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American-Taiwanese actor and director Peter Ho (“Wind and Cloud”) is at the 2023 Taiwan Creative Content Fest with in-development film project “Appetite for Desire.”

The completed picture is intended to be a 120 minute film that tells the story of clout-chasing YouTubers Yong Cheng and Gao Wei who are introduced to a mysterious dish called Kappa meat by their high school classmate. The magic Kappa meat gives them temporary superpower which allows them to create more extreme video contents. However, as Yong Cheng and Gao Wei become more and more reliant on it, a darker secret about it is being revealed.

“The inspiration of the film derives from the Asian eating habit of ‘Shi-Bu’, which is to eat therapeutically,” producer Patrick Mao Huang at Flash Forward Entertainment told Variety. “We aim to present a film filled with Asian culture and intended for the audience worldwide.” The film is also being produced with...

BBC Studios Builds Team In Western Europe

BBC Studios has made a series of hires and promotions in Western Europe. Bram Husken joins from Paramount Global and takes up the newly-created role of Vice President, Benelux, responsible for P&l across the region. He will be based out of Amsterdam and report to Arran Tindall, Chief Commercial Officer, EVP, Emea Key Markets. Also in Amsterdam is Hale Mouritz, who has been promoted to another newly-created position, Director of Programming, Western Europe. Meanwhile, Andrea Raman has been upped to Business Development Director, Nordic, Mena, Turkey. Responsibilities held previously by Simon Cottle, VP Affiliate Sales Western Europe, who is set to retire this year, will be split regionally between Husken and Raman. “Harnessing their expertise will enable us to unlock new business opportunities and achieve our growth ambitions in the regions,” said Tindall of the moves.

Zdf Studios Behind UK Whodunnit Drama...

Projects by Rima Das and Emma Kawawada also among 30 titles set to be pitched.

South Korea’s Busan International Film Festival (Biff) has unveiled the 30 titles selected for the 2023 Asian Project Market (Apm), including new works by Makbul Mubarak, Koji Fukada, Rima Das and Emma Kawawada.

The film financing event, which runs as part of Biff’s Asian Contents and Film Market, will take place from October 7-10 and comprises projects by directors who have made at least one short or full-length feature as well as producers who have been involved with at least one feature. They will conduct four...

Busan International Film Festival has announced the 30 projects selected for this year’s Asian Project Market (Apm), including new works from leading Asian filmmakers such as Japan’s Koji Fukada, Indonesia’s Makbul Mubarak and India’s Rima Das.

Fukada, whose previous films have premiered at Cannes and Venice (Love Life), will present Japan-France co-production Nagi Notes, produced by Osanai Terutaro.

Mubarak, whose Autobiography premiered at last year’s Venice before embarking on an awards haul across Asia, is bringing Watch It Burn, produced by Indonesia’s Yulia Evina Bhara, one of the producers on this year’s Cannes Critics Week winner Tiger Stripes.

Das is a Busan regular who has also had films play in Toronto and Berlin (Bulbul Can Sing). She will present Malti My Love, which the self-taught filmmaker will also produce, just as she has produced, written,...

The Busan film festival’s Asian Project Market is set to welcome several of the region’s top auteurs either as producers or prospective directors at its next edition in October.

Apm organizers Thursday unveiled 30 projects to be presented during a four-day round of one-on-one meetings and pitching sessions.

India’s Rima Das (“Tora’s Husband”) will pitch “Malti My Love.” Japan’s Fukada Koji will pitch “Nagi Notes.” Indonesia’s Makbul Mubarak (“Autobiography”) will pitch “Watch It Burn.”

Among the successful producers adding their weight to Apm contenders are: Patrick Mao Huang selling Peter Ho’s project “Appetite for Desire”; Jeremy Chua, pitching Rafael Manuel’s “Filipinana”; Ichiyama Shozo (“Ash Is Puirest White”) pitching Song Fang’s Japan-China collaboration “Full Moon”; Fran Borgia pitching Aakash Chhabra’s “I’ll Smile in September”; and Tan Chui Mui (“Barbarian Invasion”) pitching Jian Xiaoshuan’s “To Kill A Mongolian Horse.”

The project...

To be completely honest, I’ve never been a big subscriber to the Chinese brand on VFX-heavy fantasy films. Not only do they, for the most part, miss their mark in the story-telling department, the VFX often feels excessively used and frankly, unpleasant to the eye at times. It is, thus, with increased trepidation that I approached Teddy Chen’s new feature “Double World”, which is based on the popular online Chinese video game Zhengtu.

A reimagined ancient China is the setting of the story, where the otherwise warring regions Northern Yan and Southern Zhao have known peace for a number of years, which now seems to be coming to an end. When a plot to assassinate the young king of Southern Zhao is foiled, the kingdom’s Grand Tutor Guan proposes to hold a tournament to choose the Kingdom army’s Grand Field Martial, a tradition that’s been dead since the peace.

