The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Brussels (HKETO, Brussels), is delighted to support the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF) again this year. Four of the latest Hong Kong films will be screened during the festival, including three in competition.
Moreover, as one of the activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its establishment, HKETO, Brussels will present a special Martial Arts Film Retrospective in cooperation with BIFFF, the Belgium Hong Kong Society and the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society. Ten classic films, dating from 1972 to 2013, will be screened.
Tickets can be bought at www.bifff.net, or click on the links under each film.
Programme
Hong Kong Martial Arts Film Retrospective
All films will be shown in Cine 3 at 18:00 – Tickets: EUR 3
8 April
The Way of the Dragon, by Bruce Lee (1972)
Tang Lung arrives in Rome to help a friend of his family, a girl called Chen Ching-hua. She has been threatened by local gangsters who want to takeover her restaurant. Soon after Tang’s arrival, the gangsters appear at the restaurant and force Chen to sign over the deeds to the place. Angry Tang challenges and defeats them in an excellent show of his fighting skills. The mastermind of the gang orders Tang’s assassination. When this fails, the gang leader hires an international Karate champion from the United States in a last attempt to kill Tang. Tang meets the American in a coliseum and they fight like gladiators to the death.
http://www.bifff.net/festival/movie/the-way-of-the-dragon/
9 April
The Young Master, by Jackie Chan (1980)
Ching Loong (Jackie Chan), a young student, is suddenly thrown into the limelight when his Red School elder, Cheng Keung (Wei Pei), drops out of the annual Lion Dance competition in Guangzhou. As Ching stuggles against the representative of the rival Blue School, he discovers that it is the debt-laden Cheng. Ching tries to make Cheng turn over a new leaf, but his mission to clear Cheng’s name lands him in hot water when he is framed for a crime. Now the young master not only has the reputation of Cheng and the school on his shoulders, he has to prove his own innocence as well.
http://www.bifff.net/festival/movie/young-master/
10 April
Spooky Encounters, by Sammo Hung (1980)
Cheung (Sammo Hung), a cuckolded husband, is sent on a wild roller coaster ride of spooky encounters when his wife’s wealthy lover tries to do away with him with the help of a Taoist monk’s black magic. How Cheung defies his enemies is an uproarious comedy featuring hopping vampires, supernatural possession, copious splashings of chicken blood and relentless chanting, all mixed with an exhilarating dose of kung fu and slapstick humour. http://www.bifff.net/festival/movie/spooky-encounters/
11 April
Duel to Death, by Ching Siu-tung (1983)
The best swordsmen of China and Japan have made it a ritual to meet every ten years for a showdown of fighting skills and powers. The leading fighter of the Japanese ninjas, Hashimoto (Tsui Siu-keung), and the Chinese chief Ching Wan (Damian Lau) have come to respect each other after years of competition – but tradition demands that they lock swords again. Their honour is put to the test when rogue ninjas barge into Shaolin Temple to steal a secret kung fu manuscript and unleash a war.
http://www.bifff.net/festival/movie/duel-to-death/
13 April
Righting Wrongs, by Corey Yuen (1986)
This is the first case for young public prosecutor Yuen Biao. The People vs. drug kings Paul Chang and James Tien. Yuen is sure of conviction as Uncle Sing has agreed to testify in court. The sky falls on Yuen when he learns Uncle Sing and his family were murdered the night before. Both defendants are set free bcause of a lack of evidence. A deeply outraged Yuen decides to take law into his own hands.
http://www.bifff.net/festival/movie/righting-wrongs/
14 April
Once Upon a Time in China II, by Tsui Hark (1992)
Even bigger and better, Tsui Hark manages to surpass the already superb Once Upon A Time In China with this stunning sequel that will leave viewers yearning for more. Jet Li (Lethal Weapon 4, Romeo Must Die) reprises his role as kung fu master Huang Fei Hong, who arrives in Canton for a medical convention but gets embroiled in a crackdown by palace officials on the revolutionary gang led by Sun Yat Sen (Zhang Tie Lin) and Luke (John Chiang). Yuen Wo Ping (Iron Monkey, The Matrix) outdoes himself with astounding choreography. Definitely a must-see !
http://www.bifff.net/festival/movie/once-upon-a-time-in-china-ii/
15 April
Iron Monkey, by Yuen Woo-ping (1993)
A fictionalised account, written and produced by Tsui Hark, of an episode in the childhood of the Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung and his father Wong Kei-ying, and their encounter with the "Iron Monkey”. A martial artist/doctor steals from the corrupt authorities as a masked thief, the Iron Monkey, to give to the poor while another martial artist/doctor is forced to hunt him down. Starring Donnie Yen (Ip Man).
