From Jasper's Twitter by Cookie N Screen
This weekend sees 2015’s Asia House Film Festival kick off with an almighty array of films that bring some much needed light to films from the titular continent. Ranging from different eras to brand new directors and artists, Asia House is ready and raring to go with a weekend full of brilliant films such as Remote Control, Punk in Nyamar and In The Absence Of The Sun. The cinematic triumph from Asia sees an eclectic range of genre’s from quirky romantic films to stirring Westerns and it is undeniably strong programme.
We sat down with Jasper Sharp, the curator of the festival, to talk about the thrilling weekend ahead!
This weekend sees 2015’s Asia House Film Festival kick off with an almighty array of films that bring some much needed light to films from the titular continent. Ranging from different eras to brand new directors and artists, Asia House is ready and raring to go with a weekend full of brilliant films such as Remote Control, Punk in Nyamar and In The Absence Of The Sun. The cinematic triumph from Asia sees an eclectic range of genre’s from quirky romantic films to stirring Westerns and it is undeniably strong programme.
We sat down with Jasper Sharp, the curator of the festival, to talk about the thrilling weekend ahead!
Jasper, how are you?
Very well, thank you. I'm really getting into the swing of things and putting together the final touches to this event.
Less than a fortnight to go until the festival, are you excited?
Yes, very excited! Although actually, it's only a few days now! We have a whole host of European and UK premieres of some amazing films, and I think there’s a lot of great surprises in the programme. There's a lot of stuff that wouldn't usually spring to mind when you talk about Asian cinema. Like the magnificent The Seventh Bullet, a “Red Western” made by the Soviet Union in 1972 and set in Uzbekistan. I saw it several years ago and have been wanting to show it in the UK for sometime now. It’s like a Sergio Leone film, set during the Basmachi Revolt of the 1920's in Russia. The “cowboy” plot template isn’t just cosmetic – the historical context makes perfect sense, and it’s just a really gripping film,. We’re playing it as 35mm too.
What drew you to make and help the Asia House Film Festival come to life?
I’ve programmed for a lot of festivals over the years, both in the UK and internationally, mainly with an Asian focus. I also ran my own Zipangu Fest for 3 years, focussing on indie films from Japan. I was delighted when Asia House invited me to programme their festival. It has been renamed this year, from the Pan-Asian Film Festival, but this Pan-Asian concept is still very central, expanding the scope to a lot of countries that don’t get so much focus, like Mongolia.
One film we’re showing, Passion by director Byamba Sakhya, is a perfect introduction to Mongolian cinema and culture, and was the catalyst for a whole retrospective happening after the main event this weekend completely devoted to Mongolian film. It's going to be held at the Cinema Museum all day on 19 April (Ed: and trust us, it's a good selection.)
Why do you think Asia films are popular globally?
Asian films have done very well in the West over the past 10-15 years, but mainly a certain type of film. I think you have to look at how broad Asia actually is, and see beyond the usual focus on Japan and Hong Kong etc. Start looking at other industries like Cambodia and Indonesia. It’s a big continent, and also interesting to think about the influence and popularity of these industries in other countries in Asia. I think Asia is going to play such a huge role in world cinema in the coming years, if you think about the sheer number of venues in countries like China, India or Indonesia – these are big and expanding markets. Not only for homegrown productions, but for Western films too. We could be at a stage where Hollywood films make more money in China, for example, than they do on their home turf.
How important is this festival to the UK and Asia Film Industry?
I don’t think we can talk about an “Asia Film Industry” as such – just lots and lots of industries all over the continent. This festival is important because it introduces a lot of films to the UK that wouldn't get shown here otherwise, and whisks audiences away to unfamiliar but exciting places.
I was really struck by what a vivid depiction of Indonesia our opening night film, In the Absence of the Sun, gives of modern-day Jakarta, for example. All the while, the closing film, Jalanan, shows a completely different side to the city. I think most of us, like myself, have never been to Jakarta, and don’t really have much of an idea of what it’s like, so films like these are a brilliant introduction to the city, and to Indonesian life in general. That’s the kind of sense I want to put across in the programme.
Very well, thank you. I'm really getting into the swing of things and putting together the final touches to this event.
Less than a fortnight to go until the festival, are you excited?
Yes, very excited! Although actually, it's only a few days now! We have a whole host of European and UK premieres of some amazing films, and I think there’s a lot of great surprises in the programme. There's a lot of stuff that wouldn't usually spring to mind when you talk about Asian cinema. Like the magnificent The Seventh Bullet, a “Red Western” made by the Soviet Union in 1972 and set in Uzbekistan. I saw it several years ago and have been wanting to show it in the UK for sometime now. It’s like a Sergio Leone film, set during the Basmachi Revolt of the 1920's in Russia. The “cowboy” plot template isn’t just cosmetic – the historical context makes perfect sense, and it’s just a really gripping film,. We’re playing it as 35mm too.
What drew you to make and help the Asia House Film Festival come to life?
I’ve programmed for a lot of festivals over the years, both in the UK and internationally, mainly with an Asian focus. I also ran my own Zipangu Fest for 3 years, focussing on indie films from Japan. I was delighted when Asia House invited me to programme their festival. It has been renamed this year, from the Pan-Asian Film Festival, but this Pan-Asian concept is still very central, expanding the scope to a lot of countries that don’t get so much focus, like Mongolia.
