- This event has passed.
EVENT DESCRIPTION
M+, Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual culture in the West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong, is pleased to announce the M+ Cinema Summer Edition, to be presented between July and September 2023.
Summer Edition Highlights
M+ Cinema strives for diverse viewing experiences that enrich audiences’ encounters with and appreciation of visual culture. Our Summer Edition dives into the history of animation in Asia. ‘Animation Pioneers in Asia’ features a selection of iconic animation from various regions of Asia, including Hong Kong, Mainland China, Japan, Korea, and Thailand, between the 1960s and 1990s. The thematic programme ‘Disquieted Water of the South’ explores the cultural, political, and historical heterogeneity of the south-eastern part of Asia across three parts. This edition also includes Ann Hui’s two films about Vietnam which celebrate the filmmaker’s early career, and this edition also pays homage to The Great Dictator (1940), which brings Charlie Chaplin’s sharp and timeless satire on tyranny to the audiences of M+ Cinema.
Details of M+ Cinema Summer Edition:
M+ Cinema presents ‘Animation Pioneers in Asia’, a landmark programme that celebrates game-changing moments in the development of independent Asian animation from the 1960s to the 1990s. Featuring hand-drawn animations as well as films that use stop motion, puppets, papercuts, sand, ink, and more, ‘Animation Pioneers in Asia’ showcases the first feature animations ever created in Korea and Thailand, alongside a rich and striking assortment of short animations from Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Japan.
The programme spotlights Neco Lo Che-ying(b.1960), a self-taught independent animator from Hong Kong who experiments with wide range of techniques from traditional hand-drawn animation to stop motion, and then to salt and sand animation. Lo’s eleven works in the M+ Collection will be shown in their restored form for the first time. This edition also features four shorts from the golden periods of Chinese animation, all classics produced by the legendary Shanghai Animation Film Studio. Also included in this edition is a selection of Japanese independent animation shorts: two experimental works by Osamu Tezuka (1928–1989), the ‘God of Manga’ and a founder of modern Japanese anime, a classic by puppet animation master Kawamoto Kihachiro (1925–2010); and the first animation that documents the tragic consequences of the A-bomb explosion in Hiroshima, made by Kinoshita Renzo (1936–1997).
The programme also contains the first feature animation in Korea, A Story of Hong Gil-dong (1967) by Shin Dong-hun (1927–2017), which is adapted from a classic Korean novel. The Adventure of Sudsakorn (1979) by Thai illustrator and animator Payut Ngaokrachang (1929–2010) tells the tale of Sudsakorn, son of a mermaid who embarks on an adventure in search for his father. The film holds significant historical value as it is the first and last celluloid animated feature.
Using water as a metaphor, ‘Disquieted Water of the South’ includes a series of feature films and video works that explore the cultural, political and historical diversity of the south-eastern part of Asia. The region’s archipelagic geography and aquatic nature have steered and shaped its histories and fortunes. The programme explores water’s innate ability to forge, mediate, and even break connections, and also to capture the mysterious and shamanistic way of living in this region. Highlights of this programme include Journey from the Fall (2006) by Vietnamese-American film writer, editor, and director Ham Tran (b.1974), Compound Eyes of Tropical (2022) by Taiwanese director Zhang Xu Zhan (b.1988), and Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2004) by celebrated Thai film director Apichatpong Weerasethakul (b.1970).
- Ann Hui’s The Story of Woo Viet (1981) and Boat People (1982)
The M+ Cinema Summer Edition 2023 shines a spotlight on the early career of renowned Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui (b.1947). The screening programme showcases Hui’s interest in the lives of Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong in the 1980s through the inclusion of The Story of Woo Viet (1981) and Boat People(1982), films that set the tone for the Hong Kong New Wave film movement in the 1980s.
- Special Screenings: Charlie Chaplin
From economic disparity to international conflicts, Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977) had expressed his passion about various socio-political issues through his films. The Great Dictator (1940) is often cited for its sharp and timeless satire on tyranny. One of the screenings will feature a panel discussion on Chaplin’s work and passion, as well as his relevance in today’s cinema. ‘Comedy for All: Chaplin on Grand Stair’ is a free programme that showcases three crowd-pleasing shorts by the comedic titan. The Rink (1916), The Immigrant(1917), and A Dog’s Life (1918) are classics of the silent era that can still bring the house down.
