsang’s sleeper hit Soul Mate. Derek Hui, an acclaimed editor with credits including Skiptrace and Soul Mate, makes his directorial debut with the film.

Contact Alice Lin, We Distribution alice@wedistribution.com

Triple Threat Dir Chad Stahelski Scheduled to start shooting at the end of March, this action thriller unites three of Asia’s hottest action stars: Thailand’s Tony Jaa (xXx: Return Of Xander Cage), China’s Tiger Chen (Man Of Taichi) and Iko Uwais (The Raid) from Indonesia. Chad Stahelski, whose credits include John Wick and its sequel, is directing from a script by Dwayne Smith about a Chinese martial artist who goes to Mexico to rescue his exwife. The film is produced by Beijingbased Kungfuman Culture Media and Hamilton Entertainment.

Contact Elliot Tong, Arclight Films elliot@arclightfilms.com

Contact Grace Chan, Young Live Entertainment gcxfilm@gmail.com

With Prisoners Dir Andrew Wong Kwok Kuen Andrew Wong Kwok Kuen makes his directing debut with this true story of a gang leader trying to survive in a detention centre for juvenile offenders. Starring actor-singer Kelvin Kwan (Lan Kwai Fong 2) and Neo Yau Hawk-Sau (She Remembers, He Forgets), the film is scheduled for release on April 20.

Contact Ricky Tse, Bravos Pictures ricky.tse@bravospictures.com

Zombiology: Enjoy Yourself Tonight Dir Wai Lun Lo Clement Cheng, co-director of 2010 hit Gallants, is producing this adaptation of a popular novel about a zombie outbreak during a water shortage in Hong Kong.

Wai Lun Lo is making his feature debut on the action thriller, while rising stars Michael Ning (Port Of Call), Louis Cheung (Keeper Of Darkness) and Cherry Ngan (The Way We Dance) head the cast.

Contact Grace Chan, Young Live Entertainment s gcxfilm@gmail.com ■

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All The Beauty MARKET-SCREENING: Tuesday March 14, 10:00 - CEC Meeting Rooms N104-N105

Four decades, one love. An intriguing story about passion and respect.

The Hannas MARKET-SCREENING: Tuesday March 14, 14:30 - CEC Meeting Rooms N101B

A humorous story about couples, bodies, food and love in your thirties.

Disappearance NEW ACQUISITION

Visit us at European Stand # 1C E14, Hall 1, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre - www.plutofilm.de, info@plutofilm.de Pluto_ScreenInternational_245x335.indd 2

02.03.17 15:19

SCREENINGS Edited by Paul Lindsell

» Screening times and venues

are correct at the time of going to press but subject to alteration

paullindsell@gmail.com

10:00

BUS TIMETABLE UA CINE TIMES, CAUSEWAY BAY

THE FOOLISH BIRD

(China) Drama. 118mins.

Coolie Films. Dir: Huang Ji, Ryuji Otsuka. Key cast: Yao Honggui.

A 16-year-old high-school student longing for love is left behind by her parents.

She steals cellphones and sells them to men she doesn’t know. As she takes risks, she has her first sexual experience — and it is a cruel one.

ROUTE A HKCEC to TIMES SQUARE (SHARP STREET EAST, CAUSEWAY BAY) 11:35, 13:50, 15:35, 15:55 ROUTE B TIMES SQUARE (SHARP STREET EAST, CAUSEWAY BAY) to HONG KONG CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE 13:50, 14:10, 15:50, 16:10

Theatre 1, HKCEC

MEMOIRS OF A MURDERER

(Japan) Horror/suspense.

117mins. Warner Bros.

Japan. Dir: Yu Irie.

Key cast: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Hideaki Ito. Five lives were gruesomely taken in a shocking serial murder case in 1995.

The statute of limitations expired without the killer being apprehended.

Twenty-two years later, he sensationally resurfaces at a press conference where he announces the launch of a memoir about the murders he committed.

Cameras flash as the killer holds up his book with a daring, charismatic smile. Soon his words and his image are everywhere in the media.

His confession entrances, provokes and tricks the whole of Japan but no one can imagine his real intention. And no one knows that his confession is just the beginning of his unfathomable masterplan.

Meeting Rooms N102-N103, HKCEC

NEKO NINJA

(Japan) Action/adventure.

95mins. Nikkatsu Corporation. Dir: Takeshi Watanabe. Key cast: Takuro Ono. Young ninja Kagerota has lived without feeling affection. His father was a legendary red-nosed ninja whom Kagerota parted from at the age of 10. One day, when he goes to the city of Edo to steal a special golden fish, Kagerota feels a creature’s presence close by him. It is a red-nosed cat that makes

FILMART 11:30 THE MONSTER (ORIGINAL TITLE: RAAKSHAS)

(India) Drama.

115mins. HKIFF. Dir: Dnyanesh Zoting. Key cast: Saie Tamhankar, Sharad Kelkar, Rujuta Deshpande.

Munni, aged eight, loves fairy tales. Her father, Avinash, is making a documentary on the tribal protests against a township project. One day Munni accompanies him to visit the tribe. Here,

him nostalgic as it looks somewhat like his father.

