Covering a wide variety of genres and topics, the always impressive programme features a number of heavy hitters from the entire region. From Pang Ho-cheung to Yamashita Nobuhiro, by the way of Yoo Ha and a sneaky encore from Herman Yau, there's certainly plenty to look forward at the 17th Udine Far East Film Festival.
This year's festival, which runs from April 23 to May 2, will be inaugurated by the legendary Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi. As always, we'll be on the ground covering the best of what we see.
ALL THE FILMS AT A GLANCE - LINE UP 2015
Competition Section
CHINA (8)
20, Once Again!, Leste CHEN, time-lapse drama, China 2015, International Festival Premiere
Breakup Buddies, NING Hao, anarchic-road movie, China 2014, European Premiere
Brotherhood of Blades, LU Yang, wuxiathriller, China 2014, Italian Premiere
The Continent, HAN Han, road movie, China 2014, European Premiere
My Old Classmate, Frant GWO, nostalgic romance, China 2014, European Premiere
The Old Cinderella, Wubai, modern romance, China 2014, International Premiere
Uncle Victory, ZHANG Meng, redemption drama, China 2014, Italian Premiere
Women Who Flirt, PANG Ho-cheung, vibrant romantic comedy, China 2014, European Premiere
CHINA/HONG KONG (4)
Dragon Blade, Daniel LEE, ancient Roman action in China, Hong Kong/China, International Festival Premiere - OPENING MOVIE
Helios, Sunny LUK & Longman LEUNG, spy-thriller, Hong Kong/China 2015, International Premiere
Kung Fu Jungle, Teddy CHEN, martial arts homage, Hong Kong/China 2014, Italian Premiere
The Taking of Tiger Mountain, TSUI Hark, great action-adventure, China/Hong Kong 2014, Italian Premiere - CLOSING MOVIE
HONG KONG (3)
Gangster Pay Day, LEE Po-cheung, triad drama, Hong Kong 2014, European Premiere
Port of Call, Philip YUNG, contemporary noir, Hong Kong 2015, International Premiere
Sara, Herman YAU, contemporary social drama, Hong Kong 2015, European Premiere
TAIWAN (3)
Café. Waiting. Love, CHIANG Jin-lin, hipster-yuppie comedy, Taiwan 2014, European Premiere
Meeting Dr. Sun, YEE Chih-yen, school heist-comedy, Taiwan 2014, European Premiere
Second Chance, KUNG Wen-yen, billiard drama, Taiwan 2014, European Premiere
JAPAN (12)
0,5 mm, ANDO Momoko, Japanese mind encyclopedia, Japan 2014, European Premiere
100 Yen Love, TAKE Masaharu, quirk-misfit-drama, Japan 2014, International Premiere
The Curtain Rises, MOTOHIRO Katsuyuki, youth drama, Japan 2015, European Premiere
Ecotherapy Getaway Holiday, OKITA Shuichi, lost-in-the-woodscomedy, Japan 2014, European Premiere
Forget Me Not, HORIE Kei, fantasy drama, Japan 2015, International Premiere
Kabukicho Love Hotel, HIROKI Ryuichi, sayonara sex romance, Japan 2014, Italian Premiere
La La La at Rock Bottom, YAMASHITA Nobuhiro, memory-youth-drama, Japan 2015, Italian Premiere
Make Room, MORIKAWA Kei, AV set comedy, Japan 2015, International Premiere
Parasyte Part. 1, YAMAZAKI Takashi, alien invasion drama, Japan 2014, International Festival Premiere
Parasyte Part. 2, YAMAZAKI Takashi, alien invasion drama II, Japan 2015, International Premiere
Unsung Hero, TAKE Masaharu, stuntman lifestyle drama, Japan 2014, International Premiere
The End of the World and the Cat's Disappearance, TAKEUCHI Michihiro, crazy apocalyptic comedy, Japan 2015, International Premiere
SOUTH KOREA (10)
Cart, BOO Ji-young, women-against-big-business drama, South Korea 2014, Italian Premiere
Confession, LEE Do-yun, lost friendship thriller, South Korea 2014, European Premiere
