Aside for the NETWORK OF ASIAN FANTASTIC FILMS project market that Ming Jin and I was attending. Ming Jin was also at Puchon International Film Fest for the screening of the film SERU (known as RESURRECTION outside Malaysia), which was making its second festival screening after Udine Far East Film Festival back in April.
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Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival 2011 Day 1
Yesterday, I took a morning flight to Seoul to attend the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival. Ming Jin's new project THE FORGIVEN has been selected for this edition's NAFF (Network of Asian Fantastic Films). NAFF is a project market, like Hong Kong's HAF, which selects projects in development by filmmakers and allow them to pitch to possible co-producers and financiers in one-on-one meetings. I'm attached to the project as producer.
As usual, I didn't sleep the night before because it's a morning flight and I had to take a 5am train to the Tokyo City Air Terminal to catch a bus to Narita Airport. The journey to Narita, as usual, is always more soul-sapping than the flight.
The flight, however, was wondrous since I got bumped up to business class.
As usual, I didn't sleep the night before because it's a morning flight and I had to take a 5am train to the Tokyo City Air Terminal to catch a bus to Narita Airport. The journey to Narita, as usual, is always more soul-sapping than the flight.
The flight, however, was wondrous since I got bumped up to business class.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Revisiting "The Downtown Star Festival" (Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri) at Kappabashi-Hondori
Back on Thursday, I visited the Kappabashi-Hondori with a friend to check out the Downtown Star Festival (Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri). We were both struck by how quiet it was, and wondered why people were actually still preparing the decorations in the evening.
Saturday, July 09, 2011
Goodbye, Yao Ming
Aside from the Bersih Rally, another big news I got this morning that sort of sadden me a little was NBA Superstar Yao Ming's retirement. He's 30, went through some bad injuries 3 years ago, I kinda knew it was the end then.
BERSIH Rally
Most of my blog readers are not from Malaysia. Many are from Japan, or perhaps people interested in Japan. Unsurprising, considering that I'm in Tokyo.
Therefore, I find a need to create awareness of the Bersih ("clean" in Malay) Rally happening right now, yes, RIGHT NOW, in Malaysia.
And mass arrests are happening. Our ever-diligent police had set up road blocks, deployed trucks mounted with water cannons, seal off parts of the capital Kuala Lumpur, in an attempt to prevent this banned rally. (While I am writing this, a couple of people I know have tweeted that they've gotten tear gases in their eye)
You can read more about it here.
Quote a few paragraphs from the article to give you some context.
Therefore, I find a need to create awareness of the Bersih ("clean" in Malay) Rally happening right now, yes, RIGHT NOW, in Malaysia.
And mass arrests are happening. Our ever-diligent police had set up road blocks, deployed trucks mounted with water cannons, seal off parts of the capital Kuala Lumpur, in an attempt to prevent this banned rally. (While I am writing this, a couple of people I know have tweeted that they've gotten tear gases in their eye)
You can read more about it here.
Quote a few paragraphs from the article to give you some context.
Friday, July 08, 2011
Breathing in a library
So, aside from writing in McDonald's at night, I have also been going to the library in Waseda University during daytimes to write. After all, what better place than a library where you won't be distracted by noises, or say, the Internet (main reason why I don't write in my room), right?
Have this ever happened to you? That in order to try your best to be silent, you become hypersensitive and paranoid to the sounds around you? This happened to me just now. For a while, I stopped from writing when I was mildly distracted by the sound of breathing. Was it the sound of my own breathing? I seemed to be wheezing, it sounded a little distracting.
Then I held my breath, and realized that the sound of breathing remained. So it really wasn't the sound of my own breathing after all, but the guy sitting opposite my desk. A wooden plank separates us, but I could totally hear him breathing. Perhaps he was nursing a cold, or maybe he was a heavy breather.
Here I am, in the library, supposedly writing a screenplay, yet I end up blogging about the mundane instead with my iPhone.
Have this ever happened to you? That in order to try your best to be silent, you become hypersensitive and paranoid to the sounds around you? This happened to me just now. For a while, I stopped from writing when I was mildly distracted by the sound of breathing. Was it the sound of my own breathing? I seemed to be wheezing, it sounded a little distracting.
Then I held my breath, and realized that the sound of breathing remained. So it really wasn't the sound of my own breathing after all, but the guy sitting opposite my desk. A wooden plank separates us, but I could totally hear him breathing. Perhaps he was nursing a cold, or maybe he was a heavy breather.
