Misplaced Pages

#341658

89-687: Johnnie To Kei-fung (born 22 April 1955) is a Hong Kong filmmaker. Popular in his native Hong Kong, To has also found acclaim overseas. Intensely prolific, To has made films in a variety of genres, though in the West he is best known for his action and crime movies, which have earned him critical respect and a cult following , which includes American filmmaker Quentin Tarantino . To's biggest international successes include Breaking News , Election , Election 2 (a.k.a. Triad Election ), Exiled , Mad Detective and Drug War ; these films have appeared in

178-521: A loft and falls to the lower ground. By 1983, Chan branched out into action films which, though they still used martial arts, were less limited in scope, setting and plot, with an emphasis on elaborate yet dangerous stunt sequences. His first film in this vein, Project A (1983), saw the official formation of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team and added elaborate, dangerous stunts to the fights and typical slapstick humor (at one point, Chan falls from

267-421: A busy high road, including a risky stunt where he slides under a truck. Chan continued to take the approach – and the budgets – to new heights in hits like Police Story (1985), which is considered one of the greatest action films of all time. Here was Chan dangling from a speeding bus, destroying large parts of a hillside shantytown, fighting in a shopping mall while breaking many glass panes, and sliding down

356-667: A couple of attempts to crack the U.S. market, Jackie Chan 's 1995 film Rumble in the Bronx finally brought him recognition in the U.S. Since then, he has made several highly successful films for U.S. studios including Rush Hour (1998), Shanghai Noon (2000), and their respective sequels Rush Hour 2 (2001), Shanghai Knights (2003), and Rush Hour 3 (2007). Between his films for U.S. studios, he still makes films for Hong Kong studios, sometimes in English ( Mr. Nice Guy and Who Am I? ), often set in western countries like Australia or

445-513: A couple of generations of Hong Kongers by playing historical folk hero Wong Fei Hung in a series of roughly one hundred movies, from The True Story of Wong Fei Hung (1949) through to Wong Fei Hung Bravely Crushing the Fire Formation (1970). A number of enduring elements were introduced or solidified by these films: the still-popular character of "Master Wong"; the influence of Chinese opera with its stylized martial arts and acrobatics ; and

534-850: A fad for Cantopop stars in high-tech, more American-styled action pictures such as Downtown Torpedoes (1997), Gen-X Cops and Purple Storm (both 1999). Andrew Lau 's wuxia comic-book adaptation The Storm Riders (1998) earned a record-breaking gross and ushered in an era of computer-generated imagery , previously little used in Hong Kong film. Tsui Hark 's lavish CGI-enhanced efforts Time and Tide (2000) and The Legend of Zu (2001), however, were surprisingly unsuccessful. Comedy megastar and director Stephen Chow used digital effects to push his typical affectionate parody of martial arts conventions to cartoonish levels in Shaolin Soccer (2001) and Kung Fu Hustle (2004), each of which also set

623-535: A global success, across Asia , Europe and the third world . This eventually paved the way for Lee's posthumous Hollywood film breakthrough with the Hong Kong and US co-production Enter the Dragon (1973). Hong Kong martial arts cinema subsequently inspired a wave of Western martial arts films and television shows throughout the 1970s–1990s (launching the careers of Western martial arts stars such as Jean-Claude Van Damme , Steven Seagal and Chuck Norris ), as well as

712-533: A jury member at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival . His film Life Without Principle (2011) was selected as the Hong Kong's entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 85th Academy Awards , but did not make the shortlist. In 2016, To served as the Jury President for the 10th Asian Film Awards . In June 2017, To was invited to become a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . In June 2019, To

801-644: A mini-trend of brooding police thrillers. Collaboration with other industries, particularly that of Mainland China , is another increasingly common survival and recovery strategy. Hong Kong stars and other personnel have been involved in international wuxia successes like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Hero (2002) and House of Flying Daggers (2004). 73rd Berlin International Film Festival The 73rd annual Berlin International Film Festival , usually called

