Screen Filmart Day 1

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MONDAY, MARCH 24 2014

AT FILMART www.ScreenDaily.com

Editorial +852 2582 8959

Advertising +852 2582 8958

DA Y

1

MONDAY, MARCH 24 2014

AT FILMART www.ScreenDaily.com

Editorial +852 2582 8959

Advertising +852 2582 8958

Desen teams with Weta on 3D epic Zhong Kui Jamie Marks Is Dead

Celluloid Dreams acquires Jamie Marks Is Dead

BY JEAN NOH

France’s Celluloid Dreams has picked up international rights on Sundance competitor Jamie Marks Is Dead and is launching sales at Filmart.

Carter Smith’s follow-up to The Ruins is a supernatural drama adapted from Christopher Barzak’s novel, One For Sorrow. The film centres on Adam and Gracie (Cameron Monaghan and Morgan Saylor) who are haunted by deceased classmate Jamie Marks (Noah Silver).

Judy Greer and Liv Tyler co-star.

Celluloid Dreams president Hengameh Panahi said: “All the elements are miraculously aligned; an amazingly singular talented director to promote worldwide, plus the creative and dedicated producers Alex Orlovsky and Hunter Gray of Verisimilitude.”

Other producers include Jacob Jaffke, Omri Bezalel and Carter Smith at Verisimilitude Productions, which made the feature in association with Mountaintop Productions, Kings County Productions and KGB Media. UTA Independent Film Group negotiated the deal on behalf of the film-makers.

BY LIZ SHACKLETON

China’s Desen International Media has brought on board top VFX houses including Peter Jackson’s Weta Workshop for $27m 3D fantasy adventure Zhong Kui: Snow Girl And The Dark Crystal.

Acclaimed Hong Kong DoP Peter Pau is serving as producer, DoP and VFX director on the film, which is currently shooting in China with Chen Kun, Li Bingbing, Winston Chao, Jike Junyi and Bao Beier heading the cast. Desen’s Ann An is executive producing.

“This will be a unique, orientalstyle visual feast that will raise the bar in terms of storytelling, performances, photography and VFX,” said Pau, who is working with 3D

stereographer Vincent E Toto (Dredd).

Zhao Tianyu (The Law Of Attraction) is directing, while Guo Junli (Gone With The Bullets) headed the screenplay team. The story is based on Tang Dynasty hero Zhong Kui, who struggles between his desire to bring justice to mankind and his love for a seductive demoness.

Pang, Mining to develop Polaroid

BY LIZ SHACKLETON

US-based Story Mining & Supply Co (SMS) is teaming with Pang Ho Cheung and Subi Liang’s Making Film Productions to develop and produce an adaptation of Zhang Youyou’s memoir Polaroid Stories, to be directed by Pang.

Zhang’s forthcoming book follows a young woman who deals with her insecurities surrounding sex and relationships by taking a job assisting a famous photographer, who is capturing intimate pictures of couples on Polaroid film.

Universe unveils Chan duo Universe Films Distribution is unveiling four new projects at Filmart, including a $12m action film from Benny Chan, and Adrian Kwan’s drama Little Big Master, which Chan will produce.

Based on a true story, Little Big Master follows an enthusiastic headmaster who runs a kindergarten regardless of low pay. It is scheduled to start shooting in May. Chan’s new project as director is described as a “Midnight Run-style

Li Bingbing

Weta Workshop is providing character and scenery design for the film, while its sister company Park Road Post works on compositing. The film is one of the first Chinese films to use full performance capture, which will be handled by leading Korean VFX house Macrograph (Journey To The West: Conquering The Demons).

Other behind-the-scenes talent includes action choreographer Jacky Yeung, production designer Kenneth Mak, costume designer Shirley Chan and editor David Wu. The producers are in talks with studios for international distribution of the project, which is scheduled for release on February 19, 2015.

action comedy” set in Hong Kong and mainland China. He expects to start shooting the as-yet-untitled project after production has wrapped on Little Big Master, for delivery in 2015.

Universe is also selling Herman Yau’s $9m action film Time To Explode (working title) and James Yuen’s $5m romantic comedy Paris Holiday, starring Louis Koo and Fiona Sit. Liz Shackleton

Pang Ho Cheung

Pang and Liang brought the project to SMS and will produce with SMS’s Jeffrey Sharp and Evan Hayes. SMS’s director of Asia, Jane Yu, will executive produce. The team

plans to develop the project with a US screenwriter for translation into Chinese. Village Roadshow Pictures Asia is in talks to join the project as co-producer and financier under its strategic alliance with SMS. Making Film Productions also produced Pang’s Aberdeen, one of HKIFF’s two opening films.

SMS was established by producers Sharp (Boys Don’t Cry) and Jim Kohlberg (The Music Never Stopped) last year to produce films and TV based on content sourced from authors and their publishers.

Huayi introduces Women Who Flirt

BY LIZ SHACKLETON

Beijing-based Huayi Brothers is launching sales on Pang Ho Cheung’s Women Who Flirt and Mabel Cheung and Alex Law’s $12m historical drama A Tale Of Three Cities at Filmart.

Starring Huang Xiaoming (American Dreams In China) and Zhou Xun (Cloud Atlas), romantic comedy Women Who Flirt is currently in post-production for a tentative July release.

Pang and Subi Liang produced the $7m film.

Currently in production with Nansun Shi producing, A Tale Of Three Cities stars Tang Wei and Sean Lau Ching-wan in a story that is loosely based on the experiences of Jackie Chan’s parents in China in the turbulent 1930s.

Huayi’s slate also includes Peng Sanyuan’s $10m drama Strays, starring Andy Lau and Jing Boran, and Gu Changwei’s $7m romantic drama Love On The Cloud, starring Angelababy and Chen He, about love in the age of smartphone technology and social apps.

TODAY

Hot titles: Korea, page 16

NEWS Pan-Asia Academy expands Hong Kong, Busan and Toyko outline Academy plans » Page 4

REVIEWS The Midnight After Fruit Chan’s opening night film proves a quirky apocalyptic horror » Page 10

FEATURE Hot titles Screen profiles Korean cinema highlights » Page 16

SCREENINGS

» Page 19

M-line brings Innocent Thing

BY JEAN NOH

Korea’s M-line Distribution is launching sales at Filmart on Kim Tae-kyun’s upcoming suspense melodrama Innocent Thing. Starring Jang Hyuk (The Flu) and Cho Bo-ah in a dangerous teacher-student relationship, the film is set to open in Korea on April 10.

The company is also selling Song For Youth (working title), an omnibus of school drama shorts starring K-pop idols. In post-production, the film features Lee Dong-hae from Super Junior, Nam Ji-hyeon from 4Minute and Song Seung-hyun from FT Island. M-Line is also selling Mostofa S Farooki’s Ant Story.

9ers digs Grave Mourning Korea’s 9ers Entertainment is launching sales on mystery horror film Grave Mourning (working title), produced by JupiterFilm (The Face Reader) and backed by new distribution company Little Big Pictures. Directed by Oh In-chun, Grave Mourning features Kang Ha-neul (TV’s The Heirs), Kim So-eun (TV’s Boys Over Flowers) and Kim Jung-tae (Miracle In Cell No.7).

Currently in production, the film follows a psychic boy as he unravels a gruesome mystery about his classmates’ disappearance.

9ers is also launching sales on the human-rights drama Apostle, directed by Kim Jin-moo.

Jean Noh

NEWS

Emperor gets Two Thumbs Up Hong Kong-based Emperor Motion Pictures (EMP) is launching sales on Soi Cheangproduced comedy drama Two Thumbs Up at Filmart Currently in post-production, the film tells the story of aspiring gangsters who impersonate policemen in order to commit a robbery, but end up working with the police to catch a gang of more dangerous criminals.

The film’s strong ensemble cast includes Francis Ng, Simon Yam, Leo Ku, Patrick Tam, Mark Cheng and Christie Chen.

The film marks the directorial debut of well-known scriptwriter Lau Ho Leung, whose credits include EMP’s The Great Magician and Triple Tap. He was also a co-writer on Painted Skin and EMP’s upcoming Kung-fu Jungle, starring Donnie Yen. Soi Cheang recently directed Chinese New Year smash hit The Monkey King.

EMP has also added two romantic dramas — Chen Sicheng’s Beijing Love Story and Snow Zou’s With Or Without — to its Filmart slate. Starring Nicholas Tse and Gao Yuanyuan, With Or Without was filmed in Beijing and New York. Beijing Love Story, starring Tony Leung Ka-fai and Carina Lau, was recently a big hit on the mainland.

Liz Shackleton

HKIFF, Busan and Tokyo to expand Academy

Finecut takes off with Night Flight sales

By Jean Noh

By Jean Noh

The Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA) celebrated its inauguration last night with Moet-AFA Special Award Rising Star of Asia winners Chiaki Kuriyama and Kim Nam-gil.

AFAA is a joint initiative of the Hong Kong, Busan and Tokyo film festivals.

“This is a unique and historic collaboration between three major film festivals in Asia. AFA is now becoming a truly pan-Asian event, which is the whole point of the exercise,” said Roger Garcia, executive director of Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS).

Garcia added that they were

Roger Garcia

looking into moving the awards ceremony to different cities in coming editions.