Here I am, in the library, supposedly writing a screenplay, yet I end up blogging about the mundane instead with my iPhone.
Location:1丁目,Shinjuku,Japan
Thursday, July 07, 2011
"The Downtown Star Festival" (Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri) at Kappabashi-Hondori.
Today is the 7th of July, which is the beginning of the Tanabata (七夕, meaning "Evening of the seventh"), the Japanese star festival that originates from the Chinese Qixi Festival.
You might have heard of it, the meeting between Orihime and Hikoboshi, the Weaving Princess and the Cowherder. The Milky Way separates these lovers, so they are only permitted to meet once a year, on the 7th of July. You can read more of it here.
Therefore, celebrations are supposed to begin today until the weekends.
I caught wind that a Tanabata Festival is usually held at the Kappabashi Street (official website here), which extends 1.2 km, from Ueno Station to the Tsukuba Express Station in Asakusa, the famed Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri. So I headed there with a friend for a walk.
You might have heard of it, the meeting between Orihime and Hikoboshi, the Weaving Princess and the Cowherder. The Milky Way separates these lovers, so they are only permitted to meet once a year, on the 7th of July. You can read more of it here.
Therefore, celebrations are supposed to begin today until the weekends.
I caught wind that a Tanabata Festival is usually held at the Kappabashi Street (official website here), which extends 1.2 km, from Ueno Station to the Tsukuba Express Station in Asakusa, the famed Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri. So I headed there with a friend for a walk.
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
The world is a cruel place for artists! LOL!
Okay, I've disappeared off the past week to do some writing.
I managed to finish a film treatment, which I'm absolutely excited about. Am now working on the screenplay, not an easy task, but am trying my best. Creativity is a precious little thing to hold on to.
I managed to finish a film treatment, which I'm absolutely excited about. Am now working on the screenplay, not an easy task, but am trying my best. Creativity is a precious little thing to hold on to.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Nationalistic Pride?
I returned to Tokyo 3 nights ago and resumed my usual quiet, solitary lifestyle, kinda like Colonel Aureliano Buendía during the twilight of his years.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
The Korean movie LATE BLOSSOM left me a blubbering wreck
Me: I'm glad I wear sunglasses in the plane. I was watching this Korean film, LATE BLOSSOM (그대를 사랑합니다), during the flight and it made me cry like a little girl. Jeez.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Asian New Talent 2011 Award Ceremony
Yup, got back from Shanghai last night.
The Asian New Talent Award Competition was established in 2004 by the Shanghai International Film Festival for Asian filmmakers making their first or second film, kinda like Pusan's NEW CURRENTS competition, or Rotterdam's Tiger Awards.
The award ceremony was held on the 17th of June. (here are the results)
The Asian New Talent Award Competition was established in 2004 by the Shanghai International Film Festival for Asian filmmakers making their first or second film, kinda like Pusan's NEW CURRENTS competition, or Rotterdam's Tiger Awards.
The award ceremony was held on the 17th of June. (here are the results)
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Mobile SIFF Award Ceremony. Bye, Shanghai!
UPDATED (20th June, 2011): Added more of my thoughts about the film fest.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
WOMAN ON FIRE LOOKS FOR WATER in Shanghai
Back on Sunday, 12th of June, which was my second day in Shanghai. I went to the WOMAN ON FIRE LOOKS FOR WATER screening. I was accompanied by an old friend of mine, Joey, who used to study in Tokyo and whom I met in Japanese Language classes 3 years ago. She graduated this year in March and had since returned to her hometown in Shanghai.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Conversations between Iwai Shunji and Tan Chui Mui
An early phone call from Malaysian filmmaker Tan Chui Mui woke me up this morning. It was 7 in the morning, her assistant passed me stuff before I came to Shanghai so I could pass it to her.
So I met her 20 minutes later for breakfast. She told me she was going to have an interview of sorts for Japanese filmmaker Iwai Shunji's official website.
Like many of my Japanese film lovers of my generation, I was captivated by his works like LOVE LETTER (still a personal all-time favourite) and ALL ABOUT LILY CHOU-CHOU during my youth. I fell in love with LOVE LETTER when I was 13, that was 14 years ago, and my love never wavered. It was through his influences that I make my films that some have considered visually poetic and sensitive.