890-429: A modern-dress version of 1970s kung fu films by Woo's mentor Chang Cheh . The formula broke another all-time box office record. It also jump-started the faltering career of co-star Chow Yun-fat , who overnight became one of the colony's most popular idols and Woo's favorite leading man. For the remainder of the 1980s and into the early 1990s, a deluge of films by Woo and others explored similar territory, often with

979-551: A name for him with American audiences. So far, he has returned to Chinese cinema for only two films: Hero (2002) and Fearless (2006). He claimed Fearless would be his last traditional kung fu film. Chow Yun-fat has also moved to Hollywood. After his 1995 film Peace Hotel , he has made a handful of films in Hollywood which have not seen as much success as those of the aforementioned figures'. These include The Replacement Killers (1998), The Corruptor (1999), Anna and

SECTION 10

#1732892022342

1068-513: A new box office record. Striking a different note were a series of crime films more restrained and actor-driven than the earlier, John Woo-inspired examples. The Milkyway Image production company was at the vanguard with examples like Patrick Yau 's Expect the Unexpected (1998), Johnnie To 's The Mission (1999) and Running Out of Time (1999). Andrew Lau and Alan Mak 's blockbuster Infernal Affairs trilogy (2002–2003) has set off

1157-575: A number of international film festivals, been distributed theatrically in France and the United States, and been widely sold to foreign countries. His films, often made in collaboration with the same group of actors, screenwriters and cinematographers, frequently explore themes of friendship , fate and the changing face of Hong Kong society. Sometimes described as "multifaceted and chameleonic" due to his ability to switch tones and genres between movies, To

1246-399: A pole covered with exploding light bulbs. The latter is considered one of the greatest stunts in the history of action cinema. The 1988 sequel called for explosions on a scale similar to many Hollywood movies and seriously injured leading lady Maggie Cheung – an occupational risk Chan had already grown used to. Thus Jackie Chan created the template for the contemporary urban action-comedy of

1335-501: A progenitor of the kung fu comedy. In subsequent titles like Executioners from Shaolin (1977), The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978), and Legendary Weapons of China (1982), Lau emphasized the traditions and philosophy of the martial arts and strove to give onscreen fighting greater authenticity and ever greater speed and intricacy. The kung fu boom was partly fueled by enormous international popularity, and not just in East Asia. In

1424-611: A raft of imitations, often starring Mainland wushu champion Jet Li . He went on to receive a special award for a mainland China person at the 1995 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival . The other signature star of the subgenre was Taiwanese-born actress Brigitte Lin . She made an unlikely specialty of androgynous woman-warrior types, such as the villainous, sex-changing eunuch in The Swordsman 2 (1992), epitomizing martial arts fantasy's often-noted fascination with gender instability. Hong Kong's international impact initially came in

1513-719: A screening of the Golden-Bear winning film On the Adamant . The following were on the jury for the Berlinale Main Competition section: The following 19 films were selected for the main competition for the Golden Bear and Silver Bear awards: The following titles received were selected for the sections below: The following 16 films are selected for the Encounters section: The following films are selected for

1602-825: A second wave of wuxia films with highly acrobatic violence, followed by the emergence of the grittier kung fu films for which the Shaw Brothers studio became best known. Hong Kong action cinema peaked from the 1970s to the 1990s . The 1970s saw a resurgence in kung fu films during the rise and sudden death of Bruce Lee . He was succeeded in the 1980s by Jackie Chan —who popularized the use of comedy, dangerous stunts , and modern urban settings in action films—and Jet Li , whose authentic wushu skills appealed to both eastern and western audiences. The innovative work of directors and producers like Tsui Hark and John Woo introduced further variety, with genres such as heroic bloodshed and gun fu films, and themes such as triads and