Like so many 2020 films, Double World was slated for a major theatrical release this summer. But due to the pandemic, it has become one of the first big films to jump online in some hopes of recouping its costs. It’s a shame because Double World is the kind of film that was made for the big screen. It opens a spectacular new fantasy world, brimming with ravishing visuals. Haven’t heard of it? Don’t feel bad. It’s from China. Had 2020 gone as planned, Double World might have had a limited North American theatrical release at best, but now we can see it on Netflix.

Double World is based on a popular Mmorpg called Zhengtu, which is the movie’s original title in Chinese. Zhengtu means ‘way to conquer’. China’s massive population has the world’s largest online gaming community and Zhengtu is one of China’s top five online games,...

Chinese movie “Double World” will forgo a theatrical premiere in favor of a simultaneous online debut on Netflix and China’s streaming service iQiyi.

The news comes as China’s cinemas have yet to offer a timeline for reopening despite nearly six months of closures.

The film will stream via iQiyi in China on July 24. It will debut on Netflix, which is blocked in China, for all the other territories the platform operates in on July 25, the company confirmed Wednesday to Variety.

Made on a budget of around $43 million (RMB300 million) and comprised of 80% special effects, “Double World” will be the fifth most expensive new movie to ever premiere on iQiyi’s premium video on demand (PVOD) service, which launched in January as coronavirus took off.

Shifting to an online release “will provide some relief to the struggling production company in the nick of time, and it will also help...

During the 1930s in China, a tragic Civil War broke out in the country between the Kuomintang-led government of the Republic of China and the Communist Party of China for control of the country, stretching out for several decades in the country’s history. Amidst this real-life backdrop, emerges the newest work from director Kiefer Liu (again using his familiar nome de pleume in Ah Gan) in his film, “Brothers”

Finally rising through the Army’s ranks, Chen Tiejin (Li Dong-xue) has overcome his past as a poor vagrant and turned into a brave and experienced company commander. During a dangerous rescue mission, he and his Red Army troop are locked in a heated battle with the rival Kuomintang soldiers and finally manage to capture a small squad as prisoners. About to deliver the final blow, he soon realizes that the main target is his long-lost brother...

The close relationship between two brothers is ripped apart during the 1936 Chinese civil war when they end up on opposite sides of the conflict in the action drama Brothers, debuting on digital and DVD September 4 from Well Go USA Entertainment. Directed by Kiefer Liu (Don Quixote), the film features a striking visual look with black and white images interspersed with random flashes of color and pared-down CGI backgrounds. Brothers stars Ethan Li (The Blue Cornflower), Peter Ho (The Monkey King) and Xia Zitong (The Monkey King).

Once a poor vagrant, Chen Tiejin has risen through the ranks of the Red Army and is now a brave and experienced company commander. During a dangerous rescue mission, Commander Tiejin and his Red Army troop are locked in heated battle with the Kuomintang soldiers. Raising his weapon to deliver the final blow, he stops dead – the solider is none other than his brother he lost five years before,...

Bonded by Blood. Divided by War.

The close relationship between two brothers is ripped apart during the 1936 Chinese civil war when they end up on opposite sides of the conflict in the action drama Brothers, debuting on digital and DVD September 4 from Well Go USA Entertainment. Directed by Kiefer Liu (Don Quixote), the film features a striking visual look with black and white images interspersed with random flashes of color and pared-down CGI backgrounds. Brothers stars Ethan Li (The Blue Cornflower), Peter Ho (The Monkey King) and Xia Zitong (The Monkey King).

Synopsis:

Once a poor vagrant, Chen Tiejin has risen through the ranks of the Red Army and is now a brave and experienced company commander. During a dangerous rescue mission, Commander Tiejin and his Red Army troop are locked in heated battle with the Kuomintang soldiers. Raising his weapon to deliver the final blow, he stops dead – the...

A reimagining of the Shaw Brothers classic “Death Duel” (1977), “Sword Master” is based on Gu Long’s novel, “The Third Master’s Sword”. The action packed drama was nominated for 5 awards, including Best Action Direction, at the 2017 Hong Kong Film Awards.

Swordsman and assassin Yen Shishan roams the country defeating lesser swordsmen and lives in the shadow of the only man who can match his skill, The Third Master, Hsieh Shao-Feng. Yen is presented with a contract to kill his nemesis by Mu-Yung Chiu-Ti, Hsieh’s abandoned bride. Upon his arrival at the Supreme Sword Manor, Yen learns that he has arrived 36 days too late to eliminate Hsieh, who has died. Despondent ,Yen leaves the manor and decides to live his best life as a gravedigger in a little village.

In the same village, a nameless man enters a brothel, running up a tab he cannot pay.

The Chinese action-packed gangster drama The Game Changer will be available on Digital, Blu-ray & DVD from October 3 from Well Go USA Entertainment. The adaptation of the TV series “Shanghai Bund”, which was set during the gang wars of 1930’s Shanghai, stars Peter Ho (Sword Master) and Huang Zitao (Railroad Tigers) as brothers united to bring down a powerful gangster (Wang Xueqi, Iron Man 3).

