Asian Drama

In the early days of the Republic, legendary martial artist Ye Ruzhou suffers a severe injury, losing her memory and winding up in the impoverished alley of Minfu Lane. By a twist of fate, she crosses paths with the carefree Chen Awang, and the two fall for each other. When local tyrant Zheng Juehou intensifies his hold over the neighborhood, Ye Ruzhou rises to defend her new community. Her actions, however, draw unforeseen danger, and together with Chen Awang, she faces the challenge to protect Minfu Lane’s hard-won peace.

A fatigued man wakes up at a bar with a bartender who will forever change his life as he gets to know more about her. Three criminals have somewhat accomplished their task of kidnapping their target, but their overall mission seems to go nowhere in the end. In the late 1970s, a mysterious woman runs a bar where a deadly situation will affect the lives of everyone. Two killers are looking for their faceless victim, who shows up at a diner every day at 6 o'clock sharp. Four incredibly talented Korean filmmakers, four intriguing cinematic visions, four astounding stories revolving around murderers for hire. (Source: fantasiafestival.com) ~~ Adapted from the short story "The Killers" by Ernest Hemingway. ~~ Release dates: Jul 24, 2024 (Festival) || Oct 23, 2024 (Cinema)

Duration: 1 hr. 59 min.

Content Rating: 18+ Restricted (violence & profanity)

The story follows a young man who has been single for a year after his boyfriend suddenly disappeared without a formal breakup. One night, while scrolling through a dating app, he encounters someone who looks strikingly similar to his ex. After a spontaneous hookup, he discovers that this new acquaintance is actually his ex’s twin brother. As he navigates this unexpected twist, he finds himself drawn into a complicated web of emotions. Will he end up choosing between the two brothers, or will he find himself entangled with both?

Duration: 11 min.

Content Rating: Not Yet Rated

The film depicts a coming-of-age story centered on the two sugar babies, Kotone, who is unemployed, and Sakura, a college student, in the coronavirus pandemic, as they try their best to live at the mercy of frivolous men.

Adapted from the novel "Tsuyu no Ato Saki" (つゆのあとさき) by Nagai Kafu (永井荷風).

Duration: 1 hr. 45 min.

Content Rating: 15+ - Teens 15 or older

A former Judo champion is given the chance to redeem himself after he befriends a competitor and an aspiring singer.

Dae-shik lives off the streets. He once dreamed of becoming a mountaineer and reach the top of the Himalayas. But now he lives dreamlessly on the streets day by day. No one knows about his past, and he hates it when people ask about it. He tries hard to show a very tough expression on his face, but occasionally a sad shadow comes and goes. One day, he discovers a drunk man passed out on the road and in pain. He only passes him by, but he can never forget his face. He hates to love again, but his heart starts to pound once more. Il-joo swallows a fistful of medication and lives another day. She drinks with strangers, dances with them, and then sleeps with them. Thanks to some customers who unusually ordered coffee from a beach, she can luckily see the sea today. But the sea keeps calling Il-joo to drown in its belly. She bids it's call, but a firm hand grabs Il-joo and pulls her out of the deep waters of the ocean. It's no other than one of the customers who ordered the coffee, Dae-shik. She doesn't know why, but she feels something for him, and curious to know what kind of person he is. Suk-won's life goes to ruin when his stocks hit rock bottom. As he loiters around the streets, Dae-shik helps him out of his depression. Suk-won is doubtful of his appearance, but he has no choice to ask for his help. Dae-shik offers Suk-won to go on a road trip together with him and he agrees. Being sick of Seoul and even hating it, Suk-won is somewhat excited to go on a journey that has no destination. Dae-shik, Suk-won and Il-joo are off on a journey to find freedom from their woes. As they encounter new faces and places, they learn more about themselves and their feelings for each other. But this in turn, unearths a harder obstacle for them to overcome. While on the road together, they face a difficult choice between their love for one another and their freedom.

Miura Takahiro & Abe Shinnosuke to star in new movie "Winny" showing in spring 2020; a film director & his buddy make a movie on the developer of P2P software Winny charged for its involvement in illegal activities before being acquitted.

In Minangkabau, West Sumatera, Yuda a skilled practitioner of Silat Harimau is in the final preparations to begin his "Merantau" a century's old rites-of-passage to be carried out by the community's young men that will see him leave the comforts of his idyllic farming village and make a name for himself in the bustling city of Jakarta. After a series of setbacks leave Yuda homeless and uncertain about his new future, a chance encounter results in him defending the orphaned Astri from becoming the latest victim of a European human trafficking ring led by the wildly psychotic, Ratger and his right-hand man Lars. With Ratger injured in the mêlée and seeking both his "merchandise" and bloody retribution, Yuda's introduction to this bustling city is a baptism of fire as he is forced to go on the run with Astri and her younger brother Adit as all the pimps and gangsters that inhabit the night hound the streets chasing their every step. With escape seemingly beyond their grasp, Yuda has no choice but to face his attackers in an adrenaline charged, jaw-dropping finale.

Liu Ye reprises his role as Laosan, the former Navy officer who suffered brain damage while on duty. Low on mental capacity but stacked with Kung Fu skills Laosan would walk around the city fighting crime. And more crime is afoot when in The Underdog Knight 2 Laosan fights international criminals to protect a national treasure from being stolen during an exhibition. He also rescues his girlfriend from kidnappers. Director Ding Sheng returns to helm the film. Playing Laosan's girlfriend is Zhang Xinglin, Miss World 2007.

Tsui is renowned as an excellent healing author as well as a young successful man. His pieces are called "Chicken Soup for the Soul" for soothing many readers' soul and spirit. The public image of Tsui is a kindhearted family man who loves his wife deeply, though, he has inherited his wealth from his father. Since a trendy and charming lady, Elaine, had moved to live in the upper floor flat of Tsui's apartment, Tsui was facing a great impact on his calm and dull life. One night, Elaine was found dead on the platform of the residence. Tsui admitted to the Police that he had accidentally killed Elaine in anger by pushing her down the platform because Elaine kept on blackmailing him. But then, the case file is not closed as the Police's psychologist, Doctor So, believes that Tsui is not telling the truth after attentive observation from him. There are still several suspectable points in the case. Through serious investigation, Doctor So, eventually discovers that Tsui's wife, Kay, had already known Tsui had an affair with Elaine. Therefore, Doctor So has suspected that Elaine might be killed by Kay out of her hatred and in a spirit of revenge. After all, Who is the murderer? What is the story behind the truth?

Sleeping on Dark Waters could be called a 'Making of I Don't Want to Sleep Alone,' although to do so would be a disservice to what in my mind is a little masterpiece. Like other films in Tsai's canon, Sleeping gives us a distanced glance of the everyday, showing us in a distinctly unassuming way how Tsai directs a film with a familiar cast/crew. At once funny and oddly mesmerizing, this documentary (which has never been released in the US) is a worthy member of Tsai Ming-liang's family of films.