Veteran Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou will receive both the Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2023 Highest-Grossing Asian Film Award for his last feature Full River Red at this week’s Asian Film Awards.
The Asian Film Awards body has said the two awards are a “testament to Zhang’s extraordinary achievements but also to his continued success.” He was last feted by the awards body in 2021 when he picked up best director for One Second. In 2010 he was also handed the Asian Film Contribution Award.
Widely credited as one of the central figures of China’s Fifth Generation Cinema, Zhang made his directorial debut with Red Sorghum (1987). Since then, he has tackled a wide range of film genres in work like The Story of Qiu Ju (1992), To Live (1994), The Road Home (1999), House of Flying Daggers (2004), The Great Wall (2016) and Cliff Walkers (2021). Full River Red was released during the 2023 Chinese New Year...
The Asian Film Awards body has said the two awards are a “testament to Zhang’s extraordinary achievements but also to his continued success.” He was last feted by the awards body in 2021 when he picked up best director for One Second. In 2010 he was also handed the Asian Film Contribution Award.
Widely credited as one of the central figures of China’s Fifth Generation Cinema, Zhang made his directorial debut with Red Sorghum (1987). Since then, he has tackled a wide range of film genres in work like The Story of Qiu Ju (1992), To Live (1994), The Road Home (1999), House of Flying Daggers (2004), The Great Wall (2016) and Cliff Walkers (2021). Full River Red was released during the 2023 Chinese New Year...
- 3/7/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou is to be feted with two honours at the Asian Film Awards on Sunday (March 10) in recognition of his career and recent box office success.
Zhang will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2023 Highest-Grossing Asian Film Award for Full River Red, which made $667m worldwide according to ticketing agency Maoyan following its release in January last year.
It marks a return to AFAs for the director, who won the Asian Film Contribution Award at in 2010 and best director in 2021 for One Second.
“Having been in the industry for over four decades, I am grateful...
Zhang will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2023 Highest-Grossing Asian Film Award for Full River Red, which made $667m worldwide according to ticketing agency Maoyan following its release in January last year.
It marks a return to AFAs for the director, who won the Asian Film Contribution Award at in 2010 and best director in 2021 for One Second.
“Having been in the industry for over four decades, I am grateful...
- 3/7/2024
- ScreenDaily
Veteran mainland Chinese director Zhang Yimou is to be honored twice over at the Asian Film Awards ceremony on Sunday. He will be presented with a lifetime achievement award and a separate prize for directing the highest-grossing Asian film of 2023.
“These two awards are not only a testament to Zhang’s extraordinary achievements, but also to his continued success, having won the Asian film contribution award at the 4th AFAs in 2010 and the best director award at the 15th Asian Film Awards in 2021 for ‘One Second’,” Afa organizers said.
“I consider myself very fortunate to have chosen filmmaking as my lifelong profession. Having been in the industry for over four decades, I am grateful to everyone who appreciates my films [..] I will keep learning and strive to surpass myself. Always having anticipations for the future, I hope that my best film will be my next one,” said Zhang in a prepared statement.
“These two awards are not only a testament to Zhang’s extraordinary achievements, but also to his continued success, having won the Asian film contribution award at the 4th AFAs in 2010 and the best director award at the 15th Asian Film Awards in 2021 for ‘One Second’,” Afa organizers said.
“I consider myself very fortunate to have chosen filmmaking as my lifelong profession. Having been in the industry for over four decades, I am grateful to everyone who appreciates my films [..] I will keep learning and strive to surpass myself. Always having anticipations for the future, I hope that my best film will be my next one,” said Zhang in a prepared statement.
- 3/7/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
“The pandemic has finally passed, and cinema has returned to normal, but the way people think has changed dramatically,” Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou concluded when quizzed by Deadline about cinema post-Covid 19 during a brief chat at the Tokyo Film Festival (TIFF).
“That is,” he continued, “people now value a peaceful and healthy life even more.”
Zhang, one of China’s most enduring filmmakers, is in Tokyo to receive the festival’s honorary lifetime achievement award. He picked up the gong Monday at the TIFF opening ceremony held at Tokyo’s Takarazuka Theatre.
“This is like a new start for me,” Zhang said, accepting the award. He added that he has traveled to the Tokyo Film Festival twice before, but the lifetime achievement award felt like the spark of a new chapter in his career. But with what Zhang described as a dramatic change in the mentality of audiences, has his approach to filmmaking changed?...
“That is,” he continued, “people now value a peaceful and healthy life even more.”
Zhang, one of China’s most enduring filmmakers, is in Tokyo to receive the festival’s honorary lifetime achievement award. He picked up the gong Monday at the TIFF opening ceremony held at Tokyo’s Takarazuka Theatre.
“This is like a new start for me,” Zhang said, accepting the award. He added that he has traveled to the Tokyo Film Festival twice before, but the lifetime achievement award felt like the spark of a new chapter in his career. But with what Zhang described as a dramatic change in the mentality of audiences, has his approach to filmmaking changed?...
- 10/24/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou has been set as the recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement award at the forthcoming Tokyo Film Festival (TIFF), running October 23 – November 1.
He will receive the award at the TIFF opening ceremony on October 23. After graduating from the Beijing Film Academy in 1982, he made his directorial debut with Red Sorghum (1987). Since then, he has tackled a wide range of film genres in work like The Story of Qiu Ju (1992), To Live (1994), The Road Home (1999), House of Flying Daggers (2004), The Great Wall (2016) and Cliff Walkers (2021).
Yimou’s latest work, Full River Red, was released during the Chinese New Year this year and is currently the highest-ranking 2023 Chinese film in the country. The film has also been selected as part of the Gala Selection section at this year’s TIFF. As part of his time in Tokyo, Yimou will take part in a keynote session co-hosted by the Japan Foundation.
He will receive the award at the TIFF opening ceremony on October 23. After graduating from the Beijing Film Academy in 1982, he made his directorial debut with Red Sorghum (1987). Since then, he has tackled a wide range of film genres in work like The Story of Qiu Ju (1992), To Live (1994), The Road Home (1999), House of Flying Daggers (2004), The Great Wall (2016) and Cliff Walkers (2021).
Yimou’s latest work, Full River Red, was released during the Chinese New Year this year and is currently the highest-ranking 2023 Chinese film in the country. The film has also been selected as part of the Gala Selection section at this year’s TIFF. As part of his time in Tokyo, Yimou will take part in a keynote session co-hosted by the Japan Foundation.
- 10/10/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
The director of ‘House Of Flying Daggers’ and ‘Full River Red’ will attend the festival in October.
Acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou is to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) later this month.
The director of House Of Flying Daggers and more recently box office hit Full River Red, which will screen in the gala strand of TIFF, will be honoured in recognition of his career and long-standing contributions to the film industry.
The filmmaker will receive the award at the TIFF opening ceremony on October 23 and later participate in a talk as part...
Acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou is to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) later this month.
The director of House Of Flying Daggers and more recently box office hit Full River Red, which will screen in the gala strand of TIFF, will be honoured in recognition of his career and long-standing contributions to the film industry.
The filmmaker will receive the award at the TIFF opening ceremony on October 23 and later participate in a talk as part...
- 10/10/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Leading Chinese film director Zhang Yimou is to receive a lifetime achievement award at the Tokyo International Film Festival later this month.
The award will be presented to him during the festival’s opening ceremony on Oct. 23.
Later, Zhang will take part in a special talk session at the TIFF Loungeco-hosted by the Japan Foundation.
Additionally, his “Full River Red,” which was a box office sensation in China at the beginning of the year, will play as a gala selection during the Tokyo festival.
Zhang, consider to be among China’s “fifth generation” of filmmakers, has had an extraordinary career that he has sustained for over three decades. His first film as director was “Red Sorghum,” which he has followed with pictures in a wide range of genres, including “The Story of Qiu Ju” (1992), “To Live” (1994), “The Road Home” (1999), “House of Flying Daggers” (2004), “The Great Wall” (2016) and “Cliff Walkers” (2021).
He...
The award will be presented to him during the festival’s opening ceremony on Oct. 23.
Later, Zhang will take part in a special talk session at the TIFF Loungeco-hosted by the Japan Foundation.
Additionally, his “Full River Red,” which was a box office sensation in China at the beginning of the year, will play as a gala selection during the Tokyo festival.