The Game Changer (2017) (Source: Well Go USA)

The Game Changer features Peter Ho in the role of Lin Zihao and Huang Zitao in the role of Fang Jie as two escaped prisoners who join one of the most powerful gangs in Shanghai, the Green Gang, as the right-hand men of Wang’s Tang Hexuan – the head boss. When Mr. Tang tries to gain total control over business dealings in Shanghai with the conspiracy in which Lin Zihao is the most important part, he discovers his closest...

Three

Stars: Louis Koo, Wei Zhao, Wallace Chung, Siu-Fai Cheung, Suet Lam, Hoi-Pang Lo, Michael Tse, Adrian Wong, Kathy Wu | Written by Ho Leung Lau, Tin Shu Mak | Directed by Johnnie To

When a cop, a wounded crime boss and a doctor are thrown together in the hustle and bustle of an emergency room, a hospital descends from a pristine sanctuary to an explosive battleground. Bullets fly in a when the crime boss’s gang turn up to try and rescue him, and the cop must prevent innocent lives from being caught in the crossfire.

Johnny To’s hospital-set thriller is a Die Hard-esque tale that instantly recalls the John Woo classic Hard Boiled and yet is in no way similar in story and action. Like a number of his films before this, To takes his time building his film – introducing his characters, exploring their motivations etc. – before finally getting...

I recently watched Derek Yee and Tsui Hark’s Sword Master, a remake of Death Duel (1977). Even though I have not seen the original, I loved this one. They put a spectacularly modern twist on an obvious classic. I also watched it dubbed. What was I thinking, right? I don’t know. Blame it on anime. Anyway, I am happy to say that not only were the dubs tolerable, they were as close to natural as dubs can get.

Sword Master is down right cool to me. The premise is about a war-weary swordsman whose fire is just about out. Somehow it became more about the guy that’s become his self-proclaimed nemesis. Too often the bad guys are just bad with very little substance, but not in Sword Master. Kenney Lin plays assassin Yen Shisan, who is also an arrogant jerk with unmatched martial arts skills. Despite being an absolute savage,...

Even a master swordsman isn’t safe when it comes to Derek Yee’s wild wuxia adventure, appropriately titled “Sword Master.” In the new martial arts extravaganza, a once-powerful swordsman turns his back on his own violent nature and formidable talents to live a quiet and humble life away from the world. It’s the kind of great and understandable pursuit that is, of course, totally thrown for a loop by outside forces.

Read More: Exclusive: Trailers For Janus Films Re-release Of King Hu’s Wuxia Classics ‘A Touch Of Zen’ And ‘Dragon Inn’

Per the film’s official synopsis, “A powerful swordsman is haunted by the destructive impact his deadly talents have on others. Weary of the bloodshed and violence from the martial arts world, he banishes himself to the humble life of a vagrant, wandering the fringes of society. But his violent past refuses to let him go quietly.

Exclusive: Texas-based distributor acquires rights for Us, UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Well Go USA has picked up rights for North America, the UK, Australia and New Zealand to Gao Xixi’s The Game Changer.

The period action title, which stars Huang Zitao (You Are My Sunshine), Peter Ho (The Monkey King) and Wang Xueqi (Iron Man 3), has also gone to Cdc United Network for Latin America.

Hong Kong-based Young Live Entertainment is selling the film, which revolves around a trio of gangsters battling each other and rival mobsters in 1930s Shanghai.

Young Live has also added two titles to its Afm slate - Pang Chun Chan’s Binding Souls, a horror film starring Kara Wai (Mrs K), and Run For Love, a romantic omnibus film with segments directed by leading Chinese directors including Zhang Yibai, Guan Hu, Zhang Meng, Teng Huatao and Gao Qunshu.

Cast:

Peter Ho

Ethan Li

Xia Zitong

Yang Qiming

He Ziming

Genre: Drama, Action, War

Brothers is set to be released this Month in China, focusing on the relationship between two brothers who have their bond ripped apart through a cival war in 1936. They were brothers who had a bond for life, but now begin to hate for each other and end having to draw swords which will end in bloodshed.

The Brothers are played by Peter Ho and mainland actor Li Dongxue and is directed by Ahgan (Ghosts,2002 – The Game of Killing,2004).

You may know Peter Ho as a singer, but he has made many tv series over the years and appeared in many movies such as Once Upon a Time in Tibet (2010), Cold Steel (2011), The Monkey King (2014), Fighting (2014) and many more.

The movie is shot in 3D by american company Gs VFX, who are on board to make...

Exclusive: Hong Kong-based start-up Young Live Entertainment (Yle) is introducing its debut slate at Filmart, including action titles The Game Changer, starring Huang Zitao and Peter Ho, and Kungfu Is Not Fighting, directed by Marco Mak.

Directed by Xixi Gao, The Game Changer is a period action title about gang wars in Shanghai.

Currently in pre-production, the film also stars Wang Xueqi (Helios, Iron Man 3). Gao previously directed top-rating TV dramas including Legend Of Chu And Han, Three Kingdoms and Shanghai Bund.

Also in pre-production, Kungfu Is Not Fighting is produced by veteran director-producer Jeffrey Lau. Mak’s directing credits include Naked Soldier and Colour Of The Truth.

