Toronto International Film Festival 1999: Chinese language films: a preview The Toronto International Film Festival has announced their complete programme (lookout: it's a huge file).  Here is a list of the 13 (10 new, 3 old) Chinese films that have been chosen for this year. I've tried to provide Chinese (pinyin) titles, and selected links. The Festival runs from September 9 to September 18, 1999. Their website is here.   mainland China The Emperor and the Assassin [Jing Ke ce Qin Wang]  dir. Chen Kaige, Japan/PRC/France Shower [Xi zao]  dir. Zhang Yang  (world premiere) So Close to Paradise [Bian dan gu niang]  dir. Wang Xiaoshuai Crazy English [Feng kuang ying yu]  dir. Zhang Yuan (documentary)   Hong Kong Away with Words [San tiao ren]  dir. Christopher Doyle  Japan/HK (see a trailer here) Bullets over Summer  [Bao lie xing jing] dir. Wilson Yip Wai-shung Tempting Heart [Xin dong]  dir. Sylvia Chang  (world premiere)  HK/Japan (see a trailer here)   Taiwan Darkness and Light [Hei an zhi guang]  dir. Chang Tso-chi March of Happiness [Xing fu jin xing qu]  dir. Lin Cheng-sheng The Personals [Zheng hun qi shi, 1998] dir. Chen Kuo-fu   other 2 in the "Tribute to David Overbey" series (Toronto's Asian film programmer who passed away earlier this year): A Better Tomorrow [Ying xiong ben se, 1986]  dir. John Woo Dust in the Wind [Lian lian feng chen, 1986]  dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien   In the "Dialogues: Talking with Pictures" series (famous filmmakers introduce their favourite films), Sylvia Chang will be presenting: Hiroshima 28 [Guang dao er shi ba, 1974]  Patrick Lung Kong, Hong Kong   plus  Dreamtrips  dir. Kal Ng  Canada/HK  (in the Perspective Canada series) Augustin, roi du kung-fu, dir.  Anne Fontaine  (I know, this is a French film, not a Chinese film, but does star Maggie Cheung) The Wisdom of Crocodiles, dir. Po Chih-leong UK (Midnight Madness series) : Hong Kong director, returned to the UK, makes an English language vampire movie unavoidable crotchety remarks: Finally, after a 1998 program without a single mainland film, we have four in Toronto this year. However, neither of the two new Zhang Yimou films -- The Road Home [Wo de fu qin mu qin] nor -- Not one less [Yi ge dou bu neng shao] was deemed good enough for Toronto? Good enough for Venice, though... This year's Hong Kong selections are a marked improvement over last (who remembers Bishonen, The Poet, and My Rice Noodle Shop? (unfortunately, I remember) ), but where is Fruit Chan's The Longest Summer [Qu nian yan hua te bie duo], or Yu Lik-wai's Love Will Tear Us Apart [Tian shang ren jian] ?   back to the index...     Shelly Kraicer   email the website editor all content © 1996-2002 Shelly Kraicer