Press release
WELL GO USA AND VARIANCE FILMS present
LET THE BULLETS FLY
Opens theatrically in the USA on March 2, 2012!
LET THE BULLETS FLY, a masterfully vicious, pitch-black action-comedy starring Chow Yun Fat and Carina Lau, and China’s highest grossing film of all time.
LET THE BULLETS FLY will open theatrically on Friday, March 2nd in NY (Cinema Village) and LA and
is presented in its full-length, unedited version, with new English subtitles.
In the lawless land that is rural China in the 1920s, legendary bandit “Pocky” Zhang (Jiang Wen) and his gang stage a train robbery. They are quite unhappy to discover that instead of silver, the only thing left on the train is the con man, Tang (Ge You).
Desperate, Tang explains that he’s on his way to Goose Town, where he’s bought himself a governorship. If allowed to live, he will help Zhang assume the governorship in his place… where Zhang can make more money in one month as a corrupt politician than he can in a year’s worth of train robberies.
With Tang as his prisoner/counselor, off they go. But neither realizes that Goose Town is already under the iron rule of the wealthy Master Huang (Chow Yun Fat, The Killer, Hard Boiled), whose charming exterior conceals a ruthless, conniving crime lord.
As Zhang begins to see how badly Huang oppresses the citizens of Goose Town, he decides to do something about it, and Huang quickly senses a major threat to his empire. Thus begins an escalating series of hyper-violent (and hilarious) mind
games between the bandit and the crime lord, while the devious Tang tries to play both sides until he can exit the situation…preferably with a profit.
The stakes quickly rise to ludicrous proportions in this masterfully vicious, pitch-black action-comedy (China’s highest grossing film of all time), and you’ll be laughing the entire time as double- and triple-crosses, razor-sharp wordplay, and hundreds of thousands of bullets explode across the screen.
STARRING: Chow Yun Fat, Jiang Wen, Ge You, Carina Lau
DIRECTED BY: Jiang Wen
RELEASE DATE: March 2, 2012
TIME/FORMAT:132 minutes / 2.35 scope / 35mm and digital formats / Chinese with English Subtitles
RATING:Not rated, contains adult humor, profanity, and frequent strong, graphic violence. For 15 and up.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
WELL GO USA AND VARIANCE FILMS present
LET THE BULLETS FLY
Opens theatrically in the USA on March 2, 2012!
LET THE BULLETS FLY, a masterfully vicious, pitch-black action-comedy starring Chow Yun Fat and Carina Lau, and China’s highest grossing film of all time.
LET THE BULLETS FLY will open theatrically on Friday, March 2nd in NY (Cinema Village) and LA and
is presented in its full-length, unedited version, with new English subtitles.
In the lawless land that is rural China in the 1920s, legendary bandit “Pocky” Zhang (Jiang Wen) and his gang stage a train robbery. They are quite unhappy to discover that instead of silver, the only thing left on the train is the con man, Tang (Ge You).
Desperate, Tang explains that he’s on his way to Goose Town, where he’s bought himself a governorship. If allowed to live, he will help Zhang assume the governorship in his place… where Zhang can make more money in one month as a corrupt politician than he can in a year’s worth of train robberies.
With Tang as his prisoner/counselor, off they go. But neither realizes that Goose Town is already under the iron rule of the wealthy Master Huang (Chow Yun Fat, The Killer, Hard Boiled), whose charming exterior conceals a ruthless, conniving crime lord.
As Zhang begins to see how badly Huang oppresses the citizens of Goose Town, he decides to do something about it, and Huang quickly senses a major threat to his empire. Thus begins an escalating series of hyper-violent (and hilarious) mind
games between the bandit and the crime lord, while the devious Tang tries to play both sides until he can exit the situation…preferably with a profit.
The stakes quickly rise to ludicrous proportions in this masterfully vicious, pitch-black action-comedy (China’s highest grossing film of all time), and you’ll be laughing the entire time as double- and triple-crosses, razor-sharp wordplay, and hundreds of thousands of bullets explode across the screen.
STARRING: Chow Yun Fat, Jiang Wen, Ge You, Carina Lau
DIRECTED BY: Jiang Wen
RELEASE DATE: March 2, 2012
TIME/FORMAT:132 minutes / 2.35 scope / 35mm and digital formats / Chinese with English Subtitles
RATING:Not rated, contains adult humor, profanity, and frequent strong, graphic violence. For 15 and up.
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2011 ARCHIVES
Press release
CITY OF LIFE AND DEATH
Lu Chuan's Masterful Epic of the Rape of Nanking
Film Has US Theatrical Premiere May 11, 2011 at Film Forum
Film Forum is pleased to present the U.S. theatrical premiere of CITY OF LIFE AND DEATH, beginning Wednesday, May 11. On December 9, 1937, the Imperial Japanese Army lays siege to Nanking, the Chinese capital, beginning a reign of terror that kills as many as 300,000 civilians.
For the first time, a Chinese filmmaker, Lu Chuan (MOUNTAIN PATROL: KEKEXILI) tells the story of the Rape of Nanking - an infamous tragedy, the details of which Japan disputes to this day. Shot in stark black-and-white, CITY OF LIFE AND DEATH follows those caught in the crossfire: a young Chinese general who leads a platoon in street fighting; the German businessman John Rabe, who establishes a safety zone to protect the lives of countless Chinese; and a Japanese officer conflicted by the brutality of his commander.
A record-breaking, runaway hit with audiences in China, the film's story strikes a timeless and universal chord in its portrayal of tenacity, courage, sacrifice, dignity and love amidst the horrors of war.
CITY OF LIFE AND DEATH will have a 2-week engagement May 11 - 24 at Film Forum, West Houston St. (W. of 6th Av.) with screenings daily at 1:00, 3:45, 6:30, 9:15.
CITY OF LIFE AND DEATH (2009, 135 mins.) Written and directed by Lu Chuan. Produced by Han Sanping, Qin Hong, Zhou Li, John Chong and Andy Zhang. Director of Photography: Cao Yu. Editor: Teng Yun. Production Designers: Hao Yi, Lin Chaoxiang. Original Music: Liu Tong. Sound Designer: Lai Chuan. Cast: Liu Ye (Lu Jianxiong), Gao Yuanyuan (Miss Jiang), Hideo Nakaizumi (Kadokawa), Fan Wei (Mr. Tang), Jiang Yiyan (Xiao Jiang), Ryu Kohata (Ida), Qui Lan (Mrs. Tang), John Paisley (John Rabe) and Yao Di (Tang Xiaomei). China / Hong Kong. In Mandarin, Japanese, English and Shanghainese with English subtitles. A Kino International release.
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CITY OF LIFE AND DEATH
Lu Chuan's Masterful Epic of the Rape of Nanking
Film Has US Theatrical Premiere May 11, 2011 at Film Forum
Film Forum is pleased to present the U.S. theatrical premiere of CITY OF LIFE AND DEATH, beginning Wednesday, May 11. On December 9, 1937, the Imperial Japanese Army lays siege to Nanking, the Chinese capital, beginning a reign of terror that kills as many as 300,000 civilians.
For the first time, a Chinese filmmaker, Lu Chuan (MOUNTAIN PATROL: KEKEXILI) tells the story of the Rape of Nanking - an infamous tragedy, the details of which Japan disputes to this day. Shot in stark black-and-white, CITY OF LIFE AND DEATH follows those caught in the crossfire: a young Chinese general who leads a platoon in street fighting; the German businessman John Rabe, who establishes a safety zone to protect the lives of countless Chinese; and a Japanese officer conflicted by the brutality of his commander.
A record-breaking, runaway hit with audiences in China, the film's story strikes a timeless and universal chord in its portrayal of tenacity, courage, sacrifice, dignity and love amidst the horrors of war.
CITY OF LIFE AND DEATH will have a 2-week engagement May 11 - 24 at Film Forum, West Houston St. (W. of 6th Av.) with screenings daily at 1:00, 3:45, 6:30, 9:15.
CITY OF LIFE AND DEATH (2009, 135 mins.) Written and directed by Lu Chuan. Produced by Han Sanping, Qin Hong, Zhou Li, John Chong and Andy Zhang. Director of Photography: Cao Yu. Editor: Teng Yun. Production Designers: Hao Yi, Lin Chaoxiang. Original Music: Liu Tong. Sound Designer: Lai Chuan. Cast: Liu Ye (Lu Jianxiong), Gao Yuanyuan (Miss Jiang), Hideo Nakaizumi (Kadokawa), Fan Wei (Mr. Tang), Jiang Yiyan (Xiao Jiang), Ryu Kohata (Ida), Qui Lan (Mrs. Tang), John Paisley (John Rabe) and Yao Di (Tang Xiaomei). China / Hong Kong. In Mandarin, Japanese, English and Shanghainese with English subtitles. A Kino International release.