A subsidiary of China’s Yongle Group, Yle aims to develop and finance Hong Kong stories as well as cherry-pick mainland Chinese titles for international distribution.

Former Star Alliance executive Angus Chan heads the Hong Kong-based operation.

Hong Kong titles on the company’s slate include action thriller...

Exclusive: Well Go USA has acquired North American and UK rights to Derek Yee’s highly-anticipated martial arts epic Sword Master 3D.

Distribution Workshop is handling sales on the film, which is produced by Tsui Hark and Yee’s Film Unlimited for Bona Film Group.

Tsui previously directed and produced 3D hits such as Flying Swords Of Dragon Gate and The Taking Of Tiger Mountain.

Starring Lin Gengxin (The Taking Of Tiger Mountain) and Peter Ho (The Monkey King), Sword Master 3D is based on Gu Long’s 1975 wuxia novel The Third Master’s Sword. The film is in post-production for delivery summer 2016.

Exclusive: Stephen Chow’s comedy grossed a record $41m on its opening day in China, a record for a domestic title.

Im Global has picked up international rights to Stephen Chow’s comedy The Mermaid, which grossed a record $41m on its opening day (Feb 8) in China.

Through its fast-growing Anthem division, Im Global has also picked up Zao Wang’s The Precipice Game, produced by Shanghai-based Fundamental Films.

Released on the first day of the Chinese New Year holiday, The Mermaid’s opening day box office is the biggest ever for a Chinese title and second only to Furious 7’s $63m opening day haul. Sony Pictures will release the film in the Us on February 19. Im Global has international rights outside of North America, UK, Aus/Nz and Asia.

Kept under wraps during much of its shoot, the zany comedy stars Deng Chao as a young tycoon whose plans to drive marine wildlife away from...

Other jurors across London’s competitions include Sally Hawkins, James McAvoy, James Corden and Dexter Fletcher.

British producer Jeremy Thomas to to head the Official Competition jury at the 58th BFI London Film Festival (Oct 8-19).

Thomas’s career as producer and executive producer spans Nicolas Roeg’s Bad Timing (1978), Bernardo Bertolucci’s Oscar-winner The Last Emperor (1987), David Cronenberg’s Crash (1996), Wim Wender’s Pina (2011) and Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive (2013).

He will preside over a jury that comprises last year’s Best Film Award nominee Ahmad Abdalla (Rags & Tatters), actress Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine), film producer and programme advisor Lorna Tee (Postcards from the Zoo), actor James McAvoy (X-Men: Days of Future Past) and film critic Scott Foundas.

Jury members who will present work at the festival include Abdalla, whose film Decor receives its world premiere; Hawkins, who features in Morgan Matthews’ debut feature X + Y; and James McAvoy who stars in The Disappearance...

Derek Yee has just completed filming the remake of the 1977 Shaw Brothers classic, a movie which he originally starred in. This time, he is back as Director and script-writer with Tsui hark on board as executive producer, after a period of 15 years, planning and discussion.

Lin Gengxin will play one of the main leads in the movie with Peter Ho starring as his rival. The 1977 movie, had a great cast which featured Derek Yee, Ku Feng, Ling Yun, David Chiang, Norman Chu, Ti Lung and many more.

If you haven’t seen the original, please have a look at the trailer below, good movie. The movie will most likely be released mid-late 2015.

Browse all the sections of the 58th London Film Festival (Oct 8-18) including the galas, competition titles and individual sections.

Alphabetical list of titles by section including feature premiere status

Wp = Wp

Ep = European Premiere

IP = International Premiere

UK = UK Premiere

Opening Night

The Imitation Game (UK-us)

dir. Morten Tyldum

Closing Night

Fury (Us)

dir. David Ayer

GalasTitlePremFoxcatcher (Us)

dir. Bennett MillerUKWhiplash (Us)

dir. Damien ChazelleUKMen, Women And Children (Us)

dir. Jason ReitmanEPWild (Us)

dir. Jean-Marc ValleeEPTestament Of Youth (UK)

dir. James KentWPMr. Turner (UK)

dir. Mike LeighUKThe Battles Of Coronel And Falkland Islands (UK)

dir. Walter Summers Rosewater (Us)

dir. Jon StewartEPMommy (Can)

dir. Xavier DolanUKA Little Chaos (UK)

dir. Alan RickmanEPWild Tales (Arg)

dir. Damián SzifrónUKThe Salvation (Den)

dir. Kristian Levring The White Haired Witch Of Lunar Kingdom (Chi)

dir. Jacob CheungIPWinter Sleep (Tur)

dir. Nuri Bilge CeylanUKBjork: Biophilia Live (UK)

dir. Nick Fenton, Peter StricklandUKSong Of The Sea (Ire)

dir. Tomm MooreEPOfficial...

Hong Kong-based Distribution Workshop is launching two titles directed by Derek Yee at the upcoming Cannes marche; 3D martial arts action title Sword Master and drama I Am Somebody.

Produced by Bona Film Group and Yee’s Film Unlimited, Sword Master teams Yee with another Hong Kong cinema giant, Tsui Hark, who is acting as producer.