“AFAA is also a professional academy drawn from the film industry with a baseline of anyone

who has been nominated to the AFAs being eligible for membership. We’re planning to undertake events such as masterclasses and possible mentorships for young film-makers, and thinking about having a relationship with AMPAS and BAFTA. Different countries in Asia such as Japan or Korea have their own academies, but the strength of the thing comes when it’s a combination,” he said.

AFAA executive committee’s Wilfred Wong Ying-wai, chairman of HKIFFS, director of Busan Film Festival Lee Yong-kwan, and director general of Tokyo International Film Festival and TIFFCOM Yasushi Shiina were on hand to celebrate the collaboration.

HAF film-makers get Greenlight

By Liz Shackleton

The inaugural Operation Greenlight pitching event for young film-makers will be held during this year’s Hong Kong — Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF).

Six film-makers have been invited from the Hong Kong Film Development Council (FDC)’s First Feature Film Initiative to present their projects to sales agents, distributors, producers and investors on March 25 during HAF. Each film-maker will be guided

by a mentor from the local film industry.

FDC’s First Feature Film Initiative funds projects from promising new talents across two groups: students and professionals. The six directors selected for Operation Greenlight are from the professionals group and comprise: Chan Tai-lee with black comedy Blossom Afresh (mentor John Chong); Lee Cheuk-pan’s drama Crabby Kitty’s 3rd World Adventure (Flora Goh); Nicky

Cheuk’s family drama Don’t Look Back In Anger (Derek Tsang); Brian Hung’s drama Mali Mali Hung (Teddy Robin); Vincent Ho and Cotin Law’s romantic comedy Once Upon A Wonderland (Eddie Chan) and Sharon Lam’s horror When I Come To Me (Winnie Tsang).

Operation Greenlight is jointly organised by Create Hong Kong, FDC and Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS).

Korean sales agent Finecut has announced a raft of deals at Filmart, led by Lee Su-jin’s awardwinning Han Gong-ju and Berlinale queer film Night Flight.

Rotterdam Tiger Award winner Han Gong-ju sold to France (Dissidenz), UK and Ireland (Third Window Films) and Spain (Mediatres).

LeeSong Hee-il’s Night Flight sold to Hong Kong and Macau (Sun Entertainment) and Taiwan (Joint Entertainment).

Box-office hit The Attorney sold to Hong Kong and Southeast Asia (Edko Films) and Taiwan (Joint Entertainment), while thriller Hide And Seek sold to Germany and Austria (Edel Germany).

Yeon Sang-ho’s animated feature The Fake, recent winner of the Oporto best screenplay award, sold to Spain (Mediatres).

Upcoming thriller Haemoo (aka Sea Fog), executive produced by Bong Joon-ho, pre-sold to Taiwan (Filmware International).

Lee Ju-hyoung’s Tokyo Audience Award winner Red Family, produced by Kim Ki-duk, sold to Southeast Asia (Astro). Kim’s Moebius also sold to Sweden and Finland (Njutra Films).

Noh Young-seok’s thriller Intruders sold to Malaysia and Brunei (Hwa Yea Multimedia).

Spy film Iris: New Generation sold to Japan (Nettai Museum).

EFP breaks Filmart record

Mei Ah Entertainment unveils Unforgotten, On Fallen Wings

By Jean Noh

By Liz Shackleton

Hong Kong’s Mei Ah Entertainment is producing new projects from Soi Cheang, director of Chinese New Year hit The Monkey King, and veteran film-maker Joe Ma. Soi is directing futuristic thriller Unforgotten (working title) about two police officers working in the Memory Investigation Department (MID) who read victims’ memories to reveal details of the suspects. The $12m film is in preproduction.

Meanwhile, Ma’s On Fallen Wings is a 3D fantasy thriller set on a campus where a student is investigating the disappearance of his girlfriend. The $8m project is also in pre-production.

Mei Ah is also selling Jonathan

Li’s $2m crime drama Black And White (working title), also in preproduction, and Shi Chang’s $2.5m comedy mystery Live@Love (working title), which is currently shooting.

Produced by Yuan Fang Film Production, Live@Love stars Yang Chin-hua and Liu Yi-hao in the story of a female private detective who shocks her partner by using fortune-telling techniques to solve cases.

Black And White, produced by Local Films Production, stars actor-director Juno Mak (who directed last year’s horror hit, Rigor Mortis) and Babyjohn Choi (The Way We Danced) in the story of two undercover cops, one of whom is a turncoat while the other has lost his memory.

n 4 Screen International at Filmart March 24, 2014

The Huntresses packs a punch Showbox’s martial-arts comedy The Huntresses is making its international premiere at Filmart today (see market screenings, page 22). A trio of sexy bounty hunters — Ha Ji-won (Haeundae), Gang Ye-won (Quick), K-pop group Brown Eyed Girls member Ga-In (Closer To Heaven) — run into an old enemy in the action film.

Jean Noh

European Film Promotion (EFP) through Film Sales Support (FSS) is supporting a record-breaking number of 32 sales agents at Filmart, representing 42 European films from 15 different countries. It marks an increase of 11 companies and 12 more films compared to 2013.

“Apart from a steady group of French companies who are regulars to the market and to FSS, newcomers such as Media Move from Poland are alert to recognise the importance of one of Asia’s most important trade events.

“The beauty of the European Pavilion is its one-stop shop opportunity where buyers from Asia can pick up films from across Europe,” said Susanne Davis, FSS project director.

Drama (in post-production)

Louis Koo Gigi Leung Eric Tsang

Miriam Yeung Ng Man-tat Carrie Ng

Directed by Pang Ho-cheung

ZOMBIE FIGHT Thriller C L U B (inZombie post-production) Andy On Jessica C. Philip Ng Directed by Joe Chien

SUN ENTERTAINMENT CULTURE LIMITED

ABERDEEN

Room 404 - 409, Honour Industrial Centre, 6 Sun Yip Street, Chai Wan, Hong Kong T +852 2247 9388

SPL II Tony Jaa Wu Jing

Get Outta Here Action

Vampire Thriller

(in pre-production)

(in post-production)

Simon Yam Max Zhang

Directed by Cheang Pou Soi

F +852 3003 6474 movie@suneg.com www.suneg.com

Alex Lam J.Arie Directed by Nick Leung

Booth 1D-C01

HKTDC RAYMOND YIP

Welcome On behalf of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), welcome to the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART), Asia’s largest entertainment market and one of the world’s most important entertainment industry events. This 18th edition features more than 770 exhibitors from 32 countries and regions. That’s a new FILMART exhibitor record.

More than 6,500 buyers from about 50 countries and regions are expected to take part in the four-day event, 24-27 March.

More than 30 group pavilions are participating, including new pavilions from Russia, as well as the Chinese mainland’s Guangdong, Shandong and Sichuan provinces.

FILMART highlights include TV World. The eighth edition presents more than 360 exhibitors from around the world. The theme of TV World’s International Forum, ‘New Era of Asian Reality Shows’, focuses on the wave of reality TV shows sweeping Asia, with expert speakers from the broadcast industry examining the essential elements for creating successful reality shows. This year’s FILMART conferences range from the power of online media to a spotlight on digital entertainment and a look at the Asian film industry’s next generation.

Other highlights include Locations World, promoting location shooting and related services in a variety of countries, including Cambodia, Korea, Malta and South Africa. The Business of IP Zone is also returning, with lawyers, auditors and other specialists providing intellectual property trading and advice on management services.

More than 70 special events, from film premieres and cocktail receptions to award presentations and other networking events, will take place during FILMART. FILMART is part of Entertainment Expo Hong Kong. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Asia’s leading entertainment industry gathering presents nine multimedia events showcasing film, television, digital entertainment and music.

I wish you all the best of business at FILMART 2014.

Raymond Yip Assistant Executive Director Hong Kong Trade Development Council

■ 6 Screen International at Filmart March 24, 2014

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Louis Koo Gordon Lam Dada Chan Michael Wong

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International Sales: Ms. Alvina Wong: alvina.wong@pegasusmovie.com (+852-9227 9999) Ms. Kat Yeung: kathy.yeung@pegasusmovie.com (+852-9387 9237)

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Booth Location

REVIEWS

HAF profiles, page 14

Reviews edited by Mark Adams mark.adams@screendaily.com

Blind Massage

HKIFF In brief R100

Dir/scr: Hitoshi Matsumoto. Jap. 2013.

100mins. I See It My Way Cult Japanese film-maker Hitoshi Matsumoto delivers another delightfully oddball film with the subtly titled R100, which follows the travails of a genial Japanese family man whose liking for S&M sees him pursued by an increasingly strange band of leather-clad dominatrixes. Matsumoto pushed boundaries with his challenging and impressive earlier films — such as Big Man Japan and Symbol — and here presents his variation on the sex comedy… not that there is any sex on show.

The film is a strange and often very funny offering, never quite as it seems, from a director in control of his subject matter. Matsumoto can always be relied on to deliver something rare, challenging, entertaining and bizarre.

Mark Adams

CONTACT FREE STONE PRODUCTIONS www.stonefreeproductions.com

Journey To The West

Dir: Tsai Ming-liang. Fr-Tai. 2014. 56mins.

