DAY 7: WEDNESDAY APRIL 5 2006

Free fortune cookies proved popular with the children who attended the CinemAsia Junior! presentation of animated feature Fire Ball at Filmmuseum Vondelpark yesterday afternoon.

Fire Ball recounts the adventures of the Monkey King as he escorts the journeying monk Tripitaka, encountering many foes and dangers along the way. Highlights included armies of scary spiders ruled by the evil Spider Queen, a scene inside the stomach of a princess, and a flamenco-dancing ox complete with rose. The kids audibly loved the film, and there were definitely some chuckles from adults attending the screening with their children.

In The Hague, CinemAsia organized a special film evening, in collaboration with JONC (youth organization for Dutch Chinese), CJO (Chinese youth organization) and CPIPF (Chinese foundation for political participation and integration). All organizations were represented at yesterday's film forum, following the screening of Ethan Mao.
68 visitors attended the forum, which was opened by a Q&A with Ethan Mao director Quentin Lee. In the following discussion, moderated by Dutch actor Aaron Wan, a panel of experience and/or Asian experts talked about differences and similarities between being gay in China and being gay in Chinese communities outside China. The panel members took different stands on whether the coming-out is actually different for Asian gays than for Western gays. According to Quentin Lee, such a difference between East and West has more or less disappeared as all the world is becoming increasingly westernized. Yiufai Chow and Remi Cristini do see differences though; in China, gays will not show their preferences as explicitly as western out-of-the-closet gays. Another issue discussed was whether Christian morals and values are relevant in this respect; in the West gays may be tolerated, but not actually accepted. According to Remi Cristini, in Chinese culture being gay was not an issue per se, but attitudes changed as soon as it concerned somebody in your own family.
After the lively discussion, the panel members and visitors continued exploring these and other issues over a drink.

Both evening CinemAsia films in Filmmuseum Vondelpark Amsterdam were sold out. First on was a second screening of Indonesian movie Virgin. The film tells the rather high-pitched story of three high-school girls in Jakarta. Part love story, part teenage angst drama, the film deals with the usual issues of peer pressure and sex, only this is Indonesia and openness about teenage prostitution and pregnancy is seen as controversial. Given that the three girls in question don't look old enough to even leave the house without their parents, they manage to swig back Jack Daniels and smoke like troopers with astounding conviction. By the end of the film, one is pregnant and another has featured in a porn DVD, but Biyan, the character through whose eyes the film unfolds, has managed to retain her virginity AND become a best-selling author AND get the man of her dreams. And the moral of the story is ...
Next, Dumplings featured again. It seems since last week's screening word has gotten round that this is a must-see. For those who yet again missed the film, check out the tour calendar. Until half April, Dumplings will be served in various cinemas throughout the Netherlands.

This evening at the Filmmuseum Vondelpark there is another opportunity to see Shanghai Dreams at 19.30. Shonali Bose, director of Amu will be present at tonight's 19.45 Rialto screening. Gol & Gincu director Bernard Chauly and lead actress Rafidah Abdullah will host a Q&A after the movies screens at 20.00, also at the Rialto.

Read the earlier daily reports!