One of our favourite festivals is back for its 20th anniversary edition. Ahead of their full program announcement, they have given us a sneak peek of what we have in store.
The New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) will be fully in person at Film at Lincoln Center and the Asia Society, from 15 July to 31 July. They will be announcing more titles in the coming weeks.
We love NYAFF because they showcase films from right across Asia, from blockbuster releases to more esoteric fare. We’ve been covering them for the last few years, and there’s always more content than we can ever hope to see.
You can find more on the official NYAFF website and all of our past and future coverage right here.
Thailand
As previously announced, Thai romantic comedy FAST & FEEL LOVE, directed by Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit and starring Urassaya “Yaya” Sperbund, who will be honored on stage with the Screen International Rising Star Award.
The film takes us on a journey into the world…of competitive cup-stacking! When a world champion of sport stacking (Nat Kitcharit) is dumped by his long-time girlfriend, he has to learn basic adulting skills in order to live alone and take care of himself.
South Korea
The South Korean lineup, presented with the support of the Korean Cultural Center New York, will showcase:
I HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING by Park Sang-min, is a jaw-droppingly hilarious visual masterwork in which a has-been actor tries every trick in the book to carve out a YouTube career, only to get much more attention than he bargained for (or maybe not).
CONFESSION from Yoon Jong-seok, a labyrinthine tale of betrayal and intrigue ▪ Next Door, a taut comedic thriller from Yeom Ji-Ho, in which a would-be police cadet unexpectedly finds himself embroiled in a real-life crime-fighting test.
I AM MORE, the illuminating LGBTQ documentary by Lee Il-ha (Counters, NYAFF 2018) follows the captivating journey of glamorous drag queen and transgender trailblazer “More,” who will join us for the film’s North American debut.
Japan
This year’s Japanese lineup, presented with the support of the Japan World Expo 1970 Commemorative Fund, is led off by the U.S. premiere of megahit SHIN ULTRAMAN from creative titans Hideaki Anno (writer-producer) and Shinji Higuchi (director). It doesn’t get much bigger than that. Other highlights include:
LESSON IN MURDER a seductive serial-killer thriller by NYAFF regular Kazuya Shiraishi that is rife with shocking twists and nauseating turns.
RIBBON, the delightful debut theatrical feature of actress Non (star of Hold Me Back, NYAFF 2021), an intensely personal vision of an artist trying to reclaim her identity and her future promise amid the pandemic.
GROWN UPS from Takuya Kato, a sharply observed dissection of a volatile relationship between two college students that may leave some viewers gasping for air.
INTIMATE STRANGER, the new narrative feature from New York-schooled documentarian Mayu Nakamura, a disturbing psychological chiller about a single mother’s search for her missing son.
China
The Festival recently announced a partnership with the CineCina Film Festival (CCFF), and the inaugural CineCina Selections will include:
FIRE ON THE PLAIN, Zhang Ji’s riveting romantic dark thriller, in which a cop working a serial-killer cold case finds clues that pull him back into his fraught past.
MANCHURIAN TIGER, Geng Jun’s deadpan dramedy, which narrates the revenge of parents-to-be during a freezing winter in Northeast China.
VIRGIN BLUE, Niu Xiaoyu’s often surreal portrait of a young woman’s summer vacation.
RIPPLES OF LIFE, Wei Shujun’s po-faced mockumentary about filmmaking, in which a crew has to constantly rewrite their script after arriving on location.
Taiwan
NYAFF’s Taiwan lineup, presented with the support of the Taipei Cultural Center in New York, features some of the most striking new films of the past year:
THE FUNERAL, Dan-Quei Shen’s superlative horror film, follows a struggling single mother who returns to her rural family manse when her grandfather dies.
MAMA BOY from Arvin Chen (an NYAFF Uncaged competition juror in 2020), stars heartthrob Kai Ko as the titular young man, who falls for singer-actress Vivian Hsu and finally comes of age at 29.
TERRORIZERS from Ho Wi Ding (100, NYAFF 2012), with Austin Lin (iWeirDO, NYAFF 2020) as a delusional young man who attacks a couple with a ninja sword, setting the stage for an exploration of the roots of violence and the relationships between the four central characters.
Hong Kong
This year’s Hong Kong Panorama, supported by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York, shines a spotlight on a selection of local stories through themes like family, food, career, and the Hong Kong way of life, including:
MAMA’S AFFAIR, playwright-theater director Kearen Pang’s second feature, a brilliant, female-driven, cross-generational story.
FAR FAR AWAY from Amos Why, following a newly minted Don Juan as he drives his dates around town, in a loving tribute to the cultural and natural riches of Hong Kong itself.
TABLE FOR SIX, Sunny Chan’s bedroom farce, which takes place mostly at the dinner table, starring Stephy Tang, NYAFF 2018 Rising Star honoree, as family and friends share meals and a romance is rekindled.
WE ARE FAMILY by Benny Lau, with Eric Tsang (NYAFF 2017 Lifetime Achievement Awardee) and Carlos Chan as rental surrogate family members for a range of functions.
LEGENDARY IN ACTION!, a metatextual ode to the region’s most iconic film genre, featuring legendary real-life wuxia/kung fu star Chen Kuan Tai in a sublimely moving drama about the triumph of the creative spirit.
In addition to these titles, and marking NYAFF’s 20th anniversary and the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, five modern classics directed by five grandmasters of the city’s film industry will also be screened, including Wong Kar Wai’s queer relationship masterpiece HAPPY TOGETHER.
