Asia Pacific Films

Iranian Independents Films

mike — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 20:12:54 +0000

We salute Mohammad Attebai

Mohammad Attebai, film producer, distributor and journalist, heads Iranian Independents, a company that promotes Iranian films internationally. As a producer, Attebai’s credits include the award-winning The Circle. Author of International Presentation of Iranian Cinema: 1979–2004 and senior editor of Film International from 1997 to 2001, Attebai has overseen the screening of Iranian films at international festivals for Farabi Cinema Foundation. He is currently the Iranian member of the European Documentary Network, as well as a representative of Network for Promotion of Asian Cinema in Iran.

Iranian Independent’s Shorts and Documentaries

1. 3 ZAN ( 3 WOMEN)
Director: Manijeh Hekmat
IRAN, 2008, 35mm, Color, 94 Minutes

2. 7 ZAN FILMSAZ-E NABINA (7 BLIND FEMALE FILMMAKERS)
Head Director: Mohammad Shirvani
Episodes Directors: Sara Parto, Shokoofe Davarnejad, Narges Haghighat, Banafshe Ahmadi, Mahdis Elahi, Naghmeh Afiat & Neda Haghighat
IRAN, 2004-2008, 116 Minutes, DV CAM

3. RAAMI
Director: Babak Shirinsefat
IRAN-AZERBAIJAN, 2007, 35mm, Color, 76 Minutes, Frame Ratio: 1;1/66

4. SOBHI DIGAR (ANOTHER MORNING)
Director, Scriptwriter, Editor & Sound-Engineer: Nasser Refaie
IRAN, 2006, 90 Minutes, 35mm, Color, Frame Ratio: 1/85

5. SHABANEH (NOCTURNAL)
Directors, Scriptwriters & Editors: Keivan Alimohammadi & Omid Bonakdar
IRAN, 2006, 98 Minutes, Color, 35mm, Frame Ratio: 1:85

6. SIMA-YE ZANI DAR DOORDAST (PORTRAIT OF A LADY FAR AWAY)
Director: Ali Mosaffa
IRAN, 2005, 35mm, Color, 98 Minutes

7. BIDAR SHO AREZOO (WAKE UP AREZOO)
Director & Scriptwriter: Kianoosh Ayyari
IRAN, 2005, 35mm, Color, 90 Minutes

8. ZENDAN-E ZANAN (WOMEN’S PRISON)
Director: Manijeh Hekmat
IRAN, 2002, 35mm, Color, 106 Minutes, 1:1.6, Optical-Mono, Footage: 9515

9. BANOO-YE GOL-E SORKH (LADY OF THE ROSES)
Researcher, Writer & Director: Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
IRAN, 2008, Color, HD. Cam., 52 min., Documentary

10. AAH ROOZ-HAYE KHOOB (ALAS NICE DAYS) – 2 parts

Director, Photography & Producer: Hassan Rastgar
IRAN, 2007, Color, DVCAM, 65 Minutes, Documentary

11. ZANAN AZ KHANEH BIROUN MI-AYAND (WOMEN COME OUT OF THE HOUSE)
Directors Scriptwriters: Manijeh Hekmat & Mohammad Moghaddam
IRAN, 2006, Color, DVCAM, 27 Minutes, Documentary

12. DUET (DUET)
Director & Scriptwriter: Kiarash Anvari
IRAN, 2006, Color, DVCAM, 15 Minutes, Fiction

13. BOMB-E SAATI (TIME BOMB)
Director, Editor & Producer: Hassan Rastgar
IRAN, 2006, Color, DVCAM, 87 Minutes, Documentary

14. KHAT-E MOSTAGHIM-E DAYEREH (STRAIGHT LINE OF A CIRCLE)
Director, Editor & Producer: Amir Moussavi
IRAN, 2005, Color, DVCAM, 25 Minutes, Experimental-Fiction

15. QATAR-E SA’AT-E SEFR (THE TRAIN OF ZERO O’CLOCK)
Director & Scriptwriter: Babak Shirinsefat
IRAN, 2005, Color, DVCAM, 31 Minutes, Documentary

16. GONAH-E MARYAM (MARYAM’S SINS)
Director, Editor, Scriptwriter & Producer: Parisa Shahandeh
IRAN, 2004, Color, DVCAM, 30 Minutes, Documentary

17. ZANANEH (THE LADIES’ ROOM)
Director, Scriptwriter & Photography: Mahnaz Afzali
IRAN, 2003, Color, DVCAM, 55 Minutes, Documentary

18. ASIR, ENTEZAR,…(CAPTIVE, WAITING,…)
Director, Scriptwriter, Photography & Producer: Mohammad Ahmadi
IRAN, 2002, DVCAM, Color, 23 Minutes, Documentary

