Sinema Weekly Digest: 28 June – 4 July 20216 min read
Reading Time: 5 minutesThe Sinema Weekly Digest presents a weekly roundup of Asian film news and the latest trailers, releases and events to check out over the weekend!
Top Stories
Yeo Yann Yann, Sunny Pang to Appear in Upcoming Netflix Action Thriller ‘Havoc’ with Tom Hardy
Actors Yeo Yann Yann and Sunny Pang join the cast of the upcoming Netflix action thriller Havoc, appearing alongside Tom Hardy and Timothy Olyphant. Directed by Gareth Evans, the film follows a drug deal gone wrong, with a bruised detective fighting his way through the criminal underworld to rescue a politician’s estranged son.
Malaysian Director Tan Chui Mui’s ‘Barbarian Invasion’ Scores Top Prize at Shanghai International Film Festival
Barbarian Invasion, directed by and starring Malaysian filmmaker Tan Chui Mui, has emerged as the winner of the Jury Grand Prix, one of two top prizes at the Golden Goblet Awards, held in conjunction with the 24th Shanghai International Film Festival. The film — Tan’s third — sees an actress struggling to restart her career after having to retire for full-time motherhood.
Philippines Creative Industry Lost 90% of Revenues in 2020
According to a report from the Manila Bulletin, the Filippino creative industry lost as much as 90% of revenues in 2020, exacerbated by the closure of ABS-CBN that affected the total media landscape. Taking the brunt is film (cinema based), performing arts, concerts and live events, heritage sites and museums, and folk arts and crafts with 85 – 90% revenue loss reported. Read the full report here.
Events, Festivals and Happenings
The Singapore Film Society Presents Two Evocative International Films in ‘SFS Showcase #2: Politics & Humanity’
Following its first film showcase of the year in April, the Singapore Film Society returns this July with a presentation of two award-winning films from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kenya — Academy Awards nominee from Golden Bear winner Jasmila Zbanic Quo Vadis, Aida? and Softie, the winner of the Editing Award for World Cinema – Documentary at the Sundance festival.
Ticket sales for the showcase are now on sale via the Singapore Film Society website.
Attendance to SFS Showcase #2 is FREE for SFS Fam members (SFS Friend and SFS Kopi & Movi members get discounts of up to 50% off) and open to all (both SFS members and non-members are welcome). Tickets are priced at $15 (inclusive of GST) for the public.
Singapore Film Society to Host Month-Long Master Series on Indian Cinema
The Singapore Film Society looks to shatter stereotypes with a four-week master series on Indian cinema. The programme will present an introduction to Indian film from Bollywood and beyond, including specially curated shorts from Singapore. Find out more from the Society’s Peatix page.
The Asian Film Archive Celebrates the Work of a Towering Figure in World Cinema with ‘Retrospective: Abbas Kiarostami’
From 10 July to 28 August 2021, the Asian Film Archive will be featuring the works of Iranian auteur, Abbas Kiarostami, in new 2K and 4K restorations for the first time in Asia. Retrospective: Abbas Kiarostami will showcase 18 feature films, 4 short features and 12 short films, including renowned works such as Close-up (1990) and the Palme d’Or-winning film Taste of Cherry (1997), as well as rarely-seen early short films made during pre-revolution Iran. Tickets go on sale Monday, 5 July 2021.
New Trailers
Bollywood star Farhan Akhtar Stars in Amazon Prime Sports Drama ‘Toofaan’
After multiple delays, the long-awaited drama Toofaan will arrive on Amazon Prime Video on 16 July. Farhan Akhtar stars as a disgraced boxer who returns to the ring after a five-year ban, charting his rise from a street thug to a celebrated boxer.
Official Trailer for Anime Adaptation of Ultraviolent Manga Series ‘Chainsaw Man’
Stay with us: A man murdered by the yakuza has his dead boby merge with his pet devil, which grants him the ability to transform his limbs to chainsaws. The anticipated adaptation is slated for a 2021 release.
New on Streaming
Star-Studded Live-Action Adaption of Video Game Series ‘Dynasty Warrior’ Now On Netflix
Starring Louis Koo, Han Geng and Tony Yang, Dynasty Warrior is an adaptation of the long-running video game series, which imagines the events of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms as an over-the-top thrill ride. Stream the film now on Netflix.
Clear Your Tear Ducts With Heartfelt Dementia Drama ‘Supernova’
Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth star as a long-time couple embarking on a road trip as one of them is beset by early-onset dementia. Stream the film now via Anticipate Pictures.
This Year’s Bronze Prize Cannes Lion Winner Is Quite An Experience
The writers at Sinema unfortunately do not speak Tagalog but there are some commercials that simply transcend languages. This Filippino commercial took home the Bronze prize in the Film category at the 2020/2021 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativty. The Cannes Lions is a global event that recognises groundbreaking works in creative communications and advertising.
In Theatres This Week
Local Award-Winning Documentary ‘Sementara’ To Be Showcased This Weekend at The Projector
The winner of the Singapore International Film Festival Audience Choice Award (2020) features intimate interviews with strangers from all walks of life about life’s big questions. Grab your tickets now for the 3 July screening of Sementara at The Projector here.
Documentary ‘Gunda’ Presents A View of Nature Unlike Any Other
Starring a mother pig, her piglets and a one-legged chicken, Gunda magnifies the mundane yet often-overlooked life of farm animals, presenting an otherworldly experience through gorgeous black and white. Tickets for screenings at The Projector are now on sale here.
Historical Drama ‘1921’ Charts The Start of The Chinese Communist Party
Coinciding with the Chinese Communist Party’s 100th anniversary is the historical epic 1921. Director Huang Jianxin was previously behind similar historical dramas, namely The Founding of a Republic (2009), The Founding of a Party (2011) and Mao Zedong 1949 (2019).