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Press release
WELL GO USA and VARIANCE FILMS PRESENT
LEGEND OF THE FIST :
THE RETURN OF CHEN ZHEN
Opens April 22, 2011
DIRECTED BY Andrew Lau (INFERNAL AFFAIRS)
FEATURING: Donnie Yen (IP MAN/IP MAN 2), Shu Qi (THE TRANSPORTER), Anthony Wong, and Huang Bo
On behalf of Well Go USA and Variance Films, Andrew Lau’s LEGEND OF THE FIST:THE RETURN ON CHEN ZHEN starring Donnie Yen, Shu Qi, Anthony Wong and Huang Bo , which will open in New York and Los Angeles on April 22 (Village East/ Laemmle Sunset 5) with a national release to follow.
In 1925, the nation of China is divided by infighting, and Japan has become the most powerful force in Asia. With the city of Shanghai torn in half by international conflict, the popular nightclub “Casablanca” has become a hotbed of spies, mobsters, English officials and the Japanese military- all looking to gain control of the country, with little regard for what happens to its citizenry.
Into this den of intrigue enters Chen Zhen (Donnie Yen), who has returned to China after fighting alongside the Allied forces in Europe, bringing some dark secrets from his past along with him.
During the day, he's known as "Qi", and appears to be just another wealthy playboy. But at night, he takes to the street as a masked warrior, determined to subvert the Japanese invasion while becoming entangled with the sultry Kiki (Shu Qi), who has a dangerous secret of her own.
When his past catches up to him, Chen Zhen is faced with near impossible odds- but his skills are formidable, and he's up to the challenge.
RUNNING TIME: 106 minutes (original international cut)
35mm / Scope / Dolby Digital / Not Rated
RELEASE DATE: April 22nd, 2011
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.legendofthefist.com
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WELL GO USA and VARIANCE FILMS PRESENT
LEGEND OF THE FIST :
THE RETURN OF CHEN ZHEN
Opens April 22, 2011
DIRECTED BY Andrew Lau (INFERNAL AFFAIRS)
FEATURING: Donnie Yen (IP MAN/IP MAN 2), Shu Qi (THE TRANSPORTER), Anthony Wong, and Huang Bo
On behalf of Well Go USA and Variance Films, Andrew Lau’s LEGEND OF THE FIST:THE RETURN ON CHEN ZHEN starring Donnie Yen, Shu Qi, Anthony Wong and Huang Bo , which will open in New York and Los Angeles on April 22 (Village East/ Laemmle Sunset 5) with a national release to follow.
In 1925, the nation of China is divided by infighting, and Japan has become the most powerful force in Asia. With the city of Shanghai torn in half by international conflict, the popular nightclub “Casablanca” has become a hotbed of spies, mobsters, English officials and the Japanese military- all looking to gain control of the country, with little regard for what happens to its citizenry.
Into this den of intrigue enters Chen Zhen (Donnie Yen), who has returned to China after fighting alongside the Allied forces in Europe, bringing some dark secrets from his past along with him.
During the day, he's known as "Qi", and appears to be just another wealthy playboy. But at night, he takes to the street as a masked warrior, determined to subvert the Japanese invasion while becoming entangled with the sultry Kiki (Shu Qi), who has a dangerous secret of her own.
When his past catches up to him, Chen Zhen is faced with near impossible odds- but his skills are formidable, and he's up to the challenge.
RUNNING TIME: 106 minutes (original international cut)
35mm / Scope / Dolby Digital / Not Rated
RELEASE DATE: April 22nd, 2011
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.legendofthefist.com
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Press release
Lorber Films Opens Two Films by Kōji Wakamatsu
Caterpillar (2010) and United Red Army (2008)
at IFC Center in New York City.
New York, NY - April 8, 2011 - Lorber Films and IFC Center are proud to announce the highly anticipated theatrical release of Caterpillar (opening on May 6, 2011) and United Red Army (May 27), the last two films from one of Japan's most controversial and critically lauded directors: Mr. Kōji Wakamatsu.
Caterpillar (2010) -- Running time: 84 Minutes -- Opens on May 6, 2011 at IFC Center
Winner of a Silver Bear award (Best Actress - Shinobu Terajima) at last year's Berlin Film Festival, Caterpillar tells the story of a village woman who is given the grueling task of looking after (and fulfilling the sexual needs of) her quadruple-amputee husband, a decorated solider tortured by memories of his war crimes.
Taking place during the Second Sino-Japanese War and based on a banned short story by writer Edogawa Rampo, Wakamatsu's latest film is both a powerful indictment of right-wing militarist-nationalism and a deeply affecting reminder of the pressures put on Japanese women during war and peacetime.
Part of a series of works that re-visit the country's fascist past, Caterpillar satirically deploys Japanese propaganda and successfully demystifies the glorification of the country's wartime past.
While Caterpillar focuses on military, right-wing ideologies, its companion piece, United Red Army (2008), is focused on the other side of the Japan's political spectrum: left-wing extremism.
United Red Army (2008) -- Running time: 190 Minutes (with intermission) -- Opens on May 27, 2011 at IFC Center
Shot in a raw verite style, United Red Army explores the political unrest of 1960s Japan, when mass student uprisings coincided with the beginnings of the far-left United Red Army group, which tortured and murdered its "deviant" members during a 1972 training session.
Mr. Wakamatsu's harrowing film depicts the famed Asama-Sanso incident, which began when members of the United Red Army assassinated 14 of its own, during a group "self-criticism" session, and then broke into a holiday lodge below Mount Asama and took the wife of the lodge-keeper as a hostage. A standoff between police and the URA radicals took place, lasting ten days.
The radical student protests that rocked Japan in the late 1960s were in many ways, a response to the growing military alignment between Japan and the United States (ratified by the Japan-US Security Treaty signed in 1951). But the decisions made by the Japanese Communist Party, which was being accused of rigidity (and even "Stalinism") also played a role in the radicalization of the Japanese student movement during the 1960s and 70s in Japan.
An uncompromising piece of filmmaking, United Red Army features an exuberant, psychedelic rock score by American musician (and ex-Sonic Youth member) Jim O'Rourke, and is an earnest attempt to process the shock that the Japanese Left was experiencing at the time.
About Kino Lorber:
Kino Lorber is the newly formed company that combines the resources, staffs and libraries of Lorber Films, Alive Mind and Kino International, bringing together industry pioneers Richard Lorber and Donald Krim to create a new leader in independent film distribution.
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Lorber Films Opens Two Films by Kōji Wakamatsu
Caterpillar (2010) and United Red Army (2008)
at IFC Center in New York City.
New York, NY - April 8, 2011 - Lorber Films and IFC Center are proud to announce the highly anticipated theatrical release of Caterpillar (opening on May 6, 2011) and United Red Army (May 27), the last two films from one of Japan's most controversial and critically lauded directors: Mr. Kōji Wakamatsu.
Caterpillar (2010) -- Running time: 84 Minutes -- Opens on May 6, 2011 at IFC Center
Winner of a Silver Bear award (Best Actress - Shinobu Terajima) at last year's Berlin Film Festival, Caterpillar tells the story of a village woman who is given the grueling task of looking after (and fulfilling the sexual needs of) her quadruple-amputee husband, a decorated solider tortured by memories of his war crimes.
Taking place during the Second Sino-Japanese War and based on a banned short story by writer Edogawa Rampo, Wakamatsu's latest film is both a powerful indictment of right-wing militarist-nationalism and a deeply affecting reminder of the pressures put on Japanese women during war and peacetime.
Part of a series of works that re-visit the country's fascist past, Caterpillar satirically deploys Japanese propaganda and successfully demystifies the glorification of the country's wartime past.
While Caterpillar focuses on military, right-wing ideologies, its companion piece, United Red Army (2008), is focused on the other side of the Japan's political spectrum: left-wing extremism.
United Red Army (2008) -- Running time: 190 Minutes (with intermission) -- Opens on May 27, 2011 at IFC Center
Shot in a raw verite style, United Red Army explores the political unrest of 1960s Japan, when mass student uprisings coincided with the beginnings of the far-left United Red Army group, which tortured and murdered its "deviant" members during a 1972 training session.
Mr. Wakamatsu's harrowing film depicts the famed Asama-Sanso incident, which began when members of the United Red Army assassinated 14 of its own, during a group "self-criticism" session, and then broke into a holiday lodge below Mount Asama and took the wife of the lodge-keeper as a hostage. A standoff between police and the URA radicals took place, lasting ten days.
The radical student protests that rocked Japan in the late 1960s were in many ways, a response to the growing military alignment between Japan and the United States (ratified by the Japan-US Security Treaty signed in 1951). But the decisions made by the Japanese Communist Party, which was being accused of rigidity (and even "Stalinism") also played a role in the radicalization of the Japanese student movement during the 1960s and 70s in Japan.