Meeting Room N201B, HKCEC

SNATCH UP

(South Korea) Action/ adventure, drama.

100mins. Littlebig Pictures. Dir: Her Joonhyung. Key cast: Kim Moo-yul, Park Hee-soon.

A delivery man, gangsters, a killer and a cop all try to get their hands on a gun and a golf bag filled with cash. A furious chase ensues.

Meeting Room N101A, HKCEC

11:15 GHOST IN THE MOUNTAINS

(China) Drama. 136mins.

Go Global. Dir: Yang Heng.

A middle-aged man just out of jail returns to his

24 Screen International at Filmart March 13, 2017

she finds a fairytale book named ‘The Raakshas’ (Monster). On reading the story, she believes the monster really lives in the forest. Munni and Avinash return to Mumbai. Soon Avinash is required to visit the tribe again. Munni, fearing the monster, asks him not to go — and Avinash goes missing the very next day.

An ancient tribal myth unfolds.

Meeting Rooms N109-N110, HKCEC

hometown after years away. He meets up with his childhood friend, former girlfriend and long-estranged brother.

He seems to be looking for something but ends up finding nothing. He is lost between the past and now, and cannot see the future.

All he is able to do is stay on the road.

Meeting Room N101B, HKCEC

11:30 THE MONSTER (ORIGINAL TITLE: RAAKSHAS)

Ishibashi, Sosuke Ikematsu, Paul Magsalin, Ryuhei Matsuda, Tetsushi Tanaka.

Mika is a nurse by day and a ‘girlie bar’ hostess by night. She is subject to feelings of anxiety and isolation, and unable to reach through a hard outer shell that stops her from expressing tenderness to anyone else. Shinji struggles as a day-hire construction worker with a sense of impending doom but who still tries to find the source of an unnamable hope he feels inside. The setting is Tokyo in 2017, where empty words, a sense of doom and feelings of isolation co-exist with hope, trust and love.

Theatre 2, HKCEC

12:00 THE ACCOMPOURNEY

(Hong Kong) Drama. 21mins. The International Federation of Creativity and Technology — HK Heart.

Dir: Chow Po Kit. Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

See box, above

THE TOKYO NIGHT SKY IS ALWAYS THE DENSEST SHADE OF BLUE

ALL’OPERA, THE BEST FROM THE ITALIAN THEATRES — ‘LA TRAVIATA’ BY SOFIA COPPOLA

(Japan) Drama. 108mins.

Film-Makers Inc, Little More Co Ltd. Dir: Yuya Ishii. Key cast: Shizuka

(Italy) Performing arts.

55mins. Rai Com. Dir: Sofia Coppola.

Key cast: Jader Bergamini,

Film, Hong Kong Baptist University.

Dir: Wong Lok Yi, Bow Yin Kwan Jonathan.

When a middle-aged computer technician working in a secondary school visits a prostitute in a hotel for the first time, he discovers the prostitute is his niece. In a city full of moral standards and rules, where can Tak turn?

Francesca Dotto, Antonio Poli, Roberto Frontali, Anna Malavasi.

Sofia Coppola makes her opera directorial debut with Teatro dell’Opera di Roma’s new production of ‘La Traviata’.

Meeting Rooms N209-N210, HKCEC

Meeting Rooms N104-N105, HKCEC

EYE’M FREE

CIAO CIAO

(France) Drama. 83mins.

Wide. Dir: Song Chuan.

Key cast: Liang Xueqin, Zhang Yu, Hong Chang, Zhou Lin, Wang Laowu.

A free and wild young woman has to come back from the big city to her village in the mountains.

Meeting Room N201B, HKCEC

DELETE

(Hong Kong) Drama.

10mins. The International Federation of Creativity and Technology — HK Heart. Dir: Li Chun Sing.

Mrs Au opens the door to a young man she does not know. He is the Devil pretending to be a investigator, who uses money and greed in exchange for people’s lives.

How much money will make her delete the most important people around her?

(Hong Kong) Sci-fi.

9mins. Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University. Dir: Louise Pau Ching-yee.

In the near future, holographic goggles have substituted all electronic devices and those who can afford them are wholly dependent on them. Chuck is one of the devoted users.

When an incident leaves him deprived of privileges, his classmate offers aid but things take a turn for the worse when she cooks up an inventive solution.

Meeting Rooms N209-N210, HKCEC

JUST DANCE

THE EIGHTH

(Hong Kong) Drama, music. 20mins. Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University.

Dir: Leung Lok Ting.

Yan really likes dancing and dances all the time, Her mum thinks she is wasting time. But Yan’s best friend Muk has a different idea. He thinks Yan can follow her dream.

(Hong Kong) Fiction.

30mins. Academy of

Meeting Rooms N209-N210, HKCEC

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

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»

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08/03/2017 10:12

SCREENINGS

12:30 MAD WORLD

(Hong Kong) Action/ adventure. 101mins.

Golden Scene Co Ltd. Dir: Wong Chun.

“To avoid or to confront?

To deny or to embrace?

To give up or to make a change?” The film begins with an old man who has long been absent as a father, picking up his son, who is suffering from bipolar disorder, from a mental hospital. Both men are in deep remorse for the accident that caused the death of the mother. The tension boils as they stay in a tiny flat. But they realise the pain between them is not the only confrontation that awaits.

