Popular, award-winning films in 8th Chinese fest

JACKIE Chan (second from left) in Chan and Zhang Li’s “1911 Revolution”

In drafting the lineup for this year’s edition of the Spring Film Festival at Shangri-La Plaza mall, organizers consulted last year’s audience.

Sidney Christopher Bata, director of Ateneo de Manila University’s Ricardo Leong Center for Chinese Studies, told the Inquirer: “We asked the viewers [via] a survey and asked what type of films they wanted to watch.”

WANG Zhigang’s “City Monkey.” INQSnap this page to view more photos and trailers.

The romantic-comedy genre topped the poll. “They asked for light, humorous films and said they hoped to see a big-star movie in the fest,” Bata said. The Jackie Chan epic “1911 Revolution” was chosen precisely for the martial-arts hero’s fans.

Lavish epic

Directed by Chan and Zhang Li, “1911 Revolution” is not the usual chopsocky action flick; it is a lavishly produced historical saga that chronicles Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s struggles to dismantle feudalism in China.

The period drama also stars Winston Chao (as Sun Yat-sen), Li Bingbing (as Zu Zonghan) and Joan Chen (as Empress Dowager Longyu).

As for light-hearted fare, organizers picked romance films like Huo Jianqi’s “Snowfall in Taipei,” Cao Baoping’s “Li Mi Conjecture” and Pu Sheng’s “Let’s Fall in Love.”

Sports thrills are highlighted in Wang Zhigang’s “City Monkey” (which features parkour) and Zhou Wei’s “Thei-Go King and His Son” (about father-son bonding via the board game

FENG Xiaogang’s “Aftershock”

Thei-Go).

Family drama

Family issues are tackled in one of the biggest hits ever in Chinese cinema, Feng Xiaogang’s “Aftershock.” The top grosser, which recounts the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, made 673 million yuan (US$111 million) in 2010.

Another tearjerker, Misheng He’s “Where is My Home,” is about an old woman who moves from the province to the city to live with her son’s family.

Some films on the list are award winners. “Aftershock” won Best Film and Best Actor (for Chen Daoming) at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards in 2010.

“1911 Revolution” was Best Film at the Changchun film fest in 2012 and Huabiao Film Awards in 2013, and also bagged Best Supporting Actress (Jing Ning) and Supporting Actor (for Chun Sun) at the Hundred Flowers Awards in 2012.

HUO JIANQI’s “Snowfall in Taipei”

“Li Mi Conjecture” won Best Actress (for Xun Zhou) at the Asian Film Awards, Beijing Student Film Festival, Shanghai Film Critics Awards and Golden Rooster Awards in 2009. The film also won Best Original Film Score (for Wei Dou and Xiao Di Bi) at the Golden Horse Film Festival in 2009 and Best New Director at the San Sebastian International Film Festival in 2008.

“City Monkey” got the Best Actress (for Liping Lu) trophy at the Golden Horse Film Festival in 2010.

The Spring fest opens today and ends on Feb. 2. The Ricardo Leong Center for Chinese Studies, Confucius Institute, Credit Suisse, Celadon and Shangri-La Plaza mounted the fest. For the film schedule, visit www.ateneo-celadon.org.

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