An uncompromising piece of filmmaking, United Red Army features an exuberant, psychedelic rock score by American musician (and ex-Sonic Youth member) Jim O'Rourke, and is an earnest attempt to process the shock that the Japanese Left was experiencing at the time.
About Kino Lorber:
Kino Lorber is the newly formed company that combines the resources, staffs and libraries of Lorber Films, Alive Mind and Kino International, bringing together industry pioneers Richard Lorber and Donald Krim to create a new leader in independent film distribution.
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Press release
MOTHERLAND
OPENING MARCH 18, 2011 IN THE QUAD-NYC
After years abroad, a young Asian American woman, Raffi Tang (Françoise Yip) returns to the US when her estranged mother is murdered. She finds herself drawn into a web of deception by her stepfather (Kenneth Tsang) and his right-hand man (Byron Mann).
At the same time she is struggling with investigative incompetence and her own grief. Raffi is forced to confront some long-buried truths in her family. For her the American Dream came at too high a price.
Filmmaker Doris Yeung's feature debut, MOTHERLAND is a reaction to her own mother's violent murder. "As an artist, I used the impact this had on me personally to create a fictional world in which I imagined the worst that might have happened and attempted to translate that to the screen."
MOTHERLAND stars the Vancouver-based actress Francoise Yip in her first dramatic role. Her previous films include action thrillers such as Jackie Chan’s RUMBLE IN THE BRONX, Jet Li’s BLACK MASK, ALIEN VS PREDATOR and KING OF FIGHTERS.)
Main actor and exec producer Kenneth Tsang has been regular feature in Hong Kong and Hollywood films since the 1960s, more recent films including. John Woo’s A BETTER TOMORROW, RUSH 2, DIE ANOTHER DAY, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA.
MOTHERLAND by Doris Yeung, USA, 93 mins.
With: Françoise Yip, Kenneth Tsang, Byron Mann
San Francisco-born Doris Yeung (1977) was in Hong Kong and California. A graduate of UCLA and the Beijing Film Academy, she was also a directing fellow at the American Film Institute. Her short film DANCE won the Worldfest Houston
award for Best Short. Yeung's other experimental and narrative shorts have been screened at the Directors' Guild of America (San Francisco) and the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco.
MOVIE website-www.motherlandmovie.com
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MOTHERLAND
OPENING MARCH 18, 2011 IN THE QUAD-NYC
After years abroad, a young Asian American woman, Raffi Tang (Françoise Yip) returns to the US when her estranged mother is murdered. She finds herself drawn into a web of deception by her stepfather (Kenneth Tsang) and his right-hand man (Byron Mann).
At the same time she is struggling with investigative incompetence and her own grief. Raffi is forced to confront some long-buried truths in her family. For her the American Dream came at too high a price.
Filmmaker Doris Yeung's feature debut, MOTHERLAND is a reaction to her own mother's violent murder. "As an artist, I used the impact this had on me personally to create a fictional world in which I imagined the worst that might have happened and attempted to translate that to the screen."
MOTHERLAND stars the Vancouver-based actress Francoise Yip in her first dramatic role. Her previous films include action thrillers such as Jackie Chan’s RUMBLE IN THE BRONX, Jet Li’s BLACK MASK, ALIEN VS PREDATOR and KING OF FIGHTERS.)
Main actor and exec producer Kenneth Tsang has been regular feature in Hong Kong and Hollywood films since the 1960s, more recent films including. John Woo’s A BETTER TOMORROW, RUSH 2, DIE ANOTHER DAY, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA.
MOTHERLAND by Doris Yeung, USA, 93 mins.
With: Françoise Yip, Kenneth Tsang, Byron Mann
San Francisco-born Doris Yeung (1977) was in Hong Kong and California. A graduate of UCLA and the Beijing Film Academy, she was also a directing fellow at the American Film Institute. Her short film DANCE won the Worldfest Houston
award for Best Short. Yeung's other experimental and narrative shorts have been screened at the Directors' Guild of America (San Francisco) and the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco.
MOVIE website-www.motherlandmovie.com
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Press release
LEE CHANG-DONG'S
POETRY (2010)
OPENS ON February 11, 2011 AT THE LINCOLN PLAZA AND QUAD CINEMAS
WINNER OF THE BEST SCREENPLAY AWARD AT CANNES
December 20, 2010 - Kino International is proud to announce the theatrical release of Poetry (2010), the award-winning drama by Korean director Lee Chang-dong (Secret Sunshine) on February 11, 2011, at the Lincoln Plaza and Quad Cinemas.
Winner of the Best Screenplay prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival, Poetry was celebrated as one of the highlights of many international Festivals, including Toronto, Telluride and New York. With the 2010 Cannes prize, and a Best Actress award for his film Secret Sunshine in 2008, Lee Chang-dong has emerged as one of the world's most acclaimed and talked-about directors. A former academic with four previous films to his credit, Mr. Lee was cited by The New York Times (2008) as having "played a central role on the resurgence of Korean cinema" (Dennis Lim).
Poetry also marks the return of acclaimed Korean actress Yun Jung-hee to the big screen, after a self-imposed 16-year absence. Born in 1944, the great Yun Jung-hee rose to stardom in 1967 with her debut film Sorrowful Youth; since then, she has appeared in over 300 films, including Mist (1967), A Splendid Outgoing (1977) and Manmubang (1994); she was recently voted the greatest actress in Korean cinema in a national public poll.
Poetry tells the story of Mija, a grandmother who lives with her middle-school grandson in a small suburban city located along the Han River, in South Korea.
A happy-go-lucky woman who likes to dress in flower-decorated hats and fashionable outfits, Mija is also an unpredictable character with an inquisitive mind. All of the sudden, she decides to take a poetry class at a neighborhood cultural center, and throws herself into the challenging task of writing a poem for the first time in her life.
Following her instructor's guidance, Mija begins her quest for poetic inspiration by opening herself to life's small pleasures and observing everyday life. But when she is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and discovers that her grandson is involved in a horrific crime, she quickly realizes that life is not as beautiful as she had thought it was.
Running time: 134 minutes
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber is the newly formed company that combines the resources, staffs and libraries of Lorber Films, Alive Mind and Kino International, bringing together industry leaders Richard Lorber and Donald Krim to create a new leader in independent film distribution.
Other recent releases from Kino include Ajami (2009), the Academy Award nominated thriller form Israel, Dogtooth (2009), a surreal comedy that has been qualified as Greece's submission to the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Film category, a well as the 2010 restoration of Frtiz Lang's Metropolis.
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LEE CHANG-DONG'S
POETRY (2010)
OPENS ON February 11, 2011 AT THE LINCOLN PLAZA AND QUAD CINEMAS
WINNER OF THE BEST SCREENPLAY AWARD AT CANNES
December 20, 2010 - Kino International is proud to announce the theatrical release of Poetry (2010), the award-winning drama by Korean director Lee Chang-dong (Secret Sunshine) on February 11, 2011, at the Lincoln Plaza and Quad Cinemas.
Winner of the Best Screenplay prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival, Poetry was celebrated as one of the highlights of many international Festivals, including Toronto, Telluride and New York. With the 2010 Cannes prize, and a Best Actress award for his film Secret Sunshine in 2008, Lee Chang-dong has emerged as one of the world's most acclaimed and talked-about directors. A former academic with four previous films to his credit, Mr. Lee was cited by The New York Times (2008) as having "played a central role on the resurgence of Korean cinema" (Dennis Lim).
Poetry also marks the return of acclaimed Korean actress Yun Jung-hee to the big screen, after a self-imposed 16-year absence. Born in 1944, the great Yun Jung-hee rose to stardom in 1967 with her debut film Sorrowful Youth; since then, she has appeared in over 300 films, including Mist (1967), A Splendid Outgoing (1977) and Manmubang (1994); she was recently voted the greatest actress in Korean cinema in a national public poll.
Poetry tells the story of Mija, a grandmother who lives with her middle-school grandson in a small suburban city located along the Han River, in South Korea.
A happy-go-lucky woman who likes to dress in flower-decorated hats and fashionable outfits, Mija is also an unpredictable character with an inquisitive mind. All of the sudden, she decides to take a poetry class at a neighborhood cultural center, and throws herself into the challenging task of writing a poem for the first time in her life.
Following her instructor's guidance, Mija begins her quest for poetic inspiration by opening herself to life's small pleasures and observing everyday life. But when she is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and discovers that her grandson is involved in a horrific crime, she quickly realizes that life is not as beautiful as she had thought it was.
Running time: 134 minutes
About Kino Lorber
Kino Lorber is the newly formed company that combines the resources, staffs and libraries of Lorber Films, Alive Mind and Kino International, bringing together industry leaders Richard Lorber and Donald Krim to create a new leader in independent film distribution.
Other recent releases from Kino include Ajami (2009), the Academy Award nominated thriller form Israel, Dogtooth (2009), a surreal comedy that has been qualified as Greece's submission to the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Film category, a well as the 2010 restoration of Frtiz Lang's Metropolis.
