Enter the Clones of Bruce
In the wake of Bruce Lee’s death, the kung fu marketplace was flooded with cheap, high concept cash-ins starring a slew of anonymous martial artists styled to resemble the late Little Dragon. Now director David Gregory, he of Severin Films, has spun out this unbelievable tale into a fascinating documentary, tracking down the scattered clones of Bruce and assembling their tales in the ultimate chronicle of Bruceploitation. Hear from the actors themselves, as well as the die-hard grindhouse aficionados who hold these outrageous oddities so dear. Screening alongside the new 50th anniversary restoration of Enter the Dragon.
Her Hobby
A young divorcée fends for herself in a remote farming village filled with lecherous men and nagging older women. But when a mysterious woman with many strange hobbies and a no-nonsense attitude moves in next door, she no longer feels quite so alone. Together, they take on the vilely conservative forces that surround them.
Fans of the modern Korean revenge classic Bedevilled should be sure to check out this debut by Ha Myung-mi, a sun-drenched countryside tale of women taking on the patriarchy.
Killing Romance
Director Lee Won-suk returns with his most audacious film yet, a karaoke musical bursting with absurd humor and ingenious style that has already rocketed to cult status in Korea.
Lee Ha-nee (Extreme Job) plays a washed up actress stuck in a toxic relationship with a moustachioed Lee Sun-kyun (Parasite). Her neighbor and überfan, played by her Extreme Job co-star Gong Myung, offers to help her escape her awful husband. By killing him, naturally.
Come join the fun in Bucheon, where Killing Romance will be screening with English subtitles for the very first time.
Restore Point
The debut feature from Czech filmmaker Robert Hloz first caught my attention back in 2017 when it was a project at the pitching forum of this very same festival. Flash forward six years and this neo-noir tale of urban decay and dangerous new technology has become a reality, and I cannot wait to check it out. Set in Prague circa 2041, murder victims are able to be brought back from the grave by an experimental tech known as Restore Point, but as a female detective investigates, a far reaching conspiracy is uncovered.
Suitable Flesh
The mere notion of a new Lovecraftian horror film was a tantalising enough prospect to pique my interest, but the buzz surrounding this one that emanated from its debut at Tribeca propelled it right to the top of my must-see list. Director Joe Lynch has assembled a cadre of Miskatonic alumni, including Brian Yuzna and Barbara Crampton to create a “psychotronic masterpiece” starring Heather Graham in a rampaging late-night roller-coster brimming with sex, blood and diced personalities.
To Fire You Come at Last
BiFan has a spectacular folk horror section on show this year and the program includes this world premiere from British author and filmmaker Sean Hogan.
Set in 17th century England, To Fire You Come at Last follows four men as they carry a coffin bearing the body of one of their sons to a churchyard. But at night this path is filled with perils, many of which come from within them, as dark secrets begin to spill out on the road.
Folk horror is alive and well in the foreboding English countryside, starkly captured in black and white.
The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan), Asia's finest bacchanal of genre cinema, is about to raise the curtain on its jam-packed 27th edition, which kicks off this Thursday with Ari Aster presenting Beau is Afraid for the first time to Korean audiences.
If you're yet to fill up your screening schedule, Screen Anarchy has you covered. Peruse the gallery below for a selection of tantalising new genre treats from Korea and the world over.