Gangnam Blues, YOO Ha, goodfellas drama, South Korea 2015, International Festival Premiere
My Brilliant Life, E J-yong, lost youth drama, South Korea 2014, European Premiere
My Love, My Bride, LIM Charn-sang, young marriage incrisis, South Korea 2014, International Premiere
My Ordinary Love Story, LEE Kwon, romance thriller, South Korea 2014, International Festival Premiere
Ode To My Father, J.K. YOUN, postwar generational epic, South Korea 2014, Italian Premiere
TAZZA: The Hidden Card, KANG Hyoung-chul, gambling epic, South Korea 2014, European Premiere
The Royal Tailor, LEE Won-suk, 18th-century fashion drama, South Korea 2014, International Festival Premiere
The Wicked, YOO Young-seon, office psycho-thriller, South Korea 2014, International Premiere
CAMBODIA (1)
The Last Reel, Kulikar SOTHO, lost-in-Cambodia, Cambodia 2014, European Premiere
SINGAPORE (1)
Rubbers, HAN Yew Kwang, condom-comedy, Singapore2014, International Premiere
VIETNAM (1)
Hollow, TRẦN Hàm, ghost-haunting horror,Vietnam 2014, European Premiere
THAILAND (3)
The Executioner, Tom WALLER, death penalty drama, Thailand 2014, Italian Premiere
How to Win at Checkers (Every Time), Josh KIM, gay romance, Indonesia/USA/Thai, 2015, Italian Premiere
The Swimmers, Sophon SAKDAPHISIT, swimming pool psycho horror, Thailand 2014, Italian Premiere
THE PHILIPPINES (2)
The Gifted, Chris MARTINEZ, ugly-ducking-comedy, The Philippines 2014, International Premiere
Where I Am King, Carlos SIGUION-REYNA, slum comedy, The Philippines 2014, European Premiere
INDONESIA (1)
Siti, Eddie CAHYONO, neo-realistic drama, Indonesia 2014, Italian Premiere
DOCUMENTARIES (4)
Garuda Power: The Spirit Within, Bastian MEIRESONNE, Indonesia/France 2014, Italian Premiere
I Am Here, FAN Lixin, China 2014, European Premiere
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, SUNADA Mami, Japan 2014, Italian Premiere
Southeast Asian Cinema - When the Rooster Crows, Lorenzo CINIERI LOMBROSO, Singapore/Italy 2014, European Premiere
HK MARTIAL ARTS SPECIAL FOCUS (6)
Duel to The Death, Tony CHING, Hong Kong 1983
Once Upon a Time in China 2, TSUI Hark, Hong Kong 1992
Righting Wrongs, Corey YUEN, Hong Kong 1986
Spooky Encounters, Sammo HUNG, Hong Kong 1980
The Way of the Dragon, Bruce LEE, Hong Kong 1972
The Young Master, Jackie CHAN, Hong Kong 1980
RESTORED CLASSICS (2)
Stage Sisters, XIE Jin, drama, China 1964 - restored in 2014
The Tragedy of Bushido, MORIKAWA Hidetaro, drama, Japan 1960 - restored in 2014, European Premiere
FRESH WAVE SHORTS (4)
Being Rain: Representation and Will, CHAN Tze-woon, Hong Kong 2014, European Premiere
iPhone Thieves, Louis WONG, Hong Kong 2014, European Premiere
Marryland, Anastasia TSANG Hin, Hong Kong 2014, European Premiere
Neighbors, CAI Jiahao, Hong Kong 2014, European Premiere
SITGES RELOADED (5)
Alléluia, Fabrice DU WELZ, thriller, Belgium/France 2014
The Duke of Burgundy, Peter STRICKLAND, drama, UK 2015
Hyena, Gerard JOHNSON, crime drama, UK 2015
Magical Girl, Carlos VERMUT, thriller, Spain 2014
The Tribe, Miroslav SLABOSHPITSKY, crime drama, Ukraine/Netherlands 2014
13 INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE = First screening outside the country of origin
6 INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL PREMIERE = First festival screening in the world
25 EUROPEAN PREMIERE = First public screening in Europe
14 ITALIAN PREMIERE = First public screening in Italy