FILMART 12:00 THE LAST PAINTING

(Taiwan) Drama.

106mins. Swallow Wings Films Co, Ltd Dir: Chen Hung-i.

Key cast: JC Lin, Chang Ning, Kiwebaby, Lin Wei Yi. A student and political activist becomes the

Theatre 1, HKCEC

housemate of a solitary painter. He is brusque and disillusioned, she is filled with hope. Outside, Taiwan is heading towards presidential elections. A visually impressive, layered thriller about politics, art and murder.

Baptist University.

Dir: Zou Qiao.

An innocent juvenile staying with his big brother, who is a pimp, gets his first sentimental education from the adult world when he falls in love with a mysterious hooker.

Meeting Rooms N209-N210, HKCEC

UA Cine Times, house 2

ONE THOUGHT

(Hong Kong) Drama.

17mins. The International Federation of Creativity and Technology — HK Heart. Dir: Lauushing.

Ah Ho rekindles his dream of becoming a singer after meeting terminally ill Ah Shan.

16mins. Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University. Dir: Feng Huiquan.

Thomas and Johnny have been best friends since they were little. One day Thomas decides to join the legendary drama club because of a girl. Johnny gives his full support. What awaits them is a magical adventure.

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

Meeting Rooms N209-N210, HKCEC

LOST STAR

MY BLOSSOMING SUMMER

(Hong Kong) Drama.

15mins. The International Federation of Creativity and Technology — HK Heart. Dir: Poon Tsz Yin. Leo receives a call he thinks is from Anthony, his former classmate. However it is, in fact, from another person, one who is more understanding of Leo than Leo himself and is planning to rewrite his life.

(Hong Kong) Drama, youth. 30mins. Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University.

Dir: Wu Boping.

In the summer, when hormones spread in the air, 15-year-old Lan begins to blossom, carrying her little secrets.

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

ONE OR TWO THINGS HE KNOWS ABOUT THEM

THE MISSING

(Hong Kong) Romance, youth. 30mins. Academy of Film, Hong Kong

THE LAST PAINTING See box, above

LOST AND FOUND

(Hong Kong) Drama.

6mins. The International Federation of Creativity and Technology — HK Heart. Dir: So Wing Yiu. The story of a man engaged in unstable work who buys food every night to distribute to people in need.

He also eats dinner with them, chats with them and lets them feel someone is caring for them

and the misfortune of others.

Meeting Rooms N209-N210, HKCEC

WHEN DREAMS END

(Hong Kong) Youth.

32mins. Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University. Dir: Wang Shaohan.

Two college graduates who have little work to do are transferred to the coal mines.

Meeting Rooms N209-N210, HKCEC

A young couple are on the run. As they wait for a transport to the nearest railway station, an encounter with local gangsters takes place, leaving them at the mercy of adverse circumstances Meeting Rooms N102-N103, HKCEC

13:00 STRANGE TALES OF LOVE AND STRANGERS

(Japan) Drama. 120mins.

SDP. Dir: Raita Kuramoto.

Key cast: Aining Yao, Sohkoh Wada.

A Taiwanese girl, Yuwen, moves to Fukushima in Japan to study abroad.

Meeting Rooms N202-N203, HKCEC

13:20 BEATEN BLACK AND BLUE See box, below

MY EGG BOY

(Taiwan) Romance.

110mins. HKIFF. Dir: Sola, Tien-Yu Fu. Key cast: Ariel Lin. A story about love and the value of life.

Meeting Room N101A, HKCEC

SEXY DURGA

(India) Drama. 85mins.

Reel Suspects. Dir: Sanal Kumar Sasidharan.

Key cast: Rajshree Deshpandey, Kannan Nayar.

13:30 — 15:13 LET YOURSELF GO

(Italy) Drama. 103mins.

Rai Com. Dir: Francesco Amato. Key cast: Toni Servillo, Veronica Echegui, Carla Signoris, Luca Marinelli.

Elia is a Jewish psychoanalyst from a purely Freudian school.

After a minor illness, his doctor prescribes physical activity. That is how he chances upon Claudia, a

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

PREJUDICE

(Hong Kong) Drama.

Meeting Rooms N209-N210, HKCEC

26 Screen International at Filmart March 13, 2017

(Hong Kong) Drama.

9mins. The International Federation of Creativity and Technology — HK Heart. Dir: Agnes Hou, Leo Chow.

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

SUBSCRIBE

(Hong Kong) Comedy.

22mins. Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University. Dir: Shum Ka Pik. An aspiring YouTuber discovers what the people of Hong Kong are interested in — comedy

FILMART 13:20 BEATEN BLACK AND BLUE

(South Korea) Comedy. 130mins.

Jeonju International Film Festival.

Dir: Kim Soo-hyun. Key cast: Koo Kyo-hwan, Dong Bang-woo, Kim Sang-hyon.

Kyohwan is a young keyboard warrior who spends most of his time in an online

community for right-wingers mocking the leftists. Jeongsu, whose only dream is to be buried in the national cemetery, claims he has dedicated his life to the country fighting against the leftists. When their paths cross, they become close, like a grandfather and son. The two conspire something “big” for their own causes.