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Press release
THE HOUSEMAID
Opens on Friday, January 21, 2011
at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and IFC Center
On behalf of IFC Films, you and a guest are invited to a screening of the stylish, sexy thriller THE HOUSEMAID, in which director Im Sang-soo (THE PRESIDENT'S LAST BANG) reimagines Kim Ki-young's classic 1960 film of the same name as a tale of an innocent young woman brought down by the wealthy family for which she works.
A favorite at this year’s Cannes, Toronto and Fantastic Fest film festivals, THE HOUSEMAID will open on Friday, January 21 in NYC at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and IFC Center, with a national rollout to follow. It will simultaneously be available nationwide on IFC Films’ video on demand platform, available to over 50 million homes in all major markets.
Eun-yi (Cannes Best Actress winner Jeon Do-youn of SECRET SUNSHINE) is hired as a nanny in an impossibly lavish mansion by businessman Hoon (Lee Jung-jae) and his very pregnant wife, Hae-ra (Seo Woo). When Hoon callously seduces the young maid, she becomes the unwitting victim in a battle of wills between him and the scheming women of the house—Hae-ra, her villainous mother (Park Ji-young), and their seemingly loyal but increasingly bitter housekeeper (Yun Yeo-jong).
Intensely erotic and fiendishly entertaining, THE HOUSEMAID builds to an unforgettable climax as Eun-yi tries to maintain her cunning to protect her sanity—and her life—from the ruthless vipers around her.
107 minutes. In Korean with English subtitles. An IFC Films release. Not rated.
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THE HOUSEMAID
Opens on Friday, January 21, 2011
at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and IFC Center
On behalf of IFC Films, you and a guest are invited to a screening of the stylish, sexy thriller THE HOUSEMAID, in which director Im Sang-soo (THE PRESIDENT'S LAST BANG) reimagines Kim Ki-young's classic 1960 film of the same name as a tale of an innocent young woman brought down by the wealthy family for which she works.
A favorite at this year’s Cannes, Toronto and Fantastic Fest film festivals, THE HOUSEMAID will open on Friday, January 21 in NYC at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and IFC Center, with a national rollout to follow. It will simultaneously be available nationwide on IFC Films’ video on demand platform, available to over 50 million homes in all major markets.
Eun-yi (Cannes Best Actress winner Jeon Do-youn of SECRET SUNSHINE) is hired as a nanny in an impossibly lavish mansion by businessman Hoon (Lee Jung-jae) and his very pregnant wife, Hae-ra (Seo Woo). When Hoon callously seduces the young maid, she becomes the unwitting victim in a battle of wills between him and the scheming women of the house—Hae-ra, her villainous mother (Park Ji-young), and their seemingly loyal but increasingly bitter housekeeper (Yun Yeo-jong).
Intensely erotic and fiendishly entertaining, THE HOUSEMAID builds to an unforgettable climax as Eun-yi tries to maintain her cunning to protect her sanity—and her life—from the ruthless vipers around her.
107 minutes. In Korean with English subtitles. An IFC Films release. Not rated.
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DVD INFO: GETTING TO KNOW NARUSE
Eclipse Series 26: Silent Naruse
This month’s new Eclipse set is a rare treasure: the complete existing silent films by the brilliant Mikio Naruse, none of them ever before on DVD.
Though he may not be as widely known as Akira Kurosawa or Yasujiro Ozu, Naruse is just as important to the legacy of Japanese cinema, and his work should be seen by all film lovers. From the thirties to the sixties, Naruse fashioned heartrending (and hugely successful) human melodramas, mostly about women trapped by the difficulties of their daily lives yet vibrant, strong, and independent.
These five early films (all featuring new scores by Robin Holcomb and Wayne Horvitz) show Naruse’s extraordinary emotional storytelling and quietly dynamic visual style in full bloom and are marked by moments of pure cinematic invention.
CLIP: Naruse’s signature themes and camera moves are all apparent in this moment from the poignant Apart from You.
THREE-DVD BOX SET INCLUDES:
FLUNKY, WORK HARD
Naruse’s earliest available film, Flunky, Work Hard is the rare work by the director not to revolve around female characters. It is a charming, breezy short concerning an impoverished insurance salesman and his scrappy son.
NO BLOOD RELATION
In No Blood Relation, a gripping early example of Naruse’s cinematic boldness featuring a screenplay by famed Ozu collaborator Kogo Noda, an actress returns to Tokyo after a successful stint in Hollywood to reclaim the daughter she abandoned years ago.
APART FROM YOU
In this gently devastating drama, a critical breakthrough for Naruse, the filmmaker contrasts the life of an aging geisha, whose angry teenage son is ashamed of her profession, with that of her youthful counterpart, a lovely young girl resentful of her family for forcing her into a life of ignominy.
EVERY-NIGHT DREAMS
In the formally ravishing Every-Night Dreams, set in the dockside neighborhoods of Tokyo, a single mother works tirelessly as a Ginza bar hostess to ensure a better life for her young son—until her long-lost husband returns.
STREET WITHOUT END
Naruse’s final silent film is a gloriously rich portrait of a waitress, Sugiko, whose life, despite a host of male admirers and even some intrigued movie talent scouts, ends up taking a suffocatingly domestic turn after a wealthy businessman accidentally hits her with his car.
Available now!
SRP: $44.95--Criterion Store price: $35.96 (click link below)
http://www.criterion.com/boxsets/789-eclipse-series-26-silent-naruse?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=eclipse_series_26_silent_naruse&utm_content=eclipse_series_26_silent_naruse+
CID_2ed3cf545cfd196ef47b0ceb45e1dfc6&utm_source=Campaign+Monitor&utm_term=BUY+the+3-DVD+set
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Eclipse Series 26: Silent Naruse
This month’s new Eclipse set is a rare treasure: the complete existing silent films by the brilliant Mikio Naruse, none of them ever before on DVD.
Though he may not be as widely known as Akira Kurosawa or Yasujiro Ozu, Naruse is just as important to the legacy of Japanese cinema, and his work should be seen by all film lovers. From the thirties to the sixties, Naruse fashioned heartrending (and hugely successful) human melodramas, mostly about women trapped by the difficulties of their daily lives yet vibrant, strong, and independent.
These five early films (all featuring new scores by Robin Holcomb and Wayne Horvitz) show Naruse’s extraordinary emotional storytelling and quietly dynamic visual style in full bloom and are marked by moments of pure cinematic invention.
CLIP: Naruse’s signature themes and camera moves are all apparent in this moment from the poignant Apart from You.
THREE-DVD BOX SET INCLUDES:
FLUNKY, WORK HARD
Naruse’s earliest available film, Flunky, Work Hard is the rare work by the director not to revolve around female characters. It is a charming, breezy short concerning an impoverished insurance salesman and his scrappy son.
NO BLOOD RELATION
In No Blood Relation, a gripping early example of Naruse’s cinematic boldness featuring a screenplay by famed Ozu collaborator Kogo Noda, an actress returns to Tokyo after a successful stint in Hollywood to reclaim the daughter she abandoned years ago.
APART FROM YOU
In this gently devastating drama, a critical breakthrough for Naruse, the filmmaker contrasts the life of an aging geisha, whose angry teenage son is ashamed of her profession, with that of her youthful counterpart, a lovely young girl resentful of her family for forcing her into a life of ignominy.
EVERY-NIGHT DREAMS
In the formally ravishing Every-Night Dreams, set in the dockside neighborhoods of Tokyo, a single mother works tirelessly as a Ginza bar hostess to ensure a better life for her young son—until her long-lost husband returns.
STREET WITHOUT END
Naruse’s final silent film is a gloriously rich portrait of a waitress, Sugiko, whose life, despite a host of male admirers and even some intrigued movie talent scouts, ends up taking a suffocatingly domestic turn after a wealthy businessman accidentally hits her with his car.
Available now!
SRP: $44.95--Criterion Store price: $35.96 (click link below)
http://www.criterion.com/boxsets/789-eclipse-series-26-silent-naruse?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=eclipse_series_26_silent_naruse&utm_content=eclipse_series_26_silent_naruse+
CID_2ed3cf545cfd196ef47b0ceb45e1dfc6&utm_source=Campaign+Monitor&utm_term=BUY+the+3-DVD+set
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2010 ARCHIVES
Press release
YEONGHWA: KOREAN FILM TODAY
A WEEKLONG EXHIBITION OF INNOVATIVE NEW KOREAN CINEMA
Yeonghwa: Korean Film Today
September 22-30, 2010
The Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters, MoMA-NYC
NEW YORK, August 25, 2010-- Yeonghwa: Korean Film Today, a series of new Korean films presented by MoMA and the Korea Society will be shown September 22 through 30, 2010 at the Museum of Modern Art.