Asian Premiere — Master Class The question “How slow can you go?” is answered with sublime poise (quite literally) by actor Lee Kang-sheng in Tsai Mingliang’s extraordinary Journey To The West (Xi You), a film that may well be the last word in ‘Slow Cinema’. A follow-up to the Taiwanese director’s 2012 short Walker — which originally formed part of the portmanteau film Beautiful 2012 — Journey takes the same premise, a Buddhist monk walking at something slower than tortoise pace, relocates it to Marseille and introduces the always fascinating wild card of Denis Lavant. The words ‘hypnotic’ and ‘mesmerising’ are overused with regard to such abstract cinema, but the words genuinely apply in this remarkable venture that is more like a performance or installation art project than an ‘art film’.

Jonathan Romney

CONTACT URBAN DISTRIBUTION www.urbandistribution.com

Tamako In Moritorium

Dir: Nobuhiro Yamashita. Jap. 2013. 78mins.

I See It My Way A gently quirky film that recalls the oddball charm of his 2005 film Linda, Linda, Linda, Nobuhiro Yamashita’s engaging and sweetly beguiling Tamako In Moratorium is a laidback pleasure, revelling in its modest dramatic movements and driven by an almost expressionless — but engaging — lead performance by young Maeda Atsuko as genial slacker Tamako. She is a delight as a 23 year old floundering around, looking for direction but also content with her father’s love and attention. Her subtle eye movements or changes in posture tell as much about her character as lines of script or exaggerated gestures, with the film ultimately an understated gem.

Mark Adams

CONTACT BITTERS END INC info@bitters.co.jp

n 10 Screen International at Filmart March 24, 2014

Reviewed by Fionnuala Halligan Tui Na, the Chinese title of Blind Massage, is a form of therapy often practised in China’s medical massage centres for the blind. There are more than 50,000 licensed blind masseurs in China, and Bi Feiyu’s bestselling novel, which Ma Yingli has adapted for the big screen, focuses on the lives and loves of the practitioners in one such Nanjing centre. It is not difficult to figure out why Lou Ye (Mystery, Suzhou River) was attracted technically to this project, and his rich use of light and darkness helps create a strong visual ebb and flow, from jarring moments of high melodrama to the more gentle, blurred edges of love.

With the book well-known in China, coupled with some bravura performances from his actors, Blind Massage stands to perform well in the local marketplace. International reaction may be more divided, however, with some likely to want a more coherent piece. While on the one hand, Lou abandons restraint to push the envelope visually in an exciting — if occasionally confusing — way, Blind Massage also has a tendency to trip over into high melodrama. With so many of the ensemble cast given a bloody resolution to their stories, Lou’s screenplay can often seem careless, throwing away the credibility he has worked so hard to earn.

Blind Massage fields an ensemble cast including some sighted actors, notably Lou Ye’s regular collaborators Guo Xiaodong and Qin Hao. Spring

The Midnight After Reviewed by Flossie Topping The Midnight After is a quirky apocalyptic horror from Hong Kong indie director Fruit Chan. Adapting the web-series turned bestselling novel Lost On A Red Mini Bus To Tai Po by a writer who goes by the pen name Pizza, the film follows 17 Hong Kongers as they travel by nightbus to Tai Po, a market town on the outskirts of the city.

Things become mysterious when the bus passes through a tunnel, and emerges into a completely deserted street. The group soon starts to question whether they may be the last 17 people alive.

Set against a backdrop of neon lights and whizzing traffic, Chan and cinematographer Lam Wahtsuen capture the bustling city in all its glory.

However, it is the diverse characters that make the film so engaging, with a potbellied gambler (Lam Suet), a cokehead (Sam Lee) and a psychic insurance saleswoman (Kara Hui) brought together to discuss their fate in an abandoned Michelinstarred restaurant.

Black comedy comes in bursts when the characters start to be killed off in odd circumstances, some contracting the plague and others simply turning to stone and crumbling into dust. Odder still, the group find the only clue they have been given by their mysterious enemy is the lyrics to David Bowie’s song Space Oddity, sent to them in Morse code on their phones.

ASIAN PREMIERE — MASTER CLASS Chi-Ger. 2013. 114mins Director Lou Ye Production companies Shaanxi Culture Industry, Dream Factory International sales Wild Bunch, www.wildbunch.biz Producers Wang Yong, Nai An, Li Ling Executive producers Lou Ye, Nai An, Kristina Larsen Screenplay Ma Yingli, from the novel by Bi Feiyu Cinematography Zeng Jian Editors Kong Jinlei, Zhu Lin Production designer Du Ailin Music Johann Johannsson Main cast Guo Xiaodong, Qin Hao, Zhang Lei, Mei Ting, Huang Xuan, Huang Lu, Jiang Dan

Fever’s Huang Xuan and Huang Lu play the angry young blind boy Xiao Ma, who kicks off the film with a botched suicide attempt, and his prostitute lover, Mann. Mei Ting is Du Hong, the centre’s beautiful masseuse. They share scenes with blind actors including Zhang Lei, who has a natural ease.

Guo and Qin play old college friends who are reunited at the centre. Dr Wang (Guo) has arrived in Nanjing with his partially sighted fiancée Kong, but their relationship is troubled — her parents will never accept a blind man as her husband, while his brother and parents are in trouble with loan sharks.

Dr Sha (Qin), a hopeless romantic, falls for Du Hong, who is attracted to Xiao Ma in a slightly soapy scenario. All stories will come to a violent resolution, though, as Lou’s camera drifts in and out of focus.

“The blind are in the light, while the sighted hide in the shadows,” concludes the screenplay, and it is a poignant observation. Lou illuminates and shades their existence in all their heightened emotions.

ASIAN PREMIERE — Opening night HK-Chi. 2014. 124mins Director Fruit Chan Production companies The Midnight After Film Production, One Ninety Films Co International sales Fortissimo Films, www.fortissimofilms.nl Producer Amy Chin Executive producers Winnie Tsang, Fruit Chan Screenplay Chan Faihung, Kong Ho-yan, Fruit Chan, based on the novel Lost On A Red Minibus To Tai Po by Pizza Cinematography Lam Wah-tsuen Editors Tin Sup Fat, ToTo Production designer Andrew Wong Main cast Wong You-nam, Janice Man, Simon Yam, Kara Hui, Chui Tien-you, Lam Suet, Cheuk Wan-chi, Lee Sheung-ching, Sam Lee, Cherry Ngan, Melodee Mak, Jan Curious, Ronny Yuen, Kelvin Chan

Fans of Chan will warm to his unique sense of humour and many pop-culture references, such as having his characters play Candy Crush or indulge in air guitar with a mop, but for a wider audience, the randomness of events and gratuitous violence may leave them pining for a more fixed genre or plot structure. The Midnight After may be best suited to a local audience.

In his earlier films, Chan made numerous references to Hong Kong’s relationship to China and its burgeoning ­identity. The Midnight After continues that theme, ­delivering a distinct local flavour while also throwing in ­commentary about Hong Kong’s zombie-like masses, the lasting effects of the SARS virus and the 2011 nuclear ­meltdown in Fukushima, Japan.

During the film we are told “Hong Kong doesn’t do sci-fi”, but Chan has successfully defied genre conventions here.

WITCH’S BROOK Adventure, 92 min INTERFEST

THE MAGIC TOWER Historical Fantasy, 77 min MASTERFILM STUDIO

TWO WOMEN Melodrama, 100 min PRODUCTION CENTER HOROSHO PRODUCTION/ REZO DISTRIBUTION

METRO Disaster movie, 126 min PLANETA INFORM GROUP OF COMPANIES

HAF Profiles

A Nail Clipper Romance

Dance Of Death

Hip Hop Kabul

Dir Jason Kwan

Dir Hitoshi Kitagawa

Dir Fazila Amiri

Project’s country of origin Hong Kong

Project’s country of origin Japan

Project’s country of origin Afghanistan

Hong Kong DoP Jason Kwan is set to make his directorial debut on A Nail Clipper Romance, starring ChineseCanadian actor Shawn Dou. The story is based on The Nail Clipper Monster, the pioneering microfilm produced by maverick film-maker Pang Ho Cheung’s Making Film Productions in collaboration with Samsung and Sina, which achieved more than 400 million hits within two months of its online launch in 2010.

Unlike its inspiration, which is more of a serious drama, the new project is a romantic comedy with a light-hearted plot. Dou, who made his acting debut in Zhang Yimou’s 2010 Under The Hawthorn Tree, plays a womanising young man from Honolulu’s Chinatown whose life is turned upside down after falling for a mysterious woman with an unusual appetite, who wants to open a restaurant that serves nail clippers.

Filming will take place in Hawaii. “A Chinese story is not necessarily set in a Chinese region. Hawaii has a 4.7% Chinese-speaking population but hardly any Chinese films have been set there. I believe this will be a refreshing experience for our audience,” said Kwan.

The screenplay is by Luk Yee Sum, whose writing credits include Pang’s box-office hits Love In The Buff and Vulgaria. Both were shot by Kwan and produced by Pang and his partner Subi Liang. The pair serve as producers of the new project.

Kwan has built up a large portfolio, from music videos and TV commercials to films, over the past two decades.

His other recent work as DoP includes Cold War, As The Light Goes Out and Pang’s Aberdeen, which opens this year’s Hong Kong International Film Festival.

