The sixth edition of CinemAsia kicks off on 1 April in Amsterdam. The festival offers a broad and surprising overview of films from Asia. Ranging from anime from Japan to a documentary about Indonesian action films or a contemporary Filipino relationship comedy. Culture Press dove into the programme ahead of time.
In itself, of course, there is plenty to choose from when you look at all those prolific studios in China, Japan, South Korea, as well as Indonesia and the Philippines. Often, however, those films are meant for the home market or end up at an international film festival where they can only be seen a few times. For a true cinephile, CinemAsia is therefore a great opportunity to experience what is being produced on the other side of the world.
Action from the east
Take, for example, the documentary Garuda Power which paints a picture of eighty years of Indonesian action films. A genre that rarely gets attention in the West, but attracts millions of people to cinemas there. In Bastian Meiresonne's docu, he shows how film culture in Indonesia gradually developed from cheap imitator of successful trends to a full-fledged and professional industry.
Wavering and falling in love in the Philippines
Shift is about call centre worker Estela who dreams of a successful career as a singer-songwriter, but is stuck in a creative slump. When she meets the engaging Trevor, she is inspired again, but also a little bit in love. However, Trevor falls for men which makes Estella doubt her feelings. Shift presents a contemporary view of the Philippines and the plight of creative twenty-somethings. A side of the Philippines that is underexposed but will be recognisable despite cultural differences.
Bold and Korean
South Korea has built a solid reputation as a film culture in recent years. Besides idiosyncratic directors who go their own way like Lee Chang-dong or Hong Sang-soo, the country also makes good and surprising genre films. Director Kim Jee-Woo Kim is a good example of that trend and two of his films are running at CinemAsia. The violent but original gangster film A Bittsersweet Life and the bizarre and disorienting horror film A Tale of two Sisters. Producer and special guest of the festival Oh Jung-Wan will introduce the films and talk about the unique position of the South Korean film industry.
The CinemAsia festival will take place from 1 to 6 April at film theatre Kriterion. The festival will then show some films in The Hague, Eindhoven and Rotterdam. For more information, visit http://cinemasia.nl/
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