Among Asian film festivals that take place in Europe, the Udine Far East Film Festival is the cherry on the cake. Often filled with a superb film programme and unforgettable guests, the festival was defeated by the pandemic last year. Although it took place online, there were still great films to choose from, not many though, as some of the screenings were only available in Italy. 

This year will be slightly different too; taking place in the same period of the year as in 2020, the 2021 edition will see the “festival” side taking precedence over the “digital” side. And to ensure maximum functionality for spectators coming to Udine, the organisers have decided to transfer the headquarters of FEFF 23 from the Teatro Nuovo to the Visionario and the Cinema Centrale cinemas. The government’s announcement that cinemas are reopening meant that FEFF had to adapt to the way that the situation evolved. 

Udine Far East Film Festival will now open on June 24^th and close on July 2^nd at the Visionario’s garden with multiple screens. Together with the FEFF, of course, there will once again be the FEFF Campus, the journalism school for young Asian and western talents headed by Mathew Scott, as well as Ties That Bind, the Asia-Europe co-production workshop, and Focus Asia, the Festival’s industry area. Focus Asia, the Far East in progress section [the first and only European platform dedicated to Asian films in post-production], the project market and a densely packed line-up of webinars will take place from June 30^th to July 2^nd, with a part of the Ties That Bind programme taking place on the same dates. 

And let’s take a moment to remember that the official image of FEFF 23 bears the visual signature of graphic designer Roberto Rosolin, a “Fareast artist” who has been a regular fixture at the Festival since 2015. The preview reveals the cinematic concept chosen for the 2021 edition: a stylised on-the-road journey in an old Volvo – driving out of the past and into the future. 

For more information go to https://www.fareastfilm.com/easyne2/eng/homepage.aspx

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