WY Wong

Japanese director Hitoshi Kitagawa is in pre-production with his HAF project Dance Of Death. The story follows a man who, 30 years after murdering his love rival, brings his wife and daughter to the village Bon festival, declaring that he will dance unto death to atone for the crime.

“I was born as the son of a Buddhist priest and have been constantly aware of death since childhood. At some point in my life, I became obsessed with the idea that the most beautiful way to die is to prove your love by death,” says Kitagawa.

The director’s previous films include Damn Life, which won the Grand Prize at Pia Film Festival and was in Busan’s New Currents competition as well as Tokyo’s Japanese Eyes section. His short, A Fallen Apple, played in Cannes.

Kitagawa says Dance Of Death will be in line with his previous films in the sense that “something beyond good and evil, and human sinful nature, will be portrayed”.

But this time he will also depict love through the body of a man dancing, which is both physically and visually captivating.

He adds that the film could be shot anywhere in the world. “I think it would be best if something typical of the region, such as historical landscape, local culture and residents’ faces, add atmosphere to the film,” he says.

Producer Akiko Yukawa, whose credits include Suite Dreams and A Fallen Apple, says they are looking for an appropriately charismatic dancer/actor, who is tough in body and spirit, and they are “not limited to Japan”.

Production company and music ltd publishes music and produces films and videos such as Kazuhiko Ogura’s Tokyo Komaotoshi.

Jean Noh

Hip Hop Kabul is a documentary feature that tells of the struggles and dreams of Afghanistan’s first female rapper, Paradise Sorouri. Over the course of two years, the film follows her courageous, emotional and thoughtprovoking musical journey in the patriarchal society of Afghanistan.

“We have been documenting her live performances at major international concerts. Through this film I aim to promote her as a female role model challenging the traditional role of Afghan women and introducing Afghan rap as a new genre of artistic expression in Afghanistan,” says director Fazila Amiri.

Most of the film has been shot in Kabul and other cities in Afghanistan including Jalalabad, Herat and Bamiyan. Amiri is seeking funds to complete the final 30 days of shooting, followed by post-production.

Amiri’s short films Paaizeb and Gerreh screened at Montreal World Film Festival 2010 and Atlantic Film Festival 2011 respectively; Hip Hop Kabul is her first feature documentary.

Hong-Kong born producer Paul Lee is producing the film under Kabuli Camera, a production company founded in Afghanistan in 2013 to present contemporary views of Afghanistan to both the national and a larger international audience.

Lee has previously directed and produced short films such as Thick Lips Thin Lips (1994), which won a silver award at Hong Kong Independent Short Film and Video Awards, and The Offering (1999), which screened at Berlin International Film Festival. He also made documentary These Shoes Weren’t Made For Walking, which screened at Chicago International Film Festival in 1995.

Hip Hop Kabul is Kabuli Camera’s first project.

Nandita Dutta

A Nail Clipper Romance

Dance Of Death

Hip Hop Kabul

Producers Pang Ho Cheung, Subi Liang Production company Making Film Productions Budget $4.9m Finance raised to date $3m from Making Film Productions Contact Subi Liang subi@making-film.

Producer Yukawa Akiko Production company and music ltd Budget $100,000 Finance raised to date $10,000 (from and music ltd) Contact Yukawa Akiko

Producer Paul Lee Production company Kabuli Camera Budget $250,000 Finance raised to date $20,000 Contact Fazila Amiri fazila.amiri@yahoo. com

com

n 14 Screen International at Filmart March 24, 2014

yukawa@andmusic.co.jp

Screenings, page 19

The Sea

Dir Simon Chung

The Honeygiver Among The Dogs

Project’s country of origin Hong Kong

Dir Dechen Roder

Project’s country of origin Hong Kong

I Miss You When I See You

Hong Kong director Simon Chung’s I Miss You When I See You looks at the reconnection of two old school friends after a long separation. Although they are now worlds apart — one is a successful professional in Hong Kong and the other, in Canada, suffers from depression — their rekindled gay relationship unleashes a complex set of emotions.

“The story can be seen as a summation of some of the themes and preoccupations that I’ve been developing in my work over the past 15 years,” says Chung. “For example, the two main characters are named after the leads in my short, Stanley Beloved, and the storyline can be seen as an attempt to probe the fate of these characters 15 years later.”

Chung started writing the script two years ago and it is now in its fifth draft. Although it will be shot on location in Hong Kong and Vancouver, the film has a modest budget of $300,000, including a grant received from Hong Kong Arts Development Council last year.

Chung is working for the first time with Jacqueline Liu, who is producing through her new production company Playhouse. Her previous producer’s credits include Butterfly, August Story and Plastic City.

After graduating from Toronto’s York University, Chung has worked in various capacities in Hong Kong’s film and TV industry. His short films have earned him multiple international film awards, while his feature works include Innocent, End Of Love, which premiered at Berlin in 2009, and more recently Speechless. He is also a founding member of independent film distributor Ying E Chi. WY Wong

Project’s country of origin Bhutan The Honeygiver Among The Dogs is a mystery-drama as well as a love story between an undercover detective, Kinley, investigating the case of a missing Buddhist nun in a remote village in Bhutan, and his only suspect, Choden, a young woman labelled the village ‘demoness’ due to her solitary and seductive ways.

Kinley soon finds himself torn between suspicion and intense attraction to Choden. He slowly realises her stories of historical dakinis (enlightened Buddhist women of supernatural powers and wisdom) might provide the clues needed to complete the investigation. Currently in pre-production, the film will be shot in Bhutan’s capital Thimpu and a small village in central Bhutan.

“The film brings to light lesser-known stories of historical women from our culture, so it’s very specific and yet has universal themes of mystery, compassion and finding your ‘truth’,” explains Roder, who is looking for international funding and distribution at HAF. “Many of the investigative tools used by the detective are not at all scientific but based on visions, stories and intuition.”

After making several short films, The Honeygiver Among The Dogs marks Roder’s feature debut. Her short film Original Photocopy Of Happiness was screened at Brussels International Independent Film Festival in 2011 and won a special jury mention at Hong Kong Independent Film & Video Awards in 2012.

Bhutan-based Dakinny Productions, founded by Roder in 2009, is producing the film. The male lead, Kinley, will be played by Bhutanese actor Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk, who played the 14-year-old Dalai Lama in Jean-Jacques Annaud’s Seven Years In Tibet (1997).

Nandita Dutta

Dir Philip Yung

Hong Kong director Philip Yung deals with the real-life massacre that took place on board a Chinese fishing boat, Lu Rong Yu no. 2682, in his new project The Sea. The story follows the 30 men who set sail from northern China on a two-year fishing voyage at the end of 2010. Their long and lonely trip was cut short when some of the men, dissatisfied with their pay and working conditions, turned against the ship’s captain. The mutiny triggered a series of cold-blooded killings lasting six months, after which only 11 of the men returned alive.

Screenwriter San Shi carefully researched the tragedy and completed a first draft of the script. She feels she has a connection to the crew members, who came from near her birthplace in Shandong province.

Yung says he was shocked when he first heard the story from her. “The storytelling will be precise yet poetic in portraying the nightmare-like reality on board the ship,” he says.

Xstream Pictures’ Chow Keung, who regularly collaborates with Chinese film-makers Jia Zhangke and Yu Lik Wai, will produce the film. Since 1997, Chow has produced 28 Chinese films and documentaries with co-producers worldwide, including Jia’s Still Life, which won the Golden Lion at Venice in 2006.

Yung is currently prepping his third feature, Port Of Call, winner of the 2011 HAF award for a Hong Kong project, with production scheduled to start later this year.

His previous works include Glamorous Youth, May We Chat and documentary All Right With The World, while his recent writing credits include Rigor Mortis and As The Light Goes Out. WY Wong

I Miss You When I See You

The Honeygiver Among The Dogs

The Sea

Budget Producers Jacqueline Liu Production companies Playhouse Budget $300,000 Finance raised to date $64,000 from Hong Kong Arts Development Council Contact Simon Chung

Producers Dechen Roder Production company Dakinny Productions Budget $90,000 Finance raised to date $10,000 (from Dakinny Productions) Contact Dechen Roder dakinny@yahoo.com

Budget Producers Chow Keung Production companies Xstream Pictures Budget $2m Contact Philip Yung yungtszkwong@yahoo.com.hk

darshanchung@gmail.com

March 24, 2014 Screen International at Filmart 15 n

FEATURE BUZZ FILMS

10 Minutes Dir Lee Yong-seung Screening in the Indie Power section at Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), Lee Yongseung’s debut feature made its world premiere last October in Busan’s New Currents competition, where it picked up the KNN audience award and Fipresci prize, and went on to an international premiere in Berlin’s Forum last month. The story of a young man getting ready to pass the tests for his dream job as a TV producer, the film follows his dilemma when he is offered a stable job that will better help him support his family.

Contact Lotte Entertainment

Hot titles: Korea Korean cinema continues its strong run at home and abroad. Jean Noh profiles some of the highlights

Night Flight Dir LeeSong Hee-il Director of films such as White Night and No Regret, LeeSong Hee-il’s gay-themed Night Flight made its world premiere in Berlin’s Panorama section last month and is screening in HKIFF’s Indie Power section. A film about isolated minorities, Night Flight tells the story of three friends who grow apart when they reach high school, a place of betrayal that risks leading them to disaster. Lee Jaejoon and Kwak Siyang make their feature debuts.