Hong Kong Arts Centre cinema

»

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SUMMERSIDE INTERNATIONAL at Filmart 2017 | Hall 1, Stand # 1C E14

LINEUP 2017

ADVENTURE, CHILDREN, FAMILY FILM

RICKY RAPPER, Finland’s most popular contemporary children’s character, from Finnish writers Sinikka Nopola and Tiina Nopola.

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SCREENINGS

personal trainer with the cult of physique but not of mind.

MANGA-JIMA: THE ISLAND OF CARTOON

(Japan) Action/ adventure. 107mins.

Spirits Project Inc. Dir: Fumio Moriya. Key cast: Shingo Mizusawa, Fumio Moriya, Yuya Matsuura, Shohei Uno, Taishi Masaoka, Yota Kawase, Kurumi Morishita, Tatsuaki Hojo Five unpopular cartoonists live on an isolated island.

All they have is the passion and craziness for cartoons.

They finish their new cartoon at last, call a ship from a nearby island and depart for Tokyo. Is there a bright future waiting for the five middle-aged cartoonists?

Meeting Rooms N104-N105, HKCEC

THE 22ND IFVA AWARDS — OPEN CATEGORY FINALIST SHOWCASE 1 » A LONG RIDE

(Hong Kong) Drama.

26mins. Hong Kong Arts Centre. Dir: Ng Chun.

Summer 2015. A laundry shop in To Kwa Wan is closing down due to urban redevelopment. Kau, the shop’s worker, wishes to return a suit jacket owned by a loyal costumer in person. Holding an old and stopped pocket watch, he strolls along buildings and railways under construction and searches through every part of the district.

14:00 BRAVE STORM

» AND AFTERWARDS

(Hong Kong) Drama.

28mins. Hong Kong Arts Centre. Dir: Law Sin-yan.

Still a student, Man-heng had a chance to help a schoolmate who was bullied but he decided to turn his head away and simply watch the suffering of the disadvantaged. A decade has passed since then and the very same episode reappears in his life. » N310 TUNG CHAU STREET

(Hong Kong) Drama.

29mins. Hong Kong Arts Centre. Dir: Cheng Oi-yue, Lee Wai-shing.

310 Tung Chau Street — a tiny room located in the poorest area of Hong Kong.

Numerous conflicts arise among the three refugees residing in the narrow and difficult space. » PALACE

(Hong Kong) Drama.

25mins. Hong Kong Arts Centre. Dir: Chan Cheong-wai Marcus.

William Stack’s leap to stardom at the age of eight was followed by a string of commercials, films and television shows. But soon it all caught up with him.

Parties, drugs, arrests. It did not take long before he was in and out of rehab.

Tonight we will talk to him about his meteoric rise to fame, his shocking fall from grace and what the future may hold.

Meeting Room N201B, HKCEC

FILMART

(Japan) Sci-fi. 83mins.

Blast. Dir: Junya Okabe.

In the year 2050, mankind is almost extinct on Earth. The last survivors, five Kasuga brothers, plan to use a time machine and exterminate Kyrgyz before he invades Earth.

» YAU KING

(Hong Kong) Drama.

30mins. Hong Kong Arts Centre. Dir: Wong Siupong.

Is it a blessing to live for over a hundred years?

Yauking came to Hong Kong alone and worked as a housemaid. She lost the ability to take care of herself and needed intensive care in a nursing home as she grew old. Despite wanting to die, her Christian belief saved her from committing suicide. Are we or Jesus the one to define the value of life when one no longer has the ability to do so?

Meeting Rooms N206-N207, HKCEC

14:00 THE 16TH TRAVELLER

(Hong Kong) Drama.

9mins. Hong Kong Association of Interactive Marketing — Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music). Dir: Kevin, Philbert Tse. Sally, a Guangzhou native, revisits Hong Kong with

28 Screen International at Filmart March 13, 2017

They travel back in time to 2015 with the design data of Kyrgyz’s giant robot, Black Baron.

When the brothers arrive in the past, they contact roboticist Kenichiro Kurenai and start to build their own robot, Red Baron.

Meeting Rooms N109-N110, HKCEC

her mind full of suicidal thoughts and memories.

During her stay at Alan’s hostel home, he takes good care of her, hoping to help open her heart to the beauty of the present and let go of the past.

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

BRAVE STORM See box, above

EMOJI

(Hong Kong) Drama.

12mins. Hong Kong Association of Interactive Marketing — Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music).

Dir: Cheung Chun Kiu, Matthew Manson.

Lily neglects her mother.

Paying her a visit has become just another mundane errand. Then an accident takes Lily’s life.

Waking up in a pitch-black room, all Lily can see is an old computer. Following the instructions on it, she looks back on all the unfulfilled plans, the unread messages, and the unexpressed

affection she has for her mother. Can Lily seize the last chance to bid her mother a proper farewell before the phone battery runs out?

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

THE FAMILIES’ STORIES OF RANDEN NEIGHBORHOOD

(Japan) Drama. 116mins.

Ritsumeikan University College Of Image Arts And Sciences. Dir: Nobuhisa Takasaki, Jyun Nonaka, Yuusaku Nakajima.

About families living in the Randen neighborhood.