1691-415: A segment of the 2020 anthology film Septet: The Story of Hong Kong . The other filmmakers who directed segments in the anthology are Sammo Hung , Ann Hui , Patrick Tam , Tsui Hark , Yuen Woo-ping and Ringo Lam . The short films were shot entirely on 35mm film, each of them touching on a nostalgic and moving story set across different time periods, with every one being an ode to the city. In 2024, To

1780-507: A similar visual style and thematic bent. They were usually marked by an emphasis on the fraternal bonds of duty and affection among the criminal protagonists. The most notable other auteur of these themes was Ringo Lam , who offered a less romanticized take in such films as City on Fire , Prison on Fire (both 1987), and Full Contact (1992), all starring Chow Yun-Fat. The genre and its creators were accused in some quarters of cravenly glorifying real-life triads, whose involvement in

1869-464: A strong streak of racial and/or nationalistic pride. The popularity of these movies in North America would continue into the 1980s when ninja movies were introduced. In popular culture, the films of this era were colloquially known as Kung Fu Theater or Black Belt Theater , names that many independent stations used for their weekly airing slot. The Brothers (1979), a Shaw Brothers production,

SECTION 20

#1732892022342

1958-523: A technique known by Western fans, sometimes disparagingly, as wire fu . As so often, Tsui Hark led the way. He produced Swordsman (1990), which reestablished the wuxia novels of Jin Yong as favorite big-screen sources (television adaptations had long been ubiquitous). He directed Once Upon a Time in China (1991), which resurrected oft-filmed folk hero Wong Fei Hung . Both films were followed by sequels and

2047-452: A vogue that helped reinvigorate the waning kung fu genre. Especially notable in this regard were two of Chan's childhood Peking Opera School classmates, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao , who also made careers of this specialty, sometimes co-starring with Chan. Hung, noted for the seeming paradox of his overweight physique and physical agility, also made a name for himself as a director and action choreographer from early on, with titles like Enter

2136-667: A woman". On that topic, Golshifteh Farahani , Iranian-French actress and one of the jury members, noted that "some women are not as fortunate". Russia's war on Ukraine and Human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran were topical discussions at the ceremony. After Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeared via satellite and introduced by American actor and filmmaker Sean Penn , Zelenskyy remarked, "A logical question comes up: On which side should culture and art be?" and added, "Can art be outside of politics? Should cinema be outside of politics? It's an eternal question but today it

2225-477: Is extremely [pertinent]." Afterward, the opening film of the festival, Rebecca Miller's drama film She Came to Me , was screened. The closing ceremony or award night was held on 25 February, hosted by the German radio and television presenter Hadnet Tesfai. French documentary film On the Adamant , about a Paris daycare centre for people with mental disorders, by Nicolas Philibert won the Golden Bear . Stewart called

2314-458: Is nonetheless seen as having a consistent style , which involves mixing subdued realism and social observation with highly stylised visual and acting elements. To has cited King Hu as the director who has influenced his work the most. To heads the Hong Kong–based production company Milkyway Image with his frequent co-director Wai Ka-fai . To began his career at age 17 as a messenger for

2403-499: Is widely credited with launching the kung fu boom. But remaining at the vanguard, at least initially, were Shaw Brothers and director Chang Cheh. Chang's Vengeance (1970) was another of the first trendsetters and his dozens of contributions included The Boxer from Shantung (1972), Heroes Two (1974), Five Deadly Venoms (1978) and Crippled Avengers (1979). Kung fu cinema was particularly influenced by Chang's concern with his vision of masculine values and male friendship;

2492-494: The Berlinale ( German pronunciation: [bɛʁliˈnaːlə] ), took place from 16 to 26 February 2023. It was the first completely in-person Berlinale since the 70th in 2020. The festival added a new competition section for television series. The festival opened with American filmmaker and novelist Rebecca Miller 's drama film She Came to Me . A live video stream with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

