Udine Far East Film Festival is back with a record line-up to celebrate its 25th edition. 78 films, 14 countries, 9 world premieres – Golden Mulberry for Lifetime Achievement to Baisho Chieko – On the red carpet also Johnnie To, Watanabe Hirobumi and Jang Sun-woo.
If there are 78 films (record number!) and they come from 14 countries (including Mongolia, for the second time in the history of the Festival), it should certainly be emphasized that the line-up includes 15 women directors and 12 newcomers. In brief, the 2023 selection aims to restore great complexity more than ever of Asia. A selection that combines the recent past with today, seamlessly, among different communities (think of the indigenous one, protagonist of the Taiwanese film “Gaga”), different expectations and choices of life, languages and dialects, politics, religions, habits, inclinations, beliefs, myths and legends and, last but not least, different gender identities. A selection that tells in real time how the cinematography of East and Southeast Asia have re-emerged from the sad period of the pandemic, not all in the same way, and not all with the same results. A continent, the Far East, which also – from a geopolitical point of view – affects more and more our daily life and our imagination. Its weight is felt, also here at FEFF.
ALL THE FILMS AT A GLANCE/ FEFF25, 2023 LINE-UP:
COMPETITION SECTION [42]
CHINA [4]
Full River Red, ZHANG Yimou, black humor-Machiavellian mystery with black humor, China 2023, World Festival Premiere – CLOSING FILM
Hachiko, XU Ang, the-most-famous-dog-in-the-world, China 2023, World Festival Premiere
Hidden Blade, CHENG Er, a vortex passions in Sino-Japanese war, China 2023, International Festival Premiere
Home Coming, RAO Xiaozhi, escape-from-Arab-country action drama, China 2022, International Festival Premiere
HONG KONG [8]
Everyphone Everywhere, Amos WHY, don’t forget your phone!, Hong Kong 2023, World Premiere
The Sunny Side of the Street, LAU Kok-rui, refugee social drama, Hong Kong 2022, European Premiere*
Making Waves – Navigators of Hong Kong Cinema
A Guilty Conscience, Jack NG, mega hit legal drama – Hong Kong 2023, European Premiere*
A Light Never Goes Out, Anastasia TSANG, bittersweet neon sign nostalgia, Hong Kong 2022, Italian Premiere*
Lost Love, KA Sing-fung, domestic drama, Hong Kong 2022, European Premiere*
Mad Fate, Soi CHEANG, hysterical noir, Hong Kong 2023, Italian Premiere
Vital Sign, CHEUK Wan-chi, medical drama with action, Hong Kong 2023, European Premiere
Where the Wind Blows, Philip YUNG, lavish historical crime thriller, Hong Kong 2022, Italian Premiere
INDONESIA [2]
Sri Asih, UPI, Indonesian female super hero epic, Indonesia 2022, Italian Premiere
Satan’s Slave: Communion, Joko ANWAR, horror in a condominium, Indonesia 2022, Italian Premiere
JAPAN [8]
December, Anshul CHAUHAN, second chance court drama, Japan 2022, Italian Premiere
Egoist, MATSUNAGA Daishi, superbly performed gay love drama, Japan 2022, European Premiere*
The Legend & Butterfly, OTOMO Keishi, warring-couple and warring-armies period saga, Japan 2023, International Premiere
Phases of the Moon, HIROKI Ryuichi, reincarnated love?, Japan 2022, European Premiere
She is Me, I Am Her, NAKAMURA Mayu, four stories in covid time, Japan 2022, International Festival Premiere
Techno Brothers, WATANABE Hirobumi, quirky road movie with techno music, Japan 2023, World Premiere
Your Lovely Smile, LIM Kah Wai, offbeat portrait of an indie director, Japan 2022, Italian Premiere
Yudo, SUZUKI Masayuki, elegant comedy on the Way of the Bath, Japan 2023, European Premiere*
MALAYSIA [2]
Abang Adik, Jin ONG, wild lives of two unlucky brothers, Malaysia 2023, Italian Premiere*
Coast Guard Malaysia: Ops Helang, Pitt HANIF, fiercer than John Wick is the Guard!, Malaysia 2023, International Premiere*
MONGOLIA [1]
The Sales Girl, Janchivdorj SENGEDORJ, bold & sexy coming-of-age, Mongolia 2022, Italian Premiere*
THE PHILIPPINES [3]
Deleter, Mikhail RED, kill the video and run from the ghost, The Philippines 2022, International Festival Premiere
In My Mother’s Skin, Kenneth DAGATAN, The darkest fairy tale of them all, The Philippines 2023, Italian Premiere*
Where Is the Lie?, Quark HENARES, trans identity and cruel surprises, The Philippines 2023, European Premiere
SINGAPORE [1]
Ajoomma, HE Shuming, Singapore 2022, romantically lost in Korea, European Premiere – OPENING FILM*
SOUTH KOREA [7]
