Socially conscious cinema - announcing the first titles of the competition section!
A cinema that doesn't shy away from the present but observes it with keen attention - the New Asian Cinema section at 18th Five Flavours will provide an opportunity to listen to new voices in the world of Asian filmmaking, from Thai nostalgia to Singaporean identity stories, and South Korean to Taiwanese narratives restoring faith in humanist values. Exploratory and meandering, the films in this year's competition are Five Flavour’s exploration of the Asian right here and right now through stunningly creative narratives.
New Asian Cinema is the flagship section of Five Flavours - a set of 10 competition films by emerging filmmakers, defining contemporary issues on the Asian continent. As discussions on migration unfold across the globe and generational conflicts affect the future of the young, filmmakers are looking for new ways to create a nuanced vision of their reality.
The films presented in the competition each year showcase the creativity of new voices in Asian cinema, as evidenced by the numerous awards young filmmakers earn at major festivals. For instance, the Cannes-award-winning Singapore-Taiwanese film “Mongrel” has just been nominated in seven categories at the Golden Horse Awards, the Thai “Regretfully at Dawn” was recently screened at the San Sebastián IFF, and the Korean debut “A Lonely Island in the Distant Sea” was recognised at an event organised by Darcy Paquet, associated with the Korean film community.
This work reaffirms that socially engaged cinema can precisely capture the issues of the surrounding world while remaining engaging, thought- and discussion-provoking, and artistically daring and far from lukewarm middle-of-the-road cinema. The films in the competition section of Five Flavours offer a chance to delve into local contexts and allow us to look beneath the surface of the ambivalence-filled Asian contemporary.
As in previous years, the competition films will be judged by an international People's Jury—nine people who will award the Grand Prix of the 18th Five Flavours.
Jury of the 18th Five Flavours:
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Mia Parnall (UK)
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Harry Bayley (UK)
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Sergiu Inizian (Romania)
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Leticia de Maio (Italy/Brazil)
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Matin Nikookar Ardestani (Iran/Poland)
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Leeloo Morgan (Poland/UK)
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Izabela Niepokój (Poland)
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Dobrochna Walczak (Poland)
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Piotr Piasek (Poland)
Regretfully at Dawn
Aroon-gaan
dir. Sivaroj Kongsakul
Thailand, 2024, 117’
[theatre screenings+online]
In a small peaceful province outside Bangkok, Yong, a war veteran, leads a simple life as a gardener. He shares his humble home with his beloved granddaughter and their faithful dog, Rambo. As they dream of building a cosy tree house and living together happily, the melancholy weight of time's passage intertwines the lingering past and an ever-present spectre of mortality begins to cast a shadow over their idyllic existence.
Based on the director's memoirs, Sivaroj Kongsakul's long-awaited second feature, “Eternity”, is both, a nostalgic reflection immersed in the slow rhythms of Thai provincial life and a portrait of a disillusioned generation. It also offers a forecast for the youth, laden with uncertainty.
Mongrel
Bai yi cang gou
dir. Wei Liang Chiang, You Qiao Yin
Singapore, Taiwan, 2024, 128’
[theatre screenings+online]
Amid a Taiwanese winter's harsh, freezing darkness, Oom, an undocumented Thai migrant, is isolated in a remote mountain area. Alongside other Southeast Asian migrants, he works as a caretaker for a family of elderly and disabled people, taking on a heavy load of domestic chores and labour, struggling to earn a living and meet his employer's expectations. As the demands on him intensify, Oom is forced to confront a moral dilemma that challenges the limits of his compassion as a human being.
‘Mongrel’ uncompromisingly portrays human powerlessness. The film's script draws from the personal experiences of marginalised people - a rare depiction of the immigrant landscape in Taiwan, for which the Singaporean directing duo won the Best Debut Award at the Cannes Film Festival.
A Year of No Significance
Da feng chui
dir. Kelvin Tong
Singapore, 2023, 88’
[theatre screenings+online]
In 1970s Singapore, Chinese-educated architect Lim Cheng Soon faced the erosion of his identity as English became the nation’s dominant language, sidelining his career and straining his family ties. His father favours his younger brother, a symbol of the modern world Cheng Soon struggles to navigate through. As personal and cultural forces collide, "A Year of No Significance" poignantly captures one man's quiet battle with irrelevance in the face of unstoppable societal change, reflecting deeply on the cost of progress.
Acclaimed at numerous festivals, “A Year of No Significance” is considered one of the most important Singaporean films in recent years. Echoing the spirit of Edward Yang, this social drama masterfully illuminates the dilemmas faced by Singapore's citizens during a period of pivotal change.
A Lonely Island in the Distant Sea
Jeolhaegodo
dir. Kim Mi-young
Korea Południowa, 2023, 116’
[theatre screenings+online]
Yuncheol’s life shifts when his daughter, once determined to attend art school, chooses a different path—one that mirrors a dream Yuncheol himself abandoned long ago. Drawn back together by the weight of unfulfilled dreams and emotional distance, father and daughter embark on a journey of rediscovery and healing, set against South Korea’s remote coastal towns and serene Buddhist temples. The film explores the heartache of lost connections and the quiet pursuit of inner peace amidst a world driven by ambition and success.
Winner of several awards at Asian independent film festivals, “A Lonely Island in the Distant Sea” resonates with humanistic values. Kim Mi-young's debut explores a theme rarely touched upon in Korean cinema: the search for inner peace in a world driven by ambition and the relentless pursuit of success.
Passes for the 18th Five Flavours Asian Film Festival are available!
Buy the Pass
The 18th Five Flavours Asian Film Festival will take place in a hybrid form:
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Online, available across Poland: 13 November - 1 December 2024
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in theatres: 13-20 November 2024, Warsaw, Kino Muranów, Kinoteka
There are two types of passes available:
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Five Flavours Pass Onsite+Online for 380.00 PLN – allows admission to all film screenings (with the exception of the opening ceremony) during the festival in the cinemas as well as access to all films on the festival VOD platform. The programme will include at least 40 feature films. The number of passes is limited.
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Five Flavours Online pass for 200.00 PLN – allows to watch all, 32, films available on the festival VOD platform. The number of online passes is unlimited and will also be available for sale during the festival.