http://www.bifff.net/festival/movie/iron-monkey/
16 April
Kung Fu Hustle, by Stephen Chow (2004)
A humorous, special-effects-filled, action-packed martial arts epic set in early 1940s China, directed by international superstar Stephen Chow who also plays the film’s lead. A massive box office hit upon its release, it features fight choreography by legendary masters of martial arts cinema Yuen Woo Ping and Sammo Hung.
http://www.bifff.net/festival/movie/kung-fu-hustle/
17 April
Seven Swords, by Tsui Hark (2005)
In 1660 China is annexed by Manchuria and the Ching dynasty takes over the throne. This leads to many revolts. The government reacts by outlawing the study and practice of all martial arts. A tribute to to Akira Kurosawa's 1954 film Seven Samurai, Seven Swordswas the opening film of the 2005 Venice Film Festival. Starring Donnie Yen.
http://www.bifff.net/festival/movie/seven-swords/
18 April
The Grandmaster, by Wong Kar-wai (2013)
China, 1936. Ip Man, the legendary Wing Chun master and future mentor of Bruce Lee, leads a prosperous life in Foshan. He devotes his time to his family and the perfecting of his martial art skills. He would be the ideal successor of Baosen, Grandmaster of the Chinese Order of Martial Arts. Starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai as Ip Man.
http://www.bifff.net/festival/movie/grandmaster-the/
More info about the Martial Arts Retrospective at: http://www.bifff.net/retro-kung-fu/
More Hong Kong movies at BIFFF !
Do not miss the following exciting films at BIFFF:
(Cine 2, 21:00, 7 April and 14:00, 15 April)
The Taking of Tiger Mountain 3D, by Tsui Hark (BIFFF Thriller Competition)
Inspired by a story from the Chinese revolution, an epic action extravaganza with everything you can expect from the genre: spectacular combat scenes in majestic landscapes, gravity defying stunt work, eye-popping special effects and a solid cast with Tony Ka Fai Leung (Detective Dee, Election), Cung Le (The Grandmaster) and Nan Yu (The Expendables 2) playing the leads. Captain’s Shao squad is sent to stop a brutal gang of bandits that are terrorizing a mountainous region in China. But after a long trek through the snowy mountains, they realize they are far outnumbered and outgunned by their adversaries, whose headquarters are in a fort on Tiger Mountain. It’s David against Goliath, with certain death awaiting Shao and his men. But there’s no way back. They’ll have to take Tiger Mountain !
http://www.bifff.net/festival/movie/taking-of-tiger-mountain-the/ (tickets EUR 9)
(Cine 2, 00:30, 9 April)
Zombie Fight Club, by Joe Chien
At the end of the century, in a remote corner of the city, in an apartment building full of violence, Jenny, a young model, has a knack for choosing the wrong friends. During one of her many parties, all hell breaks loose and everybody starts drowning in blood. This is no horror homage to David Fincher’s cult classic Fight Club, but more something like The Raid meets Resident Evil meets Highschool of the Dead. A yummy contemporary B-movie starring Michael Wong (Transformers: Age of Extinction), Philip Ng (New Police Story) and Terence Yin (Lara Croft 2). You couldn’t wish for a better club!
http://www.bifff.net/festival/movie/zombie-fight-club/ (tickets EUR 7.50)
(Cine 1, 22:30, 14 April)
That Demon Within, by Dante Lam (BIFFF Thriller Competition)
Have you ever truly regretted something you did? Dave, a cop who tries to walk the straight and narrow, has done something that haunts him. His blood saved the life of an incredibly dangerous criminal on the brink of death. And just like in Naoki Urusawa’s cult manga Monster, this act of kindness has big consequences for Dave and for Hon, the criminal. Hon does not use the second life he’s been granted to help blind people cross the street, but to cause further chaos and death in the city. Dave has to make a difficult choice. His dark past resurfaces. Will he take justice in his own hands or will he put his faith in the authorities?
http://www.bifff.net/festival/movie/that-demon-within/ (tickets EUR 10)
(Cine 1, 22.30, 16 April and Cine 2, 14:00, 17 April)
The Midnight After, by Fruit Chan (BIFFF International Competition)
In this delirious horror-comedy, a group of passengers in busy Hong Kong board a minibus late at night. While passing through a tunnel, they sense something is amiss, and when they emerge on the other side, the roads are empty and their destination has become a ghost town. The eclectic group of passengers seek refuge in a deserted café and make a horrific discovery. The film received the awards for Best Film and Best Director at the 21st Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards, the Jury’s Choice award at the 18th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival and the award for Best Visual Effets at the 51st Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival.
http://www.bifff.net/festival/movie/midnight-after-the/ (tickets EUR 7.50/EUR 10)
