The 14th Raindance Film Festival

27 September - 8 October 2006

http://www.raindancefilmfestival.org/festival
Like a rebellious teenager, proudly wearing their Ramones t-shirt as they watch A Clockwork Orange, the 14TH RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL is ready to embrace punk rock, BDSM sex, comic books, graffiti and similar subcultures. Are you?

Widely known as a platform for independent films and aspiring filmmakers, the Raindance Film Festival has previously discovered films such as Memento, as well as hosting the world premiere of The Blair Witch Project. This year looks set to be another voyage of discovery: many of the festivals most anticipated films are by first-time directors some having their premiere at Raindance. Be amongst the first to catch tomorrow’s coolest movies by seeing them at Raindance today.

Director in Residence: Zhang Yuan

On Sunday 8th October Raindance welcomes this year’s Director in Residence, Zhang Yuan.

A screening of ‘Little Red Flowers’ will follow the panel. The film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, and took home the C.I.C.A.E. award at Berlin. It follows four-year old Qiang, deposited in a kindergarten in post-1949 Beijing by his travelling parents. But the kindergartens sunny rituals and carefully organised regime, designed to train each child to be a good member of society, doesn’t sit comfortably with Qiang’s rebellious nature.
The above text is an excerpt from the official press material for the festival.

If you check out the program, you will see that a number of Asian films are included as well.

Of special interest to Asian film fans is Chinese Director Zhang Yuan.

One of the best of the new generation of Chinese Directors, Zhang Yuan was at the Berlinale this year with his latest Film Little Red Flowers. The film is a little gem that you absolutely should not miss if you have the chance to watch it on the big screen.

As of now you can only get it on a Chinese DVD without English subtitles. Hopefully a version with subtitles will be available in the near future – at which time I shall review it on this site.

It is very annoying knowing about fine Asian films, but not being able to get a DVD with English subtitles.

For your information Zhang Yuan’s 1999 film “Seventeen Years” is now finally out on a DVD with English Subtitles. Hopefully you will also see a review of this film here on this site in the not too distant future.

While you wait, here is a picture of Zhang Yuan and his daughter Ning Yuan Yuan (who has a big part in “Little Red Flowers”) taken at the premiere in Berlin.
Uffe Stegmann
September 23, 2006
P.S. When you check out Raindance festival website have a look at the festival trailer – funny!