Currently in production at Hengdian World Studios, the film is based on a wuxia novel written by Gu Long about an elite swordsman who is haunted by his skill and forced to fight a challenger who is determined to take his place at all costs.

Lin Gengxin (Young Detective Dee: Rise Of The Sea Dragon) heads the cast as the swordsman. Peter Ho, Jiang Yiyan and Jiang Mengjie also star.

I Am Somebody is a reality-based drama revolving around the small-time actors and extras who work at the Hengdian studios in China’s Zhejiang province. Yee has been...

Yesterday saw the unveiling of the "Ultimate" trailer for Cheang Pou Soi's fantasy event film The Monkey King with action actor/director Donnie Yen as the title character caught in the middle of an epic battle between the Jade Emperor from Heaven, played by Chow Yun-Fat and the Buffalo Demon King from Hell, played by Aaron Kwok. There is definitely no shortage of grand scale spectacle, featuring a Chinese dragon, heavenly palaces floating in the sky and super-powered martial arts action sequences.Also starring in this mystical CG extravaganza are Kelly Chen, Gigi Leung, Eilin Zhang, Joe Chen, Peter Ho, Xia Zi Tong and Carlson Cheng.Ever since the beginning of time, it was the deities who had maintained the order of the heaven and earth. However, owing...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Noted editor and director David Wu blasted back into Chinese cinemas in 2011 with “Cold Steel”, a wartime sniper thriller that after enjoying success at international festivals finally lands on DVD. Wu has certainly had an interesting career, having worked with John Woo as editor on several of his classics including “A Better Tomorrow”, “Bullet in the Head” and “Hard Boiled”, as well as directing “The Bride with White Hair 2”, before enjoying success in the Us as a director of genre and television fare. For his return to Asia, Wu assembled an interesting cast, headlined by Peter Ho (“Sophie’s Revenge”) and veteran Tony Leung Ka Fai (“Election”), with support from actress Song Jia (“Once Upon a Time in Tibet”), martial artist Yu Rong Guang (“Iron Monkey”), television star Wilson Guo (“Palace”) and John Woo’s daughter Angeles Woo (“Reign of Assassins”). Based on a popular online novel, the film sees Ho as Mu Liangfeng,...

It’s been a while since I’ve covered anything regarding director Soi Cheang’s fantasy martial arts film “The Monkey King.” To be perfectly honest, the movie had slipped off my radar. In order to remind everyone that the picture is still on its way to the big screen, a brand new teaser has been released. Although you won’t see Yen in action, it’s nice to get a taste of things to come. Based on the classic Chinese novel “Journey To The West,” the film follows the adventures of the Monkey King as he rebels against the Jade Emperor of Heaven. “The Monkey King,” which also stars Aaron Kwok, Joe Chen Qiao-En, Chow Yun Fat, Peter Ho, Faye Wong, Gigi Leung, Cecilia Cheung, and Fan Siu-Wong, is slated for release in China on July 4, 2013. You can check out the latest poster and the aforementioned teaser below...

"What kind of man are you?" This has been a long time coming, especially because it premiered in Cannes more than a year ago. The trailer is for a film now called simply Dragon, directed by Peter Ho-Sun Cha, originally known as Wu Xia when it premiered, previously called Swordsmen as well. The film stars Donnie Yen, Takeshi Kaneshiro with Yu Wang, Kara Hui, Wu Jiang. It's a rather expansive, intense, and revealing, but still badass trailer for the martial arts drama that plays kind of like A History of Violence. It's a good film, so this is just a reminder to take a look and check it out once it's available near you. Watch and enjoy! Here's the official Us release trailer for Peter Chan's "Dragon", in high def from Apple: In the late Qing Dynasty, Liu Jin-xi is a papermaker and father of two sons who...

It occurred to me halfway through Cold Steel (Bian di lang yan) that Fantastic Fest has no icon for "romance." There's "comedy" and even "date movie," which seems relegated only to ironic situations, but no "romance." I'm sure that's because some festivalgoers get that same squeamish feeling seeing "romance" next to a film that I get seeing "pet abuse." But David Wu's new feature is, in many ways, a very romantic film, from the actual love story between the war-torn main characters to the rich cinematography. As a man better known among the Fantastic Fest crowd for his association with hardcore action movies such as Bullet in the Head and A Better Tomorrow, his new film has a softer feel even amongst the sniper violence.

Set in China during World War II, Cold Steel focuses on the Japanese takeover of the country, and an elite sniper team tasked with blunting Japan's conquest.

David Wu, long-time editor of Hong Kong action auteur John Woo, returns to feature filmmaking with this spirited war-time thriller that supplants nationalistic breast-beating with action and romance to mostly positive effect. At the height of the Sino-Japanese War, small-town huntsman Mu Liangfeng (Peter Ho) is drawn into the conflict after saving a truckload of Nationalist troops from a Japanese sniper. Mu had previously rescued a Us pilot from his crashed plane, who in turn showed him how to give his weapon the proper respect. Recognising this inherent discipline in Mu, army captain Mengzi (Tony Leung Ka Fai) recruits him into his elite sniper unit. As the invading Japanese forces flood south, and the Nationalist Army must rely on the help of underground Communist...