Among the eight films, many of which are New York premieres, is The Housemaid (2010), Im Sang-soo's erotic thriller about a domestic helper's revenge after her affair with the master goes sour. A favorite at Cannes, The Housemaid, which was recently acquired by IFC Films and is slated for release early next year, will premiere at MoMA on September 22, directly following it's screening at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Im Sang-soo will introduce the film.
Other highlights include Boo Si-Young's Sisters on the Road (2008), her first film, which follows two estranged half-sisters who develop a relationship while searching for their father; and Land of Scarecrows (2008), by Roh Gyeon-tae, one of Korea's most 'experimental' filmmakers, which examines national and gender identity.
Yeonghwa: Korean Film Today is co-organized by Laurence Kardish, Senior Curator, The Museum of Modern Art, and Yuni Yoonjung Cho, Director, Film, The Korea Society, with the help of the Korean Film Council.
Click here for the full press release and schedule.
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YEONGHWA: KOREAN FILM TODAY
A WEEKLONG EXHIBITION OF INNOVATIVE NEW KOREAN CINEMA
Yeonghwa: Korean Film Today
September 22-30, 2010
The Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters, MoMA-NYC
NEW YORK, August 25, 2010-- Yeonghwa: Korean Film Today, a series of new Korean films presented by MoMA and the Korea Society will be shown September 22 through 30, 2010 at the Museum of Modern Art.
Among the eight films, many of which are New York premieres, is The Housemaid (2010), Im Sang-soo's erotic thriller about a domestic helper's revenge after her affair with the master goes sour. A favorite at Cannes, The Housemaid, which was recently acquired by IFC Films and is slated for release early next year, will premiere at MoMA on September 22, directly following it's screening at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Im Sang-soo will introduce the film.
Other highlights include Boo Si-Young's Sisters on the Road (2008), her first film, which follows two estranged half-sisters who develop a relationship while searching for their father; and Land of Scarecrows (2008), by Roh Gyeon-tae, one of Korea's most 'experimental' filmmakers, which examines national and gender identity.
Yeonghwa: Korean Film Today is co-organized by Laurence Kardish, Senior Curator, The Museum of Modern Art, and Yuni Yoonjung Cho, Director, Film, The Korea Society, with the help of the Korean Film Council.
Click here for the full press release and schedule.
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MoMA The Museum of Modern Art
MoMA ANNOUNCES THE CONTINUING FALL LINE-UP FOR THE
CONTEMPORASIAN FILM SERIES
MoMA Presents: ContemporAsian
October 6–11, 2010
November 22–29, 2010
December 13–19, 2010
@ the The Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters (MoMA-NYC)
New York, September 20, 2010--MoMA announces the fall line-up for its ongoing ContemporAsian series in The Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters, showcasing films that get little exposure outside of their home countries or on the international festival circuit, but which engage the various styles, histories, and changes in Asian cinema.
Presented in special weeklong engagements, the films in the series include recent independent gems by both new and established filmmakers whose work represent the rapidly transforming visual culture of the region.
ContemporAsian is organized by Jytte Jensen, Curator, Department of Film, The Museum of Modern Art, with William Phuan, independent curator.
The 2010 fall season continues with Soopum Sohn’s cleverly wrought super-natural thriller Make Yourself at Home (aka Fetish) (2008, US/Korea) in October; followed by Vimukthi Jayasundara’s second feature Ahasin wetei (Between Two Worlds) (2009, Sri Lanka/ France) in November, which mythically explores Sri Lanka’s bloody civil war; and in December the season finishes with Anocha Suwichakornpong’s Jao Nok Krajok (Mundane History) (2009, Thailand), a simple story of a male nurse caring for a young man with partial paralysis, that tackles grand and profound concepts.
SCREENING SCHEDULES
MoMA Presents: ContemporAsian - October through December 2010
October 6–11, 2010
Make Yourself at Home
(aka Fetish) 2008. Directed by Soopum Sohn. Written by Sohn and Margaret Monaghan.
With Song Hye-kye, Arno Frisch, and Athena Currey
Peter, a Korean-American returns home from a trip overseas with his beautiful and mysterious new wife, Sookhy, a marriage brokered in a brief visit to the homeland with help from his mother. When a terrible accident occurs, Sookhy is left a widow. After a series of bizarre outbursts, it becomes increasingly clear that the grieving Sookhy may not be as innocent as she appears. Rumored to be a shaman, Sookhy begins to assert herself, not only at home, but with the neighbors, as she fights to keep a piece of the American dream. In English and Korean; English subtitles. 90 min.
Wednesday, October 6, 6:00
Thursday, October 7, 7:00
Friday, October 8, 4:00
Saturday, October 9, 1:00
Sunday, October 10, 5:00
Monday, October 11, 4:00
November 22–29, 2010
Ahasin wetei (Between Two Worlds)
2009, Sri Lanka/ France. Written and directed by Vimukthi Jayasundara.
With Thusitha Laknath, Kaushalya Fernando, and Huang Lu
With his second feature, Jayasundara boldly continues the allegorical exploration of Sri Lanka’s bloody civil war that began with his Caméra d’Or–winning The Forsaken Land.
A man who apparently fell from the sky picks up a young woman and flees with her from a burning city into the countryside. From there, his travels through a mythic landscape full of astonishing sights and people become exceedingly menacing—and fraught with symbolic meaning. The tableau-like, episodic tale moves confidently between realism and ritual in scenes of stunning beauty: for example, a gorgeous musical number with strapping farm workers, a scene that wouldn’t be out of place in a Soviet agitprop film. Print courtesy Memento Films. In Sinhalese; English subtitles. 85 min
Monday, November 22, 7:00
Wednesday, November 24, 4:00
Friday, November 26, 4:00
Saturday, November 27, 2:00
Sunday, November 28, 5:30
Monday, November 29, 4:00
December 13–19, 2009
Jao Nok Krajok (Mundane History) 2009. Thailand. Written by Anocha Suwichakornpong.
Under the guise of a simple story of a male nurse looking after a young man with partial paralysis, Jao Nok Krajok takes on big themes like life, birth and the universe. At times hallucinogenic, meditative and mysterious, but never ponderous, the film drifts through the mundane, almost insignificant moments of everyday life, boldly suggesting that they all add up to something grand and profound yet. In Thai; English subtitles. 82 min.
Monday, December 13, 7:00
Wednesday, December 15, 7:00
Thursday, December 16, 7:00
Friday, December 17, 4:00
Saturday, December 18, 1:30
Sunday, December 19, 5:00
Public Information: The Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019
Hours: Films are screened Wednesday-Monday. For screening schedules, please visit www.moma.org.
Film Admission: $10 adults; $8 seniors, 65 years and over with I.D. $6 full-time students with current I.D. (For admittance to film programs only.)
The price of a film ticket may be applied toward the price of a Museum admission ticket when a film ticket stub is presented at the Lobby Information Desk within 30 days of the date on the stub (does not apply during Target Free Friday Nights, 4:00–8:00 p.m.).
Admission is free for Museum members and for Museum ticketholders.
The public may call (212) 708-9400 for detailed Museum information. Visit us at www.moma.org
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MoMA ANNOUNCES THE CONTINUING FALL LINE-UP FOR THE
CONTEMPORASIAN FILM SERIES
MoMA Presents: ContemporAsian
October 6–11, 2010
November 22–29, 2010
December 13–19, 2010
@ the The Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters (MoMA-NYC)
New York, September 20, 2010--MoMA announces the fall line-up for its ongoing ContemporAsian series in The Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters, showcasing films that get little exposure outside of their home countries or on the international festival circuit, but which engage the various styles, histories, and changes in Asian cinema.
Presented in special weeklong engagements, the films in the series include recent independent gems by both new and established filmmakers whose work represent the rapidly transforming visual culture of the region.
ContemporAsian is organized by Jytte Jensen, Curator, Department of Film, The Museum of Modern Art, with William Phuan, independent curator.
The 2010 fall season continues with Soopum Sohn’s cleverly wrought super-natural thriller Make Yourself at Home (aka Fetish) (2008, US/Korea) in October; followed by Vimukthi Jayasundara’s second feature Ahasin wetei (Between Two Worlds) (2009, Sri Lanka/ France) in November, which mythically explores Sri Lanka’s bloody civil war; and in December the season finishes with Anocha Suwichakornpong’s Jao Nok Krajok (Mundane History) (2009, Thailand), a simple story of a male nurse caring for a young man with partial paralysis, that tackles grand and profound concepts.
SCREENING SCHEDULES
MoMA Presents: ContemporAsian - October through December 2010
October 6–11, 2010
Make Yourself at Home
(aka Fetish) 2008. Directed by Soopum Sohn. Written by Sohn and Margaret Monaghan.