2581-623: The Cannes Film Festival : Breaking News premiered as an Out-of-Competition midnight screening in 2004 ; Election was shown in Competition in 2005 ; its sequel, Election 2 (a.k.a. Triad Election ) was screened in Out-of-Competition midnight screenings in 2006 , and Triangle was screened in Out-of-Competition midnight screenings in 2007 ; Vengeance competed for the prestigious Palme d'Or in 2009 ; Blind Detective

2670-658: The Chinese Civil War , and the victory of the Chinese Communist Party —had shifted the centre of Chinese language filmmaking to Hong Kong. The industry continued the wuxia tradition in Cantonese B movies and serials, although the more prestigious Mandarin -language cinema generally ignored the genre. Animation and special effects drawn directly on the film by hand were used to simulate the flying abilities and other preternatural powers of characters; later titles in

2759-742: The Festival de Cine de Sitges , Europe's most prestigious film festival specializing in genre films. To was also honoured as a "Filmmaker in Focus" of the 2007 International Film Festival Rotterdam . In 2009, while Vengeance competed at Cannes, To was made an officer of the French Order of Arts and Letters by the French Minister of Culture in recognition of his films. The annual Hong Kong International Film Festival held its 45th edition in April 2021 and To directed

Johnnie To - Misplaced Pages Continue

2848-624: The Kuomintang government, who saw it as promoting superstition and violent anarchy. Wuxia filmmaking was picked up in Hong Kong, at the time a British colony with a highly liberal economy and culture and a developing film industry. The first martial arts film in Cantonese , the dominant Chinese spoken language of Hong Kong, was The Adorned Pavilion (1938). By the late 1940s, upheavals in mainland China —the Second Sino-Japanese War ,

2937-624: The Netherlands , and sometimes in Cantonese (2004's New Police Story and 2006's Rob-B-Hood ). Because of his enormous U.S. popularity, these films are usually released in the U.S., a rarity for Hong Kong films, and generally attract respectable audience numbers. Jet Li has reduced his Hong Kong output since 1998's Hitman concentrating on Hollywood instead. After a minor role in Lethal Weapon 4 (1998), he has gone on to star in several Hollywood films which have performed respectably and made

3026-463: The Shaw Studios era he directed All About Ah-Long (1989), starring Chow Yun-fat . The film became one of the biggest box office hits that year. In 1988, he co-directed The Big Heat , his first action movie . The film was produced by Tsui Hark . The end of the 1980s also saw some of To's biggest commercial successes, the vast majority of which were comedies. His 1988 film The Eighth Happiness

3115-578: The 1980s had not only established Hong Kong as the dominant cinema in East Asia , but reawakened Western interest. By the 1990s, there was a second "Asian invasion" from Hong Kong action cinema, heavily influencing and revitalizing Hollywood action cinema. There was a significant crossover of Hong Kong stars, filmmakers and action choreographers from Hong Kong to Hollywood, in addition to the wide adoption of Hong Kong action filmmaking techniques in Hollywood. The wide adoption of Hong Kong action film conventions

3204-518: The 1980s, combining cops, kung fu and all the body-breaking potential of the modern city with its glass, metal and speeding vehicles. Chan's move towards larger-scale action films was paralleled by work coming out of Cinema City , the production company established in 1980 by comedians Raymond Wong , Karl Maka and Dean Shek . With movies like the spy spoof Aces Go Places (1982) and its sequels, Cinema City helped make modern special effects, James Bond -type gadgets and big vehicular stunts part of

3293-489: The 1990s, reshaping the way Hollywood action films were made. Lam's City on Fire (1987) inspired Quentin Tarantino 's Reservoir Dogs (1992); Tarantino was an admirer of the heroic bloodshed genre. The Killer also heavily influenced Luc Besson 's Léon: The Professional (1994). Eventually, John Woo himself introduced his brand of heroic bloodshed to Hollywood in the 1990s. By the late 1990s, Woo's style of cinema had become firmly established in Hollywood. Due to

