far east film festival

FAR EAST
FILM
FESTIVAL
www.fareastfilm.com
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine – Italy
ORGANIZATION
WITH
WITH THE SUPPORT OF
IN COLLABORATION WITH
WITH THE PARTECIPATION OF
MAIN SPONSOR
OFFICIAL SPONSORS
FESTIVAL PARTNERS
TECHNICAL PARTNERS
MEDIA PARTNERS
TIES THAT BIND
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
FILM FESTIVAL
APRIL 24TH – MAY 2ND, 2015
— Organization
C.E.C. - Centro Espressioni Cinematografiche
Teatro Nuovo Giovanni da Udine
Fondo Regionale per l’Audiovisivo
— With
La Cineteca del Friuli (Gemona Film Archive)
Visionario – Centro per le Arti Visive
— With the support of
Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali – Direzione
Generale per il Cinema
Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia
Comune di Udine – Assessorati Cultura e Turismo
Fondazione CRUP
Camera di Commercio, Udine
Confartigianato, Udine
— Web Media Partner
Affaritaliani.it, Asian Feast, Cinema 4 Stelle, Cinema
Del Silenzio, Closeup, Genius on-line, Giappone In Italia,
Gushmag, Higashikita Go Club, Hong-Kong Express,
La Biblioteca Dell’estremo Oriente, Lafolla, Linkinmovies,
Asianworld, Momento-Sera, Morel&Apnanews,
Movieplayer, Network Café, Newscinema, Quinlan.It,
Schwarzlicht, Taxidrivers, Japanfest, Whipart
— Ties That Bind
Fondo Audiovisivo FVG
Far East Film Festival
Eave
Creative Europe Programme of the European Union
SAAVA – Southeast Asian Audio-Visual Association Limited
— Campus
FFC – HK
Europa Cinemas
— in collaboration with
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Brussels
Istituto Confucio di Venezia
Japan Foundation – Tokyo
Turismo FVG
— With the partecipation of
Hong Kong Arts Development Council
Fresh Wave Int. Short Film Festival, Hong Kong
Consolato Generale della Repubblica di Corea
— Main sponsor
GLP - Intellectual Property Office
— Official Sponsors
Amga Energia & Sevizi
Cathay Pacific
Credifriuli, Credito Cooperativo Friuli
IDEAPROTOTIPI, Prototypes for the Industry
— Festival Partners
Centro Commerciale Città Fiera
Demar Caffè
Goccia di Carnia
H.I.S., Specialisti dei viaggi in Giappone
Korean Air
Nonino Distillatori
Prontoauto
— Technical Partners
Arte Video, Della Negra, Inasset, Marco Viola Studio,
Moroso, Movimento Turismo del Vino FVG, Pilosio, Pixel,
Consorzio del Prosciutto di San Daniele
—Media Partners
Messagero Veneto, Mymovies.it
— With
Entract, Fred, Il Gazzettino, Kuva
OPENING GALA CONCERT
APRIL 23RD, 2015
— Organization
Far East Film Festival
Teatro Nuovo “Giovanni da Udine”
— With
Newbility Arts & Entertainment Limited
Azalea Promotion
— Under patronage of
Consolato Generale del Giappone a Milano
Japan Foundation, Tokyo
— Present by
AMGA Energia & Servizi
Centro Commerciale Città Fiera
Credifriuli, Credito Cooperativo Friuli
Demar Caffè
GLP - Intellectual Property Office
H.I.S., Specialisti dei viaggi in Giappone
IDEAPROTOTIPI, Prototypes for the Industry
Nonino Distillatori
Prontoauto
— Concert Technical Partners
Astoria Hotel Italia
Lorenzo Cerneaz
Rivenditore Esclusivo Steinway & Sons per il FVG
Fazioli Pianoforti
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
PLEASE DOWNLOAD
PRESS RELEASES AND FILM STILLS
FROM THE WEBSITE
WWW.FAREASTFILM.COM
IN THE PRESS SECTION
PRESS AGENCY
Gianmatteo Pellizzari & Ippolita Nigris Cosattini
Centro Espressioni Cinematografiche
Via Villalta, 24 - 33100 Udine
tel. +39 0432 299545 – [email protected]
mob. +39 347 0950890 – [email protected]
www.fareastfilm.com
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
UDINE, ITALY ASIA
We have often asked ourselves: if Far East Film were to take place in a big city, a metropolis,
would it all be really easier?
We would have a larger potential audience, consequently much bigger exposure, with a
proportionally greater attractiveness for private investments.
Maybe, we would need less public patronage.
It would probably be easier and less expensive to invite our guests, flights would be direct,
cheaper, with no stopovers, with no pick-ups.
And, yes, the festival would be glamorous, filled with actors, actresses and directors, journalists,
all the things that swirl around metropolises.
And yet, the European festival tradition is about Cannes, the Venice Lido, Edinburgh, Bergamo,
Pesaro, Annecy, about taking over and messing up small towns, where a babel of idioms becomes
the official language. It is about focus and commitment. It speaks in one and only language
about one and only topic, it is about a lowest common denominator that captivates everyone,
enthusiasts, personnel, citizens: passion for cinema. Without this passion, so perceivable and
palpable during the festival days, we would have never made it to the 17th edition.
And not without the passion we experience in Pordenone during the Silent Film Festival, in Trieste
during the Trieste Film Festival and with the 200 When East Meets West passes, 200 people all
together talking about filmmaking.
This is the strength that keeps our region’s film festivals moving, and this healthy competition
pushes us to keep on raising the bar always a little higher, to look even more for a role on the
international scene, to be more stimulated and more stimulating. A virtuous circle that allows
the festivals in Friuli Venezia Giulia to be the most scientific and most popular, always evolving,
with a development plan that is not about getting bigger, but getting better.
Healthy competition, not petty parochialism. We live in a small region, made of little municipalities.
We live in a region with different identities, different flags. But that is pure luck! How can it be
denied that a regional identity does exist? How can stating your own linguistic and cultural
identity be opposite to being a citizen of Friuli Venezia Giulia? How can it be possible in 2015 to
think that we only have one identity?
We must make it so that an event such as the Far East Film Festival is regarded with pride and
joy by the entire regional, maybe even macro-regional, community. The festival’s reputation all
over Asia belongs to the whole region (and of course to the country). Far East Film brings credit
not only to the city of Udine, but also to the region and most of all to the Italian state.
The path we’ve started this year goes this way: we wanted an impressive opening event, way
beyond our financial resources. We wanted to open with a musical event in order to highlight
through a different language the links that connect us with Asian culture. The language of music
needs no translation. Because of Joe Hisaishi’s concert, since we really needed it, we looked for
partnership with major local companies. And we found it, with joy. Those companies will be more
and more involved in keeping our territory’s cultural level high. In this region public financing is
essential to guarantee a cultural offering up to par with what a big city would grant, but it will
never be enough.
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
This year we are introducing the very first Far East Film Campus, a school of journalism for 8
students, 4 from Europe, 4 from Asia. Eight people off to become the ambassadors of Far East
Film, but also of our region. And we are glad to point out that the Camera di Commercio of Udine
was aboard right from the start.
We are consolidating our relationships with other international events, with the tribute to the
Sitges Fantastic Film Festival and by strengthening our ties with the Puchon Film Festival and
the Singapore Film Festival: a network, because a festival cannot live on its own. It cannot just
be a place to watch movies, not in 2015.
Thomas Bertacche
Udine Far East Film Festival
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
THE EMOTIONAL
CHAIN REACTION
— THE JOE HISAISHI EVENT - CONCERT WILL OFFICIALLY
KICK OFF, ON THURSDAY APRIL 23RD, FEFF’S SEVENTEENTH
EDITION.
— 70 MOVIES FROM 11 COUNTRIES ON THE PROGRAM: FROM
COLOSSAL DRAGON BLADE STARRING JACKIE CHAN, ADRIEN
BRODY AND JOHN CUSACK TO PARASYTE PART 1 AND 2,
PASSING THROUGH SPECIAL SECTIONS FOCUSING ON HONG
KONG MARTIAL ARTS AND THE SITGES FILM FESTIVAL.