Zhang, consider to be among China’s “fifth generation” of filmmakers, has had an extraordinary career that he has sustained for over three decades. His first film as director was “Red Sorghum,” which he has followed with pictures in a wide range of genres, including “The Story of Qiu Ju” (1992), “To Live” (1994), “The Road Home” (1999), “House of Flying Daggers” (2004), “The Great Wall” (2016) and “Cliff Walkers” (2021).
He...
- 10/10/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Murder, treachery and political intrigue are the juicy ingredients of Zhang Yimou’s “Full River Red,” an entertaining if overlong mystery-comedy set in the narrow passageways and dark chambers of a Song dynasty military compound in 1146. With a twist-packed plot to match its labyrinthine location, Zhang’s fast-paced film motors along nicely as an engaging “Knives Out”-style whodunnit before stumbling a little in the protracted final act. A Lunar New Year smash hit in China, “Full River Red” will be released on 150 North American screens by specialty distributor Niu Vision Media on March 17.
The biggest commercial success of Zhang’s distinguished 35-year career, “Full River Red” has already grossed a whopping $671 million at home since Jan. 22. The 157-minute blockbuster continues the string of hits he’s delivered since big-budget international co-production misfire “The Great Wall” in 2016. Much less ornately decorated and colorfully photographed than Zhang’s famous wuxia epics...
The biggest commercial success of Zhang’s distinguished 35-year career, “Full River Red” has already grossed a whopping $671 million at home since Jan. 22. The 157-minute blockbuster continues the string of hits he’s delivered since big-budget international co-production misfire “The Great Wall” in 2016. Much less ornately decorated and colorfully photographed than Zhang’s famous wuxia epics...
- 3/14/2023
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
Legendary Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou’s period thriller Full River Red — the world’s biggest blockbuster of 2023, so far, with $644 million and counting at China’s theatrical box office — is headed to the U.S.
Specialty distributor Niu Vision Media has acquired North American rights to the film and lined up a limited release March 17 in 150 theaters across the U.S. and Canada. Niu Vision picked up Full River Red from Bill Kong’s Edko Films, which is handling worldwide sales on the film and will continue offering it to buyers in select territories at next week’s Filmart industry confab in Hong Kong.
Produced by rising studio Huanxi Media, Full River Red was the big winner at China’s Lunar New Year box office race in late January. Frank Guo’s sci-fi sequel The Wander Earth 2 was the market favorite in the lead-up to the lucrative holiday release period,...
Specialty distributor Niu Vision Media has acquired North American rights to the film and lined up a limited release March 17 in 150 theaters across the U.S. and Canada. Niu Vision picked up Full River Red from Bill Kong’s Edko Films, which is handling worldwide sales on the film and will continue offering it to buyers in select territories at next week’s Filmart industry confab in Hong Kong.
Produced by rising studio Huanxi Media, Full River Red was the big winner at China’s Lunar New Year box office race in late January. Frank Guo’s sci-fi sequel The Wander Earth 2 was the market favorite in the lead-up to the lucrative holiday release period,...
- 3/9/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Opening in theaters son. Beyond Events has revealed an official US trailer for Full River Red, one of the latest films from acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, who has been on a roll with all kinds of new films. It's opening in the US and Canada in just a few weeks (March 17th) in a few limited theaters around both countries. The title of this film comes from a poem about Yue Fei, "a military general during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), well-known for his patriotism and loyalty to his country, who was framed & executed by Prime Minister Qin Hui, one of the most treacherous officials in China's history." The suspenseful, comedic mystery takes place in 12th century China, during the Song Dynasty, set against a brewing rebellion organized by the Jin people against the Imperial Court. After a Jin Ambassador is murdered just hours before an important vote and...
- 3/8/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The veteran action star plays as a washed-up stuntman in the drama-comedy.
Hong Kong’s Golden Network Asia has closed sales of upcoming Jackie Chan action feature Ride On in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
The film has sold to North America (Well Go USA), Germany (Plaion Pictures), Italy (Eagle Pictures), Eastern Europe, Benelux and Israel (Spi International), Cis (An Media), Turkey (Atv), Middle East (Phars Film), Japan (Twin Co. Ltd), South Korea (Contents Panda), Malaysia (Shanghai Pictures), Singapore (Shaw Renters), Taiwan and worldwide airlines (Eagle International), Indonesia (Prima Cinema), the Philippines (Pioneer Films) and India (Indo Overseas Film...
Hong Kong’s Golden Network Asia has closed sales of upcoming Jackie Chan action feature Ride On in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
The film has sold to North America (Well Go USA), Germany (Plaion Pictures), Italy (Eagle Pictures), Eastern Europe, Benelux and Israel (Spi International), Cis (An Media), Turkey (Atv), Middle East (Phars Film), Japan (Twin Co. Ltd), South Korea (Contents Panda), Malaysia (Shanghai Pictures), Singapore (Shaw Renters), Taiwan and worldwide airlines (Eagle International), Indonesia (Prima Cinema), the Philippines (Pioneer Films) and India (Indo Overseas Film...
- 2/15/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Jackie Chan’s upcoming stuntman-horse buddy action movie Ride On has sold wide ahead of the European Film Market in Berlin. Hong Kong sales outlet Golden Network has inked distribution deals for the film across North America, Europe and Asia. The film is being sold as an homage to Chan’s classic stuntman movies.
Ride On stars Chan as a washed-up stuntman who can barely make ends meet, let alone take care of his beloved stunt horse, Red Hare. Chan’s character is in the process of seeking financial help from his estranged daughter and her lawyer boyfriend when he’s notified that his horse may be auctioned off to cover his debts. Suddenly, though, the stuntman and the horse become overnight media sensations when their real-life fight with debt collectors goes viral on social media. That earns the stuntman a second chance to choose between his movie career and his family.
Ride On stars Chan as a washed-up stuntman who can barely make ends meet, let alone take care of his beloved stunt horse, Red Hare. Chan’s character is in the process of seeking financial help from his estranged daughter and her lawyer boyfriend when he’s notified that his horse may be auctioned off to cover his debts. Suddenly, though, the stuntman and the horse become overnight media sensations when their real-life fight with debt collectors goes viral on social media. That earns the stuntman a second chance to choose between his movie career and his family.
- 2/15/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hong Kong-based sales agency Golden Network Asia has amassed a large collection of advanced sales on upcoming Jackie Chan-starring film “Ride On.”
The film, pitched as an action dramedy and one in which Chan pays homage to old-school stunt men, has recently been given an April 7 release date in mainland China. The date also mark’s the star’s 69th birthday.
The film has already been licensed to: Well Go USA for North America; Plaion Pictures for Germany; Eagle Pictures for Italy; Spi International for Eastern Europe, Benelux and Israel; An Media for Cis; Atv for Turkey; Phars Film for Middle East; Twin Co. for Japan; Contents Panda for South Korea; Shanghai Pictures for Malaysia; Shaw Renters for Singapore; Eagle International for Taiwan and worldwide Airline; Prima Cinema for Indonesia; Pioneer Films for the Philippines and Indo Overseas Film for India.
Chan stars as a washed-up stuntman who can barely make ends meet,...
The film, pitched as an action dramedy and one in which Chan pays homage to old-school stunt men, has recently been given an April 7 release date in mainland China. The date also mark’s the star’s 69th birthday.
The film has already been licensed to: Well Go USA for North America; Plaion Pictures for Germany; Eagle Pictures for Italy; Spi International for Eastern Europe, Benelux and Israel; An Media for Cis; Atv for Turkey; Phars Film for Middle East; Twin Co. for Japan; Contents Panda for South Korea; Shanghai Pictures for Malaysia; Shaw Renters for Singapore; Eagle International for Taiwan and worldwide Airline; Prima Cinema for Indonesia; Pioneer Films for the Philippines and Indo Overseas Film for India.
Chan stars as a washed-up stuntman who can barely make ends meet,...
- 2/15/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Hong Kong-based sales firm Golden Network has picked up international rights to Jackie Chan’s upcoming film “Ride On.”
The feature has recently wrapped production and is scheduled to be released on Dec. 31 in time for what is normally a peak cinemagoing period in China and elsewhere.
Asian films are currently struggling to achieve pre-sales in international markets, but “Ride On” could be an exception. Chan is reliably bankable in action and comedy films, with appeal in Asia, overseas diaspora territories and European TV, streaming and home entertainment markets.
