Cannes

[GeneChing]

Seeing as we discuss Asian Film Festivals, and given DF's post on Vengeance this year, it's time we got a thread devoted strictly to Cannes.

China's Shu Qi among Cannes Jury
Chinese film star Shu Qi will have a say in deciding this year's winner of the world's biggest film festival.

The Taiwan-born actress is part of the eight-member jury panel that was announced on Thursday by the 62nd Cannes International Film Festival.

French actress Isabelle Huppert, a two-time best actress award winner at Cannes, will lead the panel. Other jury members include Italian actress, director and screenwriter Asia Argento; Nuri Bilge Ceylan, a Turkish director, screenwriter and actor; Lee Chang-dong, a director from South Korea; American director James Gray; British writer Hanif Kureishi; and Robin Wright Penn, an American actress.

The jury will decide the winner for the coveted Golden Palm, the top prize of the Cannes festival.

This will not be Shu Qi's first appearance in Cannes. She was there in 2005, when her film "Three Times", directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien, was nominated for that year's Golden Palm.

Besides Shu Qi, actress Zhang Ziyi is another Chinese judge at this year's festival. Zhang is among the five-member jury that will select the winner of the award for best short film.

The festival runs May 13-24.

[Shaolinlueb]

shu qi is award winning actress.

but she looks hot naked

[GeneChing]

Werewolf Erotica and Kung Fu Cyborg sound good.

Asian films a powerful presence in Cannes
Jill Lawson, Associated Press
Friday, May 22, 2009

(05-22) 04:00 PDT Cannes, France -- Asian movies, once a rarity in Cannes, are lighting up the film festival this year.

Six of 20 films competing for the top prize at this year's fest are from Asian filmmakers, offering everything from troubled gay lovers to a vengeful father to a vampire priest.

Palme d'Or contenders include romantic tragedy "Spring Fever," by China's Lou Ye; vampire morality tale "Thirst" by South Korea's Park Chan-wook; and revenge thriller "Vengeance" by Hong Kong's Johnnie To.

Other Asian films competing for the prize are graphic crime shocker "Kinatay" by Brillante Mendoza of the Philippines, and "Visage," the story of a Taiwanese director trying to make a movie in Paris, by Taiwan's Tsai Ming-Liang. Taiwan-born Ang Lee, who brought "The Ice Storm" to Cannes in 1997, is back with U.S.-set hippie homage "Taking Woodstock."

"Thirty or 40 years ago the Asian presence was not so important," said festival director Thierry Frémaux. "Little by little, step by step in recent years, we have opened the festival to Asia - not only Japan, but China, Hong Kong, Thailand, the Philippines.

Only a handful of Asian directors have won the top prize in Cannes' 62-year history, almost all of them Japanese. Just over half this year's competition films are by Europeans, and just one by an American - Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds."

Many observers credit inventive Japanese horror films like 1998's "Ring" - remade in Hollywood with Naomi Watts a few years later - with whetting the international appetite for Asian cinema and encouraging Asian filmmakers to seek an international audience.

That's reflected in a slew of Asian genre movies, with titles like "Werewolf Erotica" and "Kung Fu Cyborg," hoping to find buyers in the Cannes market, where hundreds of films from around the world are bought and sold.

Park's metaphysical monster movie "Thirst" was made with the backing of Hollywood studio Universal Pictures - a first for a Korean film.

"The world is discovering that the Asian film community is producing good films, and their reaction has been positive," said Park, whose previous films include bloody chiller "Oldboy."

"In turn, these positive reactions are helping the Asian film community produce better and better films."

[Jimbo]

I'd be esp. interested in seeing Thirst and Werewolf Erotica. I'm curious if a story about werewolves will be done well in Asian cinema. So far, the very few depictions of werewolves I've seen in Asian films (1 Japanese and 1 Phillipines film) were very poor.

It's great to see that acceptance of Asian cinema is growing at Cannes.

[doug maverick]

from what im hearing from friends over there is that inglorious basterds, tarrintino's new flick, sucks....thats sad, QT is slipping or maybe he never really had it. heard good things about thirst...nothing on the werewolf thing thou.

[GeneChing]

What a dress! I'm not really a fan of Z but that dress might convert me.
Cannes Closing Night click for pix

Also Park Chan-wook's "Thirst" won the Jury Prize, posted in our vampire thread.

[Shaolinlueb]

from what im hearing from friends over there is that inglorious basterds, tarrintino's new flick, sucks....thats sad, QT is slipping or maybe he never really had it. heard good things about thirst...nothing on the werewolf thing thou.

im going with NEVER REALLY HAD IT!!!!

HA, QT he has made 100% garbage.

[doug maverick]

im going with NEVER REALLY HAD IT!!!!

