The Osaka Asian Film Festival, set to take place from March 1-10, 2024, has recently announced the addition of eight new titles to its lineup. Among them is the acclaimed Georgian drama “Blackbird,” which will be in competition.
“Blackbird,” directed by Elene Naveriani, explores the complex relationship decisions of a middle-aged woman. The film has already garnered attention and accolades at various European festivals, including Gijon, Cottbus, Sarajevo, and New Horizons. Lead actor Eka Chavleishvili has also received multiple awards for her exceptional performance in the film.
Other exciting additions to the festival include “Tenement,” a film directed by Cambodian duo Inrasothythep Neth and Sokyou Chea, the world premiere of Hong Kong director Ricky Ko’s “Out of the Shadow,” and “Supposed” by Thanakorn Pongsuwan, and “Death Whisperer” by Taweewat Wantha, expanding the selection of Thai films to eight. In addition, the festival will feature the 1981 film “The Winter of 1905” by Hong Kong director Yu Wei-Cheng as part of the Taiwan: Movies on the Move 2024 special section.
The festival is also set to reveal the opening and closing films on February 2, completing their already impressive lineup.
Excitement at Vesoul International Festival of Asian Cinema
Another notable event in the Asian film scene is the upcoming Vesoul International Festival of Asian Cinema, which will take place from February 6-13, 2024, in France. Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf has been chosen as the president of the jury for this edition. The festival will also feature esteemed jurors such as Taiwanese director Zero Chou, Iranian actor Fatemed Motamed-Arya, and Japanese star Shogen.
The narrative feature competition at Vesoul includes a diverse range of titles. Some of the films in the lineup are “All Ears” by China’s Liu Jiayin, “The Snow Leopard” by the late Pema Tseden, “Work to Do” by Korea’s Park Hong-jun, “The Spark” by Rajesh S. Jala from India, “Maria” by Iran’s Mahdi Asghari Azghadi, “Scream” by Kazakhstan’s Kenzhebek Shaikakov, “Sunday” by Shokir Kholikov from Uzbekistan, “Paradise” from Sri Lanka directed by Prasanna Vithanage, and “Solids by the Seashore” by Thailand’s Patiparn Boontarig.
Cookbook Media Takes on “Hey Fuzzy Yellow”
In the world of children’s entertainment, Cookbook Media has been appointed as the North American content distributor for the kids’ series “Hey Fuzzy Yellow” by Toon2Tango. This show, which is a co-production by Toon2Tango, Curiosity Ink Media, Treehouse Republic, and Hotel Hungaria Animation, is currently in production. The first 24 episodes are scheduled for release in 2024, with the full series set to be delivered in March 2025. Claudia Scott-Hansen, Cookbook Media’s co-founder, will spearhead efforts to build broadcast partnerships for the show in North America.
Leadership Changes at AVIA
The Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) has undergone some leadership changes. Phil Hardman, senior VP and GM of BBC Studios Asia, has been appointed as the new chairman, following the resignation of Clément Schwebig from Warner Bros. Discovery, who is relocating to Europe. Additionally, Emily Yri, VP of international marketing at PubMatic, and Shonali Bedi, head of strategy, partnerships & insights, APAC, Warner Bros. Discovery, have joined the AVIA board.
AVIA CEO Louis Boswell expressed his gratitude to Schwebig for his contributions during challenging times and looks forward to working with Hardman to overcome the industry’s current challenges. Hardman emphasized that AVIA plays a vital role in addressing the diverse opportunities and challenges in the media industry across Asia.
These developments bring the total number of women on the AVIA board to four out of twelve members, showcasing the organization’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
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