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5 must-see films at the 2013 Hong Kong Summer International Film Festival

We all love our junk trips and sun-soaked activities, but with temperatures soaring above 30 degrees and a typhoon coming our way, some indoor activities might be in order.

From 13-27 August 2013, the Hong Kong Summer International Film Festival 2013 brings to town an extensive array of films from around the world. Don’t miss out on the best of the bunch with our list of the top five must-see movies.

Blue Jasmine (2013)

Director: Woody Allen

Cast: Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Sally Hawkins

Plot: Cate Blanchett plays a New York socialite who moves into her sister’s modest apartment in San Francisco after everything in her life has fallen apart, including her marriage to wealthy businessman Hal (Baldwin). There, she attempts to pull herself back together and reconnects with her sister Ginger (Hawkins).

Buzz: ‘Blue Jasmine’ is chock-full of Hollywood big names — Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin and of course, director Woody Allen. While the film has its imperfect moments, Blanchett’s performance of a downfallen social ladder climber has been described by critics as ‘beyond brilliant’. This is definitely the summer film everyone is and will be talking about.

(Photo credits: www.imdb.com)

The Punk Syndrome (2012)

Directors: Jukka Kärkkäinen, Jani-Petteri Passi

Cast: Pertti Kurikka, Kari Aalto, Sami Helle

Plot: ‘The Punk Syndrome’ is a unnarrated documentary that follows a Finnish punk rock band whose members are all mentally disabled. Like any punk rock band, their music channels their angst — but in this case, their problems include living in group homes and not being served coffee because of their disabilities. The documentary watches as the band goes from obscurity to become a small phenomenon.

Buzz: Think a more real, heartwarming version of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ — ‘The Punk Syndrome’ gives us a sneak peek into the lives of the mentally disabled, and in turn, gives them voice. The documentary has already won multiple awards in Europe, including “most innovative feature film” at the Visions du Réel and the Jussi Award for best documentary 2012. For something that’s funny, loud and heartwarming, try this one.

(Photo credits: www.imdb.com, www.hollywoodreporter.com)

Top of the Lake (2013)

Directors: Jane Campion, Gerard Lee

Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Thomas M. Wright, Peter Mullan

Plot: The seven-part miniseries ‘Top of the Lake’ starts off with Tui (Joe), a 12-year-old girl, biking away from home, but things soon turn dark when she walks into a lake fully clothed to attempt suicide. The story unfolds in New Zealand with her father Matt’s (Mullan) land feud with the town’s ‘prophet’; Robin (Moss), a troubled police investigator with a dark past, and GJ (Hunter), the previously mentioned guru at a local woman’s camp. When the pregnant Tui goes missing, nobody seems to care.

Buzz: The audience is plunged into the sombre plot of a suicidal, pregnant girl within the first ten minutes and the pace of the story continues with this sort of power. With its strong plot, stunning scenery and some surprising humour, ‘Top of the Lake’ is a very promising show. To top it all off, the series has received eight Emmy nominations this year.

(Photo credits: www.bbc.co.uk)

Young & Beautiful (2013)

Director: François Ozon

Cast: Marine Vacth, Géraldine Pailhas, Frédéric Pierrot

Plot: Isabelle (Vacth) is a 17-year-old girl who goes from losing her virginity to becoming a prostitute within the span of a year. She doesn’t seem to be troubled, in need of extra finances nor does she seem to entirely enjoy the act. All we do know for sure is that her customers use her as much as she does them. “It’s like a game,” she says. The story is told in four songs and four seasons.

Buzz: Adolescent girls selling their bodies for money is definitely not a new topic, even in Hong Kong, but Ozon’s non-moral, non-judgemental approach, plus the mystery behind Isabelle’s motives calls for a very intriguing story. Vacth’s performance of a beautiful and aloof protagonist ties up this film beautifully.

(Photo credits: www.imdb.com)

Where is the Friend’s Home? (1987)

Director: Abbas Kiarostami

Cast: Ahmed Ahmed Poor, Babek Ahmed Poor, Kheda Barech Defai

Plot: Eight-year-old Ahmed (Ahmed Ahmed Poor) takes his friend’s notebook home by mistake. Being a repeated offender, Ahmed knows his friend Mohammed (Babek Ahmed Poor) is likely to be expelled from school if he fails to hand in his homework the next day, so he goes on a quest to return it, without knowing Mohammed’s address, except that he lived in the next town. On the way, Ahmed gets advice from adults, but realises some help might not be so helpful after all.

Buzz: This is the film that put Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami on the international radar. ‘Where is the Friend’s Home’ is considered a child’s film, and Ahmed’s little adventure does make for a great child’s story, but adults may find surprising little details they had not realised before too.

(Photo credits: www.imdb.com)

 

This article was first published on Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong on 13 August, 2013 as ‘5 must-see films at the Hong Kong Summer International Film Festival'.

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