To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the Hong Kong Film Archive has launched Close Encounters with Master Filmmakers: Movie Talks, a three-part series in which leading local directors share their own films alongside works that inspired them. The first edition features acclaimed director Peter Chan, best known for He’s a Woman, She’s a Man (1994), Perhaps…
Author: View of the Arts
View of the Arts is run by female arts journalists and works with a diverse team of writers and film critics.
“A Chinese Ghost Story” (1987): Looking Into the Dark, Choosing the Light
“Life’s journey, where beautiful dreams stretch as long. Along the path, wind and frost lash against the withering face. In this mortal world, in how many directions do dreams drift? Searching for the love amidst infatuated fantasies. The road ahead blurs as the one fades away with it.” The opening verse of the eponymous theme…
“The Kid” (1999): Lost Treasure Found and Restored
Coinciding with the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2026, the 25th anniversary of the Hong Kong Film Archive, and what would have been Leslie Cheung’s 70th birthday, The Kid took centre stage at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Director Jacob Cheung Chi-leung and the main cast – Ti Lung, Lam Ka-tung,…
aespa’s “LEMONADE” Review: Sweet And Sour
You might not immediately clock why aespa are making so much lemonade, until you remember that old corny English saying. Yes, the K-pop four-piece’s latest title track and similarly-named second album is the girls’ answer to all the lemons life is apparently throwing at them. But that’s the point of these catchy runway tunes these…
JIB DREAM FANMEET 6.5 – Behind the Scenes with EmiBonnie: A Journey in GL Dramas – Exclusive Interview
In the last few years, Thailand’s GL dramas have grown from a niche corner of television into one of the most fascinating developments in Asian pop culture. Shows like Gap, 23.5, Blank, The Secret of Us and Us have all helped expand the genre in different ways, proving that GL dramas can tell honest stories…
“We’re Nothing at All” Review: A Fierce, Tender Cry for Society’s Most Vulnerable
On Valentine’s Day, a bus explodes in the middle of Hong Kong. The bomb is planted by a gay couple who kill themselves along with most of the passengers, leaving behind charred bodies and severed limbs. This shocking scene opens We’re Nothing at All, a brutal yet compassionate film that gives voice to some of…
Raindance Film Festival Returns to London with Bold Line-Up of Indie Voices and Global Stories
The Raindance Film Festival returns to London from 17–26 June for its 34th edition, presenting one of its most wide-ranging programmes to date. This year’s programme includes 85 narrative and documentary features alongside 112 short films, with more than half of the feature selection coming from first-time directors. The festival also expands its immersive strand,…
79th Cannes Film Festival: “We Are Aliens” Review
Japanese animation is in a class of its own, with a style that is hard to match. While many countries produce visually impressive animated films, very few reach the same level of thoughtful storytelling that Japanese animation delivers. Its real strength is not just the beauty of the artwork or the technical skill behind it,…
79th Cannes Film Festival: “Che Guevara: The Last Companions” Review
Before Che Guevara became a symbol on posters and T-shirts, he was a revolutionary who helped change Cuba forever. Alongside Fidel Castro, he helped overthrow the Batista regime in 1959, promising dignity and equality for ordinary Cubans. Decades later, whether admired or criticised, Che’s shadow still hangs over Cuba and much of Latin America. His…
79th Cannes Film Festival: “Blaise” Review
Dimitri Planchon and Jean-Paul Guigue’s Blaise takes something very ordinary – the fear of saying the wrong thing and the need to be liked – and turns it into one of the strangest and funniest animated films in recent years. Beneath its dry humour and absurd situations lies a painfully honest portrait of people who…
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