UDINE – The 13th edition jokingly relied on luck, turning the so very Italian hand gesture
of the devil horns into its good-luck charm. The 17th edition, this time, counts on on a
fighting icon, not only to pay tribute to martial arts, but also as a symbol of the tenacious
aptitude to combat. And self-defense.
The Far East Film Festival likes to play with numbers, just like it has always played with
pop iconography, and all Fareasters (such a vast and multifarious family, which includes
enthusiasts, journalists, insiders, students, teachers, intrigued onlookers) know it very
well. They are perfectly aware of its soul and they are perfectly aware of its strength: a
combination that, through the years, has led FEFF to shine among Variety’s list of the 50
most important Festivals in the world.
Yes, seventeen years. Seventeen years of Far Eastern cinema. Seventeen years of Far
Eastern culture. Seventeen years of challenges and battles, with small Udine becoming more
and more dear to the show biz coming from big Asia and under the eye of the organizers,
more and more involved in supervising the quality range of popular productions, without any
artistic discrimination, among smash hit blockbusters, cult movies, outsiders worth betting
on and (so precious) retrospectives that would otherwise remain unseen in the West.
There you have it, the Far East Film Festival. 70 films for the 2015 selection from 11
countries (Hong Kong, China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia,
Singapore, Taiwan and, for the very first time, Cambodia). Here’s, once again, the
unmistakable emotional chain reaction that characterizes FEFF and that director Carlo
Zoratti has exquisitely synthesized in this year’s Festival trailer: a domino effect for the
eyes and the heart, a different journey for each traveller, an adventure to dive into and
get lost within.
Teatro Nuovo and Visionario, without fail, turn into an elsewhere, the town itself turns
into an elsewhere, and Fareasters have nothing left to do but trigger the emotional chain
reaction: 10 days at our disposal, from April 23rd to May 2nd, from early morning to way
into the night, and a very well-structured program, a sequence of movies, panels with
our guests, workshops, activities (to be exact, an authentic Festival inside the Festival:
about one hundred events scattered all over downtown).
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
If, quoting Carlo Freccero, «Udine’s Far East has made the European audience literate
about a filmography, that is by now inside the DNA of the collective imaginary», the
opening of the seventeenth edition will not only speak the language of movies: it will be
up to Joe Hisaishi to raise the curtain, speaking the language of music. An event-concert,
needless to say, guaranteed to make history, that went sold-out in just 36 hours! An
Opening and a Closing Night, that you absolutely don’t want to miss, will set the route
for FEFF 17: super colossal Dragon Blade (with mister Jackie Chan flanked by Adrien
Brody and John Cusack) and epic action The Taking of Tiger Mountain (long-awaited
comeback of the father of legendary Detective Dee, Tsui Hark).
Two international premiere smash hits, in an edition that is certainly not greedy
when it comes to authentic smash hits: from hitting the jackpot with Parasyte: part
1 and Parasyte: part 2, sci-fi horror by Yamazaki Takashi (winner of the last Audience
Award with The Eternal Zero), to the special section dedicated to Hong Kong martial
arts, passing through mammoth thriller Helios by Longman Leung and Sunny Luk, the
winning duo behind Cold War, that the audience at Far East Film 17 will be able to enjoy
simultaneously with Hong Kong.
So now, let’s take a closer look to some of this year’s highlights.
SPECIAL GALA CONCERT
It will be up to one of our time’s greatest musical geniuses to officially kick off FEFF 17: mister
Joe Hisaishi, for the very first time in Italy! Not just a mere artist, he’s more like a sum of different
artistic souls: composer, pianist, conductor, director, writer. An icon who the social imaginary
permanently links to the amazing soundtracks he wrote for Miyazaki and Kitano, as well as for
the marvelous Departures by Takita Yojiro (winner of the 2009 Oscar for Best Foreign Language
Film, Italian distribution by Friulian company Tucker Film). The Special Gala Concert, arranged
exclusively for the Far East Film Festival, will have Hisaishi conduct the RTV Slovenia Symphony
Orchestra and also perform on the piano, leafing pages in a perfect balance between cinema and
solo production. An extraordinary journey, ranging from the sophisticated colors of minimalism
to those more solid and joyful, absolutely unmistakable, ones that made Hisaishi - FEFF will
present him with the Gelso d’Oro (Golden Mulberry) lifetime achievement award - into one of the
last (great) composers of symphonies for the big screen.
DRAGON BLADE
China openly challenges Hollywood with one of the most lavish productions of its film history:
colossal period film, Dragon Blade, where the one and only Jackie Chan is flanked - oh yes by Adrien Brody and John Cusack! The East and the West have never been this close, both
from the star-system standpoint and the storytelling standpoint: ancient Romans and Han
dynasty warriors face each other on the Silk Road, offering the audience 127 minutes of thrilling
excitement! Amidst cruel emperors and soldiers, warily crossing into enemy lines, with platoons of
legionaries and little heroes with almond eyes, director Daniel Lee (14 Blades, White Vengeance)
runs this enormous short-circuit with zest and fearlessly handles it.
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
THE TAKING OF TIGER MOUNTAIN
Tsui Hark, legendary pioneer of the 1980s Hong Kong new wave, puts to use all his visual power
in a truly breathtaking epic action movie! Based on the novel Tracks in the Snowy Forest, it
tells the story of the duel between Hawk, a ferocious outlaw, barricaded in a fortress during the
1946 civil war, and detective Yang, who, working undercover, worms his way into the ranks of
his opponent’s criminal gang. Will our hero, on behalf of the liberation army, get justice done?
«I did not shoot the movie as a historical work - said Tsui Hark, the man who gave us the Once
Upon a Time in China and Detective Dee sagas - but as a totally contemporary work, in order
to as much as possible captivate the emotions of the viewers». After the Udinese showing, the
dizzying landscape of Tiger Mountain, on May 8th, will be taking the stage at the Trento Film
Festival, the international film festival dedicated to movies set in the mountains.
PARASYTE: PART 1 / PARASYTE: PART 2
Well-known to Fareastian audience for the two Always – Sunset on Third Street and for winning
hands down the 2014 Audience Award with the war drama The Eternal Zero (registering the
highest score ever in the history of FEFF), Yamazaki Takashi takes on the bestselling manga
by Hitoshi Iwaaki: a genuine cult manga, pretty famous in Italy too (Italian version: L’ospite
indesiderato, RW Edizioni), capable of successfully blending fantasy, horror and black comedy
all together. Parasyte: Part 1 and Parasyte: Part 2 tell the story of the bizarre fight between
Shinichi, a gloomy teenager, and Migi, the alien parasite that has taken possession of his hand,
updating the evergreen Don Siegel (Invasion of the body snatchers) and showing, in some way,
our deepest and most present fears: it is impossible not to think of the Ebola virus and the fear
of contamination…
THE CONTINENT
«The air is fouled, I have to get going. In this cold night made of haze or poison gas, I take state
highway 318, driving a 1988 rice-white station-wagon, though yes, I know girls always say it’s milkwhite…». Han Han, blogger with more than 450 million accesses a year and 15.000 comments a
day, is probably the most influential figure in China. Such a powerful figure that even censorship,
besides shutting down a literary magazine, has had to take a step back! His books, which are
published in Italy as well, describe the bewilderment of the 30-something generation and so
does The Continent, his filmmaking debut, an international premiere at FEFF. Taking the cue
from his novel 1988 (published in Italy by edizioni Metropoli d’Asia), Han Han has brought to the
screen all the themes he every day talks about on his blog, from the emptying of the countryside
to wild urban development, from wealth as a detonator to social contradictions to corruption in
the political sphere, creating an usual road movie («driving a 1988 station-wagon»), that is also a
skeptical but not cynical portrayal of contemporary China.
