2023’s Home for Rent might not immediately strike you as a terrifying choice for your watchlist, but as the old adage goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” In this case, the same applies to a Netflix thumbnail. Thai horror films have a knack for unsettling Western audiences by expertly blending jump scares and…
Category: Asian Cinema
38th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – In Conversation with Patiparn Boontarig, Director of “Solids by the Seashore”
Solids by the Seashore, set against a Southern Thai coastal town, tells the story of two young women who cross their paths on a beach that was once sandy but now stands eroded by high tides and replaced by artificial rock seawalls. Shati, a local Muslim woman from a conservative family, encounters Fon, a former…
38th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – In Conversation with Yuqing Lai, Director of “Two Suns”
In its 38th year, BFI Flare: LGBTQIA+ Film Festival in London shines with its programme yet again. Apart from big names and films on the menu, the festival also included little gems from the Asian continent, and Two Suns is one of them. Written and directed by Yuqing Lai, the short film, characterised by its…
38th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – “Two Suns” Review
Even as we advance in technology and are able to capture image in a crisp 4k imitation of reality, directors across the world are still drooling at the imperfect, gritty charm of shooting on film. Digital is too real, too honest, and too faultless. Two Suns is a short directed (and starred in) by Yuqing…
38th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – “Heavy Snow” Review
Heavy Snow, written and directed by Yun Su-ik, is a subtle, heartwarming, and delicate narrative that depicts a friendship and budding romance between two teenage girls and their tumultuous journey through adolescence. At the centre of the story is Seol (Han So-hee: Nevertheless, My Name), a teenage actress whose world is transformed when she encounters…
38th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – In Conversation with Heo Ha-yeon, Director of “Nobody Knows”
While LGBTQIA+ cinema is still not seen in a favourable light in South Korea, many filmmakers dare to venture into that territory, and rightfully so, whether they are part of the community or not. Although not all of these films can be screened in the country itself, international festivals, including BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film…
38th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – “Nobody Knows” Review
Despite significant progress in recent years, the LGBTQIA+ community continues to face discrimination and marginalisation in Asia and around the world. While some countries have made strides towards equality, many from the community still live in fear of persecution, violence, and rejection by society due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. In Asia, cultural…
38th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – “Who’ll Stop the Rain” Review
Although Who Will Stop The Rain is Su I-Hsuan’s feature film debut, it is not the director’s first film. This goes to her award-winning television film Where the Sun Don’t Shine (Taiwan Public Television Service, 2018) which documents the life of a murderer, Dong, after his release from prison, and the difficulties of rehabilitation for…
Daejeon’s Batman & Robin: “A Killer Paradox” Review
Warning: Spoilers ahead. Parasite star Choi Woo-shik is a righteous serial killer in Netflix’s latest whack at prompting viewers into questioning the meaning of true justice. A Killer Paradox, directed by Lee Chang-hee and based on the webcomic by Ggomabi, is grittier than the average Korean drama, gentler than American thrillers, and honest with its…
Mek Jirakit Thawornwong’s Dual Pursuit: Balancing Acting and Musical Aspirations
Jirakit Thawornwong, also known as Mek, started his career a decade ago in his native country of Thailand. And at the age of twenty-nine, he has already made a name for himself as both an actor and a promising singer. While the latter is still in the making, one can be sure that he will…
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