Contact Finecut

cineinfo@finecut.co.kr

One For All, All For One

r333@lotte.net

Dir Park Sa-yu, Park Don-sa

Confession aka Good Friends

Headed for the upcoming Jeonju International Film Festival’s Korean Competition, where it will make its international premiere, Korean-Japanese documentary One For All, All For One is co-directed by Park Sa-yu and Park Don-sa. Despite the Japanese government’s discriminatory policy not to support Korean schools in the country, the rugby team of Osaka Korean High School heads into competition under the slogan of ‘One, Trust, Victory’.

Dir Lee Do-yun Currently in production and set to wrap in April, Confession (aka Good Friends) is the feature directorial debut of Lee Do-yun. Starring Ji Sung (Whatcha Wearin’), Ju Ji-hoon (I Am The King) and Lee Kwang-soo (The Scent) as best friends since childhood, the film follows what happens when one of them is asked by another’s mother to stage a robbery at her illegal gambling arcade as part of an insurance scam.

Contact Indiestory

kay@indiestory.com

Contact United Pictures dannylee@upictures.co.kr

Thread Of Lies

The Fatal Encounter

Set for a market premiere screening at Filmart, Thread Of Lies opened at the top of Korea’s box office on March 13. Directed by Lee Han (Punch) and starring Kim Hee-ae (The 101st Proposition), Ko Ah-sung (Snowpiercer, The Host), Kim You-jung (Commitment) and Kim Hyang-gi (A Werewolf Boy), the film is based on the bestselling novel Elegant Lies. After her youngest daughter’s suicide, a mother and her elder daughter set out to solve the mystery of her death, insinuating themselves into the life of the girl who bullied her. s Contact CJ Entertainment lhj0524@cj.net ■

Dir Lee Han

Dir Lee Jae-kyoo Directed by Lee Jae-kyoo, who is best known for his TV series credits including Beethoven Virus and The King 2 Hearts, The Fatal Encounter is a historical drama of palace intrigue featuring the politically embroiled King Jeong-jo, his dedicated servant Gap-soo and mysterious assassins. The film stars Hyun Bin (Late Autumn and TV series Secret Garden), Jung Jae-young (The Plan Man, Confession Of Murder), Cho Jung-seok (The Face Reader, Architecture 101) and Han Ji-min (The Plan Man).

Contact Lotte Entertainment

Night Flight

r333@lotte.net

For The Emperor Dir Park Sang-jun Currently in post-production, For The Emperor is a crime action film directed by Park Sang-jun (Bank Attack). The film stars Lee Min-ki (Very Ordinary Couple) as a disgraced ex-baseball player who joins a loan-shark ring headed by Park Sung-woong (New World), and meets the seductive bar owner Lee Tae-im (Days Of Wrath).

Contact United Pictures dannylee@upictures.co.kr

One For All, All For One

10 Minutes

Thread Of Lies

Miss Granny

Miss Granny Dir Hwang Dong-hyuk Currently on release in Korea, Miss Granny has clocked up more than 8.5 million admissions and is set for a market premiere screening at Filmart. Starring Shim Eun-kyung (Masquerade, Sunny), the comedy is directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk (Silenced, My Father). When 70-year-old Mal-sun’s hysterical temper lands her daughter-in-law in hospital, her family decides to put her in a nursing home. Before she goes, Mal-sun has her photograph taken at a studio and is transformed into her 20-year-old self.

She changes her name and decides to join her grandson’s band.

Contact CJ Entertainment

lhj0524@cj.net

■ 16 Screen International at Filmart March 24, 2014

Events 10:15 - 12:oo Multiplying Your Revenue: The Power of Online Media Venue Stage, Hall 1, Hong

Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Moderator Michael Rosser, Screen International Speakers Gong Yu, founder and CEO of QIYI.com; Andy Green, chief operating officer and co-founder, Distrify; Marc Scarpa, founder and executive producer/ director, Simplynew; Allen Zhu, senior vicepresident, Youku Tudou As viewers increasingly turn online to consume content, this discussion will explore how film industry players can benefit from these new opportunities.

Topics covered will include film acquisition, advertising and interaction with audiences through these new channels as well as what the future might hold in this challenging international space.

11:00 - 12:00 The Release Conference of Integrated Film Project Venue Studio, Hall 1,

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

11:30 - 12:15 National Base for International Cultural Trade Joint Announcement Press Conference — 2014 New Movies Venue Event Room,

Hall 1, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre 12:15 - 12:30 National Base for International Cultural Trade Joint Announcement Press Conference — ‘Adventure of Geocentre’ Venue Event Room,

Hall 1, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre 12:30 - 13:30 A&B Contract Signing Ceremony and Press Conference Venue Studio, Hall 1,

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre 13:00 - 14:00 Dream of Hainan — ‘The Three Six Lane’ Press Conference Venue Event Room,

Hall 1, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Aberdeen: Asian press conference at 15:00

n 18 Screen International at Filmart March 24, 2014

13:30 - 14:30 ‘Z Storm’ Press Conference Venue Stage, Hall 1, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

14:30 - 16:30 Taiwan Party Venue Studio, Hall 1,

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre 15:00 - 17:00 ‘Aberdeen’ Asian Press Conference Venue Event Room, Hall 1, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

15:30 - 17:30 2014 Media Asia Presentation Venue Stage, Hall 1, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

16:00 - 18:00 Chinese Production: Appealing to Global Audiences Venue Meeting Rooms S226-S227, HKCEC

17:15 - 18:30 Entertainment Expo Hong Kong — 10th Anniversary Opening Ceremony Venue Convention Foyer, Level 1, HKCEC

Screenings

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

Gouda, Hisako Manda, And Hiroki Matsukata.

Uzumasa is considered the Hollywood of Japan. It has produced many ‘Jidaigeki’ films — period dramas featuring sword fights.

These films wouldn’t be what they were if it were not for the ‘Kirareyaku’, actors whose main job is to be killed by the lead star, actors who never enjoy the limelight. Using Charlie Chaplin’s film “Limelight” as an underlying theme, this is an admirable story told with melancholy and soul.

09:30 Three charmed lives

(Taiwan) 83mins. Drama.

HKIFF Industry Screenings @ Filmart.

Dir: Chang Chen, Jung Woo-sung, Francis Ng. Key cast: Shih ChinHang, Wang Hsin-Yuan, Andy Choi, Woo Sangjeon, Cheng Taishen, Zhang Xinyuan.

Three of east Asia’s most celebrated actors direct three films about three desperate men.

Meeting Room N101A, HKCEC

09:45

Meeting Room N209-N210, HKCEC By invitation only

Man from Reno

(US) 111mins. Drama, horror/suspense, organised crime. Eleven Arts. Dir: Dave Boyle.

Key cast: Ayako Fujitani, Kazuki Kitamura, Pepe Serna.

Japanese mystery author Aki Akahori takes a trip to San Francisco to escape the press tour for the latest book in her famous ‘Inspector Takabe’ series.

Feeling lonely and vulnerable, she begins an affair with a mysterious traveller from Reno who is staying in the same hotel. Her new lover is charismatic and charming but disappears abruptly from the hotel, leaving behind his suitcase and a trail of questions.

12:00

Filmart 10:30 Quiet Bliss

(Italy) 127mins. Drama.

Intramovies. Dir: Edoardo Winspeare.

Key cast: Celeste Casciaro, Laura Licchetta, Gustavo Caputo, Anna Boccadamo, Barbara De Matteis.

Four women take refuge in the country following

Meeting Room N111-N112, HKCEC By invitation only

Animation. Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association.

Shadow days

Meeting Room N204-N205, HKCEC

(China) 96mins. Horror/ suspense, organised crime. HKIFF Industry Screenings @ Filmart.

Dir: Zhao Dayong.

China’s one-child policy and its repercussions loom large in the latest work by Zhao Dayong, best known for his sprawling and singularly enlightening documentaries about life on the fringes of contemporary China.

Meeting Room N101B, HKCEC By invitation only

10:00 1st Animation Start-ups Support Programme Highlights

(Hong Kong) 90mins.

19th ifva Awards Highlights (Youth & animation Category) » Blind Vision

Boonie Bears: To the Rescue!

(China) 90mins. Action/ adventure, animation, children’s. All Rights Entertainment. Dir: Ding Liang.

The story starts when two boxes are switched mistakenly in the middle of a stormy night. The lives of Bald and his friends, the Bear Brothers, change dramatically.

the closure of their small, family-run business, overwhelmed by the economic recession.

Working the land and trading products — against all expectations — gives them the chance of a fresh beginning and the possibility of a new life.

Meeting Room N211-N212, HKCEC

Jing. Key cast: Chow Yun Fat, Nicholas Tse. Meeting Room N201A, HKCEC

Life After Beth

(US) 90mins. Comedy.

XYZ Films. Dir: Jeff Baena. Key cast: Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, John C Reilly, Anna Kendrick, Molly Shannon.

Zach is devasted by the unexpected death of his girlfriend, Beth. But when she comes miraculously back to life, Zach takes of advantage of the opportunity.