3382-410: The 1990s. Bollywood action scenes emulated Hong Kong rather than Hollywood, emphasising acrobatics and stunts and combining kung fu (as perceived by Indians) with Indian martial arts such as pehlwani . Hong Kong martial arts films such as Enter the Dragon were the foundation for fighting games . The Street Fighter video game franchise (1987 debut) was inspired by Enter the Dragon , with

3471-455: The Berlinale a vibrant, inspiring, and joyful event." The opening ceremony of the festival was held on 16 February with jury members and international and German stars walking the red carpet. The jury president Kristen Stewart , in her opening speech, pointed out about "oppressions against our physical selves". She said that, albeit she was a woman, she represented "the least marginal version of

3560-492: The Dragon as being influential for the way they pitched "an elemental story of good against evil in such a spectacle-saturated way". In Japan, the manga and anime franchises Fist of the North Star (1983–1988) and Dragon Ball (1984–1995) were influenced by Hong Kong martial arts films, particularly 1970s kung fu films such as Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon and Jackie Chan's Drunken Master (1978). In turn, Fist of

3649-469: The Eagle's Shadow . The resulting blend of physical comedy and kung fu action provided Chan with his first hit and the rudiments of what would become his signature style. Chan's follow-up movie with Yuen, Drunken Master (also 1978), and his directorial debut, The Fearless Hyena (1979), were also giant hits and cemented his popularity. Although these films were not the first kung fu comedies, they launched

Johnnie To - Misplaced Pages Continue

3738-490: The Fat Dragon (1978). Chan's clowning may have helped extend the life of the kung fu wave for several years. Nevertheless, he became a star towards the end of the boom, and would soon help move the colony towards a new type of action. In the 1980s, he and many colleagues would forge a slicker, more spectacular Hong Kong pop cinema that would successfully compete with the post- Star Wars summer blockbusters from America. In

3827-637: The Hong Kong practice of training in martial arts and performing their own stunts, such as Keanu Reeves , Uma Thurman and Jason Statham . Martin Scorsese 's crime film The Departed (2006) was a remake of the Infernal Affairs trilogy (2002–2003) by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak . The heroic bloodshed genre had a considerable impact on world cinema , especially Hollywood . The action, style, tropes and mannerisms established in 1980s Hong Kong heroic bloodshed films were later widely adopted by Hollywood in

3916-526: The Hong Kong television studio TVB . From there To moved up the ladder, working as an executive producer and director for TV shows starting in 1973. In 1978, he shot his first theatrical feature, but continued working in television. In 1983, he directed and screen-wrote the critically acclaimed The Legend of the Condor Heroes , a dramatised TV series base on the martial art novel of the same name by Jin Yong . While working as an assistant TV director during

4005-592: The King (1999) and Bulletproof Monk (2003). He returned to China for 2000's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and 2006's Curse of the Golden Flower . The Hong Kong film industry has been in a severe slump since the mid-1990s. The number of local films produced, and their box office takings, are dramatically reduced; American imports now dominate in a way they had not for decades, or perhaps ever. This crisis and increased contact with Western cinema have probably been

4094-504: The North American box office. King Boxer ( Five Fingers of Death ) starring Indonesian -born actor Lo Lieh was the first Hong Kong film to top the US box office, paving the way for Bruce Lee's breakthrough with The Big Boss ( Fists of Fury ) topping the US box office. In May 1973, Hong Kong action cinema made US box office history, with three foreign films holding the top three spots for

4183-496: The North Star and especially Dragon Ball are credited with setting the trends for popular shōnen manga and anime from the 1980s onwards. Similarly in India, Hong Kong martial arts films had an influence on Bollywood masala films . After the success of Bruce Lee films (such as Enter the Dragon ) in India, Deewaar (1975) and later Bollywood films incorporated fight scenes inspired by 1970s Hong Kong martial arts films up until

