2022 brings Far East Film back to its historical dimension. The FEFF is once again what it has always been since 1999, but it also carries the imprint of all the latest changes: it is an augmented festival, more inclusive, and even more curious. If in the last two years Far East Film was forced to reinventing itself and review its formula with different parameters, these last few months have generated a sudden and wonderful acceleration: a wave of new energy, a vital frenzy which has shaped the twenty-fourth edition.
The Teatro Nuovo “Giovanni da Udine” with its 1200 seats will firmly resume its role as headquarters and it will be joined by the Visionary, an outpost of the special sections and retrospectives. The 2022 selection will include a total of 72 titles of which 42 in competition (13 world premieres, 18 international, 11 European and 13 Italian). 15 countries will be represented (including an Italy-China co-production), the number of female directors rises to 12 (of which 8 in the competitive section). 28 titles of the line-up will be available on the platform managed by MYmovies throughout the duration of the FEFF with the sole exception of 4 films which will be shown online once and only at a specific time: Popran, the surreal comedy by Japanese director Ueda Shinichiro (remember the One Cut Of The Dead?), The Korean gangster movie Tomb of the River, the Filipino revelation film Leonor Will Never Die and the restored classic Manila by Night.
The legendary artist Takeshi Kitano will receive the Golden Mulberry to the career and will make the hearts of the public fly! The festival will screen two cult: Sonatine and Battle Royale. The beautiful Hong Kong diva Stephy Tang will accompany on the stage the films Twelve Days, an acute reflection on contemporary romanticism, and Table for Six.
Here are all the 72 titles (the titles included in the online selection are also indicated):
CHINA (7)
Hi, Mom, by JIA Ling, mamma mia time-travelling, China 2021, European Premiere *
I Am What I Am, by SUN Haipeng, animated action with lion dance, China 2021, European Premiere
The Italian Recipe, by HOU Zuxin, “Roman Holiday” with Chinese flavors, China/It/Ger 2022, World Premiere*
Manchurian Tiger, by GENG Jun, black comedy, China 2022, International Premiere – ONLINE ITALY ONLY
Nice View, by WEN Muye, postneorealism and China dream drama, China 2022, International Premiere
Return to Dust, by LI Ruijun, rural love story, China 2022, Italian Premiere
Too Cool to Kill, by XING Wenxiong, “F for fake, A for acting”, China 2022, International Festival Premiere – ONLINE ITALY ONLY*
HONG KONG (8)
Caught in Time, by LAU Ho-leung, cop chases robber, HK/Mainland China 2021, Italian Premiere – ONLINE ITALY ONLY
Far Far Away, by Amos WHY, metropolitan HK love connections, HK 2021, European Premiere
The First Girl I Loved, by Candy NG, YEUNG Chiu-hoi, girlhood love drama, HK 2021, Italian Premiere – ONLINE WORLWIDE (EXCEPT ASIA)*
Legendary in Action!, by Justin CHEUNG, LI Ho, improbable wuxia hero, HK 2022, World Premiere *
Schemes in Antiques, by Derek KWOK, twisted adventure-mystery blockbuster, HK/ Mainland China 2021, International Festival Premiere – ONLINE ITALY ONLY
Table for Six, by Sunny CHAN, family reunion with a bang, HK 2022, World Premiere*
Tales from the Occult, by Fruit CHAN, FUNG Chih-chiang, Wesley HOI, rekindling HK horror, HK 2022, European Premiere
Twelve Days, by Aubrey LAM, Is there joy in marriage?, HK 2021, International Premiere*
JAPAN (8)
Just Remembering, by MATSUI Daigo, “Night on Earth” in Tokyo, Japan 2021, European Premiere
Love Nonetheless, by JOJO Hideo, love in modern day Japan, Japan 2022, International Premiere – ONLINE WORLWIDE*
Missing, by KATAYAMA Shinzo, serial killer thriller + black comic vibe, Japan 2021, European Premiere
My Small Land, by KAWAWADA Emma, “gaijin” youth drama, Japan 2022, Italian Premiere*
Noise, by HIROKI Ryuichi, crime in the island of figs, Japan 2022, International Festival Premiere – ONLINE EUROPE ONLY*
One Day, You Will Reach the Sea, by NAKAGAWA Ryutaro, intense drama about loss, Japan 2022, International Premiere – ONLINE ITALY ONLY
Popran, by UEDA Shinichiro, “private parts”– missing panic comedy, Japan 2022, European Premiere – ONLINE ITALY ONLY [GALA]
What to Do with the Dead Kaiju?, by MIKI Satoshi, kaiju disposal and political satire, Japan 2022, European Premiere
MALAYSIA (2)
The Assistant, by Adrian TEH, Dr Jekyll in KL underworld, Malaysia 2022, World Premiere
The Devil's Deception, by Kabir BHATIA, the shadow of horror, Malaysia 2022, World Premiere
THE PHILIPPINES (3)
Leonor Will Never Die, by Martika Ramirez ESCOBAR, a love letter to cinema, The Philippines 2022, Italian Premiere, – ONLINE ITALY ONLY [GALA] **