HA, QT he has made 100% garbage.

anybody who has ever seen jackie brown cant really say that. and kill bill vol 1 was good too.

[Shaolinlueb]

anybody who has ever seen jackie brown cant really say that. and kill bill vol 1 was good too.

KB volume 1 was good. that is the only movie i can watch. have not had a chance to see jackie brown yet. but i will check it out because you said so.

[Jimbo]

Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Jackie Brown are his best, and quite good, IMO. I thought Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction were just okay; I can see how so many people liked them, but I didn't really. And I know that Death Proof is a bad movie, but I kinda enjoyed the last 20 minutes or so of it. But overall, I really don't like QT (or should I say, his work). Too self-indulgent and wants to put his name on everything.

[doug maverick]

well i dont know about put his name on everything. the only credit he usually gets is as director and sometimes producer...if you want to look at someone who puts his name on everything look at QTs best buddy robert rodriguez. i mean even if he does do all of it, i mean got ****, **** you even gotta put your name on the catering..

[Shaolinlueb]

yeah but robert rodriguez makes movies i watch over and over. dusk till dawn, planet terror, sin city (2 and 3 coming out too btw), once upon a time in mexico, desperado, el mariachi, heck i enjoyed spy kids & shark boy and lavagirl 3-d too lol.

[GeneChing]

Anyone seen The Collector?

Cannes 2012: U.S. and Malaysia Duo Pact to Bring Martial Arts to Market
3:08 AM PDT 5/17/2012 by Stuart Kemp


The Collector
U.S. outfit Birch Tree Entertainment and Malaysia's Astro Shaw seal a deal to produce and distribute movies with James Lee's "The Collector" debuting at the Marche du Film.

CANNES - Buyers looking to chop up some martial arts fun are to be enticed by the latest American and Asian company alliance.

U.S. action film stable Birch Tree Entertainment and Malaysia's Astro Shaw production banner have inked a deal to produce and distribute a slate of martial arts action films.

Birch Tree will handle worldwide sales for Astro Shaw’s action films beginning with The Collector, Apokalips X and Crash through the deal.

The Collector unites director James Lee and martial arts stuntman Sunny Pang and marks its market debut during the Marche du Film alongside Apokalips X, a post-apocalyptic FX actioner, marking the action debut of director Mamat Khalid.

The two companies are in development on a further slate of martial arts action films with trio of titles to begin production in Malaysia in 2012.

Astro Shaw will produce with Birch Tree distributing.

"Malaysia has a strong tradition of action filmmaking and Birch Tree will ensure the world experiences this tradition,” said Birch Tree president and CEO Art Birzneck. “The production resources of Astro Shaw and Birch Tree’s experience and connections in the international action marketplace will make our companies an unstoppable team.”

“Astro Shaw looks forward to working with Birch Tree Entertainment to introduce our action films to the international marketplace. Our production team headed by Imillya Irwani will work closely with Art Birzneck to ensure that we provide the worldwide marketplace with high quality, high concept action films that appeal to the international audience,” added Astro Shaw vice president Gayatri Su-lin Pillai.

The aim of the pact is do feed the perceived global appetite for high concept, high quality action films with marital arts at the heart, with the companies pointing to the success of the Ong-Bak franchise, District B13 and most recently The Raid: Redemption.

[GeneChing]

See Jackie's retiring from action films comment at Cannes here.

Also working it at Cannes:
Wu Dang
Painted Skin 2

Jackie Chan and Fan Bingbing to Attend Cannes' Film China Night
2012-05-16 13:12:24 Chinese Films

Jackie Chan and Fan Bingbing cover magazine.

The Film China Night – co-hosted by CCTV-6 and the organizing committee of the 65th Cannes International Film Festival – will be held in France tomorrow. Some of China's biggest movie stars will be attending the event, according to a report on Xinhuanet.com.

Jackie Chan, Fan Bingbing, Zhou Xun and Gu Changwei are expected to be present at the film event, along with other popular Chinese actors such as Yang Mi, Tong Dawei and Feng Shaofeng.

With the rapid growth of the Chinese film industry, there is increasing demand in foreign film markets for more Chinese films. The Film China Night at Cannes has become a platform for the international promotion of China's domestic productions.

Two films from this year's event have caught the attention of international media: the action adventure film, "Fuchun Mountain," and "Painted Skin 2," a supernatural fantasy movie about a demon becoming human.

This year's Film China Night includes a fireworks display and traditional Chinese dance performances.

By Chen Nan

[GeneChing]

...this is mostly for the Z fans on our board.

Cannes 2012: Chinese Remake of 'Dangerous Liaisons' With Zhang Ziyi Sold to Multiple Territories
8:00 AM PDT 5/25/2012 by Stuart Kemp


Zhang Ziyi
Francois Duran/Getty Images
Asian stars Zhang Ziyi, Jang Dong-gun, Cecilia Cheung, Shawn Dou and Lisa Lu star in the movie that had its world premiere in Directors' Fortnight in Cannes.

