Dead Talents Society (鬼才之道)
Opening Night Film
Special Guests: Director John Hsu and actor Chen Bo-Lin are scheduled to appear in-person to introduce the film and participate in a post-film Q&A
Dead Talents Society (鬼才之道)
Even ghosts have to become influencers to get ahead in the world.
OPENING NIGHT FILM
Taiwan | Supernatural Comedy | 2024 | 110 minutes
In Mandarin w/English Subtitles
Director: John Hsu
Screenwriters: John Hsu, Vincent Tsai
Starring: Chen Bo-Lin, Sandrine Pinna, Gingle Wang, Eleven Yao, Bai Bai, Soso Tseng
Film Source: Mandarin Vision
An Opening Night reception will precede this screening, starting at 6:00 PM.
Actor Chen Bo-lin will be joining us to receive the festival's Bright Star Award, appearing with director John Hsu. They will also participate in a post-show Q&A.
SYNOPSIS:
In the ghost realm, a ghost’s value is determined by the fear they instill in the living. When ghost talent agent Makoto meets a rookie with weak scaring abilities, he convinces his client — forgotten superstar Catherine — to take her in as a disciple to challenge her former protégé.
John Hsu’s follow-up to horror blockbuster Detention is a raucous mash-up of Monsters Inc. and All About Eve. A hilarious satire of influencer culture and horror tropes, as well as a moving ode to underachievers, it won the Audience Award at Fantastic Fest and the People's Choice Award at Sitges Film Festival.
John Hsu, Director
Always interested in digital culture, video games, comedy and sci-fi genres, Hsu won the “Best Director Award” at Golden Bell Awards 2005, the biggest television award in Taiwan, with his TV movie debut Real Online.
Hsu’s feature debut Detention, an adaptation of an internationally-acclaimed Taiwanese indie game, was released in 2019 and became the best-selling Taiwanese film of the year. It was also among the biggest winner at the Golden Horse Awards, with twelve nominations and five wins, including Best New Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Visual Effects.
Chen Bo-Lin, Actor
Viewed as one of the most gifted young actors in Asia Pacific, Chen was recognized for his acting debut Blue Gate Crossing. His career climbed toanother height with TV drama In Time with You, which won him Best Leading Actor of the Golden Bell Awards. Recent film works include The Dreaming Man, Trick or Treat, Day Off and Breaking and Re-Entering.
Thursday, March 20, 2025
Opening Night Red Carpet Reception
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Film Screening & Q&A Session
7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Doors open 30 minutes before screening.
Location:
AMC NEWCITY14
1500 N. Clybourn Ave.
Chicago, IL 60610
OFFICIAL TRAILER
The Last Dance: Extended Version (破·地獄)
Special Guests: Director Anselm Chan and actress Michelle Wai are scheduled to attend this screening in-person to introduce the film and participate in a post-film Q&A.
Centerpiece Film
The Last Dance: Extended Version
(破·地獄)
This record-breaking blockbuster is an emotional drama about the catharsis of death
CENTERPIECE FILM
Hong Kong | Drama | 2024 | 139 minutes
In Cantonese w/ Chinese and English Subtitles
Director: Anselm Chan
Screenwriters: Anselm Chan, Cheng Wai-kei
Starring: Dayo Wong, Michael Hui, Michelle Wai, Chu Pak-hong
Film Source: Emperor Motion Pictures
Director Anselm Chan and actress Michelle Wai are scheduled to attend this screening in-person to introduce the film and participate in a post-film Q&A.
Wai is the honoree of the Extraordinary Actors Award in recognition of her exceptional performance in this film.
SYNOPSIS:
After losing his business during the pandemic, Dominic takes over a coffin shop to make ends meet. But to make it in the funeral business, he must earn the approval of his co-owner, stern and vehemently traditional Taoist priest Master Man, and learn about the true purpose of funerals.
Despite featuring two of Hong Kong’s biggest comedy legends, The Last Dance is a deeply emotional drama about catharsis after trauma that has moved Hong Kong audiences to tears. In addition to the two stars’ impressive dramatic turns, Michelle Wai also shines in a career-defining performance as Master Man’s long-suffering daughter.
