update on SFIAAFF

Update on the films I have seen (some I saw on DVD):

A Thousand Years of Good Prayers

West 32nd

Terrorizer

Yiyi

Long Story Short

Planet B-Boy

Traveling with Yoshitomo Nara

Blood Brothers

Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame (highly recommended!)

Death Note

Flight of the Red Balloon

A Gentle Breeze in the Village

I'm a Cyborg but That's Ok

Slingshot

Looking forward to seeing:

Home Song Stories (Joan Chen)

The Princess of Nebraska (probably have to wait for DVD...)

A Brighter Summer Day (4 hrs!)

Ping Pong Playa

Yasukuni

881

Desert Dream

Happiness

The Unseeable

Out of the films I have seen so far, Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame is probably the biggest surprise, and it is definitely worth watching. As for the rest, getting to see HHH's new film "Flight of the Red Balloon" is also a pleasant experience.

"Flight of the Red Balloon" does remind me of Hou's previous work "Cafe Lumiere", which is also set in a foreign country, and about the struggling life of a woman. Usual symbols from Hou's films like the train motif and the puppet work are all available and certainly the impeccable long take and moving camera.  While I would say I still like his older films like "City of Sadness" and "Puppetmaster" more, it is still interesting to see his new works on the big screen. (a more detailed review will be posted on my cinema website later)

I also went to the panel but unfortunately due to some other commitment, couldn't stay until the end. nevertheless, got to meet Daniel and Patrick in different occassions.

below is Daniel and my friend Vivian (the leading girl in my latest short film...) and we did have a nice chat...