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
A CAMBODIAN MOVIE IN UDINE
There are some movies whose relevance simply transcends the outcome on both a narrative and
a figurative level. Sotho Kulikar’s filmmaking debut, The Last Reel - the very first Cambodian
movie in the annals of the Udinese Festival - definitely belongs to this exact type of works.
And that without taking anything from the creative effort of the director and of her technicalartistic crew.
The Last Reel is the story of a young woman in present day Cambodia and of her desperate
search for the missing reel of an old movie, a movie connected to painful memories, buried
secrets… At a deeper level, The Last Reel, while facing the brutal Khmer Rouge legacy, pays tribute
to the Golden Age of Cambodian cinema and to its 300 movies, produced between 1965 and
1975, of which only a 30% was saved. A very ambitious movie, that, by focusing on the conflict
between generations, exposes the silence that is still draped around a difficult and inconvenient
past. A movie that marks the rebirth of Cambodian filmmaking, that, although with Australia’s
productive help (in the form of the screenwriter and movie producer, the cinematographer, the
editor and the score composer), was able to bring to the surface a new female talent.
NON-FICTION FILM AT FEFF 17
For the second year in a row, Far East Film makes room for non-fiction products, documentaries.
In a time when thanks to the internet and digital television, it is possible to access, have, view
and film anything, FEFF could not overlook non-fiction. The selection for the 2015 edition took
place with the help of Anderson Le, director of the Hawaii International Film Festival and a fullspectrum film expert. The goal is to show a significant part of the richly composed Asian nonfiction cinema, going from the concept of genre to the one of sub-culture to documentaries
as “self-stories”, which means stories about filmmaking itself and about the whole production
process. It is true, the fact that documentaries have been attending mainstream Festivals in the
past few years has demonstrated the absolute proneness of non-fiction works to embody artistic
novelties and modern techniques, proving to be rich soil for the most avant-garde approaches
and gaining recognition right next to fiction excellences. These creative challenges characterize
the four films chosen for the 2015 edition of FEFF. In The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, by
Japanese director Mami Sunada, takes us, in total Japanese fashion, inside the legendary and
inaccessible world of Studio Ghibli. Hers is the first intimate story where, first and foremost,
Miyazaki Hayao but also directors Toshio Suzuki and Isao Takahata are filmed with no filters
during a yearlong frame and in particular during the days before the release date of two major
movies, The Wind Rises and The Tale of Princess Kaguya. Thanks to Mami we get to understand
the creative process behind Miyazaki’s drawing, his complete dedication to drawing that makes
him walk around the Studio wearing an apron like he was some sort of world of fantasy employee,
always bent on giving dreams life. The film, an Italian premiere, will be presented in partnership
with Lucky Red and as an in-depth analysis of the opening event: the Gala Concert with Joe
Hisaishi. From Japan we will be moving towards the South-East of Asia with two documentaries:
Garuda Power -The Spirit Within, an Indonesian-French coproduction and Southeast Asian
Cinema – When the Rooster Crows, an Italian-Singaporean coproduction. The first one narrates
the deeds of little known Indonesian action actors, while in the second one, famous authors like
Brillante Mendoza, Eric Khoo, Garin Nugroho and Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, give voice to a universe
rich with traditions, ethnic groups, languages, politics and religions.
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
This is filmmaking in its purest form, screaming his need for freedom and documenting the real life
of ordinary people. Completely different from the aforementioned films, sporting a strong narrative
structure, the Chinese documentary I Am Here closes the section. This documentary follows some
young talents during the audtions for Super Boy, the most famous singing competition in the
country. The core of the movie is the pop culture of today’s youth, digital natives armed with
smartphones and with money on tap, obsessing over becoming famous at all costs. A journey
through the Chinese continent, that, often inspired by empty Western models, craves fame.
FROM THE FAR EAST WITH FURY!
«Martial arts (and kung fu) - writes Roger Garcia, Executive Director of the
Hong Kong Film Festival - represent the most significant contribution given to filmmaking by
the Chinese culture. It has the same ontological value that the western genre has in America,
not only due to its stereotypes but also as an essence crossing other genres…». Including and
developing the project planned by the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office to celebrate the 50th
anniversary of its Brussels headquarters, FEFF 17 will host a special section selected by the Hong
Kong Film Festival and focused on Hong Kong martial arts! From the immortal The Way of the
Dragon by his majesty Bruce Lee to the cult The Young Master by Jackie Chan, from a classic
such as Spooky Encounters by Sammo Hung to another classic, Rightings Wrongs by Corey
Yuen, without forgetting Once Upon a Time in China 2 by Tsui Hark, the audience is going to
enjoy a genuine and irresistible selection of greatest hits. Not only the devotees will be ecstatic
about finding these movies once again on the big screen, but also the “just curious” audience will
not resist the temptation of embarking on a made in HK quest. A quest that is going to be paired
with an unforgettable Hong Kong Night with stars from the former British colony…
FEFF CAMPUS
The 17th edition of the Far East Film Festival will for the first time host a campus for young
journalists that will combine education and on-site experience with cultural exchanges between
writers from Asia and Europe. Four candidates under the age of 30 will be selected from Europe and
four from Asia for a programme that will include seminars, interviews and workshops focusing on
both the art of film and the art of writing. Successful candidates will work under the supervision
of and receive guidance from a host of experienced film industry and media professionals, led by
film industry veteran Mathew Scott, while contributing to a festival newsletter and embracing all
aspects of both the festival as well as the cultural and historic life of Udine and the Friuli Venezia
Giulia region. They will learn what makes the festival tick – the films, the talks, the people – while
gaining an invaluable insight into how to establish themselves in the world of modern media.
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
THIES THAT BIND
The Ties That Bind Italian session will take place in Udine (Italy) from April 28 – May 2, 2015 within
the framework of the Udine Far East Film Festival. This workshop is supported by the CREATIVE
EUROPE - MEDIA subprogramme of the European Union and organised in partnership with FVG
Audiovisual Fund, EAVE, Udine Far East Film Festival and Busan International Film Festival and,
starting from this year, in partnership with SAAVA (Southeast Asian Audio-Visual Association),
founder of the Southeast Asian Film Financing Forum (SAFF) in Singapore. In the seven years of
its existence, Ties that Bind has become the most relevant and successful training programme
for developing European-Asian co-production. To name just some of the most recent examples,
Ties that Bind projects Big Father, Small Father and Other Stories has just premiered in Berlinale
competition and Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere won Best Film at the latest Venice Critics’ Week.
SITGES RELOADED
What do Quentin Tarantino, Terry Gilliam, Álex de la Iglesia, Joe Dante, George A. Romero, John
Landis and David Cronenberg have in common? For sure, they were all guests at Sitges, the
most important fantasy film festival in the world. The special section Sitges Reloaded focuses
of course on Sitges and it represents the first time that FEFF approaches genre productions
from Europe, it is the first attempt at comparing, directly on the field, the film industries of the
Far East and the West. 4 movies will be programmed in Udine: The Duke of Burgundy by Peter
Strickland (UK), The Tribe by Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy (Ukraine), Magical Girl by Carlos Vermut
(Spain) and Hyena by Gerard Johnson (UK). Four aces to seal the closeness between Sitges and
FEFF, a closeness that has grown deeper and deeper in the international film festival circuit and
that feeds on affinity: the same way of looking at movies, with no established rules, no prejudice,
guaranteeing the same respect to pure entertainment movies and to films boiling with anarchic
creativity, from big productions to low budgets projects. The enthusiasm shown by director Ángel
Sala (one of Spain’s most prominent critics) and vice director Mike Hostench in accepting FEFF’s
proposal is another proof of the good reputation enjoyed by the Udinese festival.
Sitges – Festival Internacional de Cinema Fantàstic de Catalunya, established in 1967, takes
place in October in, of course, Sitges, a coastal town, 40 KM from Barcelona. The program is
made of 13 sections, among them Focus Asia, which has often found in the Far East Film Festival
a source of inspiration.
