Toronto Film Festival 06: Lots of Asian goodies this year!

[Brian Thibodeau]

I did a quick run-through of the just-posted film schedule for the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival. Lots of goodness from Asia this year:

From Hong Kong, China and Taiwan:
EXILED (Johnnie To) I'm guessing this might be an international premiere?
I DON'T WANT TO SLEEP ALONE (Tsai Ming-liang)
POSTMODERN LIFE OF MY AUNT (Ann Hui)
THE BANQUET (Feng Xiaogang)
SUMMER PALACE (Lou Ye)
RAIN DOGS (Ho Yuhang)
ELECTION (Johnnie To) Part of the "Vanguard" series, as is the sequel...
ELECTION 2 (Johnnie To)

From Korea
THE HOST (Bong Joon-ho) Woo-hoooo! And Midnight Madness to boot!
THE KING AND THE CLOWN (Lee Jun-ik) Too bad this is already on DVD!
FAMILY TIES (Kim Tae-yong)
WOMAN ON THE BEACH (Hong Sang-soo)
HULA GIRLS (Lee Sang-il)
IN BETWEEN DAYS (Kim So-yong)
TIME (Kim Di-duk)

From Thailand
SYNDROME: A CENTURY (Apichatong Weerasethakul)
INVISIBLE WAVES (Pen-ek Ratanaruang)

From Japan
THE BUG MASTER (Katsuhiro Otomo) Curious about this one!!
BIG BANG LOVE, JUVENILE A (Takashi Miike)
TSUIOKU (Yuiko Matsuyama)

COMPLETE FILM LIST HERE:
http://www.e.bell.ca/filmfest/2006/films_schedules/filmlist.asp

Now comes the fun part in a couple weeks: screaming in rage as the TIFF's horrendous online ticket ordering system jams up, shuts down or otherwise denies me tickets to the shows I REALLY want to see the most! I can only hope they've improved it over last year's fiasco, but we'll see...

[Brian Thibodeau]

Hong Sang-soo, Johnny To and Feng Xiaogang, among others, will apparently be accompanying their films, according to this:

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1156240903546

Also a higher number of premieres this year.

[dleedlee]

So, I wonder what version of Summer Palace will screen, the original or an edited version.

[Brian Thibodeau]

Geez, good question! I'd forgotten all about the censorship issues with SUMMER PALACE, but I would imagine it would be the uncut version at the TIFF, since, at least from what I've read, showings outside of China are not affected by censorship decisions or bans, but I guess Lou Ye wouldn't be well liked back home. But then again, in the long run, that seems to have helped the careers of some Chinese directors. So much acclaim from abroad buys a certain amount of "protection," I suppose.

Stories like the one surrounding this film are so sad in this day and age.

Still, I can't wait to see this if I can get tickets.

[Brian Thibodeau]

Film descriptions are up (and my list is getting longer!), but SUMMER PALACE is listed as being 140 minutes. Does that sound like a cut or uncut version? Any thoughts?

http://www.e.bell.ca/filmfest/2006/films_schedules/films_description.asp?id=291

Looks like Johnnie To's ELECTION and ELECTION 2 are screening together, which would be pretty cool if I didn't have 'em both on DVD already. Might still go anyways!
http://www.e.bell.ca/filmfest/2006/films_schedules/schedule_shortprogrammes.asp?id=21

I'm Also thinking of checking out Del Toro's PAN'S LABYRINTH, which looks rather cool.

[dleedlee]

Film descriptions are up (and my list is getting longer!), but SUMMER PALACE is listed as being 140 minutes. Does that sound like a cut or uncut version? Any thoughts?

Both these reviews from Cannes lists the running time at 140 minutes. I think that's the full running time. I'm a little fuzzy now, but I recall Lou Ye offered to cut it to get it approved so it could screen at home? The review does say, "The film has a flaw in that it is far too long, a condition easily fixed with further editing. " But which parts is the issue, I guess. The 'offensive' scenes would be at Tiananmen Square and some sex scenes.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/aw ... 1002465050

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout ... 7&nid=2853

[Brian Thibodeau]

Yes, 140 minutes could be a bit of a strain, even for such an interesting subject. But still, if cutting it means cutting the most controversial elements, I'd vote for leaving it alone.


Found a couple more Asian films to add to the list:

From the Phillippines:
THE BET COLLECTOR
http://www.e.bell.ca/filmfest/2006/films_schedules/films_description.asp?id=173

and from Japan:
HANA
http://www.e.bell.ca/filmfest/2006/films_schedules/films_description.asp?id=142

[dleedlee]

Yes, 140 minutes could be a bit of a strain, even for such an interesting subject. But still, if cutting it means cutting the most controversial elements, I'd vote for leaving it alone.

The released version of Peacock was around 143 minutes with about 20 minutes cut. That was a film that was hurt because each of three siblings' story was told but one got reduced and his story became a bit muddled.

http://hkmdb.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t= ... ht=peacock

[Brian Thibodeau]

PEACOCK sounded really interesting. Perhaps the non-China DVDs will be uncut?

--------------

I just read this plot description for Johnnie To's EXILED at the Toronto fest. This sounds very, very cool.
http://www.e.bell.ca/filmfest/2006/films_schedules/films_description.asp?id=113

and West meets East in THE MISSING STAR, from Italy, but filmed largely in China:
http://www.e.bell.ca/filmfest/2006/films_schedules/films_description.asp?id=198


...

[dleedlee]

The Deltamac is the same cut, but at least it's subbed. I keep suspecting there are mainland versions of the director's cut but I never have been able to confirm. It was reported that there would be at the first DVD release.

That Missing Star looks pretty interesting. Are you going to check it out?

[Brian Thibodeau]

That Missing Star looks pretty interesting. Are you going to check it out?

I'm hoping to, but we'll see what time permits. I've wishlisted about 20 films, but some overlap, and others are just "possibles" plus I'd like to spend some time bumming around the city if the weather's nice, so I'll be planning carefully (and with a budget in mind! )

FOR SURES (if I can get tickets)

THE HOST
EXILED
SUMMER PALACE
A GOOD YEAR (gala)
PAN'S LABYRINTH
OUTSOURCED
BUGMASTER
THE BANQUET (one of the few galas with tickets still available, oddly)


POSSIBLES (if the others are sold out too soon):

THE MISSING STAR
POSTMODERN LIFE OF MY AUNT
TRAPPED ASHES
JADE WARRIOR
FAMILY TIES
LAKE OF FIRE
WOMAN ON THE BEACH (Hong Sang-soo)
THE WAKE
REQUIEM
SEVERANCE
TALES OF THE RAT FINK
PRINCESS
RED ROAD
ALL THE BOYS LOVE MANDY LANE
THE ABANDONED
10 ITEMS OR LESS
RENAISSANCE (very intriguing)
MACBETH

Knowing my luck with their shitty online ordering system last year, I'll probably be lucky if I can get tickets to any THREE of these! But my fingers are crossed.