The East Asia Film Festival Ireland (EAFFI) and the Irish Film Institute (IFI) are delighted to announce the programme for the eighth edition of the festival, which will take place this year from Thursday, March 7th to Sunday, March 10th, bringing works from prominent and
emerging writers and directors from diverse cultural and social backgrounds across East Asian cinema to audiences in Ireland. These films reflect on individual and communal experiences, and observe and explore life and relationships in an eclectic mix of fiction, documentary, and classic titles. At the programme's centre is a season of rare screenings by auteur filmmaker Edward Yang (1947–2007) – four masterworks from one of the most iconic figures, alongside Hou Hsiao-Hsien, of the Taiwanese New Wave film movement of the early 1980s.
Each of the four special screenings will be introduced by Taiwanese film producer Chuti Chang. They will be:
A Confucian Confusion , which charts the tangled web of emotional and professional manipulations among a group of young urbanites, and screens on Thursday 7th.
One of the greatest debuts of the 20th Century, Yang's first feature That Day, on the Beach – starring Sylvia Chang and Terry Wu as old friends reuniting after thirteen years apart, and screening Friday 8th.
Sublime magnum opus Yi Yi ( A One and a Two . . . ) , winner of the Best Director Award at Cannes – following a middle-class family in Taipei over one year, beginning with a wedding and ending with a funeral – screening on Saturday 9th.
Deeply personal epic A Brighter Summer Day immortalises the moment when teen pop culture went global, forging an effervescent but lasting bridge between East and West, and screens on Sunday 10th. Revered as “the thinker of urban culture”, Yang's fast-moving yet melancholic ensemble pieces are grounded in a realist aesthetic – revealing the intricacies of interpersonal relationships (between different generations and classes).
The festival is also delighted to welcome documentary filmmaker Kazuhiro Soda who will take part in a Q&A after the screening of his new film fresh from the Berlin International Film festival, The Cats of Gokogu Shrine, on Thursday 7th. Kazuhiro Soda will also take part in an in-conversation event with producer Chuti Chang on Tuesday 5th.
Speaking about this year's East Asia Film Festival Ireland, Festival Director Marie-Pierre Richard commented, “ This year's programme is a rich selection of fiction, documentary, and film essays by prominent and emerging writers and directors across East Asian cinema – memories, collective stories, and personal journeys of identity and culture, with themes of understanding, tolerance and hope.”
Commenting on this year's programme, Richard said, “ We are focused on bringing classic cinema and key film talents from East Asia to Irish audiences whether this is through our cinema screenings, commissioned online interviews or hosting in-person visits. To celebrate the wonderful Taiwanese New Wave director Edward Yang (1947–2007), we have four rarely screened works in 2K and 4K restorations, and Taiwanese producer Chuti Chang will be with us to present his films. Another great festival guest, Japanese documentary filmmaker Kazuhiro Soda, will take part in a series of talks and screenings in collaboration with four Irish universities, and share an In-Conversation event with Chuti
Chang on producing independent cinema in a globalised environment. Soda's fascinating new documentary The Cats of Gokogu Shrine, will open this year's festival with a Q&A session following the Irish premiere screening.”
The programme in full with dates and times:
IN-CONVERSATION: KAZUHIRO SODA AND CHUTI CHANG
Tuesday, March 5th (18.30)
THE CATS OF GOKOGU SHRINE (GOKOGU NO NEKO)
Kazuhiro Soda
Thursday, March 7th (18.00)
Film info: 119 mins, Japan-USA, 2024, Digital, Subtitled
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Kazuhiro Soda.
A CONFUCIAN CONFUSION
Edward Yang
Thursday, March 7th (20.30)
Film info: 129 mins, Taiwan, 1994, Digital 4K, Subtitled
THAT DAY, ON THE BEACH
Edward Yang
Friday, March 8th (17.00)
Film info: 166 mins, Taiwan, 1983, Digital, Subtitled
ONLY THE RIVER FLOWS
Wei Shunjun
Friday, March 8th (20.30)
Film info: 101 mins, China, 2023, Digital, Subtitled
YI YI
Edward Yang
Saturday, March 9th (12.30)
Film info: 173 mins, Taiwan, 2000, Digital, Subtitled
MAN IN BLACK (HEI YI REN)
Wang Bing
Saturday, March 9th (16.00)
Film info: 60 mins, France-USA-UK, 2023, Digital, Subtitled
Preceded by short film FÜR BETTINA , dir. Adrian Duncan
Film info: 20 minutes, Ireland, 2023, Silent, Colour and B&W
SNOW LEOPARD
Pema Tseden
Saturday, March 9th (18.10)
Film info: 109 mins, China, 2023, Digital, Subtitled
SOLIDS BY THE SEASHORE
Patiparn Boontarig
Saturday, March 9th (20.40)
Film info: 93 mins, Thailand, 2023, Digital, Subtitled
A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY
Edward Yang
Sunday, March 10th (12.30)
Film info: 237 mins, Taiwan, 1991, Digital 4K, Subtitled
ELEGIES
Ann Hui
Sunday, March 10th (17.45)
Film info: 101 mins, Hong Kong, 2023, Digital, Subtitled
WALK UP
Hong Sang-soo
Sunday, March 10th (20.10)
Film info: 97 mins, South Korea, 2022, Digital, Subtitled