One film we’re showing, Passion by director Byamba Sakhya, is a perfect introduction to Mongolian cinema and culture, and was the catalyst for a whole retrospective happening after the main event this weekend completely devoted to Mongolian film. It's going to be held at the Cinema Museum all day on 19 April (Ed: and trust us, it's a good selection.)
Why do you think Asia films are popular globally?
Asian films have done very well in the West over the past 10-15 years, but mainly a certain type of film. I think you have to look at how broad Asia actually is, and see beyond the usual focus on Japan and Hong Kong etc. Start looking at other industries like Cambodia and Indonesia. It’s a big continent, and also interesting to think about the influence and popularity of these industries in other countries in Asia. I think Asia is going to play such a huge role in world cinema in the coming years, if you think about the sheer number of venues in countries like China, India or Indonesia – these are big and expanding markets. Not only for homegrown productions, but for Western films too. We could be at a stage where Hollywood films make more money in China, for example, than they do on their home turf.
How important is this festival to the UK and Asia Film Industry?
I don’t think we can talk about an “Asia Film Industry” as such – just lots and lots of industries all over the continent. This festival is important because it introduces a lot of films to the UK that wouldn't get shown here otherwise, and whisks audiences away to unfamiliar but exciting places.
I was really struck by what a vivid depiction of Indonesia our opening night film, In the Absence of the Sun, gives of modern-day Jakarta, for example. All the while, the closing film, Jalanan, shows a completely different side to the city. I think most of us, like myself, have never been to Jakarta, and don’t really have much of an idea of what it’s like, so films like these are a brilliant introduction to the city, and to Indonesian life in general. That’s the kind of sense I want to put across in the programme.
Yangon Calling – Punk in Myanmar What films are you particularly excited for this season?
All of them! I wanted to give a broad range, but the music-themed stuff, like Flashback Memories 3D, an unorthodox documentary about a Japanese didgeridoo player with amnesia after a traffic accident, is going to be excellent on the big screen. The other music doc, Yangon Calling – Punk in Myanmar, playing as part of the closing night at the Horse Hospital, is also going to be really eye-opening. And then of course, the Mongolian films…(Ed: Look, they are really really good).
What difficulties are/were there setting up your festival?
There’s always practical and administrative challenges. I think putting an entire programme together that makes sense in its entirety, where all the films fuel and feed off each other is always the trickiest balance when you’re selecting films for a festival. I’d like to think that this selection not only gives a greater insight into the various countries where the films are from and encourages greater interest in Asia as a whole, but that they communicate with each other to give a bigger picture of what’s happening on that side of the world.
What do you hope to achieve with the response to your festival?
I hope to give a higher profile and interest to countries we don’t know so much about so that in the future, UK audiences will see more films from or about countries like Myanmar, Vietnam or Indonesia, and people will get really excited about the revolution in film-making that is happening all across the region. Crucially, I want people to come away exhilarated, entertained and wanting to learn more.
Will Asia House continue yearly to promote excellent Asian talent?
Definitely, and I hope there’ll be the opportunity to continue to showcase films outside of the main festival itself, on a regular basis, and host more talk events. Also, to put these films in context and give a better sense of what is happening in the region, which is what Asia House already do with their other arts, music and literature programmes,
Thank you and good luck, it looks incredible!
Thank you, hope you get a chance to pop along!
Asia House Film Festival kicks off this weekend and you can buy tickets here. Or win here!
All of them! I wanted to give a broad range, but the music-themed stuff, like Flashback Memories 3D, an unorthodox documentary about a Japanese didgeridoo player with amnesia after a traffic accident, is going to be excellent on the big screen. The other music doc, Yangon Calling – Punk in Myanmar, playing as part of the closing night at the Horse Hospital, is also going to be really eye-opening. And then of course, the Mongolian films…(Ed: Look, they are really really good).
What difficulties are/were there setting up your festival?
There’s always practical and administrative challenges. I think putting an entire programme together that makes sense in its entirety, where all the films fuel and feed off each other is always the trickiest balance when you’re selecting films for a festival. I’d like to think that this selection not only gives a greater insight into the various countries where the films are from and encourages greater interest in Asia as a whole, but that they communicate with each other to give a bigger picture of what’s happening on that side of the world.
What do you hope to achieve with the response to your festival?
I hope to give a higher profile and interest to countries we don’t know so much about so that in the future, UK audiences will see more films from or about countries like Myanmar, Vietnam or Indonesia, and people will get really excited about the revolution in film-making that is happening all across the region. Crucially, I want people to come away exhilarated, entertained and wanting to learn more.
Will Asia House continue yearly to promote excellent Asian talent?
Definitely, and I hope there’ll be the opportunity to continue to showcase films outside of the main festival itself, on a regular basis, and host more talk events. Also, to put these films in context and give a better sense of what is happening in the region, which is what Asia House already do with their other arts, music and literature programmes,
Thank you and good luck, it looks incredible!
Thank you, hope you get a chance to pop along!
Asia House Film Festival kicks off this weekend and you can buy tickets here. Or win here!
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