“Ride On” is directed by one of China’s most bankable filmmakers, Larry Yang. Yang previously pleased critics with his 2015 rural drama “Mountain Cry” and then earned over 100 million at the box office with 2019 title “Adoring,” about six couples and their pets.
In “Ride On,” Chan stars as a washed-up stuntman who can barely make ends meet, let alone take care of his beloved stunt horse,...
The feature has recently wrapped production and is scheduled to be released on Dec. 31 in time for what is normally a peak cinemagoing period in China and elsewhere.
Asian films are currently struggling to achieve pre-sales in international markets, but “Ride On” could be an exception. Chan is reliably bankable in action and comedy films, with appeal in Asia, overseas diaspora territories and European TV, streaming and home entertainment markets.
“Ride On” is directed by one of China’s most bankable filmmakers, Larry Yang. Yang previously pleased critics with his 2015 rural drama “Mountain Cry” and then earned over 100 million at the box office with 2019 title “Adoring,” about six couples and their pets.
In “Ride On,” Chan stars as a washed-up stuntman who can barely make ends meet, let alone take care of his beloved stunt horse,...
- 5/17/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Working at an immensely steady clip in the last few years, Zhang Yimou is setting his sights on the first sequel amongst his vast career. Following the impressive worldwide box office of over $180 million for his spy thriller Cliff Walkers, a follow-up has now been announced by Hong Kong’s Emperor Motion Pictures (via Screen Daily), with the director set to return. While there are no plot details nor production timeline yet for Cliff Walkers 2, the original was set just prior to WWII and followed four Chinese Communist Party agents who infiltrate the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo to extract a prisoner.
Jared Mobarak said in our review of the first film, “Zhang Yimou and co-writer Yongxian Quan’s Cliff Walkers wastes no time in delivering the first of its spy genre twists to ensure we’re always questioning the actions on-screen thanks to the kind of traitor you can...
Jared Mobarak said in our review of the first film, “Zhang Yimou and co-writer Yongxian Quan’s Cliff Walkers wastes no time in delivering the first of its spy genre twists to ensure we’re always questioning the actions on-screen thanks to the kind of traitor you can...
- 3/25/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Two of the five Oscar nominees for Best Sound won at the Golden Reel Awards bestowed by the Motion Picture Sound Editors (Mpse) on March 13 . The Oscar frontrunner, “Dune,” picked up the prize for sound effects and foley while “West Side Story” danced off with the music award. The dialogue/Adr award went to “Nightmare Alley,” which had been snubbed by the sound branch of the academy.
Two of the other Oscar nominees — “Belfast” and “No Time to Die” — vied in sound effects/foley while the fifth contender, “The Power of the Dog,” was vying in dialogue/Adr.
The upcoming Oscars mark the second year for the new Best Sound category, which combines Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing. There can be up to six nominees from a film: one production sound mixer, two supervising sound editors and three re-recording mixers. Last year, “Sound of Metal” won this award...
Two of the other Oscar nominees — “Belfast” and “No Time to Die” — vied in sound effects/foley while the fifth contender, “The Power of the Dog,” was vying in dialogue/Adr.
The upcoming Oscars mark the second year for the new Best Sound category, which combines Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing. There can be up to six nominees from a film: one production sound mixer, two supervising sound editors and three re-recording mixers. Last year, “Sound of Metal” won this award...
- 3/14/2022
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Congratulations to our Expert Clayton Davis (Variety) for the best score of 83.33% (five of six categories) when predicting the 2022 Motion Picture Sound Editors Awards winners on Sunday night. He is just ahead of rafaeltxeira at 66.67%.
Over 700 Users worldwide predicted these Mpse Golden Reel champs for six categories at the virtual ceremony. Movie winners included “Dune,” “West Side Story,” “Nightmare Alley,” “Raya and the Last Dragon,” “Cliff Walkers” and “The Rescue.”
You can see how your score compares to all others in our leaderboard rankings of all contestants, which also includes links to see each participant’s predictions. To see your own scores, go to the User menu in the top right corner of every page of Gold Derby when you’re signed in to the site. Use the drop down menu to go to “View Profile,” then look for the links to your “Award Show Scores.”
For our nine Gold Derby Editors predicting,...
Over 700 Users worldwide predicted these Mpse Golden Reel champs for six categories at the virtual ceremony. Movie winners included “Dune,” “West Side Story,” “Nightmare Alley,” “Raya and the Last Dragon,” “Cliff Walkers” and “The Rescue.”
You can see how your score compares to all others in our leaderboard rankings of all contestants, which also includes links to see each participant’s predictions. To see your own scores, go to the User menu in the top right corner of every page of Gold Derby when you’re signed in to the site. Use the drop down menu to go to “View Profile,” then look for the links to your “Award Show Scores.”
For our nine Gold Derby Editors predicting,...
- 3/14/2022
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
“Dune,” “Nightmare Alley” and “West Side Story” have won the top feature-film awards at the Motion Picture Sound Editors’ 69th annual Mpse Golden Reel Awards, which took place in a virtual ceremony on Sunday night.
“Dune” won in the Feature Effects/Foley category, which over the years has been the Mpse’s most accurate predictor of Oscar success. “Nightmare Alley” won in the Feature Dialogue/Adr category, while “West Side Story” won in the music category.
Other film awards went to “Raya and the Last Dragon” for animation, “The Rescue” for documentary and “Cliff Walkers” for foreign-language feature.
Television winners included “Succession,” “Only Murders in the Building,” “The Underground Railroad,” “The Witcher” and “The Beatles Get Back.”
Director and producer Ron Howard received the Filmmaker Award, while Anthony J. “Chic” Ciccolini III received the Career Achievement Award.
The list of winners:
Feature Dialogue / Adr: “Nightmare Alley”
Supervising Dialogue/Adr Editor:...
“Dune” won in the Feature Effects/Foley category, which over the years has been the Mpse’s most accurate predictor of Oscar success. “Nightmare Alley” won in the Feature Dialogue/Adr category, while “West Side Story” won in the music category.
Other film awards went to “Raya and the Last Dragon” for animation, “The Rescue” for documentary and “Cliff Walkers” for foreign-language feature.
Television winners included “Succession,” “Only Murders in the Building,” “The Underground Railroad,” “The Witcher” and “The Beatles Get Back.”
Director and producer Ron Howard received the Filmmaker Award, while Anthony J. “Chic” Ciccolini III received the Career Achievement Award.
The list of winners:
Feature Dialogue / Adr: “Nightmare Alley”
Supervising Dialogue/Adr Editor:...
- 3/14/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The Oscar-frontrunner “Dune” (Warner Bros.), “Nightmare Alley” (Searchlight Pictures), and “West Side Story” (20th Century Studios) each won sound editing feature awards Sunday night at the 69th annual Mpse Golden Reel Awards (held virtually). “Dune” took feature effects/foley, “Nightmare Alley,” a non-Oscar nominee and surprise winner over “Dune” and “No Time to Die,” snagged feature dialogue/Adr, and Oscar nominee “West Side Story” collected feature music. The other Oscar sound nominees are “Belfast” (Focus Features), “No Time to Die” (MGM/UA), and “The Power of the Dog” (Netflix).
There were other surprises: Disney’s “Raya and the Last Dragon” triumphed in animation over the studio’s Oscar-frontrunner, “Encanto,” which has won a slew of guild awards, and “The Rescue” (Disney+) took feature documentary over Oscar-frontrunner “Summer of Soul” (Searchlight Pictures). Additionally, “Cliff Walkers” (Viki) earned foreign language honors, and “Infinite” (Paramount +) grabbed non-theatrical feature.
On the TV side, “Succession,...
There were other surprises: Disney’s “Raya and the Last Dragon” triumphed in animation over the studio’s Oscar-frontrunner, “Encanto,” which has won a slew of guild awards, and “The Rescue” (Disney+) took feature documentary over Oscar-frontrunner “Summer of Soul” (Searchlight Pictures). Additionally, “Cliff Walkers” (Viki) earned foreign language honors, and “Infinite” (Paramount +) grabbed non-theatrical feature.
On the TV side, “Succession,...
