May 6, 2024
The Far East Film Festival (FEFF) in Italy’s Udine has unveiled the full line-up for its 26th edition, which will honor Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou with an honorary award and world premiere restored versions of his Raise The Red Lantern and To Live. By: K Dass
Italy - The Far East Film Festival
(FEFF) in Udine, Italy, has unveiled the full line-up for its 26th edition,
which will honor Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou with an honorary award and world
premiere restored versions of his films Raise The Red Lantern and To
Live.
The festival will open with a double bill featuring
two box office hits.
YOLO: A Chinese film directed by Jia
Ling, which dominated this year’s Lunar New Year releases, grossing $484
million in China. The story revolves around an unemployed woman in her 30s
whose life changes when she meets a boxing coach.
Citizen Of A Kind: A South
Korean action-comedy directed by Park Young-ju, which has also been a local box
office hit.
Zhang Yimou’s Honors
Zhang Yimou will receive the Golden Mulberry Award for
lifetime achievement on the closing night of the festival. The festival will
feature the world premiere of a 4K restoration of Zhang’s 1994 drama To Live,
which won three prizes at Cannes and a BAFTA.
Additionally, a 4K restoration of his 1991 period
drama Raise The Red Lantern will also have its world premiere at FEFF. Zhang
Yimou’s latest political thriller, Under The Light, will receive its
international premiere in competition at the festival.
Taiwanese producer Chiu Fu-sheng, known for producing
films like A City of Sadness, The Puppet master, and The Mission,
will also receive a Golden Mulberry Award for lifetime achievement.
The festival will screen a total of 74 Asian films
from 11 countries, including 15 world premieres. This year’s edition will focus
on young directors who are telling local stories with a global appeal. Notable
films include:
Time Still Turns The Pages (Hong Kong)
The Midsummer’s Voice (China)
18x2 Beyond Youthful Days (Taiwan-Japan
co-production)
Mimang (South Korea)
Motion Picture: Choke (Japan)
After last year’s festival documented the cultural and
economic consequences of the pandemic, this year’s FEFF aims to highlight the
gradual recovery of the industry.
The festival celebrates the resilience of young
directors who are shaping the future of Asian cinema.