Meeting Room N101B, HKCEC

I AM TERRY ZOU

(Hong Kong) Drama.

14mins. Hong Kong Association of Interactive Marketing — Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music). Dir: Den Lam. Terry Zou is an insignificant singer.

Gangster Fat John mistakes Terry for a cop, and puts him in fatal danger. With little profile, Terry cannot prove his innocence. But he has one chance: Mistress Hung.

To prove his true identity, Terry showcases his talent on the stage.

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

INCARNATION

(Serbia) Action/thriller.

83mins. Jinga Films.

Dir: Filip Kovacevic.

Key cast: Arsenije Arsic, Dejan Cicmilovic, Stojan

Djordevic, Lazar Djukic.

A man wakes on a bench without any idea who or where he is until he is shot dead by four masked assassins. The man wakes on the same bench thinking his death was a dream, until the assassins reappear and kill him again. Stuck in a hellish loop, he tries to unravel the mystery and with each death he gets closer to the truth.

Meeting Rooms N111-N112, HKCEC

THE MAN AND THE MANAGER

(Hong Kong) Drama.

10mins. Hong Kong Association of Interactive Marketing — Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music). Dir: Tak Yuen.

Ang Lee once said: “Everyone has a broken ridge in their mind, it’s just that you had never been there yet.” You hide your secrets behind this ridge: it could be your homosexual relationship, your ambiguous interactions with your crush or the knot in your heart that you could hardly get over.

Fred’s singing career is in the doldrums. Kim, Fred’s manager, wants Fred to pretend to be gay, so that they can achieve publicity by making the singer “come out”. Unwilling to be manipulated, Fred is in dispute with his manager.

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

MERRY GO ROUND

(Hong Kong) Drama.

14mins. Hong Kong Association of Interactive Marketing — Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music). Dir: Harris Kristanto.

Office boy Kaka spends his off-work hours busking around the city to fulfil his only interest — singing.

His girlfriend, Ching, isn’t happy with this. She thinks Kaka is wasting too much time busking on the street. One day, while Kaka is performing with his guitar after work, his memories come back in flashes.

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

REMEMBER MERCURY

(Hong Kong) Drama.

13mins. Hong Kong Association of Interactive Marketing — Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music).

Dir: Timothy Wong, Ivan Law. Even the best memories can become indistinct, like a droplet falling into the sea. After a drowning accident, Mercury awakes from her coma only to find her boyfriend, Mark, leaving for Japan. She can’t remember anything, let alone a reason why he would leave her. As she slips back into a comatose state, pieces of the day when she had the accident return. Her desperate search for lost her memories brings her to »

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LAPUTA

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LINE-UP 2017

Starring the acclaimed Hong Kong leading actress of Wu Jing’s Wolf Warriors 2 (a sequel to last year Chinese action hit), Celina Jade (“The Man With The Iron Fists,” TV’s “Arrow”), Keir Dullea (“2001 Space Odissey”).

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FILMART 2017 |Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre | Hall 1, Stand #1C E14

SCREENINGS

a surreal journey to find the truth.

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

SAVING BANKSY

(US) Documentary.

70mins. BidSlate. Dir: Colin M Day. Key cast: Ben Eine, Risk, Revok, Shoe, Hera, Lister, Doze Green, Blek Le Rat. The true story of one misguided art collector’s attempts to save a painting by the world’s most infamous street artist from destruction and the auction block. A rare look inside the secretive world of graffiti and street art, ‘Saving Banksy’ asks the question, “What would you do if you were offered a small fortune for a painting the artist didn’t want sold?”

Meeting Rooms N204-N205, HKCEC

THE XX SUITMAN

(Hong Kong) Drama.

12mins. Hong Kong Association of Interactive Marketing — Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music). Dir: Leung Wing Chung.

What will you do when shit happens? Will you let it define you or defeat you?

Will you hold on or let go?

Life is a journey of making choices, what you choose determines how you live.

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

14:15 THE POSTERIST

(Hong Kong) Documentary. 71mins.

HKIFF. Dir: Hui See-Wai. Key cast: Yuen Tai-Yung.

Mr Yuen Tai-Yung is a Chinese artist known for his creation of more than 200 iconic Hong Kong movie posters — which include many films from Bruce Lee, the Hui Brothers, Karl Maka, Stephen Chow, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung’s kung fu and comedy series.

UA Cine Times, house 2

WHITE ANT

(Taiwan) Drama. 95mins.

Ablaze Image Ltd. Dir: Chu Hsien-Che. Key cast: Wu Kang-Jen, Aviis Zhong, Yu Tai-Yan. Seemingly an ordinary youth from the outside, White Ant is in fact an underwear fetishist who cannot hold back from sneaking out and stealing lingerie. One day, he receives a DVD containing footage of him taking female underwear.

While his fear of exposure eventually leads him to inevitable doom, it turns out that people around him also suffer from their dark side, which is like a gnawing “White Ant” within, and the turning point of their intertwined fate has secretly approached.

UA Cine Times, house 1

14:20 DAWN

(Latvia ) Drama. 92mins.

Dragon Horse Films Limited. Dir: Laila Pakalnina.

Outrageous satire of Soviet-era propaganda films. An idealistic boy living on a collective farm betrays his drunken, anticommunist father and adopts the farm’s political boss as his new uncle.