- 3/14/2022
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
The Oscar frontrunner for Best Sound, “Dune,” contends in three of the six film categories at Sunday’s Golden Reel Awards bestowed by the Motion Picture Sound Editors (Mpse). It is tipped to prevail in two of these races: dialogue/Adr and sound effects/foley. “Dune” is expected to lost its other bid, for music, to one of its Oscar rivals: “West Side Story” is predicted to win that race, which marks its only nomination here.
Two of the other Oscar nominees — “Belfast” and “No Time to Die” — vie in sound effects/foley while the fifth contender, “The Power of the Dog,” is vying in dialogue/adr.
The upcoming Oscars mark the second year for the new Best Sound category, which combines Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing. There can be up to six nominees from a film: one production sound mixer, two supervising sound editors and three re-recording mixers.
Two of the other Oscar nominees — “Belfast” and “No Time to Die” — vie in sound effects/foley while the fifth contender, “The Power of the Dog,” is vying in dialogue/adr.
The upcoming Oscars mark the second year for the new Best Sound category, which combines Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing. There can be up to six nominees from a film: one production sound mixer, two supervising sound editors and three re-recording mixers.
- 3/10/2022
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Women From Georgia, Blind Dates, and Brighton 4th director Levan Koguashvili on chaos being cinematic: “I remember reading a book about one of my favourite directors, Robert Altman. It talked about why he likes making these group movies with separate stories.” Photo: Ed Bahlman
On December 21, 2021 the 94th Academy Awards Oscar Best International Feature Film shortlist was revealed with some notable omissions. Nora Martirosyan’s Should The Wind Drop (Si Le Vent Tombe) from Armenia; Julia Ducournau’s Titane from France; Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Memoria from Colombia; Zhang Yimou’s Cliff Walkers from China; Kira Kovalenko’s Unclenching The Fists from Russia, and Levan Koguashvili's Brighton 4th from Georgia were among those.
Levan Koguashvili with Anne-Katrin Titze: “The main concern is the cinematic quality of the story.”
The Tribeca Film Festival International Narrative Competition jury comprised of Alexander Payne, Melissa Leo, Delroy Lindo, Peter Scarlet, and Lesli Klainberg awarded Best...
On December 21, 2021 the 94th Academy Awards Oscar Best International Feature Film shortlist was revealed with some notable omissions. Nora Martirosyan’s Should The Wind Drop (Si Le Vent Tombe) from Armenia; Julia Ducournau’s Titane from France; Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Memoria from Colombia; Zhang Yimou’s Cliff Walkers from China; Kira Kovalenko’s Unclenching The Fists from Russia, and Levan Koguashvili's Brighton 4th from Georgia were among those.
Levan Koguashvili with Anne-Katrin Titze: “The main concern is the cinematic quality of the story.”
The Tribeca Film Festival International Narrative Competition jury comprised of Alexander Payne, Melissa Leo, Delroy Lindo, Peter Scarlet, and Lesli Klainberg awarded Best...
- 2/15/2022
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
All five of our predicted Oscar nominees for Best Sound number among the contenders for the Golden Reel Awards bestowed by the Motion Picture Sound Editors (Mpse) as announced on Jan. 24.
Oscar frontrunner “Dune” reaped three bids across the six film categories as did two of its closest Oscar rivals, “The Matrix Resurrections” and “A Quiet Place Part II” (plus “Nightmare Alley”). The other two expected Oscar nominees — “Belfast” and “West Side Story” — had to make do with one nomination apiece from the Mpse.
The upcoming Oscars mark the second year for the new Best Sound category, which combines Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing. There can be up to six nominees from a film: one production sound mixer, two supervising sound editors and three re-recording mixers. Last year, “Sound of Metal” won this award after being shut out by the Mpse despite a leading five bids.
In 2020 the...
Oscar frontrunner “Dune” reaped three bids across the six film categories as did two of its closest Oscar rivals, “The Matrix Resurrections” and “A Quiet Place Part II” (plus “Nightmare Alley”). The other two expected Oscar nominees — “Belfast” and “West Side Story” — had to make do with one nomination apiece from the Mpse.
The upcoming Oscars mark the second year for the new Best Sound category, which combines Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing. There can be up to six nominees from a film: one production sound mixer, two supervising sound editors and three re-recording mixers. Last year, “Sound of Metal” won this award after being shut out by the Mpse despite a leading five bids.
In 2020 the...
- 1/24/2022
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Last year finally saw the premiere of Zhang Yimou’s drama One Second and the release of his spy thriller Cliff Walkers. While we’re still awaiting the release of his crime drama Under the Light, the seasoned director is now back with a new Korean War film, co-directed with his daughter Zhang Mo. Sharpshooter, formerly titled The Coldest Gun, will now get a release in China on February 1, 2022 and the first trailer has arrived.
Starring Chen Yongsheng, Zhang Yu, and Zhang Yi, the film follows the real-life story of a 22-year-old sniper named Zhang Dagong, who battled U.S. troops during the Korean War, killing or injuring a record 214 American soldiers in 32 days. With a release timed to the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, producer Tan Fei said, “With historical facts, the film is going to make audiences once again realize that although the U.S. is strong,...
Starring Chen Yongsheng, Zhang Yu, and Zhang Yi, the film follows the real-life story of a 22-year-old sniper named Zhang Dagong, who battled U.S. troops during the Korean War, killing or injuring a record 214 American soldiers in 32 days. With a release timed to the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, producer Tan Fei said, “With historical facts, the film is going to make audiences once again realize that although the U.S. is strong,...
- 1/3/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
China’s government-backed Golden Rooster Awards honored Oscar-winning drama “The Father” with the event’s first-ever prize for best international film in the coastal city of Xiamen on Thursday.
Beijing hopes that its star-studded awards ceremony can rival and surpass the Taipei-based Golden Horse Awards, once known as the “Oscars of Asia” for Chinese-language content. This year, the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival, which kicked off Tuesday, added the international film competition category for the first time.
This year’s 34th iteration honors films screened theatrically in China between July 1, 2020 and July 15, 2021.
“The Father” beat out animation “Wolfwalkers,” World War II drama “Persian Lessons,” Italy’s live-action “Pinocchio” and the Thai drama “Happy Old Year.” The film grossed $4.14 million in China in June — nearly double the $2.12 million it earned in the U.S.
Veteran helmer Zhang Yimou was the most decorated of this year’s ceremony, with his...
Beijing hopes that its star-studded awards ceremony can rival and surpass the Taipei-based Golden Horse Awards, once known as the “Oscars of Asia” for Chinese-language content. This year, the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival, which kicked off Tuesday, added the international film competition category for the first time.
This year’s 34th iteration honors films screened theatrically in China between July 1, 2020 and July 15, 2021.
“The Father” beat out animation “Wolfwalkers,” World War II drama “Persian Lessons,” Italy’s live-action “Pinocchio” and the Thai drama “Happy Old Year.” The film grossed $4.14 million in China in June — nearly double the $2.12 million it earned in the U.S.
Veteran helmer Zhang Yimou was the most decorated of this year’s ceremony, with his...
- 12/30/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Edgar (Hayk Bakhryan), the magic water boy with Armen (Vartan Petrossian) in Armenia’s Oscar submission, Nora Martirosyan’s Should The Wind Drop (Si Le Vent Tombe)
Last week the 94th Academy Awards Oscar Best International Feature Film shortlist was revealed with some notable omissions. Levan Koguashvili's Brighton 4th from Georgia; Julia Ducournau’s Titane from France; Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Memoria from Colombia; Zhang Yimou’s Cliff Walkers from China; Kira Kovalenko’s Unclenching The Fists from Russia, and Nora Martirosyan’s Should The Wind Drop (Si Le Vent Tombe) from Armenia were among those.
Grégoire Colin as Alain Delage, an international auditor sent to inspect the remote airport of an independent republic in the Caucasus mountains.
In the second instalment with the director on her debut feature, screenplay with Emmanuelle Pagano (co-writers Guillaume André and Olivier Torres), and produced by Annabella Nezri, Julie Paratian, and Ani Vorskanyan, we...
Last week the 94th Academy Awards Oscar Best International Feature Film shortlist was revealed with some notable omissions. Levan Koguashvili's Brighton 4th from Georgia; Julia Ducournau’s Titane from France; Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Memoria from Colombia; Zhang Yimou’s Cliff Walkers from China; Kira Kovalenko’s Unclenching The Fists from Russia, and Nora Martirosyan’s Should The Wind Drop (Si Le Vent Tombe) from Armenia were among those.
