Since there are so many excellent new films emerging every year, the Shanghai International Film Festival often has to fight with the film producers until the last minute to avoid leaving regrets for fans. Today, we will introduce the last 9 films in the three sections of "Film Festival Highlights", "New Works by Famous Directors" and "World Premieres". They are:
【Film Festival Highlights】
VIVA LA FESTIVAL
Pepe (2024, Nelson Carlo de Los Santos Arias)
Highlights:
A uniquely conceived allegory of Latin American history
This is a fascinating work that cleanses the soul. After the drug lord Pablo Escobar was killed, the hippos in his private zoo were left to the people. Because they had no natural enemies, they became a scourge to the local residents. The film cleverly weaves together the shooting of the hippopotamus Pepe and the execution of Escobar through metaphors. In addition to the accusation of colonization and plunder, the self-narrating hippos and the incoherent local residents, together with the freely spread images, constitute a polysemous prose fable, just like the Maddalena River with unknown whirlpools. Only by watching it in person can you appreciate its magical charm. The film was shortlisted for the main competition unit of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival and won the Silver Bear Award for Best Director.
Building No. 5 (Les Indésirables, 2023, Ladj Ly)
Highlights:
Les Miserables director's tense battle cry
This is France, but no French people live here. An apartment building in the suburbs of Paris, where immigrants live, was forcibly cleared by the government on Christmas Eve. After winning the Cannes Jury Prize for his debut feature film, Les Misérables, Raj Leigh once again explores the reality of class division in France. In the narrow and cramped space, there is a rage that has nowhere to vent, and deep-rooted distrust has long closed the possibility of dialogue. Compared with the previous work, the deeper sense of division and more naked disregard make the climax conflict more of an explosion of anger against prejudice than a rebellion. The film premiered at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival.
Great Absence (2023, by Kei Chikaura)
Highlights:
Fuji Tatsuya wins the Sansa Best Actor Award for his portrayal of an Asian father
The Japanese new director Kei Chikaura, who has become a legend for his uninvited visit to Beijing and cordial interaction with fans, actually has a close relationship with China. His first feature film is the Sino-Japanese co-production "Gentle Accomplice" starring Lu Yulai and Fuji Tatsuya. In this new work, he collaborated with the Japanese veteran actor Fuji Tatsuya for the second time, depicting the emotional interaction and reconciliation between an old man who once abandoned his wife and children and his son as he suffers from Alzheimer's disease and gradually loses his memory. The film was shot on 35mm film, fully demonstrating the director's pursuit of image texture, and Fuji Tatsuya perfectly interpreted the image of a typical Asian father who is a mixture of love and hate with his superb acting skills, and won the Best Actor Award at the San Sebastian International Film Festival.
Out of Season, 2023, Stéphane Brizé
Highlights:
A gentle, romantic and sad reunion of an old love
Mathieu, an actor facing a midlife crisis, met his former girlfriend Alice during his convalescence, and the two fell into the old days again. They were so attractive to each other when they fell in love, and their unspeakable thoughts were gently stretched. The film interacts with the audience through the ingenuity of sound, and they conspire to complete a love story with long-lasting meaning. Stephen Busse, a frequent visitor to Cannes and Venice, is famous for his workplace realism works. This new work with a different style was once again shortlisted for the main competition unit of the Venice International Film Festival, proving that he is still at ease when shooting gentle love films. French male god Guillaume Canet and Venice's best actress Alba Rohrwacher shine in the film, perfectly presenting the delicate, romantic and sad short time of the reunited old love.
【New Works by Famous Directors】
NEW FROM AUTEUR
Making Of, 2023, Cédric Kahn
Highlights:
The story on the set is more exciting than the movie itself
Simon, a well-known French director, starts shooting a film about workers protesting against a factory relocation, but nothing goes as planned. The producer wants to rewrite the ending and threatens to cut the budget; the crew goes on strike; and his personal life is a mess. Joseph, an extra, agrees to direct a behind-the-scenes documentary, and begins to follow the crew to record all this chaos... After his serious work "The Trial of Goldman" was shortlisted for the Cannes Directors' Fortnight, the famous French director Cedric Kahn changed his style and exhibited this comedy-themed farce in Venice and received rave reviews. The film switches freely between the inside and outside of the play with the change of the frame, and various familiar jokes are readily available. While making the audience laugh, they also make the audience sigh for the situation of filmmakers. It can be called a love letter written by the director to the film, and it also verifies the old saying that the story on the set is more exciting than the film itself.