Rabid, by Erik MATTI, horror in the pandemic year, The Philippines 2021, International Premiere – ONLINE WORLWIDE
Reroute, by Lawrence A. FAJARDO, fatal detour sex thriller, The Philippines 2022, International Premiere – ONLINE WORLWIDE
SOUTH KOREA (10)
The Apartment with Two Women, by KIM Se-in, the cruel intimacy of family, South Korea 2021, Italian Premiere**
Confession, by YOON Jong-seok, a secret inside a mystery, South Korea 2022, Italian Premiere*
Hostage: Missing Celebrity, PIL Gam-sung, art-imitating-life thriller, South Korea 2021, Italian Premiere – ONLINE WORLWIDE*
The Killer, by CHOI Jae-hoon, don't make the hitman angry, South Korea 2022, World Premiere
Kingmaker, by BYUN Sung-hyun, the cruel game of politics, South Korea 2022, European Premiere – ONLINE ITALY ONLY
Miracle: Letters to the President, by LEE Jang-hoon, dreamy fairy tale, South Korea 2021, International Festival Premiere
Perhaps Love, by CHO Eun-ji, a comedy of tangled romance, South Korea 2021, International Festival Premiere – ONLINE WORLWIDE*
Special Delivery, by PARK Dae-min, a female “Baby Driver” in Korea, South Korea 2022, Italian Premiere – ONLINE WORLWIDE
Thunderbird, by LEE Jae-won, a long and desperate night, South Korea 2022, World Premiere*
Tomb of the River, by YOON Young-bin, gangster war for resorts, South Korea 2021, International Premiere – ONLINE WORLWIDE [GALA] *
TAIWAN (2)
Incantation, by Kevin KO, folk horror, Taiwan 2022, International Premiere
Mama Boy, by Arvin CHEN, the puppy and the maitresse, Taiwan 2022, World Premiere
THAILAND (2)
Cracked, by Surapong PLOENSANG, haunted painting horror story, Thailand 2022, International Festival Premiere – ONLINE WORLWIDE*
One for the Road, by Baz POONPIRIYA, super cool road movie with memories & cocktails, Thailand 2021, European Premiere – ONLINE ITALY ONLY*
OUT OF COMPETITION (30 films)
Sunshine of My Life, by Judy CHU, warm social drama, HK 2022, World Premiere
BEST OF THE BEST (7)
Escape from Mogadishu, by RYOO Seung-wan, based-on-a true-story action, South Korea 2021
INU-OH, by YUASA Masaaki, rock music animation, Japan 2021
On the Job: The Missing 8, by Erik MATTI, political thriller, The Philippines 2021
Streetwise, by NA Jiazuo, lost souls symphony, China 2021
Terrorizers, by HO Wi-ding, ensemble portraits in modern Taipei, Taiwan 2021
Yuni, by Kamila ANDINI, feminine freedom plea, Indonesia 2021 – ONLINE ITALY ONLY
White Building, by Kavich NEANG, our home in demolition, Cambodia 2021 DOCUMENTARIES [5]
Citizen K, by Yves MONTMAYEUR, biopic, France 2021, Italian Festival Premiere – ONLINE WORLWIDE
Fanatic, by OH Seyeon, pop idol mania, South Korea 2021, International Premiere World Premiere – ONLINE WORLWIDE
Kim Jong-boon of Wangshimni, by KIM Jin-yeoul, street vendor bittersweet tale, South Korea 2021, International Premiere – ONLINE EUROPE
Satoshi Kon: The Illusionist, by Pascal-Alex VINCENT, biopic, France/Japan 2021– ONLINE ITALY ONLY
RESTORED CLASSICS (7)
Audition, by MIIKE Takashi, cold sadistic fury tale, Japan 1999/2022, World Festival Premiere
Battle Royale Director's Cut, by FUKASAKU Kinji, extreme murder game, Japan 2000/2021, Italian Premiere
The Heroic Trio, by Johnnie TO, wild action-fantasy, HK 1993/2022, Italian Premiere
Executioners, by Johnnie TO, CHING Siu-tung, wild action-fantasy sequel, HK 1993/2022, European Premiere
Initial D, by Andrew LAU, Alan MAK, cars and racing breathtaking action, HK 2005/2022, World Premiere
The Swordsman of All Swordsmen, by Joseph KUO, magnificent wuxia tale, Taiwan 1968/2022, International Premiere
Pale Flower, by SHINODA Masahiro, nihilistic youth beauty, Japan 1964/2022, Italian Premiere
SPECIAL SCREENING (1)
Sonatine, by Takeshi KITANO, gangster epic, Japan 1993 Special Sections
ODD COUPLES (4)
The Crimson Kimono, by Samuel FULLER, romance-noir-crime, US 1959
Bridge to the Sun, by Étienne PÉRIER, love story -drama, France 1961
Hiroshima Mon Amour, by Alain RESNAIS, French New Wave, France 1959
Year of the Dragon, by Michael CIMINO, New York gangster noir, US 1985
VISIONS OF MANILA IN PHILIPPINES MOVIES (5)
Manila by Night, by Ishmael BERNAL, drama, The Philippines 1980/ restored 2022, World Premiere – ONLINE WORLWIDE [GALA]
Manila in the Claws of Light, by Lino BROCKA, melò, The Philippines 1975/ restored 2013
Metro Manila, by Sean ELLIS, social drama, UK/The Philippines 2013 – ONLINE ITALY ONLY
Slingshot, by Brillante MENDOZA, neo-realistic noir, The Philippines 2007– ONLINE WORLWIDE
Neomanila, by Mikhail RED, bleak portrait of a city, The Philippines 2017 – ONLINE WORLWIDE
More info about tickets, online accreditations and dates, please visit FEFF official Website HERE