FRESH WAVE – HONG KONG SHORT FILMS
It’s been a decade since it first started, but the Fresh Wave Festival - that takes place in December
in Hong Kong - keeps on being a major showcase for aspiring young filmmakers. Organized
since 2005 by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council and openly supported by director and
producer Johnnie To, the Fresh Wave program rounds up new authors and offers them partial
financial support, which is needed in order to produce the shorts. Each edition has had directors
such as Herman Yau, Chan Hing-kai, Yau Nai-hoi, Benny Chan and Fruit Chan functioning as
mentors. Throughout the years, some of these new names on the Hong Kong scene have moved
from short films to mainstream filmmaking. And talking about that, it is recent news that the
shooting for crime film TRIVISA has started and it will be produced by none other than Johnnie
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
To and Yau Nai-hoi and will have some Fresh Wave names as co-directors.
Over the years Fresh Wave shorts have also depicted and registered the anxiety of HK creative
talents. In 2014 the new wave translated into images the former British colony’s deep interest in
political and social issues.
Fresh Wave doesn’t just offer a creative outlet to new directors: the projects that come to life
give viewers the possibility of observing first-hand some recurring and hot topics, such as local
culture, the search for an identity, urban redevelopment and protest.
This year, Udine’s Far East Film presents 4 of the most original creations of the 2014 edition of
Fresh Wave.
FEFF 17 OVERVIEW
Rodolfo Sonego, one of the most important Italian screenwriters, used to say - without any
distinction between genres, whether popular or art - that cinema not only has to make us think
but, first of all, should teach us how to see. The movies at FEFF - this year 70, from 11 different
countries - some restored, some saved; unripe debuts, along others mature and solid; blockbuster
hits, dramas, comedies, pure entertainment material or sci-fi reinterpretation of the world and
of the possible near future - are worthy of one thing. They possess that simple and essential
quality. They teach us how to see. And they show us different, faraway, unknown things in an
exclusive and unique approach.
Exclusive because among the 60 movies competing, there are 10 International Premieres and
more than 20 European Premieres. Two most awaited films, action movie Helios from Hong
Kong and Parasyte: part 2 from Japan, will be presented to the audience while simultaneously
playing in theaters across their respective countries… a sort of date-by-date showing, where the
difference in time zones is the only thing that separates viewers in the East and the West.
More than 60 films that synthesize to the utmost the long selection process, where the ones
“seeing” were 10 consultants, who live and work in Asian capitals, assisted by 4 coordinators,
and together with CEC’s committee, over the course of 11 months, watched more than 400 films
coming form 15 different countries. More than 60 films presented as part of one bill, ensuring
a well-balanced equilibrium among the different countries; a “user-friendly” program with no
overlapping (which happens very rarely in all the other festivals, where the audience is always
forced to make a choice) with a schedule that aims at different targets according to whether
it’s morning, afternoon or night, created for different viewers with different tastes. Just like it
happens with TV programming.
The Far East Film selection gives you the chance of a comprehensive overview, which is impossible
to find anywhere else in the West, and a synthesis of what is happening or just happened in the
past few months and in different film markets, allowing us to appreciate and enjoy it all together
at once. But all these movies not only show us their interesting and unique production features
(China and its market will soon conquer the world, becoming the first film market, outdoing even
Hollywood; Japanese movies are crushing foreign ones at the box office and same thing applies
to Korea that will record 2014 as one memorable year) but also they are the key to interpret the
entire society. FEFF shows all of the movies and the movies describe society.
And, of course, we never ditch our audience, who is such a fundamental part of the festival itself,
especially because, in the words of Roger Garcia - Executive Director of the HK Film Festival and
a consultant here in Udine - a Festival’s worth doesn’t only reside in the movies it is showing, but
also especially in the quality of its audience.
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
ALL THE FILMS AT A GLANCE
LINE UP 2015
COMPETITION SECTION
— CHINA (8)
20, ONCE AGAIN!
Leste CHEN, time­-lapse drama, China 2015, International Festival Premiere
BREAKUP BUDDIES
NING Hao, anarchic-road movie, China 2014, European Premiere
BROTHERHOOD OF BLADES
LU Yang, wuxia thriller, China 2014, Italian Premiere
THE CONTINENT
HAN Han, road movie, China 2014, European Premiere
MY OLD CLASSMATE
Frant GWO, nostalgic romance, China 2014, European Premiere
THE OLD CINDERELLA
Wubai, moddern romance, China 2014, International Premiere
UNCLE VICTORY
ZHANG Meng, redemption drama, China 2014, Italian Premiere
WOMEN WHO FLIRT
PANG Ho-cheung, vibrant romantic comedy, China 2014, European Premiere
— CHINA/HONG KONG (4)
DRAGON BLADE
Daniel LEE, ancient Roman action in China, Hong Kong/China, International Festival Premiere
HELIOS
Sunny LUK & Longman LEUNG, spy thriller, Hong Kong/China 2015, International Premiere
KUNG FU JUNGLE
Teddy CHEN, martial arts homage, Hong Kong/China 2014, Italian Premiere
THE TAKING OF TIGER MOUNTAIN 3D
TSUI Hark, great action-adventure, China/Hong Kong 2014, Italian Premiere
— HONG KONG (3)
GANGSTER PAY DAY
LEE Po-cheung, triad drama, Hong Kong 2014, European Premiere
PORT OF CALL
Philip YUNG, contemporary noir, Hong Kong 2015, International Festival Premiere
SARA
Herman YAU, contemporary social drama, Hong Kong 2015, European Premiere
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
— TAIWAN (3)
CAFÉ. WAITING. LOVE
CHIANG Jin-lin, hipster-yuppie comedy, Taiwan 2014, European Premiere
MEETING DR. SUN
YEE Chih-yen, school heist-comedy, Taiwan 2014, European Premiere
SECOND CHANCE
KUNG Wen-yen, billiard drama, Taiwan 2014, European Premiere
— JAPAN (12)
0,5 MM
ANDO Momoko, Japanese mind encyclopedia, Japan 2014, European Premiere
100 YEN LOVE
TAKE Masaharu, quirk-misfit-drama, Japan 2014, International Premiere
THE CURTAIN RISES
MOTOHIRO Katsuyuki, stage-youth-drama, Japan 2015, European Premiere
ECOTHERAPY GETAWAY HOLIDAY
OKITA Shuichi, lost-in-the-woods comedy, Japan 2014, European Premiere
FORGET ME NOT
HORIE Kei, fantasy drama, Japan 2015, International Premiere
KABUKICHO LOVE HOTEL
HIROKI Ryuichi, sayonara sex romance, Japan 2014, Italian Premiere
LA LA LA AT ROCK BOTTOM
YAMASHITA Nobuhiro, memory-youth-drama, Japan 2015, Italian Premiere
MAKE ROOM
MORIKAWA Kei, AV set comedy, Japan 2015, International Premiere
PARASYTE PART. 1
YAMAZAKI Takashi, alien invasion drama, Japan 2014, International Festival Premiere
PARASYTE PART. 2
YAMAZAKI Takashi, alien invasion drama II, Japan 2015, International Premiere
UNSUNG HERO
TAKE Masaharu, stuntman lifestyle drama, Japan 2014, International Premiere