[World’s first]
WORLD DEBUT
Valensole 1965 (2024, Dominique Filhol)
Highlights:
The most famous third-kind contact incident in France
This film is adapted from a true story in history and is the most famous third-kind contact incident in France. On July 1, 1965, Maurice Mas, a farmer in Valensole, the lavender town of France, witnessed a UFO, which took off at high speed and left mysterious traces in his lavender field... This news made him famous quickly, but also brought him a lot of trouble, and his life changed dramatically. French director Dominique Filhall has been keen on the creation of UFO themes for many years. His short film adapted from the classic short story "Nine Billion Names of God" by science fiction giant Arthur Clarke was selected for more than 40 film festivals around the world and won many awards. This film is Dominique's first feature film. It is still a familiar alien theme, and even pays tribute to "2001: A Space Odyssey", but what he wants to tell us more is that compared with the mysterious universe and aliens, the human heart is the most unpredictable. This film premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival.
Maowusu (Maoussi, 2023, Charlotte Schiøler)
Highlights:
The "love story of white mice" that transcends race, identity, and skin color
Danish dancer Babette accidentally discovered that Edo, a refugee from Congo, had moved into her small apartment in Paris. Edo was a talented drummer. The appearance of a lab mouse, Mosi, who escaped, changed their lives dramatically. After repeated misunderstandings and conflicts, they gradually got to know each other and came together. Charlotte Sauler, a dancer born in Denmark and active in France, the United States and other places, combined her international background and experience with a unique understanding to show the audience a touching love across race, identity and skin color in this feature film debut, and also conducted a profound reflection on the definition of "refugee". It is worth mentioning that there are a lot of dance and music in this film, and Charlotte herself also appeared in person, contributing a passionate and wonderful performance.
Cu Li Never Cries (2024, Pham Ngoc Lan)
Highlights:
A Revelation of Happiness Intertwined with the Present and History
The short films "Different Capital" and "Blessed Land" directed by Vietnamese emerging director Pham Ngoc Linh were both shortlisted for the Berlin International Film Festival, while his feature film "Slow Monkeys Never Cry" was shortlisted for the Panorama section of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival this year and won the Best First Feature Award (GWFF BEST FIRST FEATURE). In the film, the heroine returns to Hanoi with her ex-husband's ashes and his beloved slow monkey, while a young couple tries to get rid of the traditional burden and prepare for their wedding. The director uses black and white images to create a narrative space that drives the story through atmosphere, allowing the current picture and historical memory to gradually intertwine. The subjective lens that blurs the identity brings more moments of contemplation. The protagonists are confused about happiness, but never stop pursuing it.
King Frankie (2024, Dermot Malone)
Highlights:
An elegant work that blends Dublin style with personal memories
"King Frank" tells the story of Frank, a Dublin taxi driver who runs his own taxi company. On the day he learns of his father's death, he has to face up to some things that happened ten years ago. Facing the past, it seems that what Frank needs to do most is to reconcile with himself... In his feature debut, director Dermot Malone focuses on those who keep their promises and emphasizes the importance of memory to individuals. The film scenes and characters' costumes are elegant, and the gloomy Dublin weather also reminds the audience of the characters' hidden thoughts. The film media "Daily Screen" praised "King Frank" as a "Shakespearean film."
Tickets for this year's film festival will go on sale on the Tao Piaopiao platform at 12:00 noon on June 7 , and tickets for screenings outside Shanghai (Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo, and Hefei) will go on sale online at 12:00 noon on June 8 .
Note: If the film list changes, please refer to the actual schedule.
