East Winds Preview


By Mihnea Gheorghita


East Winds comes with four European


premiere, a UK premiere, two retrospectives and an impressive guest list. The second edition of the festival opens


with the 2007 Miki Satoshi film ‘Adrift in Tokyo’, telling the story of the simplicity of human life and the complicated nature of human emotion. Having set the mood for one of the festival’s retrospectives, dedicated to the Japanese film-maker, the festival features two other films by Miki Satoshi: ‘Turtles are Surprisingly Fast Swimmers’, a quirky comedy about an ‘ordinary’ housewife who meets a couple of seemingly ‘ordinary’ spies; and the UK premiere of ‘In the Pool’, an odd story where conventional neuroses meet unconventional therapy. Established Hong Kong film-maker


Herman Yau, the subject of the second festival retrospective, comes to East Winds with two European premieres. ‘Woman Knight of Mirror Lake’, a biopic about one of China’s heroines, Qiu Jin, and ‘True Women for Sale’, the story about the survival of two women in the landscape of Hong Kong society.


Hot on the heels of the South Korean Miki Satoshi


The comedy of Miki Satoshi is a world-view changing experience. It makes one value the things and people they have. In the spirit of ‘The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill But Came Down A Mountain’, the director always aims to show how something little and insignificant can have a huge influence on one’s life. It could be an idea, an image, a thought, a pharaoh-like machine, which produces a picture of a future husband; or a bunch of junk that someone regards as antiques. It could matter to nobody. But if it matters to one,


Asia Exposure, Issue 3


blockbuster hit ‘The Chaser’, Hong-jin Na’s second feature ‘The Yellow Sea’ is an equally breathless and high-speed action film about a man trapped in the crossfire between the police, the South Korean mob and the Chinese mafia. Yuya Ishii, director of comedy ‘Sawako


Decides’, presents a film about unexpected friendships and the mysterious nature of helping others in ‘Mitsuko Delivers’. ‘Bloodtraffick’, an 11-minute action film by Jennifer Thym tells the story of a female vigilante on a quest of revenge in a war between angels and vampires. The closing film of the festival is a simple


story about the innocence of youth and the magical moments of yesterday. ‘Starry Starry Night’, is a co-production from China and Taiwan, directed by the young Tom Lin.


they need to let it guide them in life.


Miki Satoshi’s humour


is everything but conventional. His comedies are a mix of funny sitiations, deep characters and non-standard ideas and they are always unexpected - his films take turns all the time. But they also have a


moral in them. From his first movie


‘In the Pool’ to ‘Instant Swamp’, Miki Satoshi has presented his audience with films that are truly one of a kind with their fresh perspective and unconventional view on life.


‘STARRY STARRY NIGHT’ (2011) A Van Gogh classic and a


very popular illustrated novel by Jimmy Liao serve as inspiration for director Tom Lin in a project that is all set to skyrocket him into the spotlights of worldwide cinema. A story about fantasy,


friendship and growing up, ‘Starry Starry Night’ depicts the world through the eyes of 13-years old Mei, a loveable character played by newcomer Jiao Xu. Like most kids her age, Mei escapes the real world and its problems by accessing her own flawless fantasy. She finds a kindred


spirit in Lee, a boy that had just transferred to her school. When her parents agree on a divorce, young Mei - along with newfound friend Lee - decides to run off in the pursuit of ultimate happiness. Director Lin manages


to capture a limitless spectre of emotion and colour through the eyes of innocence in a coming- of-age fantasy film that has already distinguished itself among Taiwan’s top titles.


Page 4


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12