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Chinese Film Panorama 2015, jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and the South China Film Industry Workers Union, will be held from October 19 to November 20 at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the Cinema of the Hong Kong Film Archive, and the Lecture Halls of the Hong Kong Space Museum and the Hong Kong Science Museum.
Since Hong Kong's return to China, the Chinese Film Panorama programme has shown the thriving development of Chinese cinema. The 10 selected films this year include exemplary films by veteran directors and stunning works by emerging filmmakers, offering audiences a glimpse of the blossoming scene of today's Chinese cinema.
In conjunction with the 70th anniversary of victory in the war of resistance against Japan, the war film "Hundred Regiments Campaign" (2015) has been chosen as the opening film. The film's majestic battle scenes depict a key campaign waged by China's Eighth Route Army in the war of resistance against Japan. The other selected films are "Wang Mao" (2015), a humorous portrayal of a nobody struggling in a big epoch; Hong Kong director Derek Yee's "I Am Somebody" (2015), depicting the life of extras at the Hengdian film studio city; "River Road" (2015), a story of Yugu nomads in Gansu Province; "The Continent" (2014), the directorial debut by popular writer Han Han and based on his own literary work; "12 Citizens" (2014), which looks into social issues through the theme of law; "Brotherhood of Blades" (2014), an alternative swordsman film; "Forgetting to Know You" (2014), which explores marriage and relationships between the two genders; "One Day" (2014), an award-winning and inspirational film about underprivileged children; and "Song of the Phoenix" (2012), the swan song of Wu Tianming, the godfather of new Chinese cinema.
The opening film "Hundred Regiments Campaign" depicts the largest and the longest battle in northern China during the war of resistance against Japan. One hundred thousand soldiers from the Eighth Route Army, the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei military and local militias took part in the battle, which therefore was named the Hundred Regiments Campaign. Featuring the battles between Chinese soldiers and civilians against the Japanese army, the epic war film reconstructs scenes of the whole campaign in a comprehensive view, detailing the military logistics on both sides and vividly depicting the breathtaking moments of this key battle. "Wang Mao", another film set against the backdrop of the war, follows a poor young countryman who stands in for others as a soldier to earn money to marry his lover. Despite surviving the storms of bullets, he is often exploited by others and duped by fate. The film was shot in black and white to reflect the cruelty of history and highlight the helplessness of a nobody from the bottom rungs of life who is caught in the chaos of war. The simple and unadorned film is a blend of realism and absurdity filled with magical moments, witty remarks and black humour, giving it as much intimate joy as sorrow. Its scriptwriter, director and actors have received numerous awards both in China and overseas, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay at the 2nd Zhejiang Youth Film Festival Qilin Awards, as well as Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor at the 6th Europe-China Image Film Festival.
Adapted from Xiao Jianghong's novel of the same title, "Song of the Phoenix" tells the story of two young men in a small Shanxi village learning to play suona from their master. As the master gets old, he decides to teach his favourite disciple the exclusive "Song of the Phoenix" in order to preserve traditional skills. The tough training is intertwined with the love between a master and an apprentice and between a father and sons, as well as among brothers. The film seems to justify director Wu Tianming's passion for traditional Chinese culture, his enthusiasm to groom actors and filmmakers, and his sentiments on lives and the surroundings. The film was awarded the Special Jury Award at the 29th Golden Rooster Awards and Outstanding Village Theme Film and Outstanding Film Score at the 15th Huabiao Film Awards. Set partly in a small town in the Yugu Autonomous Region of Gansu Province, "River Road" portrays the camelback journey of two young brothers in search of their nomadic parents. Riding along dried riverbeds and passing by abandoned villages and decrepit ancient relics, they try to find a lush green pasture and witness the diaspora of their tribesmen formed as a result of industrialisation and environmental changes. The documentary-like scenes and unexpected appearance of side characters intensify the sense of reality and display the beauty of a vanishing culture. The film was awarded the Script Development Fund award at the Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (2011) and the 39th Hong Kong International Film Festival SIGNIS Award.