Anselm Chan, Director
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Anselm Chan Mou Yin is a renowned screenwriter within the Hong Kong film and television industry, an up-and-coming director, and a member of the Hong Kong Screenwriters’ Guild. Debut film is Ready O/R Knot (2021) and the second is the sequel Ready O/R Rot (2023). The Last Dance is his third film.
Michelle Wai, Actress
Michelle Way was a Nominee for Best Actress at the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards for Ready O/R Rot.
Date:
Friday, April 4, 2025
Showtime:
6:30 PM
Doors open 30 minutes before screening.
Location:
AMC NEWCITY14
1500 N. Clybourn Ave.
Chicago, IL 60610
OFFICIAL TRAILER
Brush of the God (カミノフデ ～怪獣たちのいる島)
Closing Night Film & Awards Night
Special Guests: Producer Daisuke Sato will attend the screening to accept a posthumous award for Keizo Murase.
Brush of the God (カミノフデ ～怪獣たちのいる島)
A love letter to tokusatsu films by a true legend of the genre.
CLOSING NIGHT FILM
Japan | Fantasy | 2024 | 74 minutes
In Japanese w/ English Subtitles
Director: Keizo Murase
Screenwriter: Takeshi Nakazawa
Starring: Rio Suzuki, Takeru Narahara, Takumi Saitoh, Shinji Higuchi, Shiro Sano
Film Source: Kaminofude Film Partners
3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.:
APUC will present awards for Best Film, Best New Director & Best Short for our first-ever APUC Film Competition!
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.:
Producer Daisuke Sato will attend the screening to accept a posthumous award for Keizo Murase. The screening will begin shortly afterwards.
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.:
There will be a closing night party following the film.
SYNOPSIS:
While attending the funeral of her special effects artist grandfather, Akari and her classmate Takuya, a tokusatsu fanatic, come across a film prop that sucks them into the world of fearsome giant monsters. To find their way home, they must unlock the secrets of this fantasy world.
On his first and last directorial effort, Keizo Murase used all six decades of his experience as a suit-maker and sculptor on classic kaiju films to create one to beat them all. This heartfelt love letter to old-school tokusatsu films will thrill devoted fans and inspire young audiences to get into the genre.
ABOUT KEIZO MURASE:
Keizo Murase was the President of Twenty Ltd. and one of the leaders in Kaiju model making field of Japan. He joined Toho, a Japanese film company in 1958 and started his career with Varan, le monstre géant (1958). He also worked a lot of production created in the golden era of Toho’s Tokusatsu films including Mothra (1961) and King Kong contre Godzilla (1962). In addition to Toho films, in Gamera (1965), a Daiei film, he was responsible for making suits for another famous Kaiju, Gamera. Through his creations, he build a foundation of model making technics. Inthe Hong Kong film, Le Colosse de Hong Kong (1977), he worked for model making as well as directing and stunting for some special effect scenes. In addition to sculpting King Ghidorah and Mothra in the Heisei era, he sculpted the monster suit for Howl from beyond the Fog (2019) and supervised the hero suit for the American film Iké Boys (2021). Brush of the God was his first movie as general director.
ABOUT DAISUKE SATO:
Daisuke Sato began his career in the special effects field as a modeling assistant for Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: The Great Monsters All-Out Attack (2001). He has been involved in the creation of practical effects for such productions as GodzillaFinal Wars (2004), Gamera (2006), Ultraman Moebius & Ultra Brothers (2006), and Tokusatsu Kigeki Oki Yuzo: The Greatest Battle of My Life (2010). He directed the short film The Land of Fog (2019), then worked as cinematographer on Kaike Neko Kyousoukyoku (2021), as co-director and SFX/cinematographer on Hoshi 35 (2023), and directed SFX scenes for the American film Ikè Boys (2024). He served as the special effects director and producer of the NYAFF 2024 film Brush of the God.
Date:
Sunday, April 13, 2025
3:00 p.m.
Doors open 30 minutes before screening.
Location:
AMC NEWCITY14
1500 N. Clybourn Ave.
Chicago, IL 60610
OFFICIAL TRAILER