***********************************************************
To mark the 100th anniversary of the International Women's Day and changes of role of woman in modern society, 10 Mainland films made by women filmmakers over the past three decades will be shown in the "Chinese Film Panorama 2010: A Feminine Perspective" from October 14 to November 7.
The opening films are director Xu Jinglei's urbane romance "Go Lala Go!" and the touching "Lan" directed by Jiang Wenli.
The other films include "The Park" and "You and Me" on love and communication between the old and young; fabulous thriller "The Case"; "Family Feud" and "The Bloody Morning" which focus on women's fate in a male dominated society; "The Savage Land" starring Liu Xiaoqing; the Chinese feminist classic "Woman¡EDemon¡EHuman" and the poetic "The Sacrifice of Youth".
The screenings will be held at the Theatre of the Hong Kong City Hall, the Cinema of the Hong Kong Film Archive, and Lecture Halls of the Hong Kong Space Museum and Hong Kong Science Museum.
"Chinese Film Panorama 2010: A Feminine Perspective" is jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the South China Film Industry Workers Union, in association with Sil-Metropole Organisation Ltd. and Southern Film Co., Ltd..
The role a woman plays in society changes greatly by the day. This year, the Oscar for Best Director goes for the first time to a woman director while the last decade has seen a surge of women directors, whose works reflect the female sentiments and meticulous emotions different from their male counterparts.
Adapted from the popular novel "A Story of Lala's Promotion", the box-office hit "Go Lala Go!" (2010) features contemporary office politics and love. With no special background, Lala has climbed from a secretary to the position of a HR manager within a few years' time amidst all the corporate politics. As director, writer and actor for the film, Xu Jinglei has given the woman's film a new perspective. She has previously won the Silver Shell for Best Director at the 52nd San Sebastiˆhn International Film Festival with "Letter from An Unknown Woman".
Actress Jiang Wenli's directorial debut "Lan" (2009) not only reflects the absurdity of the times of the 1970s but also the love between a child and her grandfather. Three year-old Lan stayed with her grandfather after her parents were sent to the labour camp. With her surname being Chiang, her classmates labelled her as Chiang Kai-shek's relative. Lan's grandfather showed his love by writing her letters in the name of her parents, raising her hope to wait for her parents' return. The film won the Best Film of Asian New Talent Award at the 13th Shanghai International Film Festival and the Audience Award at the 14th Pusan International Film Festival.
"The Park" (2007) is a directorial debut of Yin Lichuan, who was named by "Variety" as "one of ten most eye-catching young directors in the new Chinese film power". The film portrayed life of a father and his daughter in Kunming with meticulous emotions and sentiments. Gao's retired father wanted to find a husband for her daughter through the trendy "blind date in the park", whereas Gao came up with the idea to find the other half for her father, not expecting it would deepen the rift between them. Awards won for the film include the Best Directorial Debut Award at the 15th Beijing Student Film Festival, International Film Critics' Prize and Recommendations of the Jury of Cinema Owners at the 56th International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg and the Best Director Award at the 2nd Bursa International Silk Road Film Festival.
From antagonising to loving each other between a lonely woman in an empty siheyuan and her young tenant, "You and Me" (2005) carries an important message of "the need to connect". The Sixth Generation director Ma Liwen has won 15 international prizes for her debut work "Gone Is the One Who Held Me the Dearest In The World". Awards for "You and Me" include the Best Director and the Best Actress Award at the 25th Golden Rooster Awards, and the Best Actress Award at the 18th Tokyo International Film Festival.
A small hostel owner was attracted by a woman who checked in with her husband. He thought she was his dream woman but it was only a beginning of a nightmare. Director Wang Fen's first feature "The Case" (2007) is not only a woman's view of man's anxiety and desire, but also a Freudian thriller. She has previously won the Award of Excellence of the New Asian Currents Awards at Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival with "More Than One Is Unhappy". "The Case" won the Best Directorial Debut Award at the 14th Beijing Student Film Festival.
"Family Feud" (1994) exposes the corruption and deceit amongst men. Director Liu Miaomiao was among the youngest of the Fifth Generation directors. The film won the Best Film Award at the 2nd Beijing Student Film Festival.
Based on the Nobel Prize winning author Gabriel Garcˆqa Mˆhrquez's novel "Chronicle of a Death Foretold", "The Bloody Morning" (1991) is a sharp critique on the power of man's world. When the beautiful bride was found out not a virgin, she was sent back home with shame. Her outrageous brothers brutally killed a village teacher after suspecting him to have taken away her sister's virginity. Fifth Generation director Li Shaohong, with her unique and sensitive perspective, tells a tragedy of ignorance through flashbacks and straight narratives. The film participated in the International Forum of New Cinema at the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival and also won the Golden Montgolfiˆore at the 14th Festival of the Three Continents, Nantes.
Not to be missed is "The Savage Land" (1981), a film with a shocking beauty of revenge and hatred. It was released seven years after its completion in 1981. Directed by Ling Zi, it was the first film from China to be selected at the Venice International Film Festival and won the Best Film and the Best Actress Award at the 11th Hundred Flowers Awards.
"Woman¡EDemon¡EHuman" (1987) is based on the true life's story of a famous performer in Chinese traditional theatre, Pei Yanling. Fourth Generation director Huang Shuqin has skilfully blended the art of Chinese theatre with the toils of life, portraying the spiritual growth of a Chinese woman, making this film a landmark piece in China's woman film. The film won the Best Screenplay and the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 8th Golden Rooster Awards and the Best Film Award at the 5th Rio de Janeiro International Film, TV, and Video Festival and the Prize of the Public at the 11th Crˆmteil International Women¡¦s Film Festival.
With lush mountain scenery, "The Sacrifice of Youth" (1985) painted a naturalistic picture while reflecting on self and body of female and her individual relationship with history. Fourth Generation director Zhang Nuanxin captures the protagonist's longing for beauty and ideals. The film is selected as one of 10 Best Chinese Films of 1986 by Hong Kong's "Film Biweekly".
All films are in Putonghua. They are all provided with English subtitles except for "Woman¡EDemon¡EHuman".
Tickets priced at $45 are available at URBTIX outlets. Half-price tickets are available for senior citizens aged 60 and above, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients. There will be a 10% discount for each purchase of six to 10 tickets and a 20% discount for each purchase of 11 or more tickets.
Credit card booking can be made by phone on 2111 5999, or on the Internet at www.urbtix.hk . For enquiries, please call 2734 2900 or browse the website: www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp .
Ends/Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Issued at HKT 19:51
NNNN