The Udine Far East Film Festival surely knows how to delight its audience. This year we have seen many superb films, including Rebound, a South Korean production written by Kim Eun-hee, who is also responsible for Netflix’s Kingdom series, and directed by Jang Hang-jun (Forbidden). The inspiring film tells a story of a high school…
Tag: Udine Far East Film Festival
25th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with He Shuming, Hong Huifang & Anthony Chen of “Ajoomma”
The Udine Far East Film Festival is probably one of the most prestigious and important film festivals in Europe that promotes Asian films over 9 days. This year, FEFF celebrated its 25th anniversary with Ajoomma as the Opening Night film. During the festival, we had the pleasure of speaking with He Shuming (director), Hong Huifang…
25th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with Cheng Wei-hao & Jin Pai-lunn of “Marry My Dead Body”
In 2019, Taiwan became the first state in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage. It was a landmark moment in the region for LGBTQ+ rights, and since then it has also become an important part of pop culture – Cheng Wei-hao’s Marry My Dead Body is a prime example. The comedy, which was shown at the…
25th Far East Film Festival: “Rebound” Review
Busan’s Jungang High School basketball team is in disarray and about to come to a stop until a new coach, Kang Yang-hyeon (Ahn Jae-hong: Time to Hunt, Fabricated City) is brought in to turn the team around. Jang Hang-jun’s new film, Rebound, not only follows Kang’s journey but also of his protégés: Bae Gyoo-hyeok (Jeong…
“Perhaps Love” Review
Do not be fooled by the title: Perhaps Love is not your typical rom-com. In fact, it is not a rom-com at all. This emotionally honest, amusing screwball comedy offers us different angles on what love is and what it can be, more in line with the Greek differentiations of the concept. The most interesting…
In Conversation with Pil Gam-sung, Writer and Director of “Hostage: Missing Celebrity”
In recent years, Korean cinema has been very successful not only with releasing hits on the big screen, but also with producing a new generation of superb, first-time filmmakers. One of those talented filmmakers is Pil Gam-sung, writer and director of Hostage: Missing Celebrity, starring Hwang Jung-min. “Hostage: Missing Celebrity is Pil’s feature film debut,…
In Conversation with Yoon Jong-seok, Director of “Confession”, and Won Dong-yeon, Producer of “Confession”
The 2022 Udine Far East Film Festival was a real treat. Not only because of the great films in the programme, but because it was the first year that film guests were able to attend the event since Covid restrictions had been lifted. Mostly consisting of producers and filmmakers, we had a very productive and…
24th Udine Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with Yoon Young-bin, Director of “Tomb of the River”
For the past 30 years or so, Asian cinema has become a part of life for European filmgoers. Although the Western continent itself has a lot to offer, the films from the Far East are the ones that grab viewers by their throats. It is important to remember that Far East cinema does not only…
24th Udine Far East Film Festival: “Tomb of the River” Review
The fact that in recent years it has been difficult to find a true representation of the noir genre shows that there are still opportunities out there for filmmakers to bring it back to life. In 2021, however, Yoon Young-bin, an emerging South Korean filmmaker, grabbed that chance by domestically releasing Tomb of the River,…
24th Udine Far East Film Festival: “Hostage: Missing Celebrity” Review
Breaking news! Hwang Jung-min, Korea’s top star, has been kidnapped by a gang of thugs and taken to a remote location. Well, not really, but that’s the concept of Pil Gam-sung’s action-thriller Hostage: Missing Celebrity. As per the previous (joke) announcement, Hostage: Missing Celebrity is what you probably expect it to be about: It follows…
24th Udine Far East Film Festival: “One Day You Will Reach the Sea” Review
Mana Kotani’s (Yukino Kishii) world is turned upside down the moment she learned that her best friend, and first love, Sumire Utsuki (Minami Hamabe) has died. The bright and bubbly woman she met on her first day of college has gone, there one moment and gone the next. It takes everything she has to keep…
In Conversation with Chen Yu-hsun, Director of “My Missing Valentine”
“I have romantic ideas, but [when I make films] I am not really a romantic person,” Chen Yu-hsun admits with a chuckle. The Taiwanese filmmaker came to fame in 1994 with his debut feature, Tropical Fish, a razor-sharp comedy-drama, for which he was awarded the Golden Horse Award for best original screenplay as well as…
23rd Udine Far East Film Festival: “My Missing Valentine” Review
Taiwanese romantic comedies can touch one’s heart regardless of their Rotten Tomatoes rating or the narrative itself. And despite the genre, the country’s cinema has always highlighted its culture and people against the wonderful landscapes and pictorial compositions of local architecture. Although rom-coms are filled with cliches, some storylines make the audience analyse their own…
23rd Udine Far East Film Festival: “Keep Rolling” Review
On the set of her 2017 film Our Time Will Come, Ann Hui is slapping wet mud all across the backs of actors. Her other hand is clutching a walking cane. She stands in the pouring rain, puffing cigarettes, and yelling orders. Reaching 70 years of age – and spending the past 40 plus years…
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