New York Asian Film Fest '12: The Best of the Bizarre

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Parent Category: Film Festivals

Category: Previews

Published on Tuesday, 12 June 2012 19:44

Written by Renzo Adler

The New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF, June 29 – July 15) returns to New York with one of the strangest collection of films yet. Screenings will be held at the Film Society of Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater (165 West 65th Street) and the Japan Society (333 East 47th Street).

Each year the NYAFF grows larger and larger, and it’s selection of films more interesting and diverse. Daring new directors, bizarre oddities, and break out hits make up this festival of Asian cinema, with themes ranging from the absurd to the apocalyptic.

Vulgaria 
(North American premiere and opening night feature)
2012
Director: Pang Ho-cheung
Hong Kong
Pang Ho-cheung’s outrageous comedy stars Chapman To as a hapless movie producer trying to get a skin flick off the ground, and he’ll do anything to finance it, including auctioning off visitation rights to the daughter he adores, sucking up to gangsters named Brother Tyrannosaurus, and even making not-so-sweet love to a mule.
Director Pang Ho-cheung will attend the screening.

Ace Attorney
(New York premiere)
2012
Director: Takashi Miike
Japan
Miike, who made his name known with his unending campaign of brutal cinematic escalation, now also delves into the world of videogame movies with his film Ace Attorney, based on Capcom’s break-out lawyers based video game series, Gyakuten Saiban / Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney.

Fans of the series are rapt with attention at seeing such a distinguished director take on the Ace Attorney series, though some fans are surprised at how the costumes and sets are almost a little too accurate. Just because a costume looks good on a drawn character, does not always mean it will translate well to real people.

Asura
(North American premiere)
2012
Director: Kei’ichi Sato
Japan
Based on the 1970 Japanese comic (manga) series by George Akiyama, Asura is about a cannibal child surviving in feudal Japan. When the manga series first premiered, it’s graphic depictions of violence and taboo subject matter shocked audiences and lead to the comic being banned throughout Japan.

The Boxer’s Omen
1983
Director: Chih-Hung Kuei
Hong Kong
Part Shaw Bros. chop-socky, part Jodorowsky-esque nightmare, this special midnight feature follows a boxer that is trying to lift a family curse. Simple story, but insane visuals. Starring martial arts masters Bolo Yeung (Enter the Dragon) and Lung Wei Wang (Master of the Flying Guillotine).

Doomsday Clock
2012
Korea
Directors: Kim Ji-Woon, Yim Pil-Sung
A three-part hard science fiction omnibus film from directors Kim Ji-Woon (I Saw the Devil) and Yim Pil-Sung (Hansel & Gretel) it’s visually stunning and, at times, very unhinged.

This is only a small sampling of over 30 films being shown at NYAFF. Free from the shackles of bloated publicity and ties to the movie industry that have warped festivals like Tribeca and Sundance, NYAFF is cinema at it’s purest.

To learn more, go to: http://www.filmlinc.com/films/series/new-york-asian-film-festival-2012

The New York Asian Film Festival
June 29 – July 15

Film Society of Lincoln Center, Walter Reade Theater
165 West 65th Street
New York, NY

Japan Society 
333 East 47th Street
New york, NY 

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