Japan, China, Korea to feature at 10th Asian film fest
DEAUVILLE, France (AFP) — Japan, China and Korea will feature strongly among the some 50 shorts and feature-length movies to be shown at the 10th Asian film festival, director Bruno Barde said Saturday.
"We are paying tribute to the oldies, because the first film was made in Japan in 1896, in China in 1905 and in Korea in 1919," said Barde ahead of the opening of the festival in seaside Deauville next week.
The festival, which styles itself a mirror of Asia in Europe, opens with "Beyond the Years", by South Korean director Im Kwon-Taek, who at the age of 71 has made a total of 100 films.
Released last year, it tells of a teenager who flees a demanding but artistic stepfather.
The Japanese contribution honours Joe Hisaishi, who composed the music for some 40 movies, including for directors Takeshi Kitano and Hayao Miyazaki, and actor Koji Yakusho.
For China the spotlight is on Jia Zhangke, one of the new generation of Chinese directors, and the multi-talented actor Jiang Wen, described by Barde as "the Chinese Marlon Brando".
Eleven feature films will be in competition -- two each from China, South Korea and Thailand, and one each from Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.
The jury is headed by French director Patrice Chereau.