THE END OF THE WORLD AND THE CAT’S DISAPPEARANCE
TAKEUCHI Michihiro, crazy apocalyptic comedy, Japan 2015, International Premiere
— SOUTH KOREA (10)
CART
BOO Ji-young, women-against-big-business drama, South Korea 2014, Italian Premiere
CONFESSION
LEE Do-yun, lost friendship thriller, South Korea 2014, European Premiere
GANGNAM BLUES
YOO Ha, goodfellas drama, South Korea 2015, International Festival Premiere
MY BRILLIANT LIFE
E J-yong, lost youth drama, South Korea 2014, European Premiere
MY LOVE, MY BRIDE
LIM Charn-sang, young marriage in crisis, South Korea 2014, International Premiere
MY ORDINARY LOVE STORY
LEE Kwon, romance thriller, South Korea 2014, International Festival Premiere
ODE TO MY FATHER
J.K. YOUN, postwar generational epic, South Korea 2014, Italian Premiere
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
TAZZA: THE HIDDEN CARD
KANG Hyoung-chul, gambling epic, South Korea 2014, European Premiere
THE ROYAL TAILOR
LEE Won-suk, 18th-century fashion drama, South Korea 2014, International Festival Premiere
THE WICKED
YOO Young-seon, office psycho thriller, South Korea 2014, International Premiere
— CAMBODIA (1)
THE LAST REEL
Kulikar SOTHO, lost-in-Cambodia, Cambodia 2014, European Premiere
— SINGAPORE (1)
RUBBERS
HAN Yew Kwang, condom-comedy, Singapore 2014, International Premiere
— VIETNAM (1)
HOLLOW
TRÂN Hàm, ghost-haunting horror, Vietnam 2014, European Premiere
— THAILAND (3)
THE EXECUTIONER
Tom WALLER, death penalty drama, Thailand 2014, Italian Premiere
HOW TO WIN AT CHECKERS (EVERY TIME)
Josh KIM, gay romance, Indonesia/USA/Thai, 2015, Italian Premiere
THE SWIMMERS
Sophon SAKDAPHISIT, swimming-pool horror, Thailand 2014, Italian Premiere
— THE PHILIPPINES (2)
THE GIFTED
Chris MARTINEZ, ugly-ducking-comedy, The Philippines 2014, International Premiere
WHERE I AM KING
Carlos SIGUION-REYNA, slum comedy, The Philippines 2014, European Premiere
— INDONESIA (1)
SITI
Eddie CAHYONO, neo-realistic drama, Indonesia 2014, Italian Premiere
— DOCUMENTARIES (4)
GARUDA POWER: THE SPIRIT WITHIN
Bastian MEIRESONNE, Indonesia/France 2014, Italian Premiere
I AM HERE
FAN Lixin, China 2014, European Premiere
THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS AND MADNESS
SUNADA Mami, Japan 2014, Italian Premiere
SOUTHEAST ASIAN CINEMA – WHEN THE ROOSTER CROWS
Lorenzo CINIERI LOMBROSO, Singapore/Italy 2014, European Premiere
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
SPECIAL SECTIONS
— HK MARTIAL ARTS SPECIAL FOCUS (6)
DUEL TO THE DEATH
Tony CHING, Hong Kong 1983
ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 2
TSUI Hark, Hong Kong 1992
RIGHTING WRONGS
Corey YUEN, Hong Kong 1986
SPOOKY ENCOUNTERS
Sammo HUNG, Hong Kong 1980
THE WAY OF THE DRAGON
Bruce LEE, Hong Kong 1972
THE YOUNG MASTER
Jackie CHAN, Hong Kong 1980
— RESTORED CLASSICS (2)
STAGE SISTERS
XIE Jin, drama, China 1964 – restored in 2014
THE TRAGEDY OF BUSHIDO
MORIKAWA Hidetaro, drama, Japan 1960 – restored in 2014, European Premiere
— FRESH WAVE SHORTS (4)
BEING RAIN: REPRESENTATION AND WILL
CHAN Tze-woon, Hong Kong 2014, European Premiere
IPHONE THIEVES
Louis WONG, Hong Kong 2014, European Premiere
MARRYLAND
Anastasia TSANG Hin, Hong Kong 2014, European Premiere
NEIGHBORS
CAI Jiahao, Hong Kong 2014, European Premiere
— SITGES RELOADED (5)
ALLÉLUIA
Fabrice DU WELZ, thriller, Belgium/France 2014
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY
Peter STRICKLAND, drama, UK 2015
HYENA
Gerard JOHNSON, crime drama, UK 2015
MAGICAL GIRL
Carlos VERMUT, thriller, Spain 2014
THE TRIBE
Miroslav SLABOSHPITSKY, crime drama, Ukraine/Netherlands 2014
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE = First screening outside the country of origin
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL PREMIERE = First festival screening in the world
EUROPEAN PREMIERE = First public screening in Europe
ITALIAN PREMIERE = First public screening in Italy
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
ALL THE STARS
HONG KONG
Teddy CHEN, director, Kung Fu Jungle
Herman YAU, director, Sara
Erica LI, scriptwriter, Sara
Daniel LEE, director, Dragon Blade
Susanna TSANG, producer, Dragon Blade
Albert LEE, CEO of Emperor Motion Pictures
Nansun SHI, producer, The Taking of Tiger Mountain
Philip YUNG, director, Port of Call
FRESH WAVE SHORT FILM DIRECTORS
Katsumi WONG, Official Programme Officer
Anastasia TSANG, director, Marryland
Sze-woon CHAN, director, Representation And Will
Jia-hao CAI, director, Neighbors
Louis WONG, director, IPhone Thieves
JAPAN
Joe HISAISHI, composer and pianist
YAMAZAKI Takashi, director, Parasyte – Part 1&2
MORIYA Keiichiro, producer, Parasyte – Part 1&2
ANDO Sakura, actress, 100 Yen Love / 0,5 mm
TAKE Masaharu, director, 100 Yen Love / Unsung Hero
HIROKI Ryuichi, director, Kabukicho Love Hotel
NISHIKAWA Kei, director, Make Room
Adam TOREL, producer, Make Room
YAMASHITA Nobuhiro, director, La La La at Rock Bottom
HORIE Kei, director, Forget Me Not
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
THE PHILIPPHINES
Carlos SIGUION-REYNA, director, Where I Am King
Chris MARTINEZ, director, The Gifted
Anne CURTIS, actress, The Gifted
SOUTH KOREA
LIM Charn-sang, director, My Love, My Bride
BOO Ji-young, director, CART
LEE Wonsuk, director, The Royal Taylor
LEE Kwon, director, My Ordinary Love Story
YOO Young-seon, director, The Wicked
LEE Do-yun, director, Confession
NAM Dong Chul, Busan Film Festival
NAM Jongsuk Thomas, Puchon Film Festival
TAIWAN
Chih-yen YEE, director, Meeting Dr. Sun
THAILAND
Tom WALLER, director, The Last Executioner
UK
Michael PRITCHETT, producer and music composer, The Last Executioner
FRANCE
Bastian MEIRESONNE, director, Garuda Power: The Spirit Within
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2015
Joe HISAISHI, composer and pianist
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
CONSULTANTS
— ANCHALEE CHAIWORAPORN
Consultant for Thai selection
Independent Writer and Researcher. She have started as a journalist for the Thailand Times and
The Nation before moving to write for international publications including Variety, Cahiers du
Cinema, and etc. She has been part of the jury for many prestigious festivals.
Besides FEFF, she was a consultant also for *Cannes Critic Week*. Since 2002, she has received
several grants to do research on cinemas in Japan, Korea, and ASEAN.
— DARCY PAQUET
Consultant for Korean selection
Film critic and journalist, Darcy is born in the Massachusetts but he has been living in Seoul since 1997.
He is the founder and editor of the website “Koreanfilm.org” and the author of “New Korean
Cinema”. In 2013 he also founded the Wildflower Film Awards Korea. He is a former correspondent
for “Variety” and “Screen International”, he has written regular columns in “Cine21” and “Daum.
net”, and is currently a contributor to the “South China Morning Post” in Hong Kong. He has also
appeared as a supporting actor in several films.
— MARIA BARBIERI
Consultant for Chinese selection
She is from Rome but she lives in Australia from many years.
She spent many years in China working in the film business. In the 2000 she founded an agency
that provides line-production and distribution consultancy services for foreign film and tv
production companies in the greater China region.
She currently runs an art-house cinema (established in 1947 in an iconic art-deco building) in the
town of Murwillumbah, Australia.