With Song Hye-kye, Arno Frisch, and Athena Currey
Peter, a Korean-American returns home from a trip overseas with his beautiful and mysterious new wife, Sookhy, a marriage brokered in a brief visit to the homeland with help from his mother. When a terrible accident occurs, Sookhy is left a widow. After a series of bizarre outbursts, it becomes increasingly clear that the grieving Sookhy may not be as innocent as she appears. Rumored to be a shaman, Sookhy begins to assert herself, not only at home, but with the neighbors, as she fights to keep a piece of the American dream. In English and Korean; English subtitles. 90 min.
Wednesday, October 6, 6:00
Thursday, October 7, 7:00
Friday, October 8, 4:00
Saturday, October 9, 1:00
Sunday, October 10, 5:00
Monday, October 11, 4:00
November 22–29, 2010
Ahasin wetei (Between Two Worlds)
2009, Sri Lanka/ France. Written and directed by Vimukthi Jayasundara.
With Thusitha Laknath, Kaushalya Fernando, and Huang Lu
With his second feature, Jayasundara boldly continues the allegorical exploration of Sri Lanka’s bloody civil war that began with his Caméra d’Or–winning The Forsaken Land.
A man who apparently fell from the sky picks up a young woman and flees with her from a burning city into the countryside. From there, his travels through a mythic landscape full of astonishing sights and people become exceedingly menacing—and fraught with symbolic meaning. The tableau-like, episodic tale moves confidently between realism and ritual in scenes of stunning beauty: for example, a gorgeous musical number with strapping farm workers, a scene that wouldn’t be out of place in a Soviet agitprop film. Print courtesy Memento Films. In Sinhalese; English subtitles. 85 min
Monday, November 22, 7:00
Wednesday, November 24, 4:00
Friday, November 26, 4:00
Saturday, November 27, 2:00
Sunday, November 28, 5:30
Monday, November 29, 4:00
December 13–19, 2009
Jao Nok Krajok (Mundane History) 2009. Thailand. Written by Anocha Suwichakornpong.
Under the guise of a simple story of a male nurse looking after a young man with partial paralysis, Jao Nok Krajok takes on big themes like life, birth and the universe. At times hallucinogenic, meditative and mysterious, but never ponderous, the film drifts through the mundane, almost insignificant moments of everyday life, boldly suggesting that they all add up to something grand and profound yet. In Thai; English subtitles. 82 min.
Monday, December 13, 7:00
Wednesday, December 15, 7:00
Thursday, December 16, 7:00
Friday, December 17, 4:00
Saturday, December 18, 1:30
Sunday, December 19, 5:00
Public Information: The Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019
Hours: Films are screened Wednesday-Monday. For screening schedules, please visit www.moma.org.
Film Admission: $10 adults; $8 seniors, 65 years and over with I.D. $6 full-time students with current I.D. (For admittance to film programs only.)
The price of a film ticket may be applied toward the price of a Museum admission ticket when a film ticket stub is presented at the Lobby Information Desk within 30 days of the date on the stub (does not apply during Target Free Friday Nights, 4:00–8:00 p.m.).
Admission is free for Museum members and for Museum ticketholders.
The public may call (212) 708-9400 for detailed Museum information. Visit us at www.moma.org
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Press release
THE HOUSEMAID
Receives New York Premiere at MoMA's "Korean Film Today" series
Opens in February 2011 through IFC Films
IFC Films presents the stylish, sexy thriller THE HOUSEMAID, in which director Im Sang-soo (THE PRESIDENT'S LAST BANG) reimagines Kim Ki-young's classic 1960 film of the same name into the tale of an innocent young woman brought down by the wealthy family for which she works.
A favorite at Cannes and the recent Toronto Film Festival, THE HOUSEMAID will open in February 2011. It will also be featured as the opening night film of MoMA's upcoming series "Yeonghwa: Korean Film Today."
Eun-yi (2007 Cannes Best Actress winner Jeon Do-youn of SECRET SUNSHINE) is hired as a nanny in an impossibly lavish mansion by businessman Hoon (Lee Jung-jae) and his very pregnant wife Hae-ra (Seo Woo). When Hoon callously seduces the young maid, she becomes the unwitting victim in a battle of wills between him and the scheming women of the house—Hae-ra, her villainous mother (Park Ji-young), and their seemingly loyal but increasingly bitter housekeeper (Yun Yeo-jong).
Intensely erotic and fiendishly entertaining, THE HOUSEMAID builds to an unforgettable climax as Eun-yi tries to maintain her cunning to protect her sanity—and her life—from the ruthless vipers around her.
Featured in competition at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. Opens in the US in February 2011 through IFC Films. (IFC Films will also release SECRET SUNSHINE, starring Jeon Do-youn, in late Dec.)
107 minutes. In Korean with English subtitles. An IFC Films release. Unrated.
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THE HOUSEMAID
Receives New York Premiere at MoMA's "Korean Film Today" series
Opens in February 2011 through IFC Films
IFC Films presents the stylish, sexy thriller THE HOUSEMAID, in which director Im Sang-soo (THE PRESIDENT'S LAST BANG) reimagines Kim Ki-young's classic 1960 film of the same name into the tale of an innocent young woman brought down by the wealthy family for which she works.
A favorite at Cannes and the recent Toronto Film Festival, THE HOUSEMAID will open in February 2011. It will also be featured as the opening night film of MoMA's upcoming series "Yeonghwa: Korean Film Today."
Eun-yi (2007 Cannes Best Actress winner Jeon Do-youn of SECRET SUNSHINE) is hired as a nanny in an impossibly lavish mansion by businessman Hoon (Lee Jung-jae) and his very pregnant wife Hae-ra (Seo Woo). When Hoon callously seduces the young maid, she becomes the unwitting victim in a battle of wills between him and the scheming women of the house—Hae-ra, her villainous mother (Park Ji-young), and their seemingly loyal but increasingly bitter housekeeper (Yun Yeo-jong).
Intensely erotic and fiendishly entertaining, THE HOUSEMAID builds to an unforgettable climax as Eun-yi tries to maintain her cunning to protect her sanity—and her life—from the ruthless vipers around her.
Featured in competition at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. Opens in the US in February 2011 through IFC Films. (IFC Films will also release SECRET SUNSHINE, starring Jeon Do-youn, in late Dec.)
107 minutes. In Korean with English subtitles. An IFC Films release. Unrated.
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MoMA-NYC Presents: ContemporAsian on September 10–15, 2010
Press release
MoMA Presents: ContemporAsian
September 10-15, 2010
The Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters @ MoMA-NYC
Asian cinema is fast becoming a cinema without borders. ContemporAsian showcases films that get little exposure outside of their home countries or on the international festival circuit, but which engage the various styles, histories, and changes in Asian cinema.
Presented in special weeklong engagements, the films in the series include recent independent gems by both new and established filmmakers whose work represents the rapidly transforming visual culture of the region.
This season’s opening program features a rare selection of recent shorts made by four of Asian cinema’s most renowned directors, all of whom have received only limited visibility in the U.S., despite worldwide critical acclaim.
Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s A Letter to Uncle Boonmee (2009, Thailand/Great Britain/Germany), Tsai Ming-Liang’s Madam Butterfly (2008, Italy/Taiwan/France), Jia Zhangke’s Heshang aiqing (Cry Me a River) (2008, China/Spain/France), and Lost in the Mountains (2009, South Korea), directed by Hong Sang-soo.
These short films distill the particular styles and personal expression of their directors’ feature films, while using the short form to exemplary effect.
SCREENING SCHEDULES
MoMA Presents: ContemporAsian
September 10–15, 2010
A Letter to Uncle Boonmee
2009. Thailand/Great Britain/Germany. Directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul.
Made prior to the director’s 2010 Palme D’or–winning feature Loong Boonmee raleuk chat (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives), this short evokes the phantom history of Nabua, a city in northeastern Thailand, via a letter to a beloved uncle.
In Thai; English subtitles. 17 min.
Madam Butterfly
2008. Italy/Taiwan/France. Directed by Tsai Ming-Liang. With Pearlly Chua.
Created as part of the international Twenty Puccini Project, Tsai’s largely improvised piece follows Madam Butterfly into a chaotic Kuala Lumpur bus terminal.
In Malay; English subtitles. 36 min.
Heshang aiqing (Cry Me a River)
2008. China/Spain/France. Directed by Jia Zhangke. With Zhao Tao, Hao Lei, Guo Xiaodong, Wang Hongwei.
This perfect gem, shot in the city of Suzhou, is Jia’s homage to the Chinese classic Springtime in a Small Town (1948). When four former classmates (two ex-couples) meet to celebrate an old professor’s birthday, youthful dreams and attractions are met by the reality of grown up responsibilities and tradition.
In Mandarin; English subtitles. 19 min.
Lost in the Mountains
2009. South Korea. Directed by Hong Sang-soo
Hong rarely works in the short format, but this story of a writer visiting a friend and former lover is a treasure trove of the director’s trademark wry humor and brutal honesty.