Theatre 1, HKCEC

Theatre 2, HKCEC

Venus Talk From Vegas To Macau

(Hong Kong) 93mins.

Action/adventure, drama.

Mega-Vision Project Workshop. Dir: Wong

(South Korea) 108mins.

Drama, romance. Lotte Entertainment. Dir: Kwon Chil-in. Key cast: Uhm Jung-hwa, Moon

So-ri, Jo Min-soo.

A story about three women at full bloom in their 40s, who openly seek and enjoy lust, passionate love and sex.

Meeting Room N201B, HKCEC

10:30 Quiet Bliss See box, left

10:45 Night Flight

(South Korea) 144mins.

Drama. CinemaDAL. Dir: Leesong Hee-il.

Key cast: Kwak Si-yang, Lee Jae-joon.

Three teenage boys who were once close friends grow apart when they go to high school: Yong-ju hides his true sexual identity; Gi-woong becomes the leader of the school gang; and Gi-taek turns into an obsessive fan of comic books. Tired of the constant malicious bullying by Gi-woong’s gang, Gi-taek betrays them by disclosing that Yong-ju has been in love with Gi-woong for years.

Surrounded by the insecure boundaries of school and wounded by betrayals, the boys are driven towards catastrophe.

Meeting Room N202-N203, HKCEC

11:30 Beautiful 2014

(China) 106mins. Drama.

The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society. Dir: Zhang Yuan, Kang Je-kyu, Christopher Doyle, Shu Kei. Key cast: Li Quan, Lv Yulai, Moon Chae-won, Koo So, Lip Ching-man, Wong Pak-hei, Erica Yuen, Yau Hawk-sau.

Affairs of the heart, matters of humanity, a wonderful world.

Meeting Room N101A, HKCEC

11:45 Homeland

(Japan) 118mins. Drama.

HKIFF Industry Screenings @ Filmart.

Dir: Nao Kubota. Key cast: Kenichi Matsuyama, Seiyo Uchino, Yuko Tanaka, Sakura Ando, Yoji Tanaka.

Jiro returns to his home near Fukushima nuclear plant and begins to cultivate the land.

Meeting Room N101B, HKCEC Uzumasa Limelight

(Japan) 103mins. Action/ adventure, drama. Eleven Arts. Dir: Ken Ochiai.

Key cast: Seizou Fukumoto, Chihiro Yamamoto, Masashi

(Hong Kong) 3mins.

Animation. Hong Kong Arts Centre. Dir: Leecat Ho.

» Hong Kong Station

(Hong Kong) 3mins.

Animation. Hong Kong Arts Centre. Dir: Wong Wai-Ho.

» I am not a Superhero (Hong Kong) 21mins.

Drama. Hong Kong Arts Centre. Dir: Jonathan Tam.

» Kidnap

(Hong Kong) 8mins.

Drama. Hong Kong Arts Centre. Dir: Mok ChuiShan, Yip Tsz-Ching, Kiang Tin-Long, Lee Suet-Ying, Yip Yuen-Ting, Wong Ka-Chun.

» Tale of Rebellious Stone

(Hong Kong) 13mins.

Animation. Hong Kong Arts Centre. Dir: Ng KaiChung, Ng Tsz-Ching.

» Yao Dao Police Call

(Hong Kong) 15mins.

Drama. Hong Kong Arts Centre. Dir: Wong ChunPong.

» YETI

(Hong Kong) 3mins.

Animation. Hong Kong Arts Centre. Dir: Joe Kwun.

Meeting Room N109-N110, HKCEC

40 days of silence

(Netherlands) 86mins.

Drama. HKIFF Industry »

March 24, 2014 Screen International at Filmart 19 n

SCREENINGS

Screenings @ Filmart.

Dir: Saodat Ismailova.

Key cast: Rushana Sadikova, Saodat Rahminova, Barohad Shukurova.

The story of four women in Central Asia at key moments in their lives, discovered through their different ages.

My Dear Girl, Jin-young

See box, left 13:45 The White Storm

(Hong Kong, China) 134mins. Action/ adventure. Universe Films Distribution Company. Dir: Benny Chan. Key cast: Louis Koo, Nick Cheung, Sean Lau, Lo Hoi Pang, Yuan Quan.

Tin, Chow and Wai are partners in the Narcotics Bureau. The three have an opportunity to capture notorious durglord EightFaced Buddha in Thailand. During the operation Tin’s team is annihilated and he is forced to choose one survivor between Wai and Chow. The destiny of the three is now twisted.

Meeting Room N111-N112, HKCEC

Blind massage

(China) 115mins. Drama.

HKIFF Industry Screenings @ Filmart.

Dir: Lou Ye. Key cast: Uo Xiaodong, Qin Hao, Zhang Lei, Mei Ting, Huang Xuan, Huang Lu. At a massage centre run by the blind in Nanjing, damaged bodies find relief beneath sensitive fingers. A new couple come to work at the centre. The others are drawn to them.

Theatre 1, HKCEC

Boonie Bears: To the Rescue!

(China) 90mins. Action/ adventure, animation, children’s. All Rights Entertainment. Dir: Ding Liang.

Meeting Room N204-N205, HKCEC

Flowing stories

(Hong Kong) 87mins.

Documentary. HKIFF Industry Screenings @ Filmart. Dir: Tsang Tsui Shan. Key cast: Yu Tam Kiu, Lau Sui Kiu, Lau Hing Wah, Lau Mei Lan, Lau Mei Ying, Lau Kam Wah. A story of change, the migration of Hong Kong people and the unknowability of the future.

Meeting Room N201A, HKCEC

Little Brother

(Kazakhstan) 95mins.

Children’s, Drama. All Rights Entertainment.

Dir: Serik Aprymov. Key cast: Aidos Bektemir, Alisher Aprymov, Almat Galym, Dokdurbek Kydyralier, Muiat Omaror.

Yerken lives in a small village, lost in the mountains. Abandoned by his father at only nine years old, he lives alone following the death of his mother. One day, his brother returns home.

Filmart 13:45 My Dear Girl, Jinyoung

(South Korea) 102mins.

Drama, romance.

Indiestory. Dir: Andrew Lee. Key cast: Kim Kyuri, Park Won-sang.

Jin-young, an aspiring screenwriter who is also a 30-year-old virgin, is continually rejected by a film production company

Unfortunately, his stay is brief.

Meeting Room N102-N103, HKCEC

The Satellite Girl and Milk Cow

(South Korea) 81mins.

Animation, Children’s, drama, romance.

Indiestory. Dir: Chang Hyung-Yun. Key cast: Yoo Ah-In, Jung Yu-Mi .

Il-ho, the satellite KITSAT-1, is launched into space. She observes Earth and becomes curious about the human heart. Kyungchun, an aspiring musician, is heartbroken and turns into a milk cow when his longtime love interest, Eun-jin, starts to date another guy. Then one day Kyung-chun is attacked by the Incinerator, which tracks down those with a broken heart. At that moment Il-ho falls from space and becomes human by

n 20 Screen International at Filmart March 24, 2014

Meeting Room N101A, HKCEC

as she pushes her screenplay about zombies.

Jin-young meets director Hwang, a senior alumnus who she really dislikes. But he finds her script interesting and decides to make it into a film. From then on, real film-making and love come to Jin-young.

Meeting Room N202-N203, HKCEC

magical forces. And she ends up staying at Kyungchun’s place. Gradually, the two become close and Il-ho begins to slowly understand the human heart.

Meeting Room N104-N105, HKCEC

The Second Coming

(Hong Kong) 85mins.

Drama, horror/suspense.

All Rights Entertainment.

Dir: Herman Yau. Key cast: Don Li Yat Long, Joey Leong, Maggie Shiu, Kenny Wong.

Ming and his wife Jen live a quiet and ordinary life with their 13-year-old daughter Lucy, while their 20-year-old son Sunny is at medical school overseas.

Everything seems just perfect until Ming accidentally knocks down Lucy with his car just before her 14th birthday.

From that point on, Lucy’s behaviour turns bizarre,

escalating into violence.

Dark and hidden secrets are unveiled one by one and the family is forced to confront their past — that deep down they have never been able to forget or forgive themselves. The truth sees twist after twist of shocking terror.

Theatre 2, HKCEC

12:15 God’s Pocket

(US) 88mins. Comedy, drama. Electric Entertainment. Dir: John Slattery. Key cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christina Hendricks, John Turturro, Richard Jenkins.

When Mickey’s crazy stepson Leon is killed in a construction ‘accident’, nobody in the workingclass neighborhood of God’s Pocket is sorry he is gone.

Mickey tries to bury the bad news with the body, but when the boy’s mother demands the truth, and a local reporter starts sniffing around, Mickey finds himself in a darkly comedic life-and-death struggle. A body he can’t bury, a wife he can’t please and a debt he can’t pay. agnes b. CINEMA – Hong Kong Arts Centre

13:00 Amazing

(China) 105mins. Drama, romance, sci-fi, fantasy.

China Film Promotion

International. Dir: Sherwood Hu. Key cast: Huang Xiaoming, Amber Kuo, Kim A Joong, Eric Mabius, Stephen Fung, Charles Chen, Crystal Huang.

