TIFF Asian Film Rundown

Kanako is working out which movies she wants to see at TIFF

Kaiju Shakedown's Grady Hendrix has the skinny on the Asian movies playing TIFF this year. The rundown is just after an excellent look at the influence of Hong Kong filmmaker and star Patrick Lung Kong, which we really recommend reading.

Hendrix covers 38 films from South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, China, India, the Philippines, Pakistan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan. Fancy directors include: Ann Hui, Zhang Yimou, Johnnie To, Peter Chan, Sion Sono, Takashi Miike, Tetsuya Nakashima, Andrew Lau, Shinya Tsukamoto, Im Kwon-taek, and Tsai Ming-liang. And there are two Studio Ghibli films this year.

"Did you say two Studio Ghibli films?" Oiwa asks.

Hendrix talks about this year's City To City sidebar:

Toronto’s focus on another city, this eight-film sidebar of movies set in or around Seoul has some of the most interesting films in the line-up. There’s Cart a sort of retail Silkwood by Boo Ji-Young, one of Korea’s few female directors. A Hard Day about a cop who tries to cover up a hit-and-run accident, became a word-of-mouth hit at Cannes, where Film Comment called it a “rollicking thriller . . . carefully orchestrated, beat for beat” and Variety called it “…taut…elaborate…near-faultless…” You can see the trailer and make up your own mind.

He recommends The World Of Kanako--and director Tetsuya Nakashima:

The World of Kanako (Tetsuya Nakashima, Japan) The first film in four years from Tetsuya Nakashima, probably Japan’s smartest director (Kamikaze Girls, Memories of Matsuko, Confessions). Who cares what it’s about? Just go see it.

And he recommends Sion Sono's Tokyo Tribe, which opens this year's Midnight Madness program:

Tokyo Tribe (Sion Sono, Japan) The director continues to validate his existence by making some of the world’s most exciting movies. The only Asian movie in the Midnight Madness line-up—just look at the trailer and try to resist its anarchic pull.

Click through for the whole rundown. And, seriously, take a few minutes to read about Patrick Lung Kong.

TOKYO TRIBE screening times:
Thu. Sept. 4th, 11:59 PM, RYERSON
Fri. Sept. 5th, 10:00 PM, SCOTIABANK 8
Sun. Sept. 14th, 3:30 PM, LIGHTBOX 3

WORLD OF KANAKO screening times:
Sunday, Sept. 7th, 9:15 PM ISABELLA BADER THEATRE
Tuesday, Sept. 9th, 11:30 AM THE BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA
Saturday, Sept. 13th, 9:00 PM THE BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA

OVER YOUR DEAD BODY screening times:

Thursday, Sept. 11th, 6pm RYERSON

Friday, Sept. 12th, 9pm THE BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA

Saturday, Sept. 13th, 6:30 TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX 2