Grégoire Colin as Alain Delage, an international auditor sent to inspect the remote airport of an independent republic in the Caucasus mountains.
In the second instalment with the director on her debut feature, screenplay with Emmanuelle Pagano (co-writers Guillaume André and Olivier Torres), and produced by Annabella Nezri, Julie Paratian, and Ani Vorskanyan, we...
- 12/30/2021
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Hamaguchi Ryusuke’s “Drive My Car,” Japan’s entry to the Academy Awards’ international category, looks to be the odds on favorite from Asia to win the category.
The drama with a theater world backdrop follows the trajectory of South Korean four-statuette winner “Parasite” in that it began its winning ways at Cannes and is festooned with awards en route to the Oscars. “Parasite” won the Palme d’Or, which “Drive My Car” did not, with that honor this year going to Julia Ducournau’s “Titane,” which became France’s entry to the category. It also recently won at the New York Film Critics Circle.
Nevertheless, “Drive My Car” won three awards at Cannes and has the added advantage of U.S. distribution, where it is currently on theatrical release.
The 2008 win for Takita Yojiro’s “Departures” remains Japan’s only win since the category was made competitive in 1956.
While...
The drama with a theater world backdrop follows the trajectory of South Korean four-statuette winner “Parasite” in that it began its winning ways at Cannes and is festooned with awards en route to the Oscars. “Parasite” won the Palme d’Or, which “Drive My Car” did not, with that honor this year going to Julia Ducournau’s “Titane,” which became France’s entry to the category. It also recently won at the New York Film Critics Circle.
Nevertheless, “Drive My Car” won three awards at Cannes and has the added advantage of U.S. distribution, where it is currently on theatrical release.
The 2008 win for Takita Yojiro’s “Departures” remains Japan’s only win since the category was made competitive in 1956.
While...
- 12/12/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Well Go USA has announced the release of Chinese mystery adventure, Schemes in Antiques, in North American theatres on December 17, 2021.
Xu Yuan makes a simple living as the owner of an electronics shop despite his family’s famed expertise on ancient relics. He is eager to distinguish himself from a disgraced ancestor executed for treason after stealing a Chinese artefact, a Tang Dynasty Buddha head, for Japan. But when a descendant offers to return the relic to China, Xu Yuan uncovers a decades-old mystery and embarks on a journey that could finally restore his family’s reputation. He is pitted against a gifted antiques appraiser with an agenda and gets dragged into an all-out war over this priceless treasure that may also cost him his life.
This film is adapted from the novel of the same name by Ma Boyong whose other notable works have been seen in recent drama adaptations,...
Xu Yuan makes a simple living as the owner of an electronics shop despite his family’s famed expertise on ancient relics. He is eager to distinguish himself from a disgraced ancestor executed for treason after stealing a Chinese artefact, a Tang Dynasty Buddha head, for Japan. But when a descendant offers to return the relic to China, Xu Yuan uncovers a decades-old mystery and embarks on a journey that could finally restore his family’s reputation. He is pitted against a gifted antiques appraiser with an agenda and gets dragged into an all-out war over this priceless treasure that may also cost him his life.
This film is adapted from the novel of the same name by Ma Boyong whose other notable works have been seen in recent drama adaptations,...
- 12/11/2021
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
After going dark for the first time in more than half a century, the return of the Cannes Film Festival proves one major point: the event is still a significant launch pad when it comes to the International Feature Film Oscars. Indeed, of the 90-plus submissions recorded so far this year, nearly a quarter made their debut on the Croisette, be it in Competition, Un Certain Regard, Directors’ Fortnight or Critics’ Week. It’s perhaps to be expected—since the Academy first introduced the category in 1956, foreign-language auteur works have dominated more commercial fare—but the skew towards Cannes is telling. Other festivals have their place—notably Berlin and Venice, with Sundance emerging this year as an unexpected new contender—but, as a rough guide, Cannes has physically premiered six of the last 10 winners and presented last year’s victor, Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round (Denmark) under the umbrella of its virtual 2020 label.
- 12/10/2021
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
China has released the list of nominees for its upcoming Golden Rooster Awards, a set of government-approved film industry prizes that it wants to be seen as rivaling the Taipei-based Golden Horse Awards, historically considered as the “Chinese-language Oscars.”
The winning Roosters will be announced amidst a film festival running Dec. 28-30 in the port city of Xiamen in coastal Fujian province, just a short boat ride away from Taiwanese soil. Established in 1981, the event was previously held biannually until China’s rift with the Golden Horse prizes occurred in 2018 following a pro-Taiwanese independence acceptance speech and prompted the Roosters to become an annual occurrence.
This year’s twenty different Rooster Awards will honor films screened theatrically between July 1, 2020 and July 15, 2021. As the event is backed by China’s propaganda department, only local and foreign titles that have received official censorship approvals will be considered.
“As we all know, the...
The winning Roosters will be announced amidst a film festival running Dec. 28-30 in the port city of Xiamen in coastal Fujian province, just a short boat ride away from Taiwanese soil. Established in 1981, the event was previously held biannually until China’s rift with the Golden Horse prizes occurred in 2018 following a pro-Taiwanese independence acceptance speech and prompted the Roosters to become an annual occurrence.
This year’s twenty different Rooster Awards will honor films screened theatrically between July 1, 2020 and July 15, 2021. As the event is backed by China’s propaganda department, only local and foreign titles that have received official censorship approvals will be considered.
“As we all know, the...
- 11/30/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Every year since its creation in 1956, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) invites the film industries of various countries to submit their best film for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. The award is presented annually by the Academy to a feature-length motion picture produced outside the United States that contains primarily non-English dialogue and that was released theatrically in their respective countries between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2021. The shortlist of fifteen finalists is scheduled to be announced on 21 December 2021. The final five nominees are scheduled to be announced on 8 February 2022.
Here are the Asian Submissions for Best International Feature Film. There are some excellent movies in this bunch and we have seen and reviewed already some of them.
Armenia
“Should the Wind Drop” by Nora Martirosyan
Azerbaijan
“The Island Within” by Ru Hasanov
Bangladesh
“Rehana” by Abdullah Mohammad Saad
Bhutan
“Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom...
Here are the Asian Submissions for Best International Feature Film. There are some excellent movies in this bunch and we have seen and reviewed already some of them.
Armenia
“Should the Wind Drop” by Nora Martirosyan
Azerbaijan
“The Island Within” by Ru Hasanov
Bangladesh
“Rehana” by Abdullah Mohammad Saad
Bhutan
“Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom...
- 11/28/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Zhang Yimou’s first foray into the spy genre is a blockbuster in Hollywood style, which also reminds much of the Korean “The Age of Shadows”, particularly in the way it has been set.
“Cliff Walkers” is screening at Five Flavours Asian Film Festival
Based on a script by Quan Yongxian, the previously known as “Impasse” film focuses on four communist party special agents, Zhang, Lan, Yu and Chiuliang, who arrive in Manchukuo in 1931, after training in Russia, in order to carry out a secret mission codenamed “Utrenya”. The operation is to take place in Harbin, where a witness to a Japanese massacre is hiding. The four of them decide to split, although Lan and her husband are rather reluctant to separate. Before they do, however, they promise each other that, whoever survives, should find their children, who have been left behind before their training begun.
As they are crossing the snowy mountains,...
“Cliff Walkers” is screening at Five Flavours Asian Film Festival
Based on a script by Quan Yongxian, the previously known as “Impasse” film focuses on four communist party special agents, Zhang, Lan, Yu and Chiuliang, who arrive in Manchukuo in 1931, after training in Russia, in order to carry out a secret mission codenamed “Utrenya”. The operation is to take place in Harbin, where a witness to a Japanese massacre is hiding. The four of them decide to split, although Lan and her husband are rather reluctant to separate. Before they do, however, they promise each other that, whoever survives, should find their children, who have been left behind before their training begun.
As they are crossing the snowy mountains,...
- 11/23/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Censorship
Malaysian authorities have declined to approve the Chinese war movie “The Battle at Lake Changjin” for theatrical release after outrage emerged online that the film promotes Communism, which is banned in the country.