Color of Sky by Dr. Biju and Autumn (Harud) by Aamir Bashir feature in the nine titles that will compete in ‘Asia competition’ at the 30th Fajr International Film Festival to be held in Iran from February 1-11,2012.

The selected films for ‘Asia Competition’ are 11 Flowers directed by Xia oshuai Wang from China and France, Addicted to Love directed by Liu Hao from China, Box The Hakamada Case directed by Banmei Takahashi from Japan, Color of Sky directed by Dr.Biju from India, Romantic Heaven directed by Jin Jang from South Korea, Autumn directed by Aamir Bashir from India, Chivalry directed by Peter Ho- Sun Chan from China and Hong Kong, Bodyguards and Assassins directed by Teddy Chan from Hong Kong and China, and In Color of Snow directed by Salim Gones from Turkey.

The Fajr International Film Festival is Iran’s annual film festival held every February in Tehran.

Longtime collaborator with John Woo, editor David Wu has worked on some of the greatest action movies to come out of Asia, including Hard Boiled, A Better Tomorrow and Red Cliff. While Wu has been keeping himself busy directing plenty of TV, it has been close to 20 years since he has directed a film, but this year he stepped behind the camera to bring us Cold Steel, a rather impressive looking sniper thriller.Unsurprisingly for a mainland actioner, Cold Steel does have a period setting, and seems to revolve around a young hunter whose prowess with a rifle makes him a useful tool when the Chinese look to fend off their Japanese invaders. The film stars Tony Leung Ka Fai, Peter Ho and John Woo's...

The trailer for director David Wu’s “Cold Steel” — a clip which has been carefully embedded below — could be a hell of a lot of fun. Everything you could possibly want from a Chinese action flick is in full effect, especially if you like your sex and carnage presented in an insanely stylish fashion. This is pretty impressive, given that Wu’s 2003 made-for-tv horror flick “Webs” is woefully inept. I’m willing to forget all about that particular endeavor given how jazzed I am about the project. “Cold Steel”, which opens in China on December 2nd, 2011, stars Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Peter Ho, Song Jia, Yu Rong-Guang, and Angeles Woo, the latter of whom is John Woo’s daughter. Nifty! The trailer you seek lies below. English-subtitled DVD, please make haste...

Continuation of Rights Roundup Cannes 2011 W-z W We Distribution: http://www.wepictures.com Wu Xia (Dragon) by Chan Peter Ho-Sun (Hong Kong) in Midnight Screenings sold to The Weinstein Co. for U.S., Taiwan - Cai Chang International Westend : http://www.westendfilms.com Hearat Shulayim by Joseph Cedar (Israel) in Competition sold to France - Haut Et Court Wide Management : http://www.widemanagement.com Wild Bunch : http://www.wildbunch.biz Le Gamin Au Velo by Jean Pierre Dardenne (Belgium) in Competition sold to Australia's Madman, Belgium's Cineart and Rtbf, Brazil - Imovision, Greece - Seven Films, Portugal - Atalanta Filmes, Romania - Independenta Film, Sweden - Folkets Bio, Taiwan…...

No surprise here. Terrence Malick's bringing the baby feet to the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, where "The Tree of Life" will play in competition, alongside new films by Pedro Almodovar, Takashi Miike, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, and Lars von Trier. I'm not going to Cannes (unless you want to send me, independently wealthy, art film loving reader, in which case, speak up!) but I'd want to see all of those, plus the new film from "Ratcatcher" director Lynne Ramsay and "Drive" by "Bronson"'s Nicolas Winding Refn, which is described on IMDb as the story of "a Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheelman [and] discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong." The badass cast of that one includes Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, and Ron Perlman.

At Cannes, you can always count on a crazy juxtaposition of the competition's high-end,...

Festival president Gilles Jacob and Thierry Fremaux, festival chief announced the line-up for the 64th Cannes Film Festival which will run from May 11-22.

As expected Terrence Malick‘s The Tree of Life, Pedro Almodovar‘s The Skin that I Live In (La Piel Que Habito), Nicolas Winding Refn‘s Drive, Lars Von Trier‘s Melancholia and Lynne Ramsay‘s We Need To Talk About Kevin will be shown at Cannes 2011 In Competition Category.

In the same category will be also presented This Must Be The Place directed by Paolo Sorrentino, Ichimei (Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai) by Takashi Miike, The Kid With The Bike by Dardenne Brothers, Sleeping Beauty directed by Julia Leigh, We Have a Pope by Nanni Moretti but you can see the full list below.

When it comes to the Out of Competition selections Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides will have that honor to be presented,...

As has become the story in recent years, familiar Cannes-family names grace the line-up of the official competition of the 64th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.

A dozen of the nineteen films announced are alumni of the festival: Almodovar, Bonello, Cavalier, Ceylan, the Dardenne brothers, Kaurismaki, Kawase, Malick, Moretti, Ramsay, Sorrentino and von Trier all returning to premiere their art, and Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne taking a shot at a third Palme d’Or. Add Japan’s Takashi Miike to the mix, and the Danish director of the much-heralded “Pusher” franchise, Nicolas Winding Refn, very few slots can be identified as festival discoveries.

