East Asia Film Festival

Snow Leopard, the final film completed by Tibetan director Pema Tseden, is a drama of inaction. A first-class protected animal in China, snow leopards can be neither killed nor captured. When one is trapped in a pen after killing nine…

Manta Ray is the directorial debut of Phuttiphong Aroonpheng, an already acclaimed Thai cinematographer. Even if one didn't know this, watching his first feature makes it abundantly clear. He has a knack for creating memorable imagery,…

The River is a tough movie to review, a stiflingly uncomfortable drama about a stiflingly uncomfortable way of life. Released first in 1997 and written and directed by Tsai Ming-liang, the movie features no music and takes place almost…

Christopher Nolan described Inception as a heist film taking place in the architecture of the mind. Bi Gan's sophomore effort Long Day's Journey Into Night is a neo-noir with the same setting. While the noirs of the 40s and 50s always had…

One of my favourite openings to a movie ever is the first scene of 2001 Taiwanese coming-of-age drama Millennium Mambo. In a long take, lead actress Shu Qi walks at night through a tunnel, holding a cigarette, dressed-up. It’s a simple…

O’Brien spoke to Headstuff about the festival’s special guest, it’s inclusiveness and why one of its’ screenings is making ripples in the film community. To listen to the interview, follow the link below the article As Wes Anderson’s…

The Second East Asia Film Festival Ireland returns to the IFI this April and features a huge range of eclectic films from Japan, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea. Along with a great weekend of screenings the festival…