Film descriptions
Courtesy of the Denver Film Society
May 24, 2007
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(2006/USA) Director: Ham Tran Starring: Kieu Chinh, Long Nguyen, Diem Lien, Nguyen Thai Nguyen, Khanh Doan, Cat Ly Time: 135 minutes Language: Vietnamese with English subtitles [AsiaXpress' review]

Journey from the Fall
7 p.m., Thursday, May 31
$30/person

Inspired by the true stories of Vietnamese refugees who fled after the fall of Saigon – and those who were forced to stay behind, “Journey from the Fall” follows one family’s struggle for freedom.

April 30, 1975 marked the end of Vietnam’s two decade-old civil war and the start of the exodus of hundreds of thousands of refugees. Against his wife’s wishes, Long Nguyen, played by Long Nguyen (“Green Dragon”), chooses to stay in Vietnam and fight for his beloved country. Knowing that his decision may separate him from his family forever, he asks his wife, Mai (Diem Lien), to leave their homeland for safer shores. Together with her son and mother-in-law, Mai reluctantly boards a tiny fishing boat bound for America.

Meanwhile, as the city of Saigon falls under communist rule, Long is captured and imprisoned in a series of re-education camps. After suffering years of solitary confinement and believing his family is dead, Long’s faith is revived when word comes of their successful resettlement in America. This news inspires him to make one last desperate attempt to join them.

(2006/China) Director: Tian Zhuangzhuang Cast: Chang Chen, Sylvia Chang, Emoto Akira, Itou Ayumi, Xin Baiqing, Matsuzaka Keiko Time: 107 minutes Languages: Mandarin and Japanese with English subtitles [AsiaXpress' review]

Tian Zhuangzhuang’s stunning new film reconstructs the life of the 20th century’s greatest player of Go, the eastern equivalent of chess. Wu Qingyuan, a native of China, emerged as a prodigy who, at a young age, moved to Japan and rose to prominence as the top Go player in the world. In Japan, Wu overturned the established traditions and strategies of this ancient game, earning multitudes of fans and enemies along the way.

Set against the backdrop of the tumultuous Sino-Japanese history of the 20th century, Wu remained in Japan in spite of the politics and continued his passion for the game. He never returned to live in China again, making him a controversial figure in both countries. Now well into his 90s, he continues to reside in Japan playing Go and writing strategy books. “The Go Master” is a serene and beautiful account of one man’s attempt to maintain mental and emotional equilibrium while pursuing the goals of truth and perfect gameplay.

(2006/Hong Kong) Director: Johnnie To Cast: Anthony Wong, Francis Ng, Josie Ho, Lam Suet, Nick Cheung, Roy Cheung, Simon Yam Time: 108 minutes Language: Cantonese with English subtitles [AsiaXpress' review]

Exiled
8:45 p.m., Friday, June 1

The year is 1998. The setting is Macau. Every living soul jumps at the chance to make quick money before the Portuguese colony ushers in a new era under Chinese rule. Against this background come two hit men from Hong Kong sent to take out a renegade member trying to turn over a new leaf with his wife and newborn baby. They soon find themselves in the throes of a dilemma when two of their former associates also show up, intent on thwarting them at every cost.

Thanks to the former friendship, Wo’s potential assassins agree to give him one more chance to do a job to provide for his soon-to-be widow and their newborn baby.

Fresh, stylish and self-aware, “Exiled” is confirmation that To is the greatest Hong Kong genre director working today.

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