While this trend continues to disappoint people looking to Cannes Official Competition to break ground (two first time filmmakers are included in the line-up), it has also forced journalists to find inspiration in the Un Certain Regard section of the fest. With Sean Durkin’s Sundance...

As has become the story in recent years, familiar Cannes-family names grace the line-up of the official competition of the 64th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.

A dozen of the nineteen films announced are alumni of the festival: Almodovar, Bonello, Cavalier, Ceylan, the Dardenne brothers, Kaurismaki, Kawase, Malick, Moretti, Ramsay, Sorrentino and von Trier all returning to premiere their art, and Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne taking a shot at a third Palme d’Or. Add Japan’s Takashi Miike to the mix, and the Danish director of the much-heralded “Pusher” franchise, Nicolas Winding Refn, very few slots can be identified as festival discoveries.

While this trend continues to disappoint people looking to Cannes Official Competition to break ground (two first time filmmakers are included in the line-up), it has also forced journalists to find inspiration in the Un Certain Regard section of the fest. With Sean Durkin’s Sundance...

Some major motion pictures are set to appear at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Jodie Foster's The Beaver is now part of the list of major films playing at Cannes.

The entire list was announced earlier today in Paris. Some big stars are set to headline the festival, including Brad Pitt in Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life and Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Some other big Hollywood stars that could show up for this year's festival include, Sean Penn in This Must Be the Place, Antonio Banderas in The Skin I Live In, Ryan Gosling in Drive, and the entire cast of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, and French president Nicolas Sarkozy beautiful wife Carla Bruni.

Continue Reading for the full list of films.

Opening Film

Midnight In Paris,...

Earlier we reported that Restless and Kung Fu Panda 2 had been added to the Cannes Film Festival lineup that included The Tree of Life and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Today, we have the full lineup for the festival. The majority of the films are ones I have not heard of, but there are some exceptions. Jodie Foster's The Beaver, Sleeping Beauty and Drive by Nicolas Winding Refn. Takasi Miike and Pedro Almodovar also have films in competition at the festival.

Below is the full list of films at this year's Cannes Film Festival:

Opening Film

Midnight in Paris (Out of Competition)

Director: Woody Allen 

Closing Film

To be announced

In Competition

The Skin I Live In

Director: Pedro Almodovar

House of Tolerance

Director: Bertrand Bonello

Footnote

Director: Joseph Cedar

Pater

Director: Alain Cavalier

Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Boy with a...

The line up for the 64th Cannes Film Festival was announced today in Paris. Some of the familiar faces headed to the South of France this year include the Dardenne brothers, Nicolas Winding Refn, Pedro Almodovar and Terrence Malick who all have films in competition. Jodi Foster‘s The Beaver and Rob Marshall‘s installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise will play out of competition. While Gus Van Stant, Bruno Dumont and Sean Durkin will have films in Un Certain Regard.

The complete list of titles are below. The Cannes Film Festival will take place May 11-22.

Competition:

“La Piel Que Habito” (The Skin that I Live In), directed by Pedro Almodovar

“L’Apollonide,” directed by Bertrand Bonello

“Drive,” directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

“Footnote,” directed by Joseph Cedar

“Ichimei” (Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai), directed by Takashi Miike

“Le Havre,” directed by Aki Kaurismäki

“Hanezu No Tsuki,...

In the wee hours of the morning here in the states, the official 64th Cannes Film Festival line-up was revealed. As expecting we got Lars von Trier‘s Melancholia, Terrence Malick‘s The Tree of Life (in competition too!), Lynne Ramsay‘s We Need to Talk About Kevin starring Tilda Swinton, and Paolo Sorrentino‘s This Must Be The Place starring Sean Penn. The biggest surprise is auteur director Nicolas Winding Refn‘s biggest film thus far, Drive, being selected for competition. The drama stars Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Ron Perlman, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, Christina Hendricks, Oscar Issac and I can’t wait to see the reaction.

My favorite film from Sundance, and still my #1 of the year, Sean Durkin‘s Martha Marcy May Marlene will happily be playing in Un Certain Regard next to Gus Van Sant‘s Restless. In terms of surprises that didn’t make the...

The Official Selection and the Juries of the 64th Cannes Film festival were announced Thursday, April 14th during the press conference held by Gilles Jacob and Thierry Frémaux at the Grand Hôtel in Paris.

Opening Film

Woody Allen - Midnight In Paris (Out of Competition)

Competition

Pedro ALMODÓVAR - La Piel Que Habito

Bertrand Bonello - L’Apollonide – Souvenirs De La Maison Close

Alain Cavalier – Pater

Joseph Cedar - Hearat Shulayim (Footnote)

Nuri Bilge Ceylan - Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’Da (Once upon a time in Anatolia)

Jean-Pierre et Luc Dardenne - Le Gamin Au VÉLO

Aki KAURISMÄKI - Le Havre

Naomi Kawase - Hanezu No Tsuki

Julia Leigh - Sleeping Beauty – 1st film

MAÏWENN - Polisse

Terrence Malick - The Tree Of Life

Radu Mihaileanu - La Source Des Femmes

Takashi Miike - Ichimei (Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samuraï)

Nanni Moretti - Habemus Papam

Lynne Ramsay - We Need To Talk About Kevin...