19. ZENDEGI HAMIN AST (THAT’S LIFE)
Director, Scriptwriter & Editor: Pirooz Kalantari
IRAN, 2002, Betacam, Color, 43 Minutes, Documentary

20. ASHKAN,THE CHARMED RING AND OTHER STORIES
Director: Shahram Mokri
IRAN, 2009, 92 Minutes, Black & White, HDV transferred into 35mm

21. TWENTY
Director: Abdolreza Kahani
IRAN, 2009, Color, 88 Minutes

22. POET OF THE WASTES
Director: Mohammad Ahmadi
Screenplay: Mohsen Makhmalbaf
IRAN, 2005, 81mins

23. LOST TRUTH
Director: Mohammad Ahmadi
IRAN, 2008, 81mins

24. NATURE’S HUMOUR
Director: Mohammad Ahmadi
IRAN, 2009, 67mins, Documentary

25. THE ENCLOSE
Director: Reza Khatibi
IRAN

26. RED, WHITE AND THE GREEN
Director: Nader Davoodi
IRAN, 2009, Documentary

27. ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON
Director: Mona Zandi Haghighi
IRAN, 2006, Drama

28. BUTTERFLY IN SLEEP
Director: Mazdak Mirabedini
IRAN, 2010, Drama

29. GOLD & COPPER
Director: Homayoun Asadian
IRAN, 2010, Drama

30. FELICITY LAND
Director: Maziar Miri
IRAN, 2011, Drama

Nostalgia for the Countryside

robz — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 18:33:46 +0000

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Released: 1995

Country: Vietnam

Director: Dang Nhat Minh

Language: Vietnamese

Theme: Family & Relationships

Genre: Drama

Summary

Set in a rice-growing village in Vietnam, this is a tale of crossroads where stories flow together like small rivers of sorrow.

17-year-old Nham has left school to care for his widowed mother, his little sister Minh, and his sister-in-law Ngu. Ngu, whose husband left to work in a coal mine five years ago and has only come home twice for a few days, lives in daily sadness and with a deep longing for him and a complete life.

Nham and his family are visited by Quyen, who has come from America to revisit the village where she was raised by her aunt, Nham’s relative. Quyen shares her nostalgia for her childhood with Nham as she remembers the places and the life she left before leaving her bad marriage. As Nham befriends her, his sexuality is awakened by her attractive personality and vivacious good looks. Ngu sees this attention being paid to Quyen by Nham and harbors a quiet jealousy. As Nham opens to his sexual feelings, his embarrassment drives him from Quyen but his sexuality is further awakened by innocent comfort given to Ngu.

Nostalgia for the Countryside sweeps us through strong emotions as we experience the characters’ heartbreaks and sorrows.

The Women From The Lake of Scented Souls

robz — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 18:45:37 +0000

Original Title: Xiang hun nu

Released: 1993

Country: China

Director: Xie Fei

Language: Mandarin

Theme: Gender & Sexuality

Genre: Drama

Summary

The men in a rural Chinese village make secret plans to watch sex and action films from Hong Kong. As the story unfolds it becomes clear that the little village can provide more scandalous and juicy materials than any filmmaker can dream up. The story centers around Xiang, her lazy and abusive alcoholic husband, and their mom-and-pop sesame oil making business.

Little Brown Comedies

robz — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 18:00:27 +0000

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Released: 2009

Country: Philippines

Director: Khavn De La Cruz

Language: Tagalog

Theme: Art & Music

Genre: Experimental

Summary

A collection of short films by the enfant terrible of Philippine cinema, including ‘Amen, a brown comedy’ — a satire on the traditional Filipino custom of having younger people raise the hands of their elders, to their own foreheads, as a greeting and also as a superficial mark of respect; ‘Ultimo: Different ways of killing a national hero’ — an adaptation of Jose Rizal’s poem, ‘Mi ultimo adios’ (My Last Goodbye). Jose Rizal was a Philippine national hero, who had been sentenced to death by firing squad, by the Spanish government in 1896; I’m Not Batman; John Cage; Memory of Dawn; Headless (Pugot); This Is Not a Found Footage Film; By The Suez Canal.

Awards/Festivals: International Digital Film Festival 1998

Meet Our Hosts

robz — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 01:31:46 +0000

We have hundreds of movies for you to see . But which one do YOU want to see RIGHT NOW? That is the question.

To help you choose, we’ve asked five people to recommend some of their favorites.

Delhi film celebrity Aruna Vasudev tells you about three landmark films from India, that are reviewed by Saibai Chatterjee.

Asian Film Programmer, Philip Cheah recommends The Art of Flirting from Singapore.