4272-603: The Panorama section: The following films are selected for the Perspektive Deutsches Kino ( lit.   ' Perspective on German Cinema ' ) section: The following films are selected for the Forum section: This section of the 73rd Berlinale was dedicated to American filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer Steven Spielberg, who was awarded an Honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement. This section presented

4361-548: The Shaws' prolific star director into the early 1980s. The early 1970s saw wuxia giving way to a new, grittier and more graphic (and Mandarin -speaking) iteration of the kung fu movie, which came to dominate through the decade and into the early 1980s. Seriously trained martial artists such as Ti Lung and Gordon Liu became some of the top stars as increasing proportions of running times were devoted to combat set-pieces. Chinese Boxer (1970), starring and directed by Jimmy Wang Yu,

4450-498: The West, kung fu imports, dubbed and often recut and retitled, shown as "B" films in urban theaters and on television, made Hong Kong film widely noticed, although not widely respected, for the first time. African-Americans particularly embraced the genre (as exemplified by the popular hip-hop group, the Wu-Tang Clan ) perhaps as an almost unprecedented source of adventure stories with non-white heroes, who furthermore often displayed

4539-477: The biggest recent influences on Hong Kong action cinema. Luring local and regional youth audiences away from Hollywood is a constant concern. Action movies are now generally headlined by babyfaced Cantonese pop music idols, such as Ekin Cheng and Nicholas Tse , enhanced with wires and digital effects – a trend also driven by the waning of a previous generation of martial arts-trained stars. The late 1990s witnessed

SECTION 50

#1732892022342

4628-399: The concept of mixed martial arts (MMA) in the West via his Jeet Kune Do system. In 2004, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) founder Dana White called Lee the "father of mixed martial arts". Parkour was also influenced by the acrobatic antics of Jackie Chan in his Hong Kong action films, as well as the philosophy of Bruce Lee. Hong Kong action cinema's innovative developments in

4717-561: The concept of martial arts heroes as exponents of Confucian ethics. In the second half of the 1960s, the era's biggest studio, Shaw Brothers , inaugurated a new generation of wuxia films, starting with Xu Zenghong's Temple of the Red Lotus (1965), a remake of the 1928 classic. These Mandarin productions were more lavish and in colour; their style was less fantastical and more intense, with stronger and more acrobatic violence. They were influenced by imported samurai movies from Japan and by

4806-497: The cycle included The Six-Fingered Lord of the Lute (1965) and Sacred Fire, Heroic Wind (1966). A counter-tradition to the wuxia films emerged in the kung fu movies that were also produced at this time. These movies emphasized more "authentic", down-to-earth and unarmed combat over the swordplay and mysticism of wuxia . The most famous exemplar was real-life martial artist Kwan Tak Hing ; he became an avuncular hero figure to at least

4895-464: The day, Chan came out of training in Peking opera and started in film as a stuntman , notably in some of Lee's vehicles. He was groomed for a while by The Big Boss and Fist of Fury director Lo Wei as another Lee clone, in several movies including New Fist of Fury (1976), with little success. But in 1978, Chan teamed up with action choreographer Yuen Woo Ping on Yuen's directorial debut, Snake in

4984-410: The early 1980s, Jackie Chan began experimenting with elaborate stunt action sequences in films such as The Young Master (1980) and especially Dragon Lord (1982), which featured a pyramid fight scene that holds the record for the most takes required for a single scene, with 2900 takes, and the final fight scene in which he performs various stunts, including one where he does a back flip off

5073-504: The female warrior figures who had been prominent in late 1960s wuxia work were sidelined, with prominent exceptions such as the popular Angela Mao . Chang's only competitor as the genre's most influential filmmaker was his long-time action choreographer , Lau Kar Leung (a.k.a. Liu Chia Liang in Mandarin). Lau began directing his own movies for the Shaw brothers in 1975 with The Spiritual Boxer ,