— MARIA RUGGIERI
Consultant for Chinese selection
SHE IS FROM SICILY BUT SHE LIVES IN CHINA FROM YEARS.
She is an expert of Chinese cinema and she cooperates with the Institutes of Chinese culture in
Italy. Besides FEFF, she is also a consultant for the Mostra Internazionale del Cinema di Venezia.
— MARK SCHILLING
Consultant for Japanese selection
Reporter, critic and author specializing in Japanese films and popular culture. He has been a
regular film critic for “The Japan Times,” since 1989, while covering the Japanese film industry
for “Screen International” from 1990 to 2005 and for “Variety” from 2005 to the present. He has
written and contributed to many books, including “The Encyclopedia of Japanese Pop Culture”
(Weatherhill, 1997), “Contemporary Japanese Film” (Weatherhill, 1999), “The Yakuza Movie Book”
(Stone Bridge Press, 2003), “No Borders, No Limits: Nikkatsu Action Cinema” (2007) and “Nudes!
Guns! Ghosts! The Sensational Films of Shintoho” (2010).
He has also served on many film juries, including the Japanese Eyes section of the Tokyo
International Film Festival for three years running, and worked as a script advisor on Edward
Zwick’s “The Last Samurai” (2003).
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
— PAOLO BERTOLIN
Consultant for Thai selection
After leaving Italy, he has studied in Korea.
As he’s an expert of Thai cinema, he is currently also Programme Advisor Asia Pacific for Doha Film
Institute, Consultant for La Biennale di Venezia and Asia Pacific Delegate al Nyon Visions du Réel.
He currently cooperate with Pechino Festival as well.
— STEPHEN CREMIN
Program advisor
Together with Patrick Frater, in 2010 he has founded “Film Business Asia”, a Hong Kong-based
English-language trade publication that reports on Asian cinema from a uniquely balanced
perspective.
Stephen also co-founded the London Pan-Asian Film Festival in 1998 and remains on the
programming teams of the New York Asian Film Festival. He was previously “Screen International”
Taipei correspondent.
— TIM YOUNGS
Consultant for Hong Kong selection
Tim Youngs is a writer and editor living in Hong Kong. He has written about Hong Kong movies for
publications including Time, Film Comment, the International Film Guide and Cahiers du Cinema,
as well as for the Hong Kong International Film Festival and the Hong Kong Film Archive. Since
joining Far East Film as Hong Kong consultant in its 2002 edition, he has contributed to Udine
retrospectives including those on directors Chor Yuen, Patrick Lung Kong and Ann Hui. He has
also served as a consultant for the Venice Film Festival.
— MAX TESSIER
Consultant for Philippine selection
Max Tessier is a French film critic and historian, specializing in Japanese and Asian cinemas. A regular
contributor to Osian’s Cinemaya, Les Voix/France –Japan, and occasionally to Positif, Paris.
He is the author of several books in French on Japanese films: ”Yasujiro Ozu 1903-1963”, “Le
Cinéma japonais au présent 1959-1979”, “Cinéma et littérature au Japon de l’ère Meiji à nos
jours”, “Images du cinéma japonais”, “Cinéma et littérature au Japon”.
He has also became an expert of Philippine cinema and he is currently lives and works in The
Philippines.
— ANDERSON LE
Consultant for Documentary section
Besides FEFF, he is the director of Programming at Hawaii International Film Festival and
International films selector for the LA Asian Pacific Film Festival.
— ROGER GARCIA
FEFF Publication Supervising Editor
When Roger Garcia took over the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society in 2010, he was
already an established film producer, critic and writer in Asia and internationally.
With over 30 years in the arts, cultural and film industries bio, Mr. Garcia had previously served
as a strategic and programming consultant, adviser, curator and juror for many international film
festivals in Europe, US and Asia.
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
COORDINATORS
— EJ CHO
Coordinator – Korean selection
— GARY MAK
Coordinator – Hong Kong selection
— SANLING CHANG
Coordinator – Taiwan selection
— FREE STONE TEAM
Coordinators – Japanese selection
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
JOE HISAISHI
SPECIAL GALA CONCERT
— MAY 23RD TEATRO GIOVANNI DA UDINE H 8,30PM
I’ve worked with Joe on a total of nine films. I’ve been fortunate in many ways,
but meeting Hisaishi is one of the luckiest things that ever happened to me!
-Miyazaki HayaoThe Special Gala Concert, organised exclusively for the Udine Far East Film Festival, will feature
one of the greatest musical talents of our time, Joe Hisaishi, directing the RTV Slovenia Symphony
Orchestra in what will be his very first performance in Italy. The setlist will include pieces from both
film scores and solo albums, creating a perfect balance between cinema and music. Hisaishi’s
unique musical style is a blend of sophisticated minimalism and more epic and joyous sounds,
which makes him one of the last great composers of symphonic music for the big screen.
The rich and varied concert programme, divided into two sets, will feature pieces such as Links,
MKWAJU and Oriental Wind, beloved by Hisaishi fans, and world-famous pieces composed for
films such as Departures and Howl’s Moving Castle.
As always with great artists, a single performance is not enough to fully represent the genius
of Mr. Hisaishi’s work and his amazingly eventful life, filled with applause and praise (he has
received the Japan Academy Award for Best Music six times) and legendary partnerships, like
the one with Studio Ghibli, celebrated by the mega live concert Joe Hisaishi in Budokan – 25
years with the Animations of Miyazaki Hayao.
Mr. Hisaishi, a real idol in his home country Japan and cult figure in the rest of the world, is
a multifaceted and multitalented artist, he is all of the following: composer, pianist, orchestra
director, film director and writer.
He is best known for composing the scores of masterpieces by Miyazaki Hayao (including My
Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away) and Takeshi Kitano, as well as the score for the wonderful
film Departures (2009 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film winner, distributed in
Italy by Tucker Film).
Hisaishi, who became the first Asian musician to conduct an orchestra at the Cannes International
Film Festival (live accompaniment of comedy masterpiece “The General” by Buster Keaton), will
be awarded with the Gelso Nero alla Carriera at Far East Film Festival.
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
FEFF CAMPUS
The 17th edition of the Far East Film Festival will for the first time host a campus for young
journalists that will combine education and on-site experience with cultural exchanges between
writers from Asia and Europe.
Four candidates under the age of 30 will be selected from Europe and four from Asia for a
programme that will include seminars, interviews and workshops focusing on both the art of film
and the art of writing.
Successful candidates will work under the supervision of and receive guidance from a host of
experienced film industry and media professionals, led by film industry veteran Mathew Scott,
while contributing to a festival newsletter and embracing all aspects of both the festival as well
as the cultural and historic life of Udine and the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.
They will learn what makes the festival tick – the films, the talks, the people – while gaining an
invaluable insight into how to establish themselves in the world of modern media.
This unique opportunity will allow these young writers to experience the festival first-hand in a
real-time newsroom that will feature all aspects of social and traditional media while they will
also be expected to play an active role in what has become known across the globe as the Far
East Film Festival community.
FEFF Campus 2015 has the privilege to be supported by important European and Asian associations
and organizations, including Europa Cinemas and Hong Kong’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club
(FCC) and Udine Camera di Commercio.
Mathew Scott has been writing about Asian cinema from his base in Hong Kong for the past
20 years. He was Film Editor at the South China Morning Post, Asia’s leading English-language
daily newspaper, and is a regular contributor to the French news agency Agence France-Presse
and an occasional contributor to such film industry publications as Variety, Screen Daily and
The Hollywood Reporter. Mathew’s work has also been published in Slate.com, The Guardian, The
Independent, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. In 2014 he helped facilitate the successful
Cultural Journalism Campus that ran as a sideline to the Art Basel event in Hong Kong.
