DAY 6: TUESDAY APRIL 4 2006

Both CinemAsia screenings drew a decent crowd to the Filmmuseum last night.

First on was Ann Hui's drama Boat People (1982). Hui's film depicts the story of Shiomi Akutagawa, a Japanese photographer present at the liberation of Danang at the end of the war in Vietnam, who then returns 3 years later to document the progress of post-war reconstruction in the villages of Vietnam under the Communist regime.
The film offers a grim look at the reality behind the state propaganda. Of necessity filmed on mainland China, the authenticity of the constructed sets has led Vietnamese audiences to remark that they couldn't tell the difference.

Present at the screening were Quentin Lee - Hong Kong born and now LA based director of Ethan Mao which will screen on Friday at The Rialto - and Michael Frank, whose award-winning film Ra Choi looked at Vietnamese street kids in Sydney. (Shown on Sunday at Filmmuseum Vondelpark). Both liked the film, but agreed that the final scene showing the death of Akutagawa detracted from the overall impact of what they had seen. It was clear that the film had been dubbed. An interesting snippet of information came from Lee on this practice: up until 1989 no movies shot in Hong Kong recorded sound at the time of shooting. It's such a busy and loud environment in which to film, the sound was always dubbed on afterwards.

The two filmmakers are involved in the usual struggle to attract funding for their current projects: for Lee these would be a horror movie or two, while Australian Frank, having sold all he owned to make Ra Choi and disillusioned with the Australian film industry despite Ra Choi's success and now a resident of Slovenia courtesy of an EU passport through his Slovenian father, is looking at making a film about Australia's first serial killer - behind bars since the early 1960's and now, ate the age of 82, not such a well man. Frank feels his story should be told, and soon, before time runs out.

Later last night The Beauty Remains turned out to be less a political movie than a story of pain, jealousy and forgiveness between two sisters. A feast for the eyes, but for those expecting a thought-provoking period piece a slight disappointment.

This afternoon a children's animation film will be screened at the Filmmuseum Vondelpark and tonight, after the controversial Indonesian film Virgin, Dumplings on the menu again. Bon appétit!

Read the earlier daily reports!