破·地獄
Drama
Hong Kong
Language: Cantonese
Subtitles: English and Czech
Directing: Anselm Chan
Starring: Dayo Wong, Michael Hui, Michelle Wai, Chu Pak Hong
Distributor: Emperor Motion Pictures

TRAILER

Opening ceremony of the 21st FILMASIA festival in the theme of TWISTS AND RETURNS.

The pandemic lockdown has affected the lives of millions of Hong Kong residents. Among them is Dominic (Dayo Wong), an ambitious businessman who takes over as a director of a funeral home. However, his modern approach to a dignified farewell is met with resistance from Man, a conservative Taoist monk (Michael Hui). Their disagreement gives rise to a story about a profound conflict between tradition and the present, searching for understanding between diverse value systems and generations.

Comedy director and screenwriter Anselm Chan, known for his sense of humor and natural dialogue, subtly brings his signature style to this intimate and emotionally intense drama. Without a moment’s hesitation, he guides the audience through a complex clash between two men whose dispute impacts themselves, as well as all those around them. The director is not the only one stepping out of his usual genre comfort zone. Dayo Wong, master of Hong Kong humor and spiritual successor to Stephen Chow, delivers one of the most powerful dramatic performances of his career. Equally convincing is Michael Hui, a legend of crazy comedies, who once again proves his extraordinary acting range.

The Last Dance demonstrates the extraordinary flexibility of Hong Kong cinema and its actors. Three comedy legends join forces to create a nuanced and emotionally layered story that draws with respect on the traditions of social drama and, on top of that, is breaking box office records.

좀비딸
Comedy, Horror
South Korea
Language: Korean
Subtitles: English and Czech
Directing: Pil Gam-seong
Starring: Jo Jung-suk, Lee Jung-eun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Yoon Kyung-ho
Distributor: Next Entertainment World

TRAILER

This new film by South Korean director Pil Gam-Seong, based on the eponymous webtoon, reminds us of the importance of human relationships amid an absurd world and irrational hysteria.

A virus pandemic breaks out in present-day Korea, turning people into aggressive zombies who lose all humanity and are driven by simple instincts. Government agencies search for the undead, ruthlessly eliminating them, and the general public is financially rewarded for reporting their whereabouts. In this inhospitable apocalyptic world, cruelty clashes with absurd situations as well as comedic moments. The main focus is on a heartwarming family story about a fight with fate. Young Soo-a (Choi Yoo-ri) accidentally becomes infected, and her father is on a mission to protect her, instead of abandoning her. Lee Jung-hwan (Jo Jung-suk) is a former zoo employee and an expert in taming wild animals. He decides, perhaps naively, to turn the zombie Soo-a back into a human being.

Together they move from bustling Seoul to the seaside village of his childhood. In the idyllic countryside, Jung-hwan joins forces with his mother and best friend to train the undead Soo-a. Occasionally, she shows signs of human behaviour and understanding, which gives the protagonists hope. Nonetheless, the life Jung-hwan left behind starts to catch up with him. Family problems and suppressed emotions begin to surface under the pressure of the surrounding pandemic. Jung-hwan has no choice but to face everything, in the desperate hope that he will be able to take care of his daughter even if it means standing up to the system.

ผีใช้ได้ค่ะ
Fantasy, Drama, Comedy
Thailand, France, Singapore
Language: Thai, English
Subtitles: English and Czech
Directing: Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke
Starring: Davika Hoorne, Witsarut Himmarat, Apasiri Nitibhon
Distributor: Best Friend Forever

TRAILER

Nat (Davika Hoorne) dies after suffering ill health due to dust pollution. But this is not the last farewell for her and her grieving husband (Wisarut Himmarat). The woman’s ghost is reincarnated as the family vacuum cleaner and forms an unexpectedly intimate relationship with the widower. Except, the emotional bond between the man and the vacuum cleaner is not taken well by those around him. Ghosts, unlike vacuum cleaners, do not have the best reputation. And so, Nat decides to convince others just how useful she might be and “vacuum up” all unnecessary ghosts.

Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke makes his directorial debut with this distinctly original film that combines touching melodrama with deadpan comedy in keeping with the slow cinema tradition. A Useful Ghost is loosely based on Thai folklore, reinterpreting the story of Mae Nak, a woman who continued to live with her husband after she had died. Boonbunchachoke sets the legendary tale in the present day and captivates the audience with a slow-paced narrative, at times disrupted by absurd comic moments and surreal dream-like scenes that leave you uncertain about who is actually hallucinating – the characters or you.

This brilliant debut impressively combines a melancholic story of love that defies death with environmental and social criticism. It makes a scathing commentary on Thai society’s approach to environmental protection and working conditions in factories. Boonbunchachoke is unmatched in tonal and semantic shifts, and the feverish dream about vacuum cleaners definitely ranks him among the most interesting Thai authors of today.