Asian Connection
This year's film selection from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan and Indonesia.
In this year's Asian series, Japanese films are most fully represented, with both the tightly-packed earthquake drama, 'Himizu', the minimalist teenage-conflict drama in 'Recreation', and the brutal, hopeless passion towards the film medium of 'Cut'. Korean film is also present, with the claustrophobic, family portrait of 'Choked', and Kim-ki Duk's semi-documentary video-diary, 'Arirang', where the master director turns the camera on himself, his cat and the impossible creative process.
In the adventure department, we have the hyper-choreographed, kung-fu fantasy, complete with snake demons and romance, 'The Sorcerer and the White Snake', from Hong Kong, and the Indonesian magic-realist, coming-of-age fable of 'Postcards From the Zoo'. From China, there is the fascinating period piece from the cultural revolution, '11 Flowers'. Taiwan gives us the colorful and energetic 'Jump Ashin!', and Thailand is represented by the existential film-noir, 'Headshot'. Welcome to a film continent in constant flux.