Meeting Rooms N102-N103, HKCEC

15:00 GOD OF WAR See box, below

ON BODY AND SOUL

(Hungary) Drama.

116mins. Films Boutique SAS. Dir: Ildiko Enyedi.

Two introverted people find out by pure chance that they share the same

FILMART 15:00 GOD OF WAR

(Hong Kong, China) Action/adventure.

130mins. Media Asia Distribution.

Dir: Gordon Chan.

During the 16th century, Japanese pirates proliferate along the Chinese coastline.

In 1557, the pirates take over Cengang in Zhejiang. After months of futile advances, Commander Yu finally defeats them under the leadership of newly promoted

General Qi but the pirates escape. In 1561, they regroup and again attack the coastal cities of Xinhe and Taizhou. Even though most of his soldiers’ families are located in Xinhe, Qi makes the tough decision to go to Taizhou and leaves his wife in charge of the fight against the pirates in Xinhe, knowing that defeat of the pirates’ elite team in Taizhou will bring long-lasting peace to the coastal cities.

Theatre 1, HKCEC

»

30 Screen International at Filmart March 13, 2017

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SCREENINGS

dream every night. They are puzzled, incredulous, a bit frightened. As they hesitantly accept this strange coincidence, they try to recreate in broad daylight what happens in their dream.

and corruption of those in power are deadlier than the sword of an executioner.

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

LUCHA

(Hong Kong) Sport.

9mins. Fresh Wave Film Festival. Dir: Chow Chunming.

After more than 10 years on the wrestling circuit, Jason will play the match of his life — a worldwide audition to fight in the prestigious WWE. Always ready to do his absolute best, Jason is outraged when his manager asks him to take the easy way out in an arranged match.

Meeting Room N101A, HKCEC

15:30 THE ICE RUTS

(Japan) Drama. 109mins.

ABC International Inc. Dir: Tomoyuki Takimoto.

Key cast: Ko Shibasaki, Ikki Sawamura, Kimiko Yo. Mayu Daimon is a novice detective at the Criminal Investigation Division.

When the bodies of two old men are found, their deaths seem unrelated but Mayu discovers a connection.

Meeting Rooms N202-N203, HKCEC

15:45 FIORE

(Italy) Drama. 111mins.

Rai Com. Dir: Claudio Giovannesi. Key cast: Daphne Scoccia, Josciua Algeri, Laura Vasiliu, Valerio Mastandrea.

Daphne is a young girl in prison for theft. Within the walls of her confinement she falls in love with Josh, another inmate. A story about the strong desire of teenage love and its power to break any law.

Meeting Rooms N104-N105, HKCEC

16:00 NEW ACTION EXPRESS SHORT FILM HIGHLIGHTS » AU REVOIR

(Hong Kong) Drama.

21mins. Hong Kong Arts Centre. Dir: Siu Man-hok. » I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT A DREAM

(Hong Kong) Drama.

30mins. Hong Kong Arts Centre. Dir: Chan Kinlong.

Pak-kiu works as a gaffer while waiting for his first break in front of the camera. One day he is offered a role as a cancer patient. Desperate to practise method acting, he joins a patient support group, which reunites him with an old classmate. » MALINOIS GAZE

(Hong Kong) Drama.

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

FILMART 16:00 THE ARTIST: REBORN

(South Korea) Drama. 95mins.

Contents Panda (Next Entertainment World).

Dir: Kim Kyoung-won.

Key cast: Ryu Hyunkyung, Park Jung-min, Moon Jong-won, Lee Soon-jae.

Giselle is a struggling artist. During her shift at her part-time job, she meets cunning art sales representative Jae-beom.

He and his colleague begin to raise the value of Giselle’s paintings with their ingenious sales efforts. As Giselle is ready to bathe in her success, she dies unexpectedly.

Jae-beom sees this as an opportunity. However, Giselle miraculously gains consciousness. Jaebeom suggests Giselle stay ‘dead’ and aims to strike a deal with her.

Meeting Rooms N204-N205, HKCEC

cast: Wesley Snipes, Anne Heche, Seth Rollins, Kyle Clements, Dave Annable.

A team of highly trained operatives find themselves trapped inside an isolated military compound after its artificial intelligence is suddenly shut down. The crew begin to experience strange and horrific phenomena as they attempt to uncover what killed the previous team.

Hong Kong Arts Centre cinema

THE ARTIST: REBORN See box, above left

25mins. Hong Kong Arts Centre. Dir: Ma Chi Hang.

A security guard is standing in a white cube and starring at the absurd artwork.

to close. Ordered to return a washed suit and pocket watch to an old customer, Nine starts a journey.

FENCING

Meeting Rooms N206-N207, HKCEC

(Hong Kong) Drama.

20mins. Fresh Wave Film Festival. Dir: Poon Kin-ho.

Angela has no doubt that “one of these days, father will come back from outer space to take her away because he is an alien”.

This thought was instilled

by Angela’s mother, who committed suicide due to severe mental illness. Under the ever-watchful eyes of her grandmother and psychiatrist, Angela starts to hear voices from the sky.

A LONG RIDE

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

(Hong Kong) Sport.