In Korean; English subtitles. 30 min.
Friday, September 10, 8:00
Saturday, September 11, 7:30
Sunday, September 12, 5:00
Monday, September 13, 7:00
Wednesday, September 14, 4:00
Thursday, September 15, 8:00
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MoMA Presents: ContemporAsian
September 10-15, 2010
The Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters @ MoMA-NYC
Asian cinema is fast becoming a cinema without borders. ContemporAsian showcases films that get little exposure outside of their home countries or on the international festival circuit, but which engage the various styles, histories, and changes in Asian cinema.
Presented in special weeklong engagements, the films in the series include recent independent gems by both new and established filmmakers whose work represents the rapidly transforming visual culture of the region.
This season’s opening program features a rare selection of recent shorts made by four of Asian cinema’s most renowned directors, all of whom have received only limited visibility in the U.S., despite worldwide critical acclaim.
Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s A Letter to Uncle Boonmee (2009, Thailand/Great Britain/Germany), Tsai Ming-Liang’s Madam Butterfly (2008, Italy/Taiwan/France), Jia Zhangke’s Heshang aiqing (Cry Me a River) (2008, China/Spain/France), and Lost in the Mountains (2009, South Korea), directed by Hong Sang-soo.
These short films distill the particular styles and personal expression of their directors’ feature films, while using the short form to exemplary effect.
SCREENING SCHEDULES
MoMA Presents: ContemporAsian
September 10–15, 2010
A Letter to Uncle Boonmee
2009. Thailand/Great Britain/Germany. Directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul.
Made prior to the director’s 2010 Palme D’or–winning feature Loong Boonmee raleuk chat (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives), this short evokes the phantom history of Nabua, a city in northeastern Thailand, via a letter to a beloved uncle.
In Thai; English subtitles. 17 min.
Madam Butterfly
2008. Italy/Taiwan/France. Directed by Tsai Ming-Liang. With Pearlly Chua.
Created as part of the international Twenty Puccini Project, Tsai’s largely improvised piece follows Madam Butterfly into a chaotic Kuala Lumpur bus terminal.
In Malay; English subtitles. 36 min.
Heshang aiqing (Cry Me a River)
2008. China/Spain/France. Directed by Jia Zhangke. With Zhao Tao, Hao Lei, Guo Xiaodong, Wang Hongwei.
This perfect gem, shot in the city of Suzhou, is Jia’s homage to the Chinese classic Springtime in a Small Town (1948). When four former classmates (two ex-couples) meet to celebrate an old professor’s birthday, youthful dreams and attractions are met by the reality of grown up responsibilities and tradition.
In Mandarin; English subtitles. 19 min.
Lost in the Mountains
2009. South Korea. Directed by Hong Sang-soo
Hong rarely works in the short format, but this story of a writer visiting a friend and former lover is a treasure trove of the director’s trademark wry humor and brutal honesty.
In Korean; English subtitles. 30 min.
Friday, September 10, 8:00
Saturday, September 11, 7:30
Sunday, September 12, 5:00
Monday, September 13, 7:00
Wednesday, September 14, 4:00
Thursday, September 15, 8:00
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ContemporAsian: Ramchand Pakistani @ MoMA (NYC) for week-long run!
Press release
IN A WEEKLONG ENGAGEMENT AT MoMA, THE FILM
RAMCHAND PAKISTANI TELLS A TRAGIC STORY OF A
FAMILY ON THE INDIA-PAKISTAN BORDER
ContemporAsian:
Ramchand Pakistani
April 21-26, 2010 @ The Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters (MoMA-NYC)
NEW YORK, March 18, 2010-- Based on a true story, Ramchand Pakistani (2008), directed by Mehreen Jabbar, illustrates the political tensions between India and Pakistani through one family's tragic story.
In Ramchand Pakistani, an eight-year-old Pakistani boy accidentally crosses the border into India, and both he and his father are apprehended and thrown into an Indian jail. As they languish in prison for five years, the boy's mother, unaware of their whereabouts, struggles to build a new life by herself.
Based on actual events, Ramchand Pakistani portrays the absurd price exacted on an ordinary family who are haplessly caught in the political crossfire between India and Pakistan, while also exposing the religious and social discrimination faced by lower-caste families in Pakistan.
As part of the monthly exhibition ContemporAsian, MoMA showcases films that get little exposure outside of their home countries or on the international festival circuit, but which engage the various styles, histories, and changes in Asian cinema. Presented in special weeklong engagements, the films in the series include recent independent gems and little-seen classics.
The film screens at MoMA (NYC) from April 21 through 26, 2010, as part of the monthly film series ContemporAsian, organized by Jytte Jensen, Curator, Department of Film, with William Phuan, independent curator, and the assistance of Laura Rugarber, Department Assistant, Department of Film, The Museum of Modern Art.
Ramchand Pakistani. 2008. Pakistan. Directed by Mehreen Jabbar.
With Nandita Das, Rashid Farooqi, Syed Fazal Hussain.
In Urdu, Hindi; English subtitles. 103 min.
SCREENING SCHEDULE:
Wednesday, April 21, 7:00
Thursday, April 22, 4:00
Friday, April 23, 7:00
Saturday, April 24, 5:30
Sunday, April 25, 6:30
Monday, April 26, 1:30
IN A WEEKLONG ENGAGEMENT AT MoMA, THE FILM
RAMCHAND PAKISTANI TELLS A TRAGIC STORY OF A
FAMILY ON THE INDIA-PAKISTAN BORDER
ContemporAsian:
Ramchand Pakistani
April 21-26, 2010 @ The Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters (MoMA-NYC)
NEW YORK, March 18, 2010-- Based on a true story, Ramchand Pakistani (2008), directed by Mehreen Jabbar, illustrates the political tensions between India and Pakistani through one family's tragic story.
In Ramchand Pakistani, an eight-year-old Pakistani boy accidentally crosses the border into India, and both he and his father are apprehended and thrown into an Indian jail. As they languish in prison for five years, the boy's mother, unaware of their whereabouts, struggles to build a new life by herself.
Based on actual events, Ramchand Pakistani portrays the absurd price exacted on an ordinary family who are haplessly caught in the political crossfire between India and Pakistan, while also exposing the religious and social discrimination faced by lower-caste families in Pakistan.
As part of the monthly exhibition ContemporAsian, MoMA showcases films that get little exposure outside of their home countries or on the international festival circuit, but which engage the various styles, histories, and changes in Asian cinema. Presented in special weeklong engagements, the films in the series include recent independent gems and little-seen classics.
The film screens at MoMA (NYC) from April 21 through 26, 2010, as part of the monthly film series ContemporAsian, organized by Jytte Jensen, Curator, Department of Film, with William Phuan, independent curator, and the assistance of Laura Rugarber, Department Assistant, Department of Film, The Museum of Modern Art.
Ramchand Pakistani. 2008. Pakistan. Directed by Mehreen Jabbar.
With Nandita Das, Rashid Farooqi, Syed Fazal Hussain.
In Urdu, Hindi; English subtitles. 103 min.
SCREENING SCHEDULE:
Wednesday, April 21, 7:00
Thursday, April 22, 4:00
Friday, April 23, 7:00
Saturday, April 24, 5:30
Sunday, April 25, 6:30
Monday, April 26, 1:30
Promo DVD release
KIMSTIM RELEASES THREE TITLES
FROM ACCLAIMED PINKU DIRECTOR
TATSUMI KUMASHIRO
New York, NY - March 22, 2010 - Kino Lorber and KimStim are proud to release for the first time on DVD three films (Twisted Path of Love, Sayuri Ichijo: Following Desire, and Yakuza Justice: Erotic Code of Honor) from Japanese Pinku director Tatsumi Kumashiro, the acclaimed auteur behind Wet Lips (1972) and Wet Lust (1972).
Kumashiro achieved unprecedented box office and critical success during the 1970s. His film, Ichijo's Wet Lust (1972) was a major hit in his home country and featured Japan's most famous sex performer of the time, Sayuri Ichijo. She played the title role in the film and won the important Kinema Jumpo prize for best actress.
All three titles from this collection will become available on March 2, 2010, each with a SRP of $29.95.
Kumaashiro worked as an assistant director and screenwriter until he directed Front Row Life, in 1968. Hatsue Tonooka, the star of the film, eventually became Kumashiro's first wife, but his debut failed to ignite the Pinku box office. Yet, Front Row Life is now seen not only as the beginning not Kumashiro's career, but also the first of his many dozens of films centered on the world of female striptease.
Yakuza Justice: Erotic Code of Honor Monk Seigen grew up as a lonely child. Chaste and frustrated, he boldly steps out of his shell when he rescues Misako, the daughter of an area yakuza boss who was being abused by some local thugs. The two soon find themselves in a desperate race for their lives. In a shocking twist, Seigen learns that he might be related to Misako, plunging him into the dark abyss of criminality and sin.