Ditto, SEO Eun-young, time-crossing-fantasy romance, South Korea 2022, International Festival Premiere
Killing Romance, LEE Won-suk, flamboyant kill-your-husband comedy, South Korea 2023, World Festival Premiere
The Night Owl, AN Tae-jin, deceptions and murders period drama, South Korea 2022, International Festival Premiere*
The Other Child, KIM Jin-young, ghost and faith multilayered horror, South Korea 2022, Italian Premiere**
Phantom, LEE Hae-young, who’s-the-spy? Thrilling action drama, South Korea 2023, Italian Premiere
Rebound, CHANG Hang-jun, young basketball team exploit, South Korea 2023, World Festival Premiere
The Wild, KIM Bong-han, atmospheric gangster thriller, South Korea 2023, World Premiere
TAIWAN [6]
The Abandoned, TSENG Ying-ting, socially relevant murder mystery, Taiwan 2022, Italian Premiere*
Bad Education, Kai KO, hyperviolent lost youths drama, Taiwan 2023, European Premiere*
Day Off, FU Tien-yu, hairdresser’s sweet story, Taiwan 2023, European Premiere*
Gaga, Laha MEBOW, heartwarming glimpse into a Taiwanese indigenous people’s world, Taiwan 2022, European Premiere
Marry My Dead Body, CHENG Wei-hao, explosive comedy with gay ghost, Taiwan 2023, European Premiere
Untold Herstory, Zero CHOU, prison drama in the White Terror era, Taiwan 2022, Italian Premiere
THAILAND [1]
You & Me & Me, Wanwaew and Waewwan HONGVIVATANA, beware the twins!, Thailand 2023, European Premiere*
OUT OF COMPETITION [36]
JOHNNIE WITHOUT A GUN – TRIBUTE TO JOHNNIE TO
Making Waves – Navigators of Hong Kong Cinema
Life Without Principle, Johnnie TO, crime drama, Hong Kong 2011
Office, Johnnie TO, workplace musical, Hong Kong 2015
Sparrow, Johnnie TO, elegant caper film, Hong Kong 2008
TRIBUTE TO BAISHO CHIEKO
Plan 75, HAYAKAWA Chie, dystopic drama, Japan 2023
Tora-san, Our Lovable Tramp, YAMADA Yoji, comedy, Japan 1969
Where Spring Comes Late, YAMADA Yoji, melodrama, Japan 1970
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
Convenience Story, MIKI Satoshi, sweet kinky fantasy, Japan 2022, Italian Premiere
Emergency Declaration, HAN Jae-rim high altitude action, South Korea 2022
Way of Life, WATANABE Hirobumi, personal lockdown memories, Japan 2023, World Premiere
You’ve Got a Friend, HIROKI Ryuichi, SM world dramedy, Japan 2022, International Premiere
DOCUMENTARIES
AUM: the Cult at the End of the World, Ben BRAUN, Chiaki YANAGIMOTO, USA 2023, Italian Premiere
Kaidan, Strange Stories of Japanese Ghosts, Yves MONTMAYEUR, France 2023, World Premiere
Jiseok, KIM Young-jo, South Korea 2022, Italian Premiere
RESTORED CLASSICS
Nomad (Director’s Cut), Patrick TAM, new wave masterpiece, Hong Kong 1982/restored 2023, International Premiere
RETROSPECTIVE [21]
A/B side VIBES. Greatest Hits from ‘80s & ‘90s
2/Duo, SUWA Nobuhiro, Amour Fou, Japan 1997
800 Two-Lap Runners, HIROKI Ryuichi, sex & sport & rebellion, Japan 1994
Bloody Morning, Li Shaohong, drama, China 1992/restored 2023, International Premiere
Cure, KUROSAWA Kiyoshi, horror, Japan 1997/restored 2023
Dang Bireley’s and Young Gangsters, Nonzee NIMIBUTR, the Gangster Era, Thailand 1997, Italian Premiere
Dust in the Wind, HOU Hsiao-hsien, drama-romance, Taiwan 1986/restored 2010
Dust of Angels, HSU Hsiao-ming, gangster drama, Taiwan 1992/2K restored 2021
Flowers in the City Jail, Mario O’HARA, women prison melò, The Philippines 1984/2K restored 2019
Painting Soul, HUANG Shuqin, drama-romance, China 1994/4K restored, International Premiere
A Moment of Romance, Benny CHAN, action and heart, Hong Kong 1990/restored 2022, International Premiere
A Separated Woman, Chito S. ROÑO, feminist family drama, The Philippines 1994/2K restored 2018
Swallowtail Butterfly, SHUNJI Iwai, crime drama, Japan 1996, Italian Premiere
A Hot Roof, LEE Min-yong, comedy, South Korea 1995
Trio, PARK Chan-wook, comedy crime, South Korea, 1997
Teenage Fugitive, CHANG Pei-cheng, irresistible comedy, Taiwan 1984/restored 2022
Tribute to JANG Sun-woo
Lies, JANG Sun-woo, drama, South Korea 1999
The Road to the Racetracks, JANG Sun-woo, drama, South Korea 1991
To You, From Me, JANG Sun-woo, erotic drama, South Korea 1994
Tribute to Po-Chih LEONG
Hong Kong 1941, Po-Chih LEONG, war drama, Hong Kong 1984, Italian Premiere
The Island, Po-Chih LEONG, camping horror, Hong Kong 1985, Italian Premiere
Ping Pong, Po-Chih LEONG, comedy-mystery, UK 1986, Italian Premiere
To find out more info about the Festival, the events and the guests, please go the FEFF’s official website HERE
