SHERBORNE International Film Festival, over the weekend 17th to 20th October, takes film-goers on an adventurous and exciting journey from Korea to Colombia, via Japan, China and France.
The programme includes rarities and favourites and opens on Thursday evening with the spectacular 2002 Chinese historical drama Hero, at the festival venue, the Powell Theatre in Abbey Road.
Starring Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, and Maggie Cheung, with a musical score composed by leading composer Tan Dun, this film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 75th Academy Awards. The historical background refers to the Warring States Period in ancient China, when China was divided into seven states. In 227–221 BC, the Qin state was about to unify the other six states. Aassassins from the six states were sent to kill the king of Qin.
On Friday 18th, the first film is a 2000 romance from China, In The Mood For Love, at 5pm. In 1962, journalist Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) and his wife move into a Hong Kong apartment, but Chow’s spouse is often away on business. Before long, the lonely Chow makes the acquaintance of the alluring Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung), whose own significant other also seems preoccupied with work. As the two friends realise their respective partners are cheating on them, they begin to fall for one another; however, neither wants to stoop to the level of the unfaithful spouses.
That evening’s film is the 2019 Colombian drama, Monos. On a faraway mountain-top, eight teenage guerrillas with guns watch over a hostage and a conscripted milk cow. Playing games and initiating cult-like rituals, the children run amok in the jungle and disaster strikes when the hostage tries to escape.
Saturday’s first film is the magical 1988 Japanese animated coming-of-age drama My Neighbour Totoro (successfully adapted for the stage by the Royal Shakespeare Company), on screen at 5pm. The evening film, at 7.30, is the 2008 Korean drama The Good, The Bad, The Weird, the story of two outlaws and a bounty hunter in 1940s Manchuria. They are rivals to possess a treasure map while being pursued by the Japanese army and Chinese bandits.
The festival’s last day, Sunday 20th, starts with the 5pm screening of a brilliant French thriller from 1981. Diva is the story of two tapes, two Parisian mob-killers, one corrupt policeman, a teenage thief, an opera fan and a cool philosopher. Very French.
The finale is another stylish French classic, 2001’s Amelie. This is the story of a waitress (Audrey Tautou) who lives in a world of her imagination. She decides to help people find happiness but her quest also leads her on a journey where she finds true love.
Full details and bookings on www.shiff.uk