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
TIES THAT BIND
ASIA - EUROPE PRODUCERS WORKSHOP
— 7TH EDITION APRIL 28TH / MAY 2ND
The Ties That Bind European session will take place in Udine (Italy) from April 28 – May 2, 2015
within the framework of the Udine Far East Film Festival (April 25 - May 3, 2014). This workshop
is supported by the CREATIVE EUROPE - MEDIA subprogramme of the European Union and
was set up in 2009 by the FVG Audiovisual Fund, EAVE, Udine Far East Film Festival with the
collaboration of the Busan International Film Festival and, starting from this year, in partnership
with SAAVA (Southeast Asian Audio-Visual Association), founder of the Southeast Asian Film
Financing Forum (SAFF) in Singapore.
In the six years of its existence, Ties that Bind has become the most relevant and successful
training programme for developing European-Asian co-production. To name just some of the
most recent examples, Ties that Bind projects Big Father, Small Father and Other Stories has
just premiered in Berlinale competition and Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere won Best Film at
the latest Venice Critics’ Week.
TIES THAT BIND brings together 10 Asian and European producers with feature film projects
in development. For the first time, we are also welcoming 5 high-profile professionals coming
from distribution and sales, festivals and co-production markets, film funds and interested in
working with Asia to be an active part of the group. In addition to creating long-term networking
and business opportunities, the sessions offer work with leading experts from both continents
on script development, co-production, financing opportunities, legal issues, distribution, sales
and other relevant issues. Meetings between the participants and key decision makers are an
integral part of the programme.
TIES THAT BIND has become a success story with more and more co-productions coming out of
the network and entering both markets plus an increasing number of strong applications every
year. The 2015 selection includes professionals from Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan,
Luxembourg, the Philippines, Poland, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, The Netherlands, and the UK.
For more information please contact:
www.eave.org - www.tiesthatbind.eu - www.audiovisivofvg.it
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
FAR EAST FILM EVENTS
— FROM THE DESIGN MARKET TO COOKING SHOWS,
100 EVENTS RIGHT IN THE HEART OF THE TOWN!
Far East Film Events is definitely a Festival inside the Festival that, over the years, has turned
into an additional outpost for Asian styles and trends. Fareasters feel - and must feel - at home:
that’s the philosophy and active function behind FEFF and, of course, its Events. It’s a network,
enveloping the whole town, that keeps getting more and more participants involved, participants
who hold the city dear in political, administrative and promotional terms. A Festival inside the
Festival, as mentioned before, that brings together a bunch of events that are now true Udinese
traditions (just think about the Far East Cosplay) and links the historical FEFF stronghold, Teatro
Nuovo, to all the Asian zones all over Udine.
This year, Piazza San Giacomo welcomes the brand new Design Market, that will flood the heart
of Udine with colors and creativity. From April 27th to May 3rd designers and creative talents with
top-notch, strong and especially innovative ideas will find a downtown market dedicated to their
work! The main selection criteria will be the quality and originality of the work/artifact and also
these other characteristics will be noted: the young age of the talents, how representative the
work is (valid both for Friulian and Asian artifacts), businesses and self-employed professionals
with VAT number. Even those who do not fit these requirements but feel confident about their
project may step up to the plate. If an idea is powerful, it won’t find the door locked!
Piazza San Giacomo will also be hosting some other major events, like the most awaited Far
East Cosplay Contest, that this year will present the winners with two tickets to fly to Japan
(courtesy of HIS agency). Giorgia Cosplay, as usual, will host the event.
Making the 2015 program even more mouth-watering, here’s a section entirely dedicated to
Asian cooking: Far East Food. Fareasters will have the chance to dive into the Far East also
through flavors: Piazza XX settembre will host the Food Palace that, thanks to food tasting,
aperitifs, lectures and cooking shows, will guide our palates through the flavors of the Far East
without forgetting about the local ones.
From the iconic image of FEFF 17 to the streets, this year, martial arts are going to be the festival’s
common thread, not only on the screen at “Giovanni da Udine”, but also downtown: in Piazza San
Giacomo a tournament with participants from the best local martial arts schools who will face
each other and will be judged by the people attending the event.
Among this year’s new additions, besides the attendance token to gain access to all non-free
activities (cost for a single token: € 4; loyalty card: 5 tokens for € 15), the first Panino Gourmet
Contest: 5 chefs competing (Emanuele Scarrello from “Amici”, Massimiliano Sabinot from “Vitello
d’Oro”, Andrea Zuccolo from “Caffè Tomaso”, Roberto Gruden from “Casa della Contadinanza”,
Stefano Basello from “Là di Moret”) in creating a special Asian-Friulian recipe that will be judged
by the audience; the contest will take place in partnership with Turismo del Vino FVG (red and
white wine, from wineries participating in the event, will be served with the food).
To put it simply: a rich schedule (with more than 100 events) that is not just for film lovers or for
enthusiasts of oriental things, but also speaks to the entire Fareastian people: an ageless army
hosting, among its ranks, many intrigued onlookers and - why not? - even a of bunch of skeptics
prone to “redemption”!
VENUES
Galleria Tina Modotti, Visionario, Teatro Nuovo, Giardini del Torso, Piazza San Giacomo, Piazza
XX Settembre, Loggia del Lionello, Giardini di Palazzo Morpurgo, Centro Commerciale Città Fiera
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
FEFF EVENTI HIGHLIGHTS
— MARTIAL ARTS
— FAR EAST FOOD
— WORKSHOPS
— WORKSHOPS FOR KIDS
— LIVE SHOW
— CONFERENCES
— WELLNESS
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
FEFF NIGHTS
AUCAN + guest TBA
— Friday, 24th April, 22H00
RED PIG FLOWER + SYDNEY KEBOSH + guest TBA
— Saturday, 25th April, 22H00
ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION SOUND SYSTEM
+ NORTHERN LIGHTS + guest TBA
— Friday, 1st May, 22H00
TOMOKI TAMURA + guests TBA
— Saturday, 2nd May, 22H00
FEFF NIGHTS 2015 @ MUST#2 c/o Teatro S.Giorgio via Quintino Sella, 5 Borgo Grazzano – Udine
Tickets: full price 15 € at ticket office – reduced pre-sale price 12 € – package deals available for every evening
Pre-sale: Teatro Palamostre [from Tue to Sat 5.30pm > 7.30pm] – Teatro Nuovo Bookshop – www.vivaticket.it
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
THE EXHIBIT
47 RONIN MANGA
— AT VISIONARIO FROM APRIL 23RD
During the Far East Film festival, from April 23rd, Visionario will host the exhibit “47 Ronin Manga”,
a project in comics, created and written by screenwriter Fabrizio Capigatti and illustrated by
Emanuele Tenderini, in collaboration with the Department of Asian and North African Studies
of Ca’ Foscari University in Venice. The exhibit will take place at Visionario during ticket office
opening hours.
It is the true story of what happened between 1701 and 1703, when 47 ronin (meaning masterless
samurai) decide to avenge their master, Asano Takuminokami, forced into committing seppuku
(suicide) after responding to the insults of the shogun’s master of court etiquette, Kira
Kozukenosuke. These events gave birth to the play Kanadehon Chūshingura, where, in order to
avoid censorship, all the names of the characters involved were changed right from the very first
performance.
The goal of the 47 Ronin Manga project is to create a manga able to visually interpret this
historical event as it is told in the Chushingura, which is probably the most famous Japanese
play of all time.
From an aesthetic standpoint, this requires a specific stylistic research: starting from the
visual and narrative impact of Bunraku theater, the illustrator developed a drawing style aimed
at interpreting the characters as if they were real puppets, using a “flat” graphic style that
resembles ancient ukiyo-e prints, though revisited with the help of IT technology.
The exhibit shows what has been done until now by the authors, the creation process of the
character studies, the whole storyboard and some panels. The exhibit will emphasize the research
efforts sustained with the support of the Department of Asian and North African Studies of
Ca’ Foscari University in Venice, which backed the project by hosting many meetings to study
the Kanadehon Chūshingura play in the traditional puppet theater (bunraku) and in the kabuki
theater, up to reaching the stage which brought the authors to start researching the main movie
adaptations of the story.
