28th Far East Film Festival: Honoring Fan Bingbing and Yakusho Koji with the Golden Mulberry Award
The Far East Film Festival has announced that Chinese actress Fan Bingbing and Japanese actor Yakusho Koji will be honored with the Golden Mulberry Award for Lifetime Achievement at the upcoming 28th edition of the festival in Udine, Italy. Fan Bingbing stars in the competition film "Mother Bhumi" directed by Chong Keat Aun, while Yakusho Koji will be featured in a career retrospective titled "Yakusho Koji: Perfect Roles." The festival will showcase seven of Yakusho's films, including "13 Assassins" and "Tampopo," with five titles later traveling to Rome.
The 28th edition of the festival will present 76 films from 12 countries and regions, with 52 titles in competition and 24 out of competition. The lineup includes a mix of premieres, including world premieres, international premieres, European premieres, and Italian premieres. The closing film for the festival will be announced on April 8.
The festival will kick off with the screening of Anthony Chen's "We Are All Strangers," a Singaporean family drama, with lead actress Yeo Yann Yann in attendance. This edition of the festival will also feature a focus on Vietnamese cinema, with several Vietnamese films being showcased, including "Ky Nam Inn" and "Hijacked." The festival will close with the screening of "Blood Moon Rite 8," a Vietnamese remake of the Japanese film "One Cut of the Dead."
Special attention will be given to Lee Sang-il's film "Kokuho," which will open in Italian cinemas on April 30. The festival will also feature a new section called Vertical Stories, curated by FEFF consultant Roger Garcia, exploring microdramas as an art form and an emerging industrial system.
The festival will feature three Audience Award winners – the Golden Mulberry, Silver Mulberry, and Crystal Mulberry – determined by the audience. Additionally, two specialist juries will award the White Mulberry for Best First Feature and the Mulberry for Best Screenplay. The festival will also showcase a variety of films from different countries, including Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
In conclusion, the 28th edition of the Far East Film Festival promises to be a diverse and exciting event, celebrating the best of Asian cinema and honoring the achievements of Fan Bingbing and Yakusho Koji. With a lineup of premieres, retrospectives, and special sections, the festival offers a unique opportunity to explore the rich and vibrant world of Asian cinema.