5162-496: The festival. The film registration for the festival began in September 2022 with the closing date for submission fixed on 23 November 2022. On 13 October 2022, with the slogan of "Let's Get Together", signifying in-person interactions in all the programmes of the festival after two years of the programmes held online due to COVID-19. It was also announced that Berlinale Series Award would be inaugurated in 2023. The festival poster

5251-418: The film "masterfully crafted" and a "cinematic proof of the vital necessity of human expression". Philibert asked in his acceptance speech if the jury members were "crazy" and yet nevertheless thanked them, saying "that documentary can be considered to be cinema in its own right touches me deeply". The Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize was won by Afire by Christian Petzold . Sofía Otero, a nine-year-old girl

5340-561: The film business was notorious. As the triad films petered out in the early 1990s, period martial arts returned as the favored action genre. But this was a new martial arts cinema that took full advantage of technical strides as well the higher budgets that came with Hong Kong's dominance of the region's screens. These lavish productions were often adapted from the more fantastical wuxia novels, which featured flying warriors in mid-air combat. Performers were raised up on ultrathin wires to allow them to conduct gravity-defying action sequences,

5429-545: The films became more available in the mainstream video market and even occasionally in mainstream theaters. Western critics and film scholars also began to take Hong Kong action cinema seriously and made many key figures and films part of their canon of world cinema. From here, Hong Kong came to define a new vocabulary for worldwide action cinema, with the aid of a new generation of North American filmmakers. Quentin Tarantino 's Reservoir Dogs (1992) drew inspiration from City on Fire and his two-part Kill Bill (2003–04)

SECTION 60

#1732892022342

5518-492: The first time: Fists of Fury , Lady Whirlwind ( Deep Thrust ), and Five Fingers of Death . Lee continued his success with Fist of Fury ( The Chinese Connection ), which also topped the US box office the following month. Kung fu film releases in the United States initially targeted Asian American audiences, before becoming a breakout success among larger African-American and Hispanic audiences, and then among white working-class Americans . Kung fu films also became

5607-421: The form of martial arts films , especially 1970s kung fu films and most notably those of Bruce Lee . His earliest attempts at introducing his brand of Hong Kong martial arts cinema to the West came in the form of American television shows , such as The Green Hornet (1966 debut) and Kung Fu (1972 debut). The "kung fu craze" began in 1973, with the unprecedented success of Hong Kong martial arts films at

5696-453: The gameplay centered around an international fighting tournament, and each character having a unique combination of ethnicity, nationality and fighting style. Street Fighter went on to set the template for all fighting games that followed. The early beat 'em up game Kung-Fu Master (1984) was also based on Bruce Lee's Game of Death (1972) and Jackie Chan's Wheels on Meals (1984). The success of Bruce Lee's films helped popularize

5785-528: The industry vernacular. Director/producer Tsui Hark had a hand in shaping the Cinema City style while employed there from 1981–1983 but went on to make an even bigger impact after leaving. In such movies as Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain (1983) and A Chinese Ghost Story (1987, directed by Ching Siu-tung ), he kept pushing the boundaries of Hong Kong special effects. He led the way in replacing

5874-515: The more general integration of Asian martial arts into Western action films and television shows by the 1990s. Sascha Matuszak of Vice said Enter the Dragon "is referenced in all manner of media, the plot line and characters continue to influence storytellers today, and the impact was particularly felt in the revolutionizing way the film portrayed African-Americans , Asians and traditional martial arts." Kuan-Hsing Chen and Beng Huat Chua cited fight scenes in Hong Kong films such as Enter

5963-482: The most internationally successful film from the region. Furthermore, his decision at the outset to work for young, upstart studio Golden Harvest , rather than accept the Shaws' notoriously tightfisted standard contract, was a factor in Golden Harvest's meteoric rise and Shaw's eventual decline. The only Chinese performer who has ever rivalled Bruce Lee's global fame is Jackie Chan . Like many kung fu performers of

