Cinematheque Francaise and Cineteca di Bologna The 36th International Film Festival Proudly Presents Digital Restored Classic Films |第 36屆 香 港 國 際 電 影 節 呈 獻 經 典 修 復 系 列

Cinematheque Francaise and Cineteca di Bologna 

The 36th International Film Festival Proudly Presents 

Digital Restored Classic Films 

19 March, 2012 － The restored classic films, La Dolce Vita, Man with a Movie Camera and The Mummy in the 35th Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) provided an opportunity for audiences to enjoy the art form of cinema classics. HKIFF will continue its promotion of restored classic films this year by showcasing more ground-breaking titles including, Nana (1926), The Living Corpse (1929), The Machine that Kills Bad People (1952) and Taxi Driver (1976). These masterpieces not only had profound influences on the entire film industry, but also introduced innovative and inspiring skills in cinematography, editing and storytelling to future filmmakers. 

HKIFF is honoured to bring German pianist Ms. Eunice MARTINS to Hong Kong, to play live musical accompaniment for two films. Ms. Martins impressed audiences in the 33rd and 35th HKIFF and this year will continue her breath-taking performances,. 

This year marks the first time that the HKIFF Society has worked closely with the Cinematheque francaise and Cineteca di Bologna to present film goers with a series of restored classic films. Director of Cineteca di Bologna, Mr. Davide Pozzi will attend several HKIFF screenings. Further collaborations are planned in future. 

Nana (1926) 

Dir: Jean Renoir France 1926 B&W 145min 

Cast: Catherine Hessling, Pierre Lestringuez, Jacqueline Forzane 

Jean Renoir's second feature was a million-franc silent adaptation of Emile Zola's powerful novel. Catherine Hessling, who previously modeled for painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir before marrying his son the director, incarnates the young actress and courtesan who bring destruction to her aristocratic lovers. Renoir explores the intense social struggles highlighted in the classic while showcasing the personal drama of a highly flawed woman. Here, Renoir recasts a belle é poque Paris using painterly compositions and spectacular panoramas and crowds. Shown in a restored print from Cinematheque francaise. Live accompaniment by German pianist Eunice Martins and introduced by Davide Pozzi of Cineteca di Bologna. 

Date: March 30 (Fri) 

Time: 7:30 pm 

Venue: Hong Kong Science Museum 

The Living Corpse (Zhivoy trup) (1929) 

Dir: Fedor Ocep Germany/Soviet Union 1929 B&W 133min 

Cast: Vsevolod Pudovkin, Maria Jacobini, Viola Garden 

A constant transnational é migré , Ocep, in a three-decade career, directed films in Russia, Germany, France, the United States and Canada with genres ranging from silent films to wartime propaganda. This silent opus, a German adaptation of a work by Tolstoy, offers a masterful star turn by V. I. Pudovkin (who would go on to direct some of the classics of Soviet cinema). A major work linking German expressionism and early Russian cinema, it tells the story of a man trying to divorce his wife so she can remarry but is thwarted by the law and the church. Two recent restorations have drawn on surviving prints and technologies from across Europe to now allow us to appreciate this powerful work anew. Shown in a newly restored print from Austrian Film Museum. Live accompaniment by German pianist Eunice Martins. 

Date: March 27 (Tue) 

Time: 7:15 pm 

Venue: Hong Kong Science Museum 

The Machine that Kills Bad People (1952) 

Dir: Roberto Rossellini Italy 1952 B&W 85min 

Cast: Gennaro Pisano, Marilyn Buferd, William Tubbs 

A unique film in Rossellini's career in between the stark austerity of his postwar neo-realism, and the reflexive poetics of his later films. Bringing a deft commedia d'arte touch to questions of greed, power and changes in a southern Italian hamlet, Rossellini puts simple magic at the heart of his story - a camera that has the power to kill those whom it photographs. As a village photographer seeks revenge on both former fascists and profiteers of disruptive modernization, Rossellini evokes a beautiful brew of nostalgia and justice while reflecting on filmmaking itself. A rarely-screened work shown in a beautifully restored print. Introduced by Davide Pozzi of Cineteca di Bologna. 

