ASIAN FILMMAKERS STANLEY KWAN AND MASAHIRO KOBAYASHI HONOURED IN FRANCE

This is a "copy-paste" of the first press communique from the Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema. It's a bit late since the festival started already + I couldn't attend it this year, but anyway...

Masahiro KOBAYASHI (Japan) and Stanley KWAN (China) to be honoured at 14th Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema (29th January to 5th February 2008)Japanese director Masahiro Kobayashi, Gold Léopard awarded at Locarno 2007 for his film « Ai no Yokan», will be the President of the international Juryat 14th Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema which will take place from 29th January till 5th February 2008.

A Tribute to Stanley Kwan, major Hong Kong director and producer, Gold Cyclo awarded at Vesoul 2002 for his film Lan Yu, will be present in Vesoul where most of his work will bescreened. The trophy Gold Cyclo of Honour will be granted to him for his entire work.

An audience of 23120during last edition ranks Vesoul Festival at the top of French film festivals dedicated to Asian cinema. Besides, it is a unique festival of its kind since it is the only one exclusively dedicated to Asia in its entire geographical existence, from the Near East to the Far East countries. It is also the oldest festival of Asian cinemain Europe.

The editorial policy of 14th festival keeps the same spirit which always prevailed: quality foreveryone.

70 films will be shown during next festival, mainly unreleased or rare films, as Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema always endeavoured to be, a festival in pursuit of the preservation of the cinematographic heritage.

The seventy films of the 14th edition will be shown in seven sections:

• Faces of Asian contemporary cinema, a competition section of unreleased feature films * Documentaries, a competition section of unreleased documentaries * Thematic section, a selection of films illustrating a chosen theme: Asian cities * 150 years of Franco-Japaneserelations * Focus on Tajik cinema * Tribute to Stanley Kwan * Youth sectionThe two competition sections, features and documentaries, will have unreleased films as well asFrench, European or World Premieres.

The thematic section will enhance the fact that 2008 is the first year in the history of humanity when urban populations are more in number than rural ones on earth. It seemed important to underline this fact with the thematic section dedicated to “ Asian cities”.

2008 will also celebrate the anniversary of 150 years of official diplomatic relations betweenFrance and Japan. Vesoul Festival will take part in this celebration with a section of a Franco-Japanese cinematographic dialogue.

Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema, a festival of discovery, proposes a focus on an unknown cinema: films from Tajikistan;

As a foretaste of the Festival, the Haute-Saône traditional screenings in Gray, Dampierre-sur- Salon, Lure and Luxeuil-les-Bains will take place from 23rd to 29th January 2008.

Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema in Paris : for the sixth consecutive year, a repeat of a part of the festival’s programming will be screened at the Auditorium of the GuimetNational Museum of Asian Arts during the Vesoul in Paris programme at the beginning of March 2008.

It is a chance to have an international Asian festival in Franche-Comtéand this is all the more trueas Asia seems to play an increasingly important part in 21st century, as shown by the emergence of China and India. Somewhere in the heart of Franche-Comté, in the prefecture of Haute-Saône, Vesoul is a window opened to the comprehension of these cultures.

Therefore, with no hesitation, do come to the rendezvous of 14th Vesoul International FilmFestival of Asian Cinema "Cinémas d'Asie" from 29th January to 5th February 2008.

Information: Festival International des Cinémas d'Asie 25, rue du docteur Doillon 70 000 VESOUL – France –

Tel : 33 (0)3 84 76 55 82 – Fax : 33 (0)3 84 96 01 43 mobile : 06 84 84 87 46 –

e-mail : festival.vesoul@wanadoo.fr - site web : cinemas-asie.com