"One Day" comprises nine heart-warming stories of underprivileged children pursuing their dreams with help from adults. The motivational film puts forward adults' different perspectives on children. While all directors and child actors are new in the industry, many veteran actors and noted stars also make appearances in the film, including Zhang Hanyu, Xu Fan, Zhou Xun and Siqin Gaowa. The film won the Global Zoom Prize at the 9th Children's Film Festival Seattle (the short film "You Don't Need Eyes to See") and Best Public Film in the Golden Lotus Awards at the 6th Macau International Movie Festival. Directed and scripted by female author Quan Ling, "Forgetting to Know You" stars Guo Xiaodong and Tao Hong as a poor couple struggling to make a living. While a draining and monotonous life gradually makes the couple become estranged, a man with a crush on the wife and an ex-boyfriend accidentally turn up, making the cold war escalate into domestic violence. With her exquisite literary brush strokes, the writer-director portrays a loveless dynamic between the husband and wife who hide their feelings from each other. The film is devoid of melodramatic plots and relies on meticulous interpretation by the male and female protagonists, leaving the audience to contemplate the situation. The film won Best Actress in a Leading Role and Best Actor in a Supporting Role in the Press Prize of the 17th Shanghai International Film Festival.
"I Am Somebody" narrates the stories of numerous youths lured to pursue their dreams of becoming stars in the complicated studio city in Hengdian, Zhejiang Province. Scriptwriter and director Derek Yee researched hundreds of real persons and true stories, and used real-life extras as the main characters in the film. The extras include a rural labourer, an innocent city girl, a dejected university student and lovers who go through thick and thin together. Some are clinging to their dreams, some are giving up, and some have been awakened but decide to keep fighting. Han Han's directorial debut "The Continent" is a quasi-road trip movie that depicts a car journey of two layabouts who pass through majestic landscape, experience small town customs and bump into friends old and new. More effort is made in fostering the atmosphere than building the plot, which follows the authentic Han style. The film won the Best Screenplay Award at the 9th Chinese Young Generation Film Forum and Best Feature Film Song at the 51st Taipei Golden Horse Awards.
In "12 Citizens", 12 undergraduates' parents who are strangers to each other form a jury panel at a university for a mock debate and deliver a judgment on a young suspect being prosecuted for murdering his rich father. Echoing the dramatic structure of the American classic court movie "12 Angry Men", the film portrays the social situation and morale of modern China with an increasingly dramatic storyline. The film won the People's Choice Award at the 9th Rome Film Festival, as well as Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the China Channel Media Award of the 18th Shanghai International Film Festival. "Brotherhood of Blades" is an atypical swordsman film made by new director Lu Yang. Set in the Ming dynasty after Emperor Chongzhen ascends the throne, the film depicts three imperial guards, who are sworn brothers, taking a royal command to hunt down head eunuch Wei Zhongxian and fiercely fight with Wei's remnant supporters. All the characters are portrayed vividly, and the action scenes are neat and sharp. The elements of corruption, hierarchical politics and persecution add to the realistic undertones, and the complex and chivalrous story is also intertwined with conspiracies and love affairs. The film won Best Costume Design at the 51st Taipei Golden Horse Awards and Youth Director of the Year at the China Film Directors Guild Awards 2014.
"River Road" is in the Gansu dialect and Putonghua, while the other films are in Putonghua. All films have Chinese and English subtitles.
Tickets priced at $55 are now available at URBTIX. Half-price tickets are available for senior citizens aged 60 and above, people with disabilities and their minders, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients. Credit card bookings can be made at 2111 5999 or on the Internet at www.urbtix.hk. For enquiries, please call 2734 2900. Detailed programme information and ticketing details can be found at all performance venues of the LCSD, or by browsing the website: www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp/en_US/web/fpo/programmes/2015cfp/index.html.
Ends/Monday, September 21, 2015
Issued at HKT 18:43
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