It is the relationship between cinema and Kanadehon Chūshingura that gets uncovered by
visiting the exhibit, following an itinerary that goes through different images, between frames
and posters, which focuses on the following movies: “Chūshin-gura” (1910); “The 47 ronin” by Kenji
Mizoguchi (1941); “Chūshingura: Hana no Maki, Yuki no Maki” by Hiroshi Inagaki (1962) starring
Toshiro Mifune; “Chūshingura 1/47” (2001); “47 Ronin” (2013).
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
FEFF INFO
Screening attendance is subject to purchasing tickets or passes.
Passes are suitable for those who have a professional or cultural interest towards Asian cinema
and would like to attend as much screenings as possible at a bargain price.
Screenings start at 9.00 a.m. and end well into the night. There are two screenings in the morning,
two in the afternoon, and two at night.
— TICKETS
Teatro Nuovo Giovanni da Udine
Morning shows: € 5,00 a film.
Afternoon shows (weekdays): € 5,00 a film (or € 8,00 for both movies)
Afternoon shows (weekend and pre-bank holiday): € 8,00 a film (or € 12,00 for both movies)
Night shows: € 8,00 a film (or € 12,00 for both movies)
Midnight shows: € 5,00
You can also buy a daily ticket for € 18,00, that will allow you to attend all the shows scheduled
on the issuing date.
On sale at the ticket office of the Theatre
Opening hours:
Friday, April 19 - from 11 am until the beginning of the last screening of the day
Fron Saturday 20 - from 8.45 am until the beginning of the last screening of the day
For information: +39-0432-248484
— PASSES
Accreditation gives you access to all the screenings and the panel discussions with the special
guests of the festival. Underage people cannot apply for an accreditation. There are three types of accreditation (White Tiger, White Tiger Under 26 and Black Dragon).
During the on-line registration, it will be possible to select also a category, choosing between:
Media, Market and Festival (reserved to the relevant professional categories), University (for
students and professors) and Cinephile (for passionate of Asian Cinema).
WHITE TIGER
It is valid for the entire Festival and grants free access to all the screenings* (until seating
capacity) and to the afternoon panel discussions with the Asian guests. You will receive the
badge to have access to the screenings and to the panel discussions, the FEFF17 bag and a
coupon for buying the 2015 catalogue at a special price.
Price:
- € 40,00 (promotional price available from 9th to 28th February 2015**)
- € 50,00 (from 1st March to 17th April 2015)
- € 60,00 (price if you buy the accreditation during the festival)
* For the OPENING FILM scheduled on 24th April will be necessary to collect an ìcomplimentary ticket for the screening
(more information will be available in April).
** Please note that in order to have the discounted price you have to pay the accreditation by 28th Feb. 2015.
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
— WHITE TIGER UNDER 26
It is valid for the entire Festival and grants free access to all the screenings* (until
seating capacity) and to the afternoon panel discussions with the Asian guests. You
will receive the badge to have access to the screenings and to the panel discussions,
the FEFF17 bag and a coupon for buying the 2015 catalogue a the special price.
- € 30,00 (available until to 31st March 2015 **)
- € 40,00 (available from 1st to 17th April 2015)
- € 50,00 (price if you buy the accreditation during the festival)
* For the OPENING FILM scheduled on 24th April will be necessary to collect a complimentary ticket for the screening
(more information will be available in April).
** Please note that in order to have the discounted price you have to pay the accreditation by 31st March 2015.
— BLACK DRAGON
It is valid for the entire festival and grants free access to all the screenings*, with a
personal reserved seat of your choice, and to the afternoon panel discussions with
the Asian guests of the festival. You will receive the badge to have access to the
screenings and to the panel discussions, copy of the 2015 catalogue and the FEFF17 bag.
The minimum offer for the Black Dragon accreditation is € 150,00.
This type of accreditation should be considered as a real support to the Far East Film Festival
to guarantee the future of the event.
It will be possible to register as Black Dragon from 9th February to 17th April 2015 and again
during the festival, without any price increase.
* For the OPENING FILM scheduled on 24th April will be necessary to collect a complimentary ticket for the screening
(more information will be available in April).
** Your BLACK DRAGON seat is reserved until the start of the screening. Once the movie has started, the unoccupied
seats can be assigned to other persons.
— MEETINGS/PANELS
All the stars attending the festival will meet the audience every day at 11.00 a.m. at the pressroom
inside Teatro Nuovo Giovanni da Udine.
Languages: Italian and English.
— INFO POINT
Right in the heart of Udine, an info point about the program and side events. Hours: 10:00 a.m.
> 08:00 p.m.
During the festival, there will be another info point inside Teatro Nuovo, hours: 9:00 a.m. > 12.00 a.m.
— HOSTING/ACCOMMODATION IN UDINE
For all the info about accommodation in Udine during the Festival (hotels, B&B, affiliated
restaurants, transportation and much more) please visit www.fareastfilm.com.
— SCREENINGS
All the movies are in their own original language, with English and Italian subtitles.
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
AND THE WINNER IS…
5 AWARDS THANKS TO IDEA PROTOTIPI®
As per usual at Far East Film, the best movies are chosen by the audience. To be more precise,
three awards go to the most beloved movies of the entire selection. No tricks whatsoever. The
winners are the ones able, more than any other, to excite the audience, satisfy the longing for
romanticism, thrill and action.
Thanks to our renewed partnership with Idea Prototipi®, company in Basiliano (Udine) that
combines metal work and high technology, this year as well FEFF 17 people’s choice awards
will be statuettes in the shape of mulberries, common trees in the Friulian landscape, though
originally from the East, chosen as the symbol of the meeting between Western and Eastern
cultures.
Ending the Far East Film 17 award list, the Gelso alla carriera and Gelso nero (black mulberry),
award presented by the jury of Black Dragon pass holders.
The prizes are made by Idea Prototipi®, the leading company in metal-work, according to the
following procedures: an actual tree from the Friulian countryside underwent scanning and then,
thanks to a process called TiQu™, was turned into a three-dimensional model and finally made
into an extraordinary artifact without any human intervention.
The mulberries will be announced and awarded on Saturday May 2nd during the award ceremony
that will take place at Teatro Nuovo Giovanni da Udine right after midnight and will wrap up Far
East Film 17.
April 23rd — May 2nd, 2015
Teatro Nuovo — Visionario
Udine, Italy
FEFF17: FOLLOW US!
FACEBOOK, TWITTER, FLICKR, INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE
Enthusiasts, experts, journalists exchange opinions, recommend events, shouting out how
much they love Far East Film. Join our community and live with us, 24 hours a day, on our social
networks, the excitement of popular Asian cinema. Follow us!
— LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
facebook.com/UdineFarEastFilm
With a tribe of 20.000 users, this is Far East Film Festival’s official page. All the news and calls
are posted here, rumors spread and photos and trailers get shared. This page is a must.
— FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
twitter.com/fareastfilm
The secret behind our Live Tweeting? That’s easy: hashtag #FEFF17, to post comments on all
the events, from screenings to shows, and to find new stuff, share and have fun.
— FLICKR AND INSTAGRAM
www.flickr.com/photos/fareastfilm and instagram.com/fareastfilm
Photocalls and unforgettable hugs, star posing and stolen kisses: this and so much more in the
photo album collecting all the Festival pictures, from its first edition till today.
— YOUTUBE
www.youtube.com/user/visionariotube
It’s the official channel with a “schedule” made of trailers and videos.
— WEB SITE
www.fareastfilm.com
Line-up, event program, basic information to have the best time during the 9 day Festival. Plus
the archive with files of movies from previous editions and essays by our contributors. The
official site is an encyclopedia that everyone should take a look at!
PRESS AGENCY / UDINE FAR EAST FILM 17
Gianmatteo Pellizzari & Ippolita Nigris Cosattini
Centro Espressioni Cinematografiche
Via Villalta, 24 - 33100 Udine tel. 0432/299545
[email protected] – [email protected]
www.fareastfilm.com