Date: March 29 (Thu) 

Time: 7:15 pm 

Venue: Hong Kong City Hall 

Taxi Driver (1976) 

Dir: Martin Scorsese USA 1976 Colour 114min 

Cast: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Albert Brooks 

35 years after its premiere, the seminal classic Taxi Driver has been gloriously digitally restored in high-resolution 4K. Approved by the director in 2011 and supervised by cinematographer Michael Chapman, this stunning 35mm print also features a new multi-track soundtrack. Scorseses nightmarish vision of societal atrophy is a touchstone in cinematic history, and it forever cemented Robert De Niro's antihero Travis Bickle as an icon. The then-13-year-old Jodie Foster also received her first Oscar nomination for her role as a child prostitute. This tale of a disillusioned Vietnam war veteran who witnesses the degradation of New York while prowling the streets as night-time taxi driver remains as gripping as ever. 

Date: April 1 (Sun) 

Time: 12:45 pm 

Venue: Hong Kong Cultural Centre 

About Hong Kong International Film Festival Society 

The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) is a charitable, non-profit and non-governmental organization dedicated to the discovery and promotion of creativity in the art and culture of film. 

Through its year-round programmes, the mission of the Society is to strengthen global appreciation of Chinese film culture and to promote inspiring films from around the world, enriching the cultural life of Hong Kong. 

Committed to the development of a vibrant film culture in Hong Kong and Asia, the Society presents three annual flagship events in March and April: The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) and the Asian Film Awards (AFA).  | 第 36屆 香 港 國 際 電 影 節 呈 獻 

經 典 修 復 系 列 

[2012年 3月 19日 ] 一 如 以 往 ， 今 年 電 影 節 亦 會 呈 獻 一 系 列 修 復 經 典 電 影 ， 包 括 ： 《 娜 娜 》 (1926)、 《 行 屍 走 肉 》 (1929)、 《 殺 壞 人 的 機 器 》 (1952)和 《 的 士 司 機 》 (1976)。 這 些 作 品 除 了 對 當 時 發 展 中 的 電 影 史 影 響 深 遠 ， 更 進 一 步 奠 定 了 它 們 的 作 者 殿 堂 級 地 位 。 

今 年 電 影 節 很 榮 幸 再 次 邀 得 烏 妮 絲 瑪 汀 斯 小 姐 (Eunice MARTINS)由 德 國 遠 道 而 來 為 兩 部 默 片 作 現 場 鋼 琴 伴 奏 ， 她 曾 於 第 33及 35屆 電 影 節 中 為 默 片 作 即 場 伴 奏 ， 效 果 令 觀 眾 歎 為 觀 止 。 此 外 ， 為 了 讓 觀 眾 更 了 解 修 復 背 後 的 點 滴 ， 大 會 很 高 興 邀 請 到 博 洛 尼 亞 電 影 資 料 館 主 管 Davide Pozzi出 席 《 娜 娜 》 之 映 前 簡 介 。 

有 關 香 港 國 際 電 影 節 協 會 

香 港 國 際 電 影 節 協 會 是 一 個 非 牟 利 及 非 官 方 的 慈 善 團 體 ， 致 力 發 揚 電 影 文 化 ， 推 廣 光 影 藝 術 。 

透 過 全 年 活 動 ， 協 會 期 望 加 強 世 界 各 地 對 中 國 電 影 文 化 的 欣 賞 ， 並 把 各 地 具 啟 發 性 的 電 影 帶 到 香 港 ， 豐 富 本 地 精 神 文 化 生 活 。 

為 加 強 香 港 及 亞 洲 電 影 的 感 染 力 ， 協 會 於 每 年 三 、 四 月 期 間 均 舉 辦 三 項 旗 艦 活 動 ， 包 括 ： 香 港 國 際 電 影 節 (HKIFF)、 香 港 亞 洲 電 影 投 資 會 (HAF)及 亞 洲 電 影 大 獎 (AFA)。 

電 影 能 夠 連 繫 不 同 的 文 化 和 世 代 ， 激 發 無 窮 創 造 力 。 憑 此 信 念 ， 協 會 不 斷 為 成 千 上 萬 的 影 迷 ， 帶 來 世 界 各 地 最 優 秀 及 具 啟 發 性 的 電 影 作 品 。 |