The film’s local distributor Mega Film Distribution said in a statement that it is considering submitting the title again for reconsideration by the Malaysian Film Censorship Board (Lpf), and expressed its regrets that the film which has grossed $890 million so far in China had not been green lit for its Nov. 18 release.
It denied that the film promotes communism, stating, according to local reports, that such accusations were “unfair [to] those who want to watch it.”
“We believe the audience can use this film to trace how the Chinese volunteer army fought in the extreme cold and harsh environment,” it said.
The three-hour-long film tells the story of a 1950 battle at the titular lake, also known as the Chosin Reservoir,...
Malaysian authorities have declined to approve the Chinese war movie “The Battle at Lake Changjin” for theatrical release after outrage emerged online that the film promotes Communism, which is banned in the country.
The film’s local distributor Mega Film Distribution said in a statement that it is considering submitting the title again for reconsideration by the Malaysian Film Censorship Board (Lpf), and expressed its regrets that the film which has grossed $890 million so far in China had not been green lit for its Nov. 18 release.
It denied that the film promotes communism, stating, according to local reports, that such accusations were “unfair [to] those who want to watch it.”
“We believe the audience can use this film to trace how the Chinese volunteer army fought in the extreme cold and harsh environment,” it said.
The three-hour-long film tells the story of a 1950 battle at the titular lake, also known as the Chosin Reservoir,...
- 11/22/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Jackie Chan’s latest martial arts comedy “Ride On” wrapped shoots on Thursday. It is set to release next year.
Local media reports showed a teary-eyed Chan congratulating the crew on the successful production holding a bouquet of pink and orange flowers from director Larry Yang Zi, best known for his work on the 2019 heart-warming New Year’s Eve pet drama “Adoring” and the 2016 drama “Mountain Cry.”
The team celebrated with a huge cake with a large carrot sticking up from it for Chan’s horse co-star.
In “Ride On,” Chan, 67, plays a washed-up martial artist named Lao Luo who’s devoted to his old stunt horse Chitu, though Chitu suddenly may be taken away from him because of debt troubles. A heart-warming road trip then ensues when he asks his daughter (Liu Haocun of “Cliff Walkers”) and her boyfriend (Guo Qilin) for help. The story’s laughs center on...
Local media reports showed a teary-eyed Chan congratulating the crew on the successful production holding a bouquet of pink and orange flowers from director Larry Yang Zi, best known for his work on the 2019 heart-warming New Year’s Eve pet drama “Adoring” and the 2016 drama “Mountain Cry.”
The team celebrated with a huge cake with a large carrot sticking up from it for Chan’s horse co-star.
In “Ride On,” Chan, 67, plays a washed-up martial artist named Lao Luo who’s devoted to his old stunt horse Chitu, though Chitu suddenly may be taken away from him because of debt troubles. A heart-warming road trip then ensues when he asks his daughter (Liu Haocun of “Cliff Walkers”) and her boyfriend (Guo Qilin) for help. The story’s laughs center on...
- 11/11/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Tencent has released the first trailer for its take on Chinese sci-fi writer Liu Cixin’s epic novel “The Three-Body Problem,” sparking comparisons between the local adaptation and the Netflix version also underway.
The book is the first in Liu’s Hugo Award-winning trilogy about humanity’s first contact with an extraterrestrial civilization.
Tencent’s adaptation is directed by Leon Yang Lei (“The Red”) and stars Zhang Luyi, Yu Hewei, Chen Jin (“All is Well”) and Wang Ziwen (“Ode to Joy”).
The web series began shooting in July 2020 and doesn’t yet have a specific release date, but is currently expected to hit sometime next year. Liu himself told the local press last month that Netflix is to start shooting the series this year, and that “China might release the series sooner” than the Hollywood version.
The new Tencent trailer opens with an exchange between two off-screen male voices.
“Have...
The book is the first in Liu’s Hugo Award-winning trilogy about humanity’s first contact with an extraterrestrial civilization.
Tencent’s adaptation is directed by Leon Yang Lei (“The Red”) and stars Zhang Luyi, Yu Hewei, Chen Jin (“All is Well”) and Wang Ziwen (“Ode to Joy”).
The web series began shooting in July 2020 and doesn’t yet have a specific release date, but is currently expected to hit sometime next year. Liu himself told the local press last month that Netflix is to start shooting the series this year, and that “China might release the series sooner” than the Hollywood version.
The new Tencent trailer opens with an exchange between two off-screen male voices.
“Have...
- 11/10/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Deadly flooding did not divert this year’s Pingyao International Film Festival from running its full course, with the event drawing to a close Monday with an award ceremony honoring Egyptian director Omar El Zohairy, India’s Natesh Hegde, and China’s Kong Dashan and Wei Shujun with top prizes.
Many anticipated that this fifth edition of the festival would be different, given the shifting role of its co-founder and leading light, director Jia Zhangke. He unexpectedly stepped down last year, only to recant and come back in the nebulous role of “chief experience officer” months ago.
Instead, this year’s iteration has been more memorable for the backdrop of historically heavy rains that have left at least 15 dead, more than 120,000 relocated, and an estimated 1.8 million people affected in the inland Shanxi province.
The show went on in Pingyao, even though some three dozen parts of the picturesque ancient capital...
Many anticipated that this fifth edition of the festival would be different, given the shifting role of its co-founder and leading light, director Jia Zhangke. He unexpectedly stepped down last year, only to recant and come back in the nebulous role of “chief experience officer” months ago.
Instead, this year’s iteration has been more memorable for the backdrop of historically heavy rains that have left at least 15 dead, more than 120,000 relocated, and an estimated 1.8 million people affected in the inland Shanxi province.
The show went on in Pingyao, even though some three dozen parts of the picturesque ancient capital...
- 10/19/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s wartime romance was named best film at the 15th edition.
Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Wife Of A Spy picked up best film at the 15th Asian Film Awards (Afa), held at the Busan International Film Festival (Biff) tonight (October 8).
The Japanese wartime romance, which won a Silver Lion in Venice last year, also picked up awards for best actress (Aoi Yu) and costume design (Koketsu Haruki).
Zhang Yimou was named best director for his Cultural Revolution drama One Second, which recently opened the San Sebastian film festival. Zhang’s other nominated feature, spy thriller Cliff Walkers, won in...
Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Wife Of A Spy picked up best film at the 15th Asian Film Awards (Afa), held at the Busan International Film Festival (Biff) tonight (October 8).
The Japanese wartime romance, which won a Silver Lion in Venice last year, also picked up awards for best actress (Aoi Yu) and costume design (Koketsu Haruki).
Zhang Yimou was named best director for his Cultural Revolution drama One Second, which recently opened the San Sebastian film festival. Zhang’s other nominated feature, spy thriller Cliff Walkers, won in...
- 10/8/2021
- by Jean Noh
- ScreenDaily
Kurosawa Kiyoshi’s period action drama “Wife of a Spy” was the biggest winner at the 15th edition of the Asian Film Awards. It collected three major prizes including the best film award.
The 18 prizes were handed out Friday evening at a hybrid ceremony with the in-person component held at Busan’s Paradise Hotel. Organizers said that 80 nominees attended either in person or online. Among those in Busan to tread the Afa red carpet were Korean stars and prize-winners Lee Byung-hun and Yoo Ah-in.
Directors Lee Chang-dong and Hamaguchi Ryusuke were also in attendance, along with Korean stars Jun Jong-seo, Park Jeong-min, Jang Yoon-ju, Kim Hyun-bin and Gong Seung-yeon.
“Wife of a Spy” was conceived as a TV film. A theatrical version debuted last year at the Venice Film festival and there won the Silver Lion. It enjoyed a high-profile festival career with subsequent stops at San Sebastian, El Gouna and Hainan,...
The 18 prizes were handed out Friday evening at a hybrid ceremony with the in-person component held at Busan’s Paradise Hotel. Organizers said that 80 nominees attended either in person or online. Among those in Busan to tread the Afa red carpet were Korean stars and prize-winners Lee Byung-hun and Yoo Ah-in.
Directors Lee Chang-dong and Hamaguchi Ryusuke were also in attendance, along with Korean stars Jun Jong-seo, Park Jeong-min, Jang Yoon-ju, Kim Hyun-bin and Gong Seung-yeon.
“Wife of a Spy” was conceived as a TV film. A theatrical version debuted last year at the Venice Film festival and there won the Silver Lion. It enjoyed a high-profile festival career with subsequent stops at San Sebastian, El Gouna and Hainan,...
