The schedule is out and I can only hope to get the time to see some of the many interesting titles. Even though it doesn’t look like his best work I’ll never pass up the chance to see a Wisit Sasanatieng film. And I adored Royston Tan’s “15” so I’m looking forward to seeing “881” - what’s with all the number titles? Anything else I should put on my “not-to-be-missed” list?

SFIAAFF 2008

Well, I would want to see the new films by HOU Hsiao Hsien and HUR Jin-ho -- as neither has disappointed me yet.

Yamashita's "Gentle Brreeze in the Village" is a very nice film -- not as much a favorite as his "Linda Linda Linda", but still worth seeing (if you don't mind a gentle-natured film about children -- with little in the way of any adult presence).

I'm a Cyborg is endearingly insane, and Wings of Defeat is a fascinating and quite touching look at a subject that hasn't really been widely explored (as far as I'm aware).

I liked Home Song Stories a lot, it is a bit dramatic/melodramatic but it sure has heart and a brilliant lead performance.


When it was shown at a festival here a viewer complained about the excess of the film and asked the director why he didn't tone it down a bit (Turkish viewers are weird like that), the director replied that he wished that it was less dramatic himself but it is a true story of his life so he preferred to put it out there as it was.

Hello Jennifer (and everyone else),

Festival film-going is a slightly different experience than first run or repertory film-going and there's a small group of strategies I employ whenever I attend screenings at the former. I've used the following principles at festivals in North America, Europe, and Asia all to good effect. Indeed, I have found them to optimise my enjoyment of the proceedings immeasurably.

1) Try not to attend films that are already out on DVD or that will likely get a DVD release. One of the neat thing about festivals is that they show films that will never appear anywhere else--including other festivals. Try to catch these passing items (some may turn out to be true gems.) They tend to be short films, omnibus ones, documentaries, and the like. I personally am a big fan of short films and for my money, festivals short film selections cater to this need irrespective of personal tastes and preferences.

2) What are your language skills? I try to attend films where I do *not* comprehend the language spoken. I like to see something new to my present sensibility--including the various non-English languages I can write and think in--and film's a great way to do that. Yes, one is reading subtitles, but often one comes across a different perspective in the process of following an unfamiliar culture presented on film.

3) Are you going with friends with certain cultural backgrounds? Bollywood movies are fun but they're awesome if you go with a handful of Indian friends and bookend the show with a curry. Great South Korean films become even better if you you have BBQ and soju with a Korean crew. And so on. If you've got a group of close-knit mates with a neat cultural perspective to enjoy the movie, then dinner and a movie often turns out to be a winning combination.

4) Q&A's are often fun and informative. With the right crowd and atmosphere, they can even be life changing and thoroughly illuminating. Good filmmakers are also good craftsmen/artisans; whenever you interact with someone who is operating on a very high level, the insight gleamed can be astonishing. Unfortunately, though, some marquee names tend to be poncy and self-important. Mileage can vary greatly among viewers.

All of that noted, I have two recommendations. First, the films of the the late Edward Yang are really worth seeing since both "A Brighter Summer's Day" and "The Terrorisers" are considered masterpieces by a bunch of high-brow film critics (for those of you that put much stock in such things.) I, however, recommend them for the simple fact that it's hard to see these films with English subtitles. If you don't speak or read Chinese, it's hard to come across the two off the festival circuit. Additionally, "Summer's Day" is only available on VCD, which poorly serves the film.

Second, although I tend to favour the arthouse--if Marcel Carne's "Children of Paradise" is playing, I will change my diary for the day to fit the screening--nothing beats seeing a movie with an accommodating crowd. Call it zeitgeist or whatnot. Owing to the election year (and attending GWOT issues) and possible area youth audience, the "Harold and Kumar" movie would be a lot of fun to attend and probably talk about on the way to drinks.