20mins. Fresh Wave Film Festival. Dir: Tse Hei-long.

Two players in the university fencing team are meant to be each other’s arch enemy. Fung, who is talented but badtempered, lost his place to Pun in representing the university in the upcoming inter-school competition.

He puts the blame on the fact Pun is the son of a past representative of the Hong Kong fencing team, an advantage that he could never beat. While the other side of the story is, Pun is being pushed to the edge of nervous breakdown by his over-aggressive father, who wants his son to complete his unfulfilled dream.

ARMED RESPONSE

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

» YOUR RING NO LONGER FITS MY HAND

(Hong Kong) Drama.

8mins. Hong Kong Arts Centre. Dir: Tong Kwok Ching.

A girl finds the handmade ring from her boyfriend no longer fits her. She believes it is because she has put on some weight, so is determined to go on a diet. and insists her boyfriend joins her.

(Hong Kong) Drama.

25mins. Fresh Wave Film Festival. Dir: Ng Chun.

Nine works for an old laundry shop that is due

32 Screen International at Filmart March 13, 2017

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

AN INDIGO

(US) Action/adventure.

100mins. Voltage Pictures.

Dir: John Stockwell. Key

THE FURLOUGH

(Italy) Drama. 104mins.

Intramovies. Dir: Claudio Amendola. Key cast: Luca Argentero, Claudio Amendola, Giacomo Ferrara, Valentina Belle.

Luigi, 50, convicted for double murder. Donato, a 30-something, innocent, convicted to cover for the crimes of his boss. Rossana, 25, a diplomat daughter, arrested for international drug trafficking. Angelo, 20, a suburban boy convicted of robbery. All of them finally benefit from a 48-hour furlough. An occasion for redemption for some… a search for vengeance for others.

Meeting Rooms N109-N110, HKCEC

GUI ZI SHOU

(Hong Kong) Wu Xia. 23mins. Fresh Wave Film Festival. Dir: Leung Tinchun Jimmy.

Justice applies to all equally — but some are more equal than others.

Hai was adopted by executioner Keung after his parents were murdered.

Hai had instilled in him the belief that justice is always upheld by the ruling class. Hai may be shunned by others for being an executioner but he never wavers in his belief of the system — until he witnesses a girl being harassed by the rich. When the girl is executed without a fair and open trial, Hai realises the banner of moral righteousness he upheld over the years is worthless. The brutality

NEWTON

(India) Drama. 105mins.

HKIFF. Dir: Amit V Masurkar.

A government clerk on election duty in the conflict-ridden jungle of Central India tries his best to conduct free and fair voting despite the apathy of security forces and the looming fear of guerrilla attacks by communist rebels.

UA Cine Times, house 2

ORDINARY PERSON

(South Korea) Drama.

118mins. United Pictures.

Dir: Kim Bong-han.

Key cast: Son Hyun-joo, Jang Hyeok.

Major crimes unit detective Seong-jin arrests Taesung for petty crimes but is shocked to find he is a notorious serial killer. However, Seongjin becomes doubtful of his identity as the serial murder case is investigated.

Nevertheless, when Gyunam offers help to treat Seong-jin’s sick son, Seongjin has to assist him in fabricating the evidence.

Meanwhile, journalist Chu dies under suspicious circumstances, and Seongjin realises Gyu-nam is behind Chu’s death. As Seong-jin gets closer to the truth, Gyu-nam’s threats intensify.

Meeting Rooms N111-N112, HKCEC

TWO OF US

(Hong Kong) Drama.

25mins. Fresh Wave Film »

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SCREENINGS

Festival. Dir: Lee Ka-yan.

Japanese band Aomori Hensou is the only thing that makes Mei Bo feel alive in this mundane city until she meets Lily, her new neighbour. It happens that Lily is also a huge fan of the band. Lily eventually gets tired of the excitement from Mei Bo and starts exploring the city on her own. One day Lily visits Mei Bo’s home with the news of the break up of their favourite band, but Mei Bo is nowhere to be seen.

18:00 EYES ON ME See box, left

18:30 THE FROG

(Switzerland) Drama.

82mins. KSM International. Dir: Jan Preuss. Key cast: Urs Jucker, Liliane Amuat, Mila Nuzzo.

Once-successful writer Jonas is stuck. A separation involving a child has left him depressed. To survive, he has to give writing courses for beginners. But his mood turns when the charming Gina shows up.

Meeting Rooms N211-N212, HKCEC

16:20

Meeting Room N101B, HKCEC

CEASEFIRE

(France) Drama.

103mins. Indie Sales.

Dir: Emmanuel Courcol.

Key cast: Romain Duris, Celine Sallette, Gregory Gadebois.

Traumatised by trench warfare, Georges Laffont travels to west Africa to rebuild his life. But his adventure leads him to a dead-end and he comes back to Paris, where he will try to find his place.

Meeting Rooms N102-N103, HKCEC

IMMIGRATION GAME

FILMART 18:00 EYES ON ME

(Japan) Drama. 98mins.

SDP. Dir: Junichi Kanai.

Key cast: Riko Masuda, Hisashi Yoshizawa.

