The Jeonju International Film Festival, South Korea’s second most important generalist film festival, on Tuesday announced “The Major Tones” and “Time to Be Strong” as the Grand Prix winners of its two competition sections. The festival continues until Friday.
Directed by Argentina’s Ingrid Pokropek, “The Major Tones” is a mystery film about a youngster with a metal plate in her arm which begins to receive peculiar messages in Morse Code. It premiered at the Mar del Plata festival and also played in Berlin’s Generation KPlus section. In Jeonju it won the international section.
The Korean section was dominated by “Time to Be Strong,” the sophomore effort of director Namkoong Sun. In addition to the Korean competition’s Grand Prix, it also shared the best actor award and picked up the Watch award from a local streamer.
The film follows three former K-pop idol singers whose careers have...
Directed by Argentina’s Ingrid Pokropek, “The Major Tones” is a mystery film about a youngster with a metal plate in her arm which begins to receive peculiar messages in Morse Code. It premiered at the Mar del Plata festival and also played in Berlin’s Generation KPlus section. In Jeonju it won the international section.
The Korean section was dominated by “Time to Be Strong,” the sophomore effort of director Namkoong Sun. In addition to the Korean competition’s Grand Prix, it also shared the best actor award and picked up the Watch award from a local streamer.
The film follows three former K-pop idol singers whose careers have...
- 5/8/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Holly, a 15-year-old girl, appears to develop clairvoyance and magical healing powers — or does she? — in Belgian director Fien Troch’s intriguing, ambiguous fifth feature, Holly. Anchored by a charismatic yet impressively subtle lead performance by Cathalina Geeraerts, the film flirts with different genres, and at various stages looks poised to emerge as a teen-themed horror show like Carrie or a didactic dramatization of the evils of bullying. Ultimately it ends up being neither of those things and evolves into a sly black comedy about the impossibility of truly unselfish altruism.
That tonal complexity may make it a little harder to love for audiences who crave easy answers, rootable-for characters and cut-and-dry moral dilemmas, but this should find its own niche on the festival circuit and beyond.
In a suburban Belgian town where Flemish is the more dominant language, Holly lives with her alcoholic mother (Els Deceukilier) and sister Dawn...
That tonal complexity may make it a little harder to love for audiences who crave easy answers, rootable-for characters and cut-and-dry moral dilemmas, but this should find its own niche on the festival circuit and beyond.
In a suburban Belgian town where Flemish is the more dominant language, Holly lives with her alcoholic mother (Els Deceukilier) and sister Dawn...
- 9/9/2023
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Fien Troch’s “Holly,” which world premieres in competition at the Venice Film Festival, has debuted its trailer. MK2 is handling world sales. Troch’s previous film, “Home,” won the Horizons best director award at Venice.
“Holly” follows 15-year-old Holly, who calls her school to say she is staying home for the day. Soon after, a fire breaks out at the school, killing several students. With everyone touched by the tragedy, the community comes together, trying to heal.
Anna, a teacher, intrigued by Holly and her strange premonition, invites her to join the volunteering group she runs. Holly’s presence seems to bring peace of mind, warmth and hope to those she encounters. But soon, people begin to seek out Holly and her cathartic energy, demanding more and more from the girl.
Troch admits that there is something of herself in Holly. “Yes, like her, I am very receptive to other people’s emotions,...
“Holly” follows 15-year-old Holly, who calls her school to say she is staying home for the day. Soon after, a fire breaks out at the school, killing several students. With everyone touched by the tragedy, the community comes together, trying to heal.
Anna, a teacher, intrigued by Holly and her strange premonition, invites her to join the volunteering group she runs. Holly’s presence seems to bring peace of mind, warmth and hope to those she encounters. But soon, people begin to seek out Holly and her cathartic energy, demanding more and more from the girl.
Troch admits that there is something of herself in Holly. “Yes, like her, I am very receptive to other people’s emotions,...
- 8/29/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Principal photography has begun on “Unspoken,” toplining Chinese star Zhang Hanyu and written and directed by Chen Daming. Filming is taking place in China and Canada for a 2022 release.
“Unspoken” is being produced by Huanxi Media and Cmc Pictures of Cmc Inc., with an international production team led by Court Five’s Mark Ordesky and Jane Fleming, Chinese producer Han Sanping and Cmc’s Ming Beaver Kwei. Former Columbia/TriStar president of production Chris Lee is an executive producer.
Zhang is the first actor to win the “Grand Slam” of top acting honors in China, which is now the world’s largest film market.
“Unspoken” also stars Michael Cudlitz (“The Walking Dead”), Jake Abel and Vivienne Tien.
The film centers on Xu (Zhang), an ex-cop who’s estranged from his deaf daughter in the midst of her studies at an American university. Her sudden death raises grief and guilt in...
“Unspoken” is being produced by Huanxi Media and Cmc Pictures of Cmc Inc., with an international production team led by Court Five’s Mark Ordesky and Jane Fleming, Chinese producer Han Sanping and Cmc’s Ming Beaver Kwei. Former Columbia/TriStar president of production Chris Lee is an executive producer.
Zhang is the first actor to win the “Grand Slam” of top acting honors in China, which is now the world’s largest film market.
“Unspoken” also stars Michael Cudlitz (“The Walking Dead”), Jake Abel and Vivienne Tien.
The film centers on Xu (Zhang), an ex-cop who’s estranged from his deaf daughter in the midst of her studies at an American university. Her sudden death raises grief and guilt in...
- 1/16/2022
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
Michael Cudlitz and Jake Abel and have signed on to star alongside Zhang Hanyu and Vivienne Tien (Be Yourself) in Unspoken, a dramatic feature from writer-director Daming Chen that is now in production.
Unspoken tells the story of Xu (Zhang), an estranged father separated from his deaf daughter and her new life at an American university, whose murder reunites them in a way neither could have foreseen. The tragedy pierces Xu with grief and guilt that he couldn’t be present to protect his child. An ex-cop himself, he becomes convinced the local authorities are pursuing the wrong suspect – and that racism is compromising the investigation.
With a young Chinese translator in tow (Tien), who is navigating her own challenging path as a young immigrant, Xu sets out to learn what really happened to his daughter.
Unspoken tells the story of Xu (Zhang), an estranged father separated from his deaf daughter and her new life at an American university, whose murder reunites them in a way neither could have foreseen. The tragedy pierces Xu with grief and guilt that he couldn’t be present to protect his child. An ex-cop himself, he becomes convinced the local authorities are pursuing the wrong suspect – and that racism is compromising the investigation.
With a young Chinese translator in tow (Tien), who is navigating her own challenging path as a young immigrant, Xu sets out to learn what really happened to his daughter.
- 1/5/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
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