Thus I followed Mui along for their meeting.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Feng Xiaogang - John Woo Masterclass
12th of June. Second day in Shanghai. I attended half of the John Woo - Feng Xiaogang Masterclass where both filmmaking heavyweights dissect and analyze the 8 projects of the CFPC (China Film Pitch and Catch) of the Shanghai Market.
What I remember most was something John Woo said. He commented how most young filmmakers and arthouse ones are very into casting amateurs and non-professionals in their films to preserve some authenticity and purity of their story, since some things are really hard to be replicated. It also helps to minimize budget.
However, he asked these filmmakers to consider the possibility of casting name cast members for their projects if opportunity arises. After all, why not try to allow your own works to reach a wider audience? Why not aim higher? Aim bigger? Great actors all around the world are waiting for a good script anyway...
What I remember most was something John Woo said. He commented how most young filmmakers and arthouse ones are very into casting amateurs and non-professionals in their films to preserve some authenticity and purity of their story, since some things are really hard to be replicated. It also helps to minimize budget.
However, he asked these filmmakers to consider the possibility of casting name cast members for their projects if opportunity arises. After all, why not try to allow your own works to reach a wider audience? Why not aim higher? Aim bigger? Great actors all around the world are waiting for a good script anyway...
Location:Zunyi Rd,Shanghai,China
My first day at the Shanghai International Film Festival 2011
So, here I am. Having spent two nights in Shanghai. I'm deprived of Facebook and Twitter and also Blogger. I'm now using the BlogPress app on iPhone to post, not sure whether it will work properly amidst the Great Firewall.
11th of June. I arrived at Shanghai just in time for the opening ceremony of the film festival. It was raining heavily and people walked through the red carpet holding umbrellas.
The ceremony was held in this nice hall.
11th of June. I arrived at Shanghai just in time for the opening ceremony of the film festival. It was raining heavily and people walked through the red carpet holding umbrellas.
The ceremony was held in this nice hall.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Heading off to the Shanghai International Film Festival 2011
I'm now at the Starbucks in KL International Airport, waiting for another half an hour to board the flight to Shanghai.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Film shoot of a Danish-Malaysian co-production 2
After going through the first three days of the shoot from the 3rd to the 5th of June (chronicled yesterday). We all knew that the worst was over. It was an exhausting shoot, insanely high temperature, merciless mosquitoes, seasickness, unpredictable conditions and the like. Filmmaking, some should remember, is a high-stress job that involves a lot of dealing with people, especially if you are shooting under circumstances where you need the cooperation from the locals at the locations of your shoot.
6th of June came. This was scheduled to be the last day of the shoot.
Fern the lead actress drew a caricature of me.
It's not everyday you have the lead actress of a film you're doing drawing a caricature of yourself.
6th of June came. This was scheduled to be the last day of the shoot.
Fern the lead actress drew a caricature of me.
It's not everyday you have the lead actress of a film you're doing drawing a caricature of yourself.
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Film shoot of a Danish-Malaysian co-production
I was at Cherating in the past week for the film shoot of the tentatively-titled GIRL X (or GIRL IN THE WATER), a Danish-Malaysian co-production co-directed by my regular collaborator, Malaysian filmmaker Woo Ming Jin, and the Danish filmmaker Jeppe Ronde. (you might remember from here and here that I was doing some location scouting two weeks ago)
We even imported the Thai actress Sajee "FERN" Apiwong (last seen in Aditya Assarat's HI-SO) to do the main role. It was a short film, but it was a short film with sky-high ambition. After all, I wouldn't involve myself in anything less than awesome anyway.
Tuesday. 1st of June. Jeppe arrived in Malaysia at night.
Wednesday. 2nd of June. Ming Jin, Jeppe and I picked up Fern and her friend So from the airport before heading straight to Cherating.
After a looooong 4-hour car ride, we reached the location, and immediately we headed off to check out the spots.
We even imported the Thai actress Sajee "FERN" Apiwong (last seen in Aditya Assarat's HI-SO) to do the main role. It was a short film, but it was a short film with sky-high ambition. After all, I wouldn't involve myself in anything less than awesome anyway.
Tuesday. 1st of June. Jeppe arrived in Malaysia at night.
Wednesday. 2nd of June. Ming Jin, Jeppe and I picked up Fern and her friend So from the airport before heading straight to Cherating.
After a looooong 4-hour car ride, we reached the location, and immediately we headed off to check out the spots.
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