Ice, a talented video-game programmer, is also a basketball fan and plays the game with his colleages Hu Jiao and Xiao Hei. However, the team is soon dismissed by the newly appointed CEO, who is going to develop a brand new online basketball game called Amazing. Ice is the only one to stay. But right before Amazing is released, Ice notices a bug that is potentially harmful to the gamer.

(Indoesia) 74mins.

Horror/suspense. BIC Production. Dir: Nayato Fio Nuala. Key cast: Evan Sanders, Masayu Anastasia, Cinta Dewi, Munajat Raditya.

Andika and Tarina decide to settle in Bandung after an accident that nearly cost their lives. Andika agrees to buy an old house from someone named Lukman because it’s quite large and the price is cheap. But Andika doesn’t realise the owner of the old house still haunts and terrorises anyone who stays there.

Meeting Room N206-N207, HKCEC

Meeting Room N204-N205, HKCEC

13:45 Carrotman

(Japan) 30mins.

Animation. PA Works.

Dir: Masayuki Yoshihara.

Key cast: Saori Hayami, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Rie Kugimiya, Kikuko Inoue, Mami Koyama, Takehiko Higuchi.

Carrotman makes a sudden appearance when Mari tries to eat a food that she dislikes. Carrot, bell pepper and milk turn into the mystical creature.

Mari tries to overcome the problem by using her weird magic.

Meeting Room N211-N212, HKCEC

14:00 Chasing The Demon

Early Autumn

(Japan) 95mins. Drama.

Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting Co. Dir: Masato Harada.

Key cast: Koji Yakusho, Noriko Nakagoshi.

A widower, Matsubara feels empty since his daughter’s marriage and seeks solace in a class reunion in Kyoto.

Meeting Room N201A, HKCEC

The Fatal Encounter (Promo Screening)

(South Korea) 105mins.

Drama. Lotte Entertainment. Dir: Lee Jae-Kyoo. Key cast: Hyun »

Screen Daily.indd 1

2/7/2014 12:25:16 PM

Bin, Jung Jae-Young, Cho Jung-Seok.

One year into King Jeongjo’s reign, a fated day unfolds around a man who must live, a man who must kill, and a man who must protect.

16:00 After School Midnighters

Meeting Room N109-N110, HKCEC

Fly, Dakota, Fly! See box, below

House of Magic

(Belgium, France) 85mins. Animation.

StudioCanal. Dir: Ben Stassen.

Seeking shelter from a storm, abandoned young cat Thunder sneaks into a mysterious mansion owned by retired magician Lawrence, aka The Illustrious Lorenzo.

Lawrence shares his fairytale world with many animals and a dazzling array of automatons and gizmos capable of whipping up breakfast while rolling out a spectacular song-anddance routine. He soon makes Thunder feel welcome, but Jack the rabbit and Maggie the mouse start plotting to get him kicked out. When Lawrence ends up in the hospital, his nephew tries to trick him into selling the house. But its ragtag inhabitants develop a spooky strategy to defend their home. They turn the house into a haunted mansion, using Thunder as their secret weapon.

Theatre 2, HKCEC

Filmart 14:00 Fly, Dakota, Fly!

(Japan) 110mins.

Drama. Niigata Prefecture Film Commission Association. Dir: Seiji Aburatani. Key cast: Manami Higa, Masataka Kubota.

January 14, 1946. A mere five months after the end of the Pacific War, a British Army VIP plane, Dakota, made an emergency landing near a small

Five little heroes study at Hero School.

Meeting Room N209-N210, HKCEC

Kamihate Store

(Japan) 107mins. Drama.

Open Sesame Co. Dir: Tatsuya Yamamoto. Key cast: Keiko Takahashi, Susumu Terashima, Kento Hukaya.

People often buy a oneway ticket to the hamlet of Kamihate. Chiyo, the owner of a local shop, is also seeking a way out from her sorrow, looking to avoid that long walk to the cliff from which there is no return.

Meeting Room N102-N103, HKCEC

The Little Heroes

(Japan) 50mins.

Animation. Heart Bit. Dir: Takeshige Kominato.

Once Upon A Forest

(France) 79mins.

Wild Bunch. Dir: Luc Jacquet.

Film-maker Luc Jacquet invites the viewer into a never-before-seen world of natural wonder and staggering beauty – the world of the primeval rain forest.

Meeting Room N111-N112, HKCEC

village on Sado Island.

The villagers were surprised and confused at the arrival of British soldiers who had been their enemies only five months prior. But the villagers were committed to the Sado spirit of altruism, and by fostering a friendship and solidarity that transcended national borders, they made the Dakota fly once again.

Meeting Room N201B, HKCEC

14:15 Twelve Nights

(Taiwan) 98mins.

Documentary. Media Link (HK). Dir: Raye Liu. This documentary follows the plight of some 450 dogs brought to a single animal shelter during the winter of 2013.

Policy dictates that any animal not adopted within 12 nights will be destroyed. Only around 10% of residents will find homes.

Meeting Room N101B, HKCEC

National Base for International Cultural Trade Hit Shows

120mins. National Base For International Cultural Trade.

Meeting Room N104-N105, HKCEC

n 22 Screen International at Filmart March 24, 2014

Violette

(France) 139mins.

Drama. Doc & Film International. Dir: Martin Provost. Key cast: Emmanuelle Devos, Sandrine Kiberlain,

Olivier Gourmet.

Born out of wedlock early in the last century, Violette Leduc meets Simone de Beauvoir. An intense lifelong relationship develops between the two women authors, based on Violette’s quest for freedom through writing and on Simone’s conviction that she holds in her hands the destiny of an extraordinary writer.

Theatre 1, HKCEC

14:30 Fountain Pen

(Japan) 59mins. Drama.

TAKAOcan Dream Company. Dir: Tohru Ichikawa. Key cast: Hiroyuki Watanabe.

Saburo is a writer and a murder suspect. Kaoru, is a housewife who cares for her mother but is tired of life. They both come from Tokyo and run into each other at Himi station in rural Japan. This fleeting moment will start to change and refresh their lives.

Meeting Room N211-N212, HKCEC

14:45 The Rice Bomber

(Taiwan) 118mins.

Drama. HKIFF Industry Screenings @ Filmart.

Dir: Cho Li. Key cast: Huang Chien-wei, Nikki Hsieh, Michael Changi.

With the agricultural

industry declining rapidly, a farmer created 17 harmless rice bombs to wake the conscience of the government. agnes b. CINEMA! Hong Kong Arts Centre

15:30 Killers

(Indonesia, Japan) 137mins. Action/ adventure, horror/ suspense. XYZ Films.

Dir: The Mo Brothers.

Key cast: Kazuki Kitamura, Oka Antara, Rin Takanashi, Luna Maya, Tara Basro.

In Tokyo, a serial killer is murdering women and posting his violent crimes online. In Jakarta, a rogue vigilante uploads his murder spree for the world to see.

Meeting Room N209-N210, HKCEC

15:45 Out of Inferno

(Hong Kong, China) 107mins. Action/ adventure. Universe Films Distribution Company. Dir: Oxide Pang, Danny Pang.

Key cast: Louis Koo, Sean Lau, Sinje Lee, Chen Si Cheng.

A serious fire occurs at a busy commercial tower.

Keung, an ex-firefighter who quit three years ago, rediscovers his repressed passion for saving lives.

Theatre 2, HKCEC

(Japan) 95mins. Action/ adventure, animation, children’s, comedy.

MontBlanc Pictures Co. Dir: Hitoshi Takekiyo.

Key cast: Koichi Yamadera, Hiromasa Taguchi, Haruka Tomatsu, Sakiko Uran, Minako Kotobuki.

Mysterious phantoms move in the night within the science room of a prestigious elementary school. On the school’s open day, three kindergarten girls find an unfortunate human anatomic model in the science room and get up to some mischief. That night, the anatomic model bursts into a frenzy of rage for the embarrassment the girls put him through during the day. With the help of his skeletal buddy, they invite the three girls to come to the school at midnight, and make preparations for their revenge.

Meeting Room N211-N212, HKCEC

The Deadly Bullet

(China) 94mins. Action/ adventure. China Film Promotion International.

Dir: Ren Pengyuan.

Key cast: Pu Bajia.

In the waning years of the Qing Dynasty, a performance of the opera ‘Farewell My Concubine’ takes place at the provincial capital’s largest theatre. Provincial governor Etuo has come especially to see the play, but things go wrong when the King of Chu, a character in the play, suddenly stabs the governor. The governor’s chief bodyguard, Ye Dewen, attacks in turn, killing bystanders as he tries to reach the assassin, forcing the King of Chu to risk his life to defend the innocent Chen Zilia.

Meeting Room N206-N207, HKCEC

The Huntresses

(South Korea) 107mins.

Action/adventure, comedy. Showbox/ Mediaplex. Dir: Park Jaehyun. Key cast: Ha

SCREENINGS

Ji-won, Gang Ye-won, Son Ga-in.

As a child, Jin-ok witnessed the murder of her father and narrowly escaped death. She was taken under the wings of Mu-myeong, the man who saved her life, and trains in martial arts alongside two other girls. Ten years have passed and the girls are now Joseon’s best bounty hunters. One day, Jin-ok is asked to take on a case for a handsome reward. Against their master’s wishes, the trio accept the job, not knowing it will lead them to the man responsible for the death of Jin-ok’s father.