Living in a small town, Naoto lost his beloved wife and now runs a barbershop. One day blind girl Saki, who learned calligraphy with Naoto’s wife while she

was a child, comes to visit. Naoto feels that spending time with Saki heals his emotional wounds. Giving her heart to Naoto, Saki also feels positive about the future instead of grieving about her blindness. However, Saki’s mother in prison suddenly contacts her.

Meeting Rooms N202-N203, HKCEC

PEACH GIRL

(Japan) Romance.

116mins. Shochiku Co Ltd. Dir: Koji Shintoku. Key cast: Mizuki Yamamoto, Kei Ino. A live-action adaptation of the popular ‘shojo’ comic ‘Peach Girl’. The heroine suffers the many usual anxieties of adolescence.

A high school romantic comedy tale filled with laughter, pain and heartpounding emotion.

Meeting Room N201B, HKCEC

VAMPIRE CLEANUP DEPARTMENT

(Hong Kong) Action/ adventure. 93mins.

Entertaining Power Company Limited. Dir: Pak Wing Yan, Sin Hang Chiu. Key cast: Babyjohn Choi, Lin Min Chen, Chin Siu Ho, Ng Yiu Hon, Yuen Cheung Yan, Bondy Chiu, Law Mon. One night, nerdy geek Tim Cheung sees a vampire in a dark alley and is saved by Uncle Chau, who asks Tim to join secret government organisation

VCD: Vampire Cleanup Department. In his first mission hunting vampires, Tim gets lost and meets lady vampire Summer. He thinks she is harmless to humans, and so he hides her in his home, away from VCD. Meanwhile, the Red Moon phenomenon draws the most powerful vampire king to rise from his grave.

Tim plans to find Uncle Chau to reunite VCD, save Summer and fight the vampire king.

UA Cine Times, house 1

16:30 NEKO ATSUME HOUSE

(Japan) Drama. 92mins.

CREi. Dir: Masatoshi Kurakata. Key cast: Atsushi Ito, Shioli Kutsuna.

Meeting Room N101B, HKCEC

HOME

(Belgium) Drama.

103mins. Doc & Film International. Dir: Fien Troch.

Seventeen-year-old Kevin, sentenced for violent

34 Screen International at Filmart March 13, 2017

behaviour, is let out of prison. He moves in with his aunt and her family and begins an apprenticeship at her store.

He adapts to his new home and gets along well with his cousin Sammy, in his last year of high school.

Through Sammy and his friends, Kevin meets John.

On discovering John’s unbearable situation with his mother, Kevin feels the urge to help his new friend.

One evening fate intervenes and questions of betrayal, trust and loyalty start to direct their daily lives.

Meeting Rooms N209-N210, HKCEC

SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD

(Australia, US) Horror/ suspense. 88mins.

Versatile. Dir: Chris Peckover. Key cast: Levi Miller, Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Aleks Mikic, Dacre Montgomery.

On a quiet suburban street in a ‘safe neighborhood’, a babysitter must defend a 12-year-old boy from

strangers breaking into the house, only to discover this is far from a normal home invasion.

Theatre 2, HKCEC

17:30 THE PARIS OPERA

(France, Switzerland) Documentary. 110mins.

Les Films du Losange.

Dir: Jean-Stephane Bron.

Life behind the scenes at one of the world’s most prestigious performing arts institutions.

Meeting Room N101A, HKCEC

17:40 KISEKI — SOBITO OF THAT DAY

(Japan) Drama. 111mins.

Toei Company Ltd. Dir: Atsushi Kaneshige. Key cast: Tori Matsuzaka, Masaki Suda, Shioli Kutsuna.

Against the protestation of his strict father, Jin leaves home to pursue his dream of becoming a musician.

Meanwhile, his little brother Hide accepts his father’s wishes and aims to become a dentist. But the attraction of music of strong. When Jin’s music career hits a snag, he discovers Hide and his fellow dental students have a great natural talent for music, and he pins his hopes on them. But Hide wants to become a dentist… and still sing while fear of his draconian father looms large. So they form a bold plan: to make their CD debut without ever showing their faces.

Theatre 1, HKCEC

(Germany) Action/ adventure. 96mins. KSM International. Dir: Krystof Zlatnik. Key cast: Mathis Landwehr, Denise Ankel, Katharina Sporrer, Simson Bubbel.

Set in an alternative 2016: Germany refuses to receive any more refugees.

The only way to obtain a residence permit is to participate in the popular internet and television show ‘Immigration Game’.

Whoever participates as a ‘runner’ in the show will be abandoned on the outskirts of Berlin and must make their way to the television tower at Alexanderplatz.

Every German citizen is free to chase and kill the refugees for prize money.

Theatre 2, HKCEC

STONEHEAD

(China) Drama. 93mins.

HKIFF. Dir: Zhao Xiang.

Ten-year-old Shi Tou, the son of a migrant labourer, grows up alone with his grandmother. Sharing a reward with a classmate or waiting until his father returns; obeying his teacher or protecting his friend — which should he choose?

Hong Kong Arts Centre cinema

18:40 EXPLORER YOUNG . LIFE

(Japan) Documentary.

35mins. Mylamstudio.

Dir: Man Lam. A true story of a road trip in Australia for selfreflection and discovery.

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