Hur Jin-ho's romantic thriller Dangerous Liaisons is selling well across Asia with multiple deals struck for the Chinese-backed movie.

Easternlight, the Asian arm of Arclight Films, inked the deals for the film whose cast reads like a who's who of global Asian talent including Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), Jang Dong-gun (The Promise), Cecilia Cheung (Shaolin Soccer), Shawn Dou (The Flowers of War) and Lisa Lu (2012).

Hur's film moves the setting of the French literature classic to 1930s Shanghai. Stephen Frears directed the 1988 film version of Dangerous Liaisons, starring Glenn Close, John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer and based on Christopher Hampton's stage adaptation of the book.

The new film, which had its world premiere in Directors' Fortnight during the Cannes Film Festival, is produced by Zonbo Media and will be distributed by Zonbo in China.

Global sales and finance banner Easternlight said the film has been sold to Shaw Media (Singapore), Logo (Thailand), PT Amero Mitra (Indonesia), Galaxy Studios (Vietnam)and San Chi (Taiwan).

Airline rights have been corralled by Entertainment in Motion, Easternlight said.

“With such an exciting and welcoming reception from audiences in Cannes that include buyers, media and the public alike, we are optimistic about the international commercial success of Dangerous Liaisons and look forward to what’s to come,” said Easternlight managing director Ying Ye.

Cannes deals aplenty for Asian distributors
By Patrick Frater
Tue, 29 May 2012, 07:30 AM (HKT)
Sales News

South Korean sales agency Finecut licensed Cannes competition film In Another Country (pictured) to Kino Lorber for the US, Diaphana Distribution for France, Golem Distribucion for Spain, Strada Films for Greece and Cyprus, Bitters End for Japan, Providence Filmes for Brazil, and Mantarraya Producciones for Mexico. The film was directed by Cannes regular Hong Sang-soo.

Emperor Motion Pictures acquired Hunger Games 2 (from Lionsgate- Summit) for release in Hong Kong though its alliance with lark Films. It also pre-bought Mortal Instruments (Constantin Film, Sony Pictures Entertainment) and the Lasse Hallstrom-directed Swedish-lanbguage detective thriller The Hypnotist (Svensk Filmindustri).

IFC Midnight bought North American rights to the other Korean film in competition at Cannes, The Taste Of Money. The film is represented for international sales by Daisy Entertainment. "The Taste of Money is director Im Sang-soo's most decadent and sensual film yet, while also a smart commentary on the lives of the rich and famous," Jonathan Sehring, president of Sundance Selects/IFC Films.

Sydney- and LA-based Arclight Films sold Shadow People to Anchor Bay Films for North America, the UK and Australia/NZ. The supernatural thriller is the directorial debut of Matthew Arnold and was produced by Michael Ohoven's Infinity Films.

Easternlight, the Asian offshoot of Arclight, signed multiple deals on Dangerous Liaisons its Chinese remake of the French classic. It sold the film to Shaw Media for Singapore, Logo for Thailand, PT Amero Mitra for Indonesia, Galaxy Studios for Vietnam and San Chi for Taiwan. Airline rights were sold to Entertainment in Motion.

French-UK sales company Pathe International sold Denis Villeneuve's psychological thriller An Enemy, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Isabella Rossellini to Thailand (M Pictures), South Korea (Noori), and Indonesia (PT Amero). Pathe sold Christophe Honore's Beauty and the Beast, starring Vincent Cassel, Léa Seydoux and Gérard Depardieu to South Korea (Unikorea) and Indonesia (PT Amero). Pathe's Sophie Marceau-starring romantic comedy Happiness Never Comes Alone was acquired by Hong Kong (Deltamac) and Thailand (M Pictures). Pathe also siged a deal with Japan's CCC for Omid Nooshin's thriller Last Passenger.

Sahamongkolfilm International scored a string of deals with its erotic drama Jan Dara (sourced from the same material as Nonzee Nimibutr's 2001 film of the same title). The ML Pantewanop Devakula-directed film was sold to Korea (Daisy & Cinergy), Hong Kong (Edko Films), Singapore (Clover Films), Taiwan (Applause) and the Philippines (Pioneer). It stars Rhatha Phongam (Only God Forgives), Mario Maurer and Japanese adult video performer Nishino Sho.

Asian-American thriller The Girl From the Naked Eye was sold by Naedomi Media to Archstone Distribution for North American theatrical release. The film is directed by David Ren and stars Jason Yee, Ron Yuan, Dominique Swain, Samantha Streets and Sasha Grey. it was written by Larry Madill, Ren and Yee. It is expected to be released in key cities through an arrangement with cinema giant AMC.