‘Constellations Super 8: A Masterclass with Helga Fanderl’ offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience Super 8 films on screen. In this engaging masterclass the German artist will screen a selection of her silent short films, share insights into her iconic in-camera editing, her sensory and conceptual inspirations, and her expertise in site specific presentations, be it in traditional cinemas, art galleries, or ephemeral screening structures. This event is organised with the support of the German Consulate.
- Previews: To Be Continued (2023) and Revolution+1 (2022)
Previews of the most keenly awaited local and foreign films will be offered. The forgotten history of Harry Odell, founder of North Point’s State Theatre is documented in To Be Continued (2023). Legendary independent filmmaker Masao Adachi narrates the backstory of Shinzo Abe’s assassin in Revolution+1(2022).
Centring on documentaries and essay films about the personalities and stories behind creative practice, this edition of ‘Makers and Making’ focuses on architecture. The Promise—Architect BV Doshi (2023) by Jan Schmidt-Garre (b.1962) honours BV Doshi’s place at the forefront of Indian modernist architecture, while Tadao Ando: From Emptiness to Infinity (2013) by Mathias Frick (b.1969) profiles award-winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando, best known for his refined and minimalistic designs.
‘Rediscoveries’ is a recurring series that brings forgotten gems and restored classics to M+ Cinema. Eyes on Hong Kong (2010–2016) features four rarely seen HKIFF-commissioned short films shot in Hong Kong by four Asian auteurs, namely Tsai Ming-liang (b.1957), Apichatpong Weerasethakul (b.1970), Clara Law (b.1957), and Heiward Mak (b.1984). Another highlight of the programme is Son of the White Mare (1981) by Marcell Jankovics (1941–2021), which is one of the greatest psychedelic masterpieces of world animation. ‘Rediscoveries’ is supported by CHANEL.
This recurring series features works by established and emerging artists and filmmakers that cross formal and conceptual boundaries. The Summer Edition showcases Al Jaar Qabla Al Daar (The Neighbour Before the House) (2009–2011) and From Gulf to Gulf to Gulf (2013) by one of India’s most significant artist collectives CAMP, and Vagabond Truths: The Films of Priya Sen featuring two works by the New Delhi-based Priya Sen, whose non-fiction films contain intimate observations of people dealing with states of flux. ‘Afterimage’ is supported by CHANEL.
This recurring series brings exciting family- and child-friendly content to M+ and invites young minds to enjoy and learn about culture through film. Microcosmos (1996) by Claude Nuridsany (b.1946) and Marie Pérennou (b.1946) is a dramatic, action-packed, and beautiful documentary of the animal world, featuring a variety of film techniques and an inspiring score. My Life as McDull (2001) by Toe Yuen tells the story of McDull, a character which holds a special place in the locals’ hearts. It is a story that resonates with many Hong Kong people.
- M+ Grand Stair Summertime Special
The Taste of Tea (2004) by Katsuhito Ishii (b.1966) takes a low-key yet whimsical look at an eccentric family of five residing in a quiet countryside north of Tokyo. As the summer sun shines gently, the quiet quintet is transformed into a six-piece when their urban-dwelling uncle Ayano, a successful music producer, arrives to visit. This special screening is suitable for audiences of all ages.
‘Stair in the Dark’ presents ‘Beautiful Losers’, an ongoing film series that explores youth cultures and their corresponding struggles. In Lovers Rock (2010), celebrated artist Steve McQueen gives audiences a glimpse into a 1980s West London house party. In Ah Ying (1983), a docudrama directed by Allen Fong, a young woman struggles with choosing between her dream and accepting her lot in life. In Greek director Athina Rachel Tsangari’s Attenberg (2010), a sexually inexperienced woman facing the impending death of her father, learns about connecting with others through wildlife documentaries, band Suicide’s music, and her more liberated friend, Bella. Lovers Rock is a free screening, with seats available on a first-come-first-served basis. Tickets for Ah Ying (1983) and Attenberg (2010) will go on sale in late June.
- ASEAN Film Festival
Organised by the Hong Kong-ASEAN Foundation, M+ Cinema is excited to be a co-presenter for the inaugural ASEAN Film Festival in Hong Kong. The festival will screen a compelling selection of films by some of Southeast Asia’s most eminent filmmakers. Details will soon be announced on the M+ website.