Meeting Room N102-N103, HKCEC

Marina

(Belgium, Italy) 118mins.

Romance. Media Luna New Films. Dir: Stijn Coninx. Key cast: Matteo Simoni, Evelien Bosmans, Luigi Lo Cascio.

The love story behind a song, which makes the whole world shake and whistle. This film is based on the childhood memories of singer Rocco Granata, who against all odds tries to play music and win the girl of his dreams.

Meeting Room N201A, HKCEC Press only

Miroku

(Japan) 87mins. Drama.

Open Sesame Co. Dir: Kaizo Hayashi.

Key cast: Mami Koyama, Katsuhisa Houki.

Based on the novel of the same name by Japanese cult writer Taruho Inagaki. Several directors have tried to adapt the novel before but previous attempts have foundered on the novel’s odd structure and thematic complexity. Kaizo Hayashi has finally brought the novel to the screen and remained faithful to its experimental structure and philosophical depth. There are two versions of the film: one with a score by Takashi Watanabe; and the other with dialogue and sound only, which allows for it to be projected with live music as a mixed-media event.

Meeting Room N111-N112, HKCEC

The Three Six Lane

Miss Change

(China) 99mins.

Romance. China Film Promotion International.

Dir: Wong Xing Jun. Key cast: Cecilia Chang, Jiang Weiming.

(South Korea) 100mins.

Comedy, drama, romance. Intercon Media.

Dir: Jung Cho-shin. Key cast: Song Sam-dong, Lee Soo-jung, Jung Eunwoo.

The story of two friends, a lawyer who can’t get a girl and never wins a case, and his playboy best friend.

One stormy night they encounter a gorgeous woman who transforms both their lives, literally.

Meeting Room N204-N205, HKCEC

16:15 Mai’s Journey to Ecchu Manyo

(Japan) 30mins.

Animation. P.A. Works.

Dir: Masayuki Yoshihara.

Key cast: Kanako Miyamoto, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Daiki Nakamura, Mami Koyama, Susumu Chiba, Minako Kotobuki, Natsumi Takamori.

Mai and Hikaru mysteriously find themselves in Toyama during the Nara era. How will they get back to their own time?

Meeting Room N109-N110, HKCEC

Meeting Room N104-N105, HKCEC

Over the Lover’s Memory

(Japan) 65mins. Drama.

Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting Co. Dir: Kazuya Goto.

Key cast: Manami Higa, Seiji Fukushi.

A ski jumper is seriously injured during a competition and loses his memory.

Meeting Room N101B, HKCEC

Santa Barbara

(South Korea) 95mins.

Drama, romance.

Mirovision. Dir: David Cho. Key cast: Lee SangYoon, Yoon Jin-Seo. Music director Jung-woo and workaholic Soo-kyung are attracted to each other but are parted. They meet again by chance and together leave for California to work on commercial music. Jungwoo doesn’t want to miss this second chance, so he asks her to join him on a winery tour.

Salvage Mice

Meeting Room N202-N203, HKCEC

Meeting Room N201B, HKCEC

16:30 Mea Culpa

(France) 90mins. Action/ adventure. Gaumont.

Dir: Fred Cavaye. Key cast: Vincent Lindon, Gilles Lellouche, Nadine Labaki.

Franck and Simon are both good cops. They work as partners. But their lives take a tailspin when Simon, driving drunk, causes a tragic car accident. A few years later, having left the police force, he is forced to take matters into his own hands when his family is in danger.

Meeting Room N101A, HKCEC

(Japan) 82mins. Action/ adventure. Hiroshima Home Television Co. Dir: Ryuta Tasaki.

Key cast: Mitsuki Tamura, Julia Nagano.

In Hiroshima, the city of human empathy, Mai steals treasures and returns them to their original owners under the name of ‘Salvage Mice’.

However, her longtime companion Malik betrays her and she is then placed on the most wanted list.

17:00 WOOD JOB!

(Japan) 116mins.

Comedy. Tokyo Broadcasting System Television. Dir: Shinobu Yaguchi. Key cast: Shota Sometani, Masami Nagasawa, Hideaki Ito. Yuki is 18, a take-life-asit-comes young lad just out of high school, where he has failed his university entrance exams and been dumped by his girlfriend.

Looking at pamphlets outlining other options he might follow, he is captivated by a girl pictured in one of them and signs up for a year as a ‘green’ trainee, learning the basics of forestry. A

month of basic training later, he ends up in Kamusari, in the wooded mountains of rural Japan.

His instructor/landlord/ mentor Yoki is a wild man, the work is hard, dirty and dangerous, and Yuki is desperately looking for a way to escape when he realises that the girl in the picture, Naoki, is living right there in the village.

Theatre 1, HKCEC

17:15 I Sell Love

(Hong Kong) 104mins.

Drama. Ignite Productions. Dir: Kevin Chu. Key cast: Rose Chan, Chau Pak Ho, Liu Kai Chi. Pretty undergraduate Tiffany starts compensated dating, considering it a personal choice — but every choice has a price. agnes b. CINEMA – Hong Kong Arts Centre

18:00 Buakaw: Boxer, Legend, Legacy

(Germany) 47mins.

Documentary. KSM. Dir: Timo Runge, Gerrit Staron. Key cast: Sombat Banchamek.

“I really did not expect to become the champion. I just wanted to represent my country, Thailand, with honour.” These are the words Sombat Banchamek, better known as Buakaw, uses to describe the day his life changed. As a young boy he started to practise Thailand’s national sport Muay Thai. He won his first fight, remained in the sport and finally clinched the K1 Max World Tournament. Two years later he repeated this success. He started as one of many — today he is the most famous Muay Thai fighter in his country.

Meeting Room N101B, HKCEC

18:15 Silver Spoon

(Japan) 113mins. Drama.

Tokyo Broadcasting System Television. Dir: Keisuke Yoshida. Key cast: Kento Nakajima, Alice Horose, Tomohiro Ichikawa, Haru Kuroki.

Yugo Hachiken flees from the high expectations and stress of an elite

cosmopolitan education into the vast and fertile fields of Hokkaido’s Obihiro highlands, enrolling in an agricultural high school because it offers him an escape. Flanked by peers who have clear goals and dreams of the future, Yugo struggles with the harsh reality of life on the farm.

But it is the perfect place for an aimless youth to embark on a journey of self-discovery through toil, friendship and young romance.

Meeting Room N201B, HKCEC

What’s going on with my sister?

(Japan) 107mins. Comedy, Drama. Kadokawa Corporation. Dir: Yuki Aoyama, Koen Ikki.

A cranky baby sister, a rookie big brother and a girl ghost take us to a never-before-seen fetish world.

Meeting Room N201A, HKCEC

18:30 3D Lost in Wrestling

(Hong Kong, InnerMongolia) 99mins.

Drama. Gold Harbour International Films. Dir: Casey Chan. Key cast: William Chan, Zhao Ke, Li Feier, Naoko Watanabe, Li Yixin, Sechengoo, Zheng Pei Pe, Lau Siu Ming.

Mongolian wrestler Na Ren takes part in a women’s wrestling event in Japan. Once there, she is intrigued by Boss, the show’s host, who organises a women’s mud wrestling championship. It is a sad awakening for Na Ren, who realises her childhood friend Chi Na Si, once a sumo player, is now Boss.

Theatre 2, HKCEC By invitation only

Abuse of Weakness

(France) 104mins.

Drama. HKIFF Industry Screenings @ Filmart.

Dir: Catherine Breillat.

Key cast: Isabelle Huppert, Kool Shen, Laurence Ursino, Christophe Sermet, Ronald Leclercq.

A charismatic conman takes advantage of a film director who is recovering from a stroke.

Editorial office: Room G202, second floor, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Drive, Wanchai, Hong Kong Filmart stand: 1E-F27

Editorial Tel +852 2582 8959 Dailies editor and Asia editor Liz Shackleton (lizshackleton@gmail.com) News editor Michael Rosser (michael.rosser@screendaily. com) Reviews editor Mark Adams (mark.adams@screendaily. com) Reporter Jean Noh (hjnoh2007@gmail.com) Group head of production and art Mark Mowbray (mark.mowbray@ screendaily.com) Sub-editors Loveday Cuming, Paul Lindsell, Danny Plunkett, Adam Richmond Advertising Tel +852 2582 8958 Sales manager Scott Benfold +44 7765 257 260 (scott.benfold@ screendaily.com) Sales consultant Ingrid Hammond +852 5975 1045 (ingridhammond@mac. com) Production manager Jonathon Cooke (jonathon. cooke@mb-insight.com) Festival and events manager Mai Le +44 7734 967 324 (mai.le@mb-insight. com) Commercial director Andrew Dixon Group commercial director Alison Pitchford Chief executive, MBI Conor Dignam Printer G.L. Graphic & Printing Ltd, level 1-8, Howard Factory Building, 66 Tsun Yip Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong Published by Media Business Insight Ltd (MBI) 101 Finsbury Pavement, London EC2A 1RS Subscription customer services Tel: +44 (0) 1604 828 706 E-mail: help@subscribe. screendaily.com

Meeting Room N101A, HKCEC

March 24, 2014 Screen International at Filmart 23 n

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