By Sean O’Connell

Hollywoodnews.com: Some films were expected (hello, “The Tree of Life”). Some were complete surprises (Almodovar’s “The Skin I Live In”). But just about every title announced as part of the 64th Cannes Film Festival carried serious weight and anticipation.

Malick, Almodovar, Miike, Von Trier, Ramsay and Allen are the heavy hitters in Cannes’ official Competition.

Outside the boundaries, Cannes will be hosting the world premiere of the fourth “Pirates” film, with Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz expected to attend. And Jodie Foster continues her “Beaver” press tour with a stop on the Croistette. Is that a good fit?

The official Cannes lineup was made this morning in Paris. We have the full list below:

Feature Film Jury

Robert De Niro, President – Actor, Director / USA

The Short Film And Cinefondation Jury

Michel Gondry, President – Director / France

Un Certain Regard Jury

Emir Kusturica, President – Director / Serbia...

Photo: Cannes Film Festival This morning the Cannes Film Festival announced the line-up for the 64th edition of the fest, which will run from May 11-22. Before getting to the films, managing director of the festival, Thierry Fremaux, announced that 1715 films were submitted for consideration, representing 33 countries. Of those films 19 were included in competition, and of those 19, four were directed by female directors, a record for the fest.

As for the films included in the festival, the competition looks fierce. Just a few names you might recognize among the competition crowd include Terrence Malick, Pedro Almodovar, Takashi Miike, Nicolas Winding Refn, Lars Von Trier and Lynne Ramsay. Beyond that many of the names are new to me, but that's the number one reason I go to Cannes, the international flavor of this festival surpasses any of the major fests you'll find in North America.

The Out of Competition selections for...

Sure, “Dog Bite Dog” director Soi Cheang’s “The Monkey King” might be a year and some change away from hitting theaters, but that hasn’t stopped the promotional machine from unleashing a teaser trailer to get you pumped and prepared for the splendor to come. Although there’s no actual footage from the production in the clip you’re about to watch, getting a look at all of the talent associated with this very interesting project is reason enough to keep this flick on your cinematic radar. Granted, this could always be a case of too many cooks in the proverbial kitchen, but I’m more than willing to give Donnie Yen and his impressive team the benefit of the doubt. You’ll see what I mean in a minute. “The Monkey King”, which stars Donnie Yen, Donnie Yen, Aaron Kwok, Chow Yun-fat, Peter Ho, Faye Wong, Cecilia Cheung,...

Production on “Shamo” director Soi Cheang’s big-budget fantasy epic “The Monkey King” already started last month with an impressive cast that included Donnie Yen, Aaron Kwok, and Chow Yun-Fat. The film has now added three lovely lasses to the roster: Cecilia Cheung (left), Gigi Leung and Kelly Chen. “Monkey King”, as you might have guessed, is yet another iteration of the vastly popular Chinese tome “Journey to the West”. In the film, Yen is playing the Monkey King, while Kwok is Bull Demon King. Chow Yun-Fat, meanwhile, will co-star as the Jade Emperor of Heaven. Also joining the cast: Taiwan actors Peter Ho and Joe Chen, and mainland actor Liu Ye. “The Monkey King” is clocking in with an estimated $57 million dollar budget, which may seem “modest” by Hollywood standards, but is a whopper in Chinese movie industry terms. The film is scheduled for release in 2012 in 3D.

Aaron Kwok is going to need to bulk up to carry that sword.

Up above you've got the first concept art of how Kwok will look as the Ox King in Soi Cheang's upcoming big budget, 3D update of the classic literary epic Journey To The West. Titled simply as The Monkey King, it has long been known that Donnie Yen was taking the title role but the addition of Kwok, Peter Ho, Chen Qiao En and Chow Yun Fat - as the Jade Emperor - has just been confirmed.

Now, concept art should always be taken with a grain of salt - it's one thing to draw something, another thing entirely to put it on film - but they're clearly aiming big and burly with this one, going for a full on spectacle. I can only hope that in the quest to make the visuals big they don't...

This is the tenth film review in the coverage of Montreal's Fantasia International Film Festival. There certainly was a time when filmmakers from mainland China didn't dabble too much in making blockbusters. Obviously, Sophie's Revenge looks like score of other romantic comedies you've seen. However, it's a rather entertaining film.

Sophie (Zhang Ziyi), a comic book artist/writer, has been in relation with Jeff (Ji-seob So), a surgeon, for two years. While they were supposed to get married, Jeff falls for Joanna (Bingbing Fan), a movie star, after he had operated her. Obviously, Sophie is devastated and she doesn't want to face her mom who organized the mariage. With two months left before the day, Sophie will try to win Jeff back with the help of her two best friends, Lucy (Ruby Lin) and Lilly (Chen Yao).

Sophie also intends to publish a comic book targetting women. With this book,...