Asian films in the 2009 Cannes Film Festival

[4jpz]

Asian movies are on the roll in the upcoming 62nd Cannes Film Festival to be held on May 13-24, 2009. Twenty films are competing for the Palme d'Or and another 19 films for "Un Certain Regard," a secondary competition.

So, who are the Asian contenders for the prestigious Cannes?

Taiwan's Ang Lee's entry is "Taking Woodstock," a movie set during the 60s and is all about the popular American rock festival. Watch trailer here.

Hong Kong's Johnnie To's movie "Vengeance," a crime flick with French rock icon Johnny Hallyday on the lead. The movie is about a father who tries to avenge the death of his daughter and her family. Watch French trailer here.

Malaysia's Tsai Ming-liang has an all-star French cast for "Face" also known as "Visage." The film was commissioned by France's Louvre Museum, and has notions of Buddhism clashed with Western art. Watch some behind the scenes of the movie here.

Chinese Lou Ye's entry is entitled "Spring Fever." An erotic film about three-way love and was shot secretly in the eastern city of Nanjing as was reported in tom.com, a Chinese website. This is Lou Ye's second film to be submitted to the prestigious Cannes. The first one was "Summer Palace" and was submitted to Cannes without China's approval thus banning him to make films in China for five years.

Philippines entry is Brillante Mendoza's indie film "Kinatay" (Butchered). This is Mendoza's second film to be part of the Palme d'Or. His first film "Serbis" (Service) was selected as one of the finalists for last year's competition. Two other films will represent Philippines: Raya Martin's "Independencia" for the Un Certain Regard category, and "Manila" by Adolfo Alix Jr. and Raya Martin for a special screening.

South Korea's Park Chan Wook is back with the vampire movie "Bak-Jwi" or "Thirst." He grabbed Cannes' Grand Prix for the movie "Oldboy" in 2004.

Note: One of the actress in Thirst is Filipina Mercedes Cabral, who happens to be the lead actress in Kinatay, Philippines' entry. She will be attending the red carpet together with Brilliante, Kinatay's director. This is Cabral's second Cannes' red carpet coz she was also the lead for Brilliante's last year's entry, Serbis. She won last year's online poll for "Most Beautiful Actress" who walked the Cannes' red carpet against Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett, Linda Evangelista, Penelope Cruz, and Salma Hayek.

Here is the complete list of this year's finalists:

"Antichrist" by Lars von Trier (Denmark)
"Bright Star" by Jane Campion (New Zealand)
"Los Abrazos Rotos" (Broken Embraces) by Pedro Almodovar (Spain)
"Soudain le Vide" (Enter the Void) by Gaspar Noe (France)
"Visages" (Face) by Tsai Ming-Liang (Malaysia)
"Fish Tank" by Andrea Arnold (Britain)
"A l'Origine" (In the Beginning) by Xavier Giannoli (France)
"Inglourious Basterds" by Quentin Tarantino (United States)
"Kinatay" (Butchered) by Brillante Mendoza (Philippines)
"Les Herbes Folles" (Wild Grasses) by Alain Resnais (France)
"Looking for Eric" by Ken Loach (Britain)
"Map of the Sounds of Tokyo" by Isabel Coixet (Spain)
"Un Prophete" (A Prophet) by Jacques Audiard (France)
"Spring Fever" by Lou Ye (China)
"Taking Woodstock” by Ang Lee (Taiwan-United States)
"The Time That Remains" by Elia Suleiman (Palestinian)
"Bak-Jwi" (Thirst) by Park Chan-wook (South Korea)
"Vengeance" by Johnnie To (Hong Kong)
"Vincere" (To Conquer) by Marco Bellocchio (Italy)
"Das Weisse Band" (The White Ribbon) by Michael Haneke (Germany)

[VIERAN]

whoever the winner is, congratulations in advance. hopefully Philippines entry can make it. l

[4jpz]

whoa! Cannes will be in a few days!!!

I've added this little tidbit on the main post re: Mercedes Cabral attending Cannes for the 2nd time and that she's with Philippines' entry Kinatay and South Korea's entry Thirst!!! Both aiming for Palme d'Or! woot woot!!! and hope she wins the online poll for 'Most Beautiful Actress' for the 2nd time around!

... there goes without saying that I want Kinatay to get Palme d'Or and/or the entries from Philippines to get the other awards, as well!

Mabuhay Pilipinas!!! and Good luck to the other Asian entries as well!