Korean Film Director Kim Do Kyong recommends Camel(s) and Sweet Dream, both from Korea.

Film Critic from China, Shaoyi Sun recommends Eyes of a Beauty.

Asia Pacific Films’ President Jeannette Hereniko reveals the most popular films on the website and urges you to see a film from Iranian Independents.

Eleven titles are featured on the home page. What films do you recommend? Please join our hosts in recommending your favorite film. We look forward to hearing from YOU.

Motel Cactus

robz — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 22:00:18 +0000

Original Title: Motel Seoninjang

Released: 1997

Country: South Korea

Director: Park Ki Yong

Language: Korean

Theme: Gender & Sexuality

Genre: Drama

Summary

Seemingly voyeuristic in its approach, Motel Cactus is a steamy narrative of people’s lives and relationships, all of which takes place in a single, seedy motel room in Seoul.

The film consists of four separate stories that illuminate the complexity of the human condition. In the first encounter Choi chooses to spend her birthday with her boyfriend Lee Min-Koo at the motel, because it is the only place she feels entirely secure with him.

Next, film student Sung Joon-Ki rents the room to shoot a scene for his filmmaking project, but while waiting for the cameraman to show up he and the actress become physically intimate.

In the third story an older couple, Kim Suk-Tae and Choi Hyun-Joo, heavily intoxicated after drinking at a bar, use the room for a one night stand. Finally, a recent divorcee rents the room to reconnect with her old flame.

The four stages of romantic relationships presented in this first film by Park Ki-yong provide an original look at modern sexual loneliness and desire.

Movie trivia – Shot by Chris Doyle, look out for a linking shot of a prop that shows up in Wong Kar Wai’s Happy Together, which Doyle was also shooting at the time.

Awards/Festivals: New Currents Award Pusan International Film Festival 1997; FIPRESCI Prize – Special Mention and Nominated Tiger Award Rotterdam International Film Festival 1998; Singapore International Film Festival 1998.

Kiss Me Not On The Eyes

robz — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 21:45:09 +0000

Original Title: Dunia

Released: 2005

Country: Lebanon

Director: Jocelyn Saab

Language: Arabic

Theme: Gender & Sexuality

Genre: Drama

Summary

Set in Egypt, Dunia is a richly told narrative that centers on the protagonist, a young woman who studies poetry and dance at the local university. Fiercely independent, Dunia struggles against the traditions of her culture that would constrain her artistic and personal expression. The young woman is also adamant about protecting her friend’s young daughter from suffering the same fate as she did: that of being circumcised. Dealing with the emotional fallout of her own circumcision, Dunia finds herself unable to give in to her new husband’s sexual needs. The relationship takes a turn for the worse when Dunia’s husband attempts to curtail her artistic and scholarly pursuits. But, even as Dunia’s marriage stalls, her relationship with her mentor blossoms into a sensuous meeting of the mind and heart. Writer and director Jocelyne Saab subtly highlights the loud exchanges, the rowdy bazaars and the throbbing beat of the drums to seductively evoke an image of an Egypt pulsating with life, promising a heady ride through the world of female sexuality. Awards/Festivals: Winner Silver Screen Award Best Actress 2006 Singapore International Film Festival; Nominated Grand Prix des Amériques Montreal World Film Festival 2005; Nominated Grand Jury Prize World Cinema – Dramatic Sundance Film Festival 2006; High Falls Film Festival 2006.

Before We Fall In Love Again

robz — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 21:45:01 +0000

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Original Title: Nian Ni Ru Xi

Released: 2006

Country: Malaysia

Director: James Lee

Language: Mandarin, Cantonese

Theme: Family & Relationships

Genre: Romance

Summary

Before We Fall In Love Again is the first part in James Lee’s Love Trilogy, inspired by Harold Pinter’s Betrayal, the second being Things We Do When We Fall In Love.

Two men bond while trying to figure out, under unusual circumstances, what has happened to the woman they love. It has been a month since Chang’s wife Ling Yue went missing. With no reason, one fine day she left for work as usual and then never returned. No one knows where she went or what has happened to her.

Chang cannot figure out why she disappears out of the blue, leaving no message of any kind or even clues. He decides to travel to Prague, knowing it to be his wife’s dream destination. The night before he leaves, his friend Tong shows up and claims to be Ling Yue’s lover and looking for Ling Yue, too.

In this unexpected turn of events both men form an uneasy alliance in order to find Ling Yu. Set in a familiar present-day urban environment but with a dark existentialist undertone, the journey of the two men will be memorable. However, what lies ahead might not be what they want.

Awards/Festivals: Best Asian Film at the 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival; 11th Pusan International Film Festival; 19th Tokyo International Film Festival; 6th Marrakech International Film Festival.