- 10/8/2021
- by Patrick Frater and Rebecca Souw
- Variety Film + TV
Somewhere in the land of worn-out metaphors, there’s a drawer overflowing with love letters from all the filmmakers who ever thought to make cinema of the making of cinema. But it feels inadequate to file Zhang Yimou’s “One Second” alongside those when it is the most direct and heartfelt valentine to the medium the revered Fifth Generation filmmaker has ever composed — even though, in the four decades between his 1981 debut “Red Sorghum” and this year’s “Cliff Walkers,” he has rarely made a film that could be considered anything but.
This time, in language as simple and lovely as a close-up on Liu Haocun’s grimy, radiant face and in sentences made from strips of sticky celluloid glinting in a projector’s glare as they dry, cinema has written back. “One Second” is not just about the magic of the movies, it’s about their resilience, and so...
This time, in language as simple and lovely as a close-up on Liu Haocun’s grimy, radiant face and in sentences made from strips of sticky celluloid glinting in a projector’s glare as they dry, cinema has written back. “One Second” is not just about the magic of the movies, it’s about their resilience, and so...
- 9/19/2021
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
Jackie Chan has begun shooting his next film, a martial arts-based comedy about a man and his horse, entitled “Ride On.”
The 67-year-old superstar remains as prolific as ever, churning out a movie a year since 2019, despite the pandemic. While the presence of his name on a marquee continues to sell tickets, a number of his latest works have been critical bombs. On the Chinese Douban review platform, viewers rated last year’s “Vanguard” with a 4.5 out of 10, 2019’s “Mystery of the Dragon Seal: Journey to China” 3.6 out of 10, and “The Knight of Shadows: Between Yin and Yang” a 3.8.
His latest could break the streak. In “Ride On,” Chan will play a down-and-out, washed-up martial artist named Lao Luo, who is very attached to his beloved horse. When he becomes mired in a dispute over debt, however, it seems that the horse may be taken away from him, leading him...
The 67-year-old superstar remains as prolific as ever, churning out a movie a year since 2019, despite the pandemic. While the presence of his name on a marquee continues to sell tickets, a number of his latest works have been critical bombs. On the Chinese Douban review platform, viewers rated last year’s “Vanguard” with a 4.5 out of 10, 2019’s “Mystery of the Dragon Seal: Journey to China” 3.6 out of 10, and “The Knight of Shadows: Between Yin and Yang” a 3.8.
His latest could break the streak. In “Ride On,” Chan will play a down-and-out, washed-up martial artist named Lao Luo, who is very attached to his beloved horse. When he becomes mired in a dispute over debt, however, it seems that the horse may be taken away from him, leading him...
- 9/15/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
“Free Guy” retained its lead of the China box office for the third weekend in a row, and has now surpassed “Tenet” in local sales.
It brought in $12.4 million on a rare weekend with three non-Chinese language titles in the top five, according to Maoyan figures.
China’s box office has been dismal all summer and the slump continued this week with, once again, only five films that made over $1 million. Nevertheless, authorities have chosen to keep out top Hollywood moneymakers like “Shang-Chi” and let major blockbusters like “Dune” and “No Time to Die” languish in limbo without release dates.
“Free Guy” was one of the rare summer movies that released only in theaters stateside, where it has just surpassed the $100 million mark. In China, its cume is now up to $76.5 million, according to Maoyan. China sales for “Free Guy” generated $1.7 million in box office receipts for Imax, bringing the...
It brought in $12.4 million on a rare weekend with three non-Chinese language titles in the top five, according to Maoyan figures.
China’s box office has been dismal all summer and the slump continued this week with, once again, only five films that made over $1 million. Nevertheless, authorities have chosen to keep out top Hollywood moneymakers like “Shang-Chi” and let major blockbusters like “Dune” and “No Time to Die” languish in limbo without release dates.
“Free Guy” was one of the rare summer movies that released only in theaters stateside, where it has just surpassed the $100 million mark. In China, its cume is now up to $76.5 million, according to Maoyan. China sales for “Free Guy” generated $1.7 million in box office receipts for Imax, bringing the...
- 9/12/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The Academy (Afaa) revealed the nominees for the 15th Asian Film Awards today. Thirty-six films from eight Asian regions will compete for 16 awards. China’s One Second, South Korea’s The Book of Fish, India’s The Disciple, and two Japanese films, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy and Wife of a Spy, compete for this year’s “Best Film Award.”
Three Hong Kong films were nominated for this year’s Afa, including Drifting, directed by Jun Li, nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Actress. Limbo, directed by Cheang Pou-soi, was nominated for Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design and Best sound; Adam Wong’s The Way We Keep Dancing was nominated for Best Original Music.
The Afaa is honoured that legendary South Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong will be this year’s Jury President. Lee was the lifetime award recipient at the 13th Asian Film Awards.He won the “Best...
Three Hong Kong films were nominated for this year’s Afa, including Drifting, directed by Jun Li, nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Actress. Limbo, directed by Cheang Pou-soi, was nominated for Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design and Best sound; Adam Wong’s The Way We Keep Dancing was nominated for Best Original Music.
The Afaa is honoured that legendary South Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong will be this year’s Jury President. Lee was the lifetime award recipient at the 13th Asian Film Awards.He won the “Best...
- 9/9/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
China’s “One Second,” South Korea’s “The Book of Fish,” India’s “The Disciple,” and two Japanese films, “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy” and “Wife of a Spy” will compete for this year’s best film prize at the Asian Film Awards
The awards again will be held again in conjunction with the Busan International Film Festival. The ceremony, on Oct. 8, 2021, will operate in a hybrid form combining on-site attendance in Busan and online participation.
In 2020, the 14th Asian Film Awards moved to Busan for the first time and was held online due to Covid-19 restrictions. In previous years, the ceremony was held in Hong Kong and Macau.
Those nominated for best director included Zhang Yimou (for “One Second”), Lee Joon-ik (for “The Book of Fish”), Hamaguchi Ryusuke (for “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy”), Kurosawa Kiyoshi (for “Wife of a Spy”) and Kazakhstan’s Adilkhan Yerzhanov (for “Yellow Cat”).
Mainland Chinese thriller “Cliff Walkers,...
The awards again will be held again in conjunction with the Busan International Film Festival. The ceremony, on Oct. 8, 2021, will operate in a hybrid form combining on-site attendance in Busan and online participation.
In 2020, the 14th Asian Film Awards moved to Busan for the first time and was held online due to Covid-19 restrictions. In previous years, the ceremony was held in Hong Kong and Macau.
Those nominated for best director included Zhang Yimou (for “One Second”), Lee Joon-ik (for “The Book of Fish”), Hamaguchi Ryusuke (for “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy”), Kurosawa Kiyoshi (for “Wife of a Spy”) and Kazakhstan’s Adilkhan Yerzhanov (for “Yellow Cat”).
Mainland Chinese thriller “Cliff Walkers,...
- 9/9/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Ahead of its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Neon has nabbed North American rights to Chinese director Zhang Yimou’s “One Second.”
The film, written by Zhang and Zou Jingzhi and starring Wei Fan and Xiaochuan Li, is adapted from a novel about a man who escapes a labor camp for a glimpse of his daughter. Zhang had called “One Second,” set during China’s 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, his personal tribute to cinema. It’s scheduled as TIFF’s closing night film.
“One Second” debuted last November in China, where it grossed $12 million at the box office. The film arrived on the big screen after being plagued by censorship problems. It was yanked from competition at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival due to “technical reasons,” though many speculated its removal from the lineup was politically motivated.
The Academy Award-nominated Zhang, one of China’s most recognizable filmmakers,...
The film, written by Zhang and Zou Jingzhi and starring Wei Fan and Xiaochuan Li, is adapted from a novel about a man who escapes a labor camp for a glimpse of his daughter. Zhang had called “One Second,” set during China’s 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, his personal tribute to cinema. It’s scheduled as TIFF’s closing night film.
“One Second” debuted last November in China, where it grossed $12 million at the box office. The film arrived on the big screen after being plagued by censorship problems. It was yanked from competition at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival due to “technical reasons,” though many speculated its removal from the lineup was politically motivated.
The Academy Award-nominated Zhang, one of China’s most recognizable filmmakers,...