With a screenplay by famed Zigeunerweisen writer Youzou Tanaka, Yakuza Justice: Erotic Code of Honor is one of director Kumashiro's most satisfying and visually unique works, ripe with strange yakuza and Buddhist customs, beautiful locations, and featuring a sordid and doomed love-hate relationship at its heart.
Japan / 1973 / 84 min. / 2.35:1 / color / in Japanese with English subtitles
Twisted Path of Love
On the run after killing a member of a notorious Tokyo yakuza, Katsu finds himself returning to his hometown, a small fishing village he hasn't seen in over five years. While he tries to keep his identity a secret, even from his own mother, he finds himself obsessed with Yuko, a surprisingly liberated woman and the owner of a local cinema. Unfortunately, Yuko is still involved with one of Katsu's former classmates.
A favorite of director Tatsumi Kumashiro, Twisted Path of Love contains stunning scenes of sexual liberation, including a masterful long take where the characters meet on sand dunes at dawn. It is one of the most famous examples of 70's pinku cinema.
Japan / 1973 / 76 min. / 2.35:1 / color / in Japanese with English subtitles
Sayuri Ichijo: Following Desire
An All About Eve take on the glamorous world of striptease dancers striving for professional perfection, Sayuri Ichijo: Following Desire is the first of director Tatsumi Kumashiro's films for Nikkatsu's so-called Roman Porn series.
Set in a variety theater in the center of Osaka, a young strip-tease artist, Harumi (Hiroko Isayama), has had enough of the lesbian act she performs with Mari, and is eager to start up her own joint. Unfortunately, her yakuza pimp, Isamu, will do anything to stop her. Later, the police charge her for "obscene exhibitionism" in a show she performs with famed real life Japanese strip queen Sayuri Ichijo.
Considered a masterpiece of Pink Cinema, Sayuri Ichijo: Following Desire is the film for which Isayama won the Best Actress of the year award from the prestigious Japanese film journal Kinema Jumpo.
Japan / 1972 / 70 min. / 2.35:1 / color / in Japanese with English subtitles The KimStim Collection
Distributed by Kino Lorber Inc.
KIMSTIM RELEASES THREE TITLES
FROM ACCLAIMED PINKU DIRECTOR
TATSUMI KUMASHIRO
New York, NY - March 22, 2010 - Kino Lorber and KimStim are proud to release for the first time on DVD three films (Twisted Path of Love, Sayuri Ichijo: Following Desire, and Yakuza Justice: Erotic Code of Honor) from Japanese Pinku director Tatsumi Kumashiro, the acclaimed auteur behind Wet Lips (1972) and Wet Lust (1972).
Kumashiro achieved unprecedented box office and critical success during the 1970s. His film, Ichijo's Wet Lust (1972) was a major hit in his home country and featured Japan's most famous sex performer of the time, Sayuri Ichijo. She played the title role in the film and won the important Kinema Jumpo prize for best actress.
All three titles from this collection will become available on March 2, 2010, each with a SRP of $29.95.
Kumaashiro worked as an assistant director and screenwriter until he directed Front Row Life, in 1968. Hatsue Tonooka, the star of the film, eventually became Kumashiro's first wife, but his debut failed to ignite the Pinku box office. Yet, Front Row Life is now seen not only as the beginning not Kumashiro's career, but also the first of his many dozens of films centered on the world of female striptease.
Yakuza Justice: Erotic Code of Honor Monk Seigen grew up as a lonely child. Chaste and frustrated, he boldly steps out of his shell when he rescues Misako, the daughter of an area yakuza boss who was being abused by some local thugs. The two soon find themselves in a desperate race for their lives. In a shocking twist, Seigen learns that he might be related to Misako, plunging him into the dark abyss of criminality and sin.
With a screenplay by famed Zigeunerweisen writer Youzou Tanaka, Yakuza Justice: Erotic Code of Honor is one of director Kumashiro's most satisfying and visually unique works, ripe with strange yakuza and Buddhist customs, beautiful locations, and featuring a sordid and doomed love-hate relationship at its heart.
Japan / 1973 / 84 min. / 2.35:1 / color / in Japanese with English subtitles
Twisted Path of Love
On the run after killing a member of a notorious Tokyo yakuza, Katsu finds himself returning to his hometown, a small fishing village he hasn't seen in over five years. While he tries to keep his identity a secret, even from his own mother, he finds himself obsessed with Yuko, a surprisingly liberated woman and the owner of a local cinema. Unfortunately, Yuko is still involved with one of Katsu's former classmates.
A favorite of director Tatsumi Kumashiro, Twisted Path of Love contains stunning scenes of sexual liberation, including a masterful long take where the characters meet on sand dunes at dawn. It is one of the most famous examples of 70's pinku cinema.
Japan / 1973 / 76 min. / 2.35:1 / color / in Japanese with English subtitles
Sayuri Ichijo: Following Desire
An All About Eve take on the glamorous world of striptease dancers striving for professional perfection, Sayuri Ichijo: Following Desire is the first of director Tatsumi Kumashiro's films for Nikkatsu's so-called Roman Porn series.
Set in a variety theater in the center of Osaka, a young strip-tease artist, Harumi (Hiroko Isayama), has had enough of the lesbian act she performs with Mari, and is eager to start up her own joint. Unfortunately, her yakuza pimp, Isamu, will do anything to stop her. Later, the police charge her for "obscene exhibitionism" in a show she performs with famed real life Japanese strip queen Sayuri Ichijo.
Considered a masterpiece of Pink Cinema, Sayuri Ichijo: Following Desire is the film for which Isayama won the Best Actress of the year award from the prestigious Japanese film journal Kinema Jumpo.
Japan / 1972 / 70 min. / 2.35:1 / color / in Japanese with English subtitles The KimStim Collection
Distributed by Kino Lorber Inc.
Hirokazu Kore-eda's STILL WALKING Opens on August 28th! - (2009/Tribeca/Toronto'08)
STILL WALKING
Opens on Friday, August 28, 2009
STILL WALKING, the masterful new family drama from reknowned filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda (AFTER LIFE, NOBODY KNOWS). A moving and incisive portrayal of the ties that bind parents and their adult children, the film was a favorite of the Toronto and Tribeca film festivals and will open on Friday, August 28 at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and Angelika Film Center, with a national release to follow. It will also be available nationwide on IFC Films’ video on demand platform, available to over 50 million homes in all major markets.
Every summer, the Yokoyama clan gathers at the family’s seaside home to commemorate beloved eldest son Junpei, who drowned 15 years earlier. Surviving son Ryota (Hiroshi Abe) has brought his new wife and her child to meet with his eternally disapproving parents, attempting to hide the fact that he is currently unemployed.
Patriarch Kyohei (Yoshio Harada) is an unhappily retired doctor, resentful to be participating in this annual ritual. Matriarch Toshiko (Kirin Kiki) busies herself with food preparation and chitchat in an attempt to hide her frustrations and anger, while sister Chinami (Japanese pop star You) tries to relieve the tension with sheer perkiness.
Over the course of one hot, languorous day, they will tolerate each other’s company and attempt to salvage long-broken connections, if only for a few hours.
With a subtle balance of gentle humor and wistful sorrow, STILL WALKING is a domestic portrait with a fastidious eye to personal detail, deftly portraying just how precious—and how annoying—family can be.
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114 minutes. In Japanese with English subtitles.
An IFC Films release. Unrated.
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NOW PLAYING in select USA theaters!!!
November 27, 2009
CC Tivoli Theatre (Downers Grove,IL)
HELD OVER
The Screen (Santa Fe,NM)
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(Festival release) PRETTY TO THINK SO - Asian cinema MADE IN THE USA - [Direct-to-DVD]
Publicity release
PRETTY TO THINK SO
Available on DVD December 22, 2009
AAIFF08 selection Pretty To Think So will be available on DVD starting December 22.
Buy it on Amazon or rent it from Netflix.
Pretty To Think So centers on the story of Hanna. Life is unexpectedly on the upswing when Hanna, an investment banker recently laid-off during the Internet bust of 2000, falls in love with Jiwon, a brash and successful attorney. Her world begins to crumble, however, when she discovers that one of Jiwon's clients is her childhood friend, Alex, and she must choose between Jiwon and Alex, with whom she shares a deep, tragic connection.
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PRETTY TO THINK SO
Available on DVD December 22, 2009
AAIFF08 selection Pretty To Think So will be available on DVD starting December 22.
Buy it on Amazon or rent it from Netflix.
Pretty To Think So centers on the story of Hanna. Life is unexpectedly on the upswing when Hanna, an investment banker recently laid-off during the Internet bust of 2000, falls in love with Jiwon, a brash and successful attorney. Her world begins to crumble, however, when she discovers that one of Jiwon's clients is her childhood friend, Alex, and she must choose between Jiwon and Alex, with whom she shares a deep, tragic connection.
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