Running from Wednesday to December 1 in Warsaw and online, the festival highlights premieres and new releases, as well as classic films and retrospectives, offering a comprehensive view of Asian storytelling.
“This growing interest in Asian cinema reflects a shift in our attitudes. We’re more open to diversity and ready to embrace it fully,” said Łukasz Mańkowski, program director for the festival. The selection of 45 films spans both contemporary and classic works, ranging from auteur films and high-quality genre movies to experimental indie films and blockbuster hits. Events include filmmaker talks, discussions, and lectures aimed at deepening understanding of Asian cultures and cinematic traditions.
Classic films and retrospectives
A key festival focus this year is “Restored Classics,” with a record number of films from the 1960s to early 2000s. This section includes a tribute to Stanley Kwan, a prominent figure in Hong Kong’s New Wave. Known for stories exploring the lives of women, Kwan’s films, like his 1985 debut Women, showcase complex female characters navigating emotional relationships. Kwan’s work merges New Wave experimentation with mainstream appeal, creating melodramas and supernatural tales that resonate with audiences.
New cinema and diverse offerings
The “New Asian Cinema” section introduces nine contemporary films from the past two years, while “Polish Accents” features Anna Fam-Rieskaniemi’s Entropy, premiering on November 17.
Other sections include “Asian Cinerama,” an expansive look at cinema across Asia; “Tokyo Stories,” a cross-sectional portrayal of Japan’s capital; and “Focus: Environment,” exploring the human-nature connection amid global challenges.
According to Mańkowski, an essential part of experiencing Asian cinema is to “allow oneself to get lost in it rather than trying to intellectualize everything, as is often the case in Western approaches to film.”
Organized by the Arteria Art Foundation, the Five Flavors Asian Film Festival has grown since its 2006 debut, initially focused on Vietnamese cinema, to encompass a broad spectrum of Asian film.
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Source: PAP, piecsmakow.pl