- 7/20/2021
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Neon has swooped in to acquire the North American distribution rights to “One Second,” the latest film from Chinese auteur Zhang Yimou.
“One Second” was just announced on Tuesday to be the closing night film at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, where it will make its North American premiere. The movie already was released in China on November 27 last year.
“One Second” is considered a love letter to cinema and tells the story of a film projectionist and an escaped prisoner who form a bond through the movies. The film is set in a rural Chinese village as they come together to restore a destroyed film reel, all as another young vagabond plots to steal the reel away once repaired.
Yimou co-wrote “One Second” along with Zou Jingzhi based on a novel by Yan Geling. The film stars Zhang Yi, Liu Haocun and Fan Wei. The film was...
“One Second” was just announced on Tuesday to be the closing night film at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, where it will make its North American premiere. The movie already was released in China on November 27 last year.
“One Second” is considered a love letter to cinema and tells the story of a film projectionist and an escaped prisoner who form a bond through the movies. The film is set in a rural Chinese village as they come together to restore a destroyed film reel, all as another young vagabond plots to steal the reel away once repaired.
Yimou co-wrote “One Second” along with Zou Jingzhi based on a novel by Yan Geling. The film stars Zhang Yi, Liu Haocun and Fan Wei. The film was...
- 7/20/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Despite an unprecedentedly difficult year, the Chinese film industry has come roaring back. In August 2020, China became the first country in the world to achieve “full box office recovery,” according to the U.K.-based industry analytics firm Gower Street.
Remarkably, Chinese box office data as of mid-June 2021 is tracking 1% ahead of the same point in time in 2020, and is running just 1% below the average box office of the three pre-pandemic years (2017-2019), Gower Street notes. China achieved this despite cinemas operating at 75% capacity and a dearth of Hollywood content. No other market has even come close to reaching its pre-covid scale. The U.S. is still 85% behind its pre-pandemic numbers.
In 2020, the Chinese market was bolstered by militantly patriotic films like “My People, My Homeland,” “The Sacrifice” and “The Eight Hundred” — which became the highest-grossing film in the world last year thanks to its $460 million local box office.
So...
Remarkably, Chinese box office data as of mid-June 2021 is tracking 1% ahead of the same point in time in 2020, and is running just 1% below the average box office of the three pre-pandemic years (2017-2019), Gower Street notes. China achieved this despite cinemas operating at 75% capacity and a dearth of Hollywood content. No other market has even come close to reaching its pre-covid scale. The U.S. is still 85% behind its pre-pandemic numbers.
In 2020, the Chinese market was bolstered by militantly patriotic films like “My People, My Homeland,” “The Sacrifice” and “The Eight Hundred” — which became the highest-grossing film in the world last year thanks to its $460 million local box office.
So...
- 6/24/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The Anthony Hopkins-starring Oscar winner “The Father” debuted in China to a $1.21 million opening weekend, coming in eleventh despite a slow box office weekend, according to data from the Maoyan platform.
The first feature from helmer Florian Zeller received six Academy Award nominations and two wins — one for Hopkins as best actor and one for best adapted screenplay. It has grossed $12.6 million so far globally, according to Box Office Mojo, with France its biggest market so far with a $3.11 million gross and N. America coming in second at $2.12 million.
Meanwhile, local drama “On Your Mark” came in first with $8.8 million, according to the consultancy Artisan Gateway. Produced by Maoyan Media, the emotional story of a father and his blind son was directed by Malaysia’s Chiu Keng Guan (“Ola Bola”) and stars Wang Yanhui (“Dying to Survive”) and Zhang Youhao.
In second was the Taiwanese romantic drama “Man in Love,...
The first feature from helmer Florian Zeller received six Academy Award nominations and two wins — one for Hopkins as best actor and one for best adapted screenplay. It has grossed $12.6 million so far globally, according to Box Office Mojo, with France its biggest market so far with a $3.11 million gross and N. America coming in second at $2.12 million.
Meanwhile, local drama “On Your Mark” came in first with $8.8 million, according to the consultancy Artisan Gateway. Produced by Maoyan Media, the emotional story of a father and his blind son was directed by Malaysia’s Chiu Keng Guan (“Ola Bola”) and stars Wang Yanhui (“Dying to Survive”) and Zhang Youhao.
In second was the Taiwanese romantic drama “Man in Love,...
- 6/21/2021
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The Far East Film Festival returns with a hybrid edition for the first time, screening a total of 63 titles from 11 countries and regions and stretching the festival run from its home town of Udine to across Italy and the digital realm.
The 23rd edition of the Udine festival, which has long established itself as a key window to Asian cinema in Europe, will also be expanding its number of physical screenings with five screens, including an open-air cinema accommodating 400 cinema-goers on the Visionario lawn, an initiative that will allow more film buffs to enjoy the cinematic art in person while maintaining safety amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite the fact that the pandemic has severely impacted cinema productions around the world, the festival is able to scout a slate of new features, including those from Macao and Myanmar which will be marking their debuts at the festival. Running from June 24 to...
The 23rd edition of the Udine festival, which has long established itself as a key window to Asian cinema in Europe, will also be expanding its number of physical screenings with five screens, including an open-air cinema accommodating 400 cinema-goers on the Visionario lawn, an initiative that will allow more film buffs to enjoy the cinematic art in person while maintaining safety amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite the fact that the pandemic has severely impacted cinema productions around the world, the festival is able to scout a slate of new features, including those from Macao and Myanmar which will be marking their debuts at the festival. Running from June 24 to...
- 6/10/2021
- by Vivienne Chow
- Variety Film + TV
Zhang Yimou’s lush spy thriller Cliff Walkers is set to open Italy’s Far East Film Festival with an in-person screening.
The 23rd edition of Feff, the influential specialty event that brings popular and art house Asian cinema to Europe, will be a mix of virtual and in-person screenings as Italy transitions toward loosening restrictions put in place due to the pandemic.
The festival, which takes place in the northern Italian city of Udine, is set to open June 24 and close July 2.
The selection of Yimou’s Cliff Walkers as the opening film is a confident move by the organizers ...
The 23rd edition of Feff, the influential specialty event that brings popular and art house Asian cinema to Europe, will be a mix of virtual and in-person screenings as Italy transitions toward loosening restrictions put in place due to the pandemic.
The festival, which takes place in the northern Italian city of Udine, is set to open June 24 and close July 2.
The selection of Yimou’s Cliff Walkers as the opening film is a confident move by the organizers ...
- 6/10/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Zhang Yimou’s lush spy thriller Cliff Walkers is set to open Italy’s Far East Film Festival with an in-person screening.
The 23rd edition of Feff, the influential specialty event that brings popular and art house Asian cinema to Europe, will be a mix of virtual and in-person screenings as Italy transitions toward loosening restrictions put in place due to the pandemic.
The festival, which takes place in the northern Italian city of Udine, is set to open June 24 and close July 2.
The selection of Yimou’s Cliff Walkers as the opening film is a confident move by the organizers ...
The 23rd edition of Feff, the influential specialty event that brings popular and art house Asian cinema to Europe, will be a mix of virtual and in-person screenings as Italy transitions toward loosening restrictions put in place due to the pandemic.
The festival, which takes place in the northern Italian city of Udine, is set to open June 24 and close July 2.
The selection of Yimou’s Cliff Walkers as the opening film is a confident move by the organizers ...
- 6/10/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Asian cinema event to open with Zhang Yimou’s ‘Cliff Walkers’.
Italy’s Far East Film Festival (Feff), the Asian cinema event based in Udine, has revealed plans for this year’s edition, which will comprise a mix of physical and online screenings.
The 23rd edition of the festival is set to run from June 24 to July 2, postponed from its original launch date of June 11 to align with the reopening of cinemas in Italy.
It will open with a physical screening of Zhang Yimou’s epic spy thriller Cliff Walkers, which has proved a box office hit in its native China,...
Italy’s Far East Film Festival (Feff), the Asian cinema event based in Udine, has revealed plans for this year’s edition, which will comprise a mix of physical and online screenings.
The 23rd edition of the festival is set to run from June 24 to July 2, postponed from its original launch date of June 11 to align with the reopening of cinemas in Italy.
It will open with a physical screening of Zhang Yimou’s epic spy thriller Cliff Walkers, which has proved a box office hit in its native China,...
- 6/9/2021
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
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