6052-401: The new-found international awareness of Hong Kong films during the 1980s and early 1990s and a downturn in the industry as the 1990s progressed, many of the leading lights of Hong Kong cinema left for Hollywood , which offered budgets and pay which could not be equalled by Hong Kong production companies. John Woo left for Hollywood after his 1992 film Hard Boiled . His 1997 film Face/Off

6141-556: The period were Chang Cheh with One-Armed Swordsman (1967) and Golden Swallow (1968) and King Hu with Come Drink with Me (1966). Hu soon left Shaw Brothers to pursue his own vision of wuxia with independent productions in Taiwan , such as the enormously successful Dragon Inn (1967, a.k.a. Dragon Gate Inn ) and A Touch of Zen which was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival . Chang stayed on and remained

6230-468: The present day... developing his own fighting style... and possessing superhuman charisma". His first three movies broke local box office records and were successful in much of the world. Fist of Fury and Way of the Dragon went on to gross an estimated US$ 100 million and US$ 130 million worldwide, respectively. The English-language Enter the Dragon , the first-ever US-Hong Kong co-production, grossed an estimated US$ 350 million worldwide, making it

6319-463: The rough and ready camera style of 1970s kung fu with glossier and more sophisticated visuals and ever more furious editing. As a producer, Tsui Hark facilitated the creation of John Woo 's epoch-making heroic bloodshed movie A Better Tomorrow (1986). Woo's saga of cops and the triads (Chinese gangsters) combined fancifully choreographed (and extremely violent) gunplay (called gun fu ) with heightened emotional melodrama, sometimes resembling

6408-682: The supernatural. However, an exodus by many leading figures to Hollywood in the 1990s coincided with a downturn in the industry. The signature contribution to action cinema from the Chinese -speaking world is the martial arts film , the most famous of which were developed in Hong Kong. The genre emerged first in Chinese popular literature . The early 20th century saw an explosion of what were called wuxia novels (often translated as "martial chivalry"), generally published in serialized form in newspapers. These were tales of heroic, sword-wielding warriors, often featuring mystical or fantasy elements. This genre

6497-403: The top of a clock tower through a series of fabric canopies). The new formula helped Project A gross over HK$ 19 million in Hong Kong, and significantly more in other Asian countries such as Japan, where it grossed ¥ 2.95 billion and became one of the highest-grossing films of 1984. Winners and Sinners (1983) also featured an elaborate action sequence that involves Chan skating along

6586-611: The wave of "New School" wuxia novels by authors like Jin Yong and Liang Yusheng that started in the 1950s. The New School wuxia wave marked the move of male-oriented action films to the centre of Hong Kong cinema, which had long been dominated by female stars and genres aimed at female audiences, such as romances and musicals . Even so, during the 1960s female action stars like Cheng Pei-pei and Connie Chan Po-chu were prominent alongside male stars, such as former swimming champion Jimmy Wang Yu , and they continued an old tradition of female warriors in wuxia storyte directors of

6675-501: Was a significant departure from the kung fu films the studio was known for. The Brothers was an action crime-drama, about two brothers on opposing sides of the law. It was a remake of the Indian crime drama Deewaar (1975), written by Salim–Javed . In turn, The Brothers laid the foundations for the heroic bloodshed genre of 1980s Hong Kong cinema, inspiring John Woo 's breakthrough film A Better Tomorrow (1986). No single figure

6764-453: Was announced as the Jury President for the 56th Golden Horse Awards , but resigned his position in September. In February 2023, To served as a jury member at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival . Commercially successful in his native Hong Kong, To's films have regularly appeared at international festivals, most notably in Europe and North America. Six of To's films have been featured at

6853-490: Was appointed Jury member at the 2024 Tokyo International Film Festival for its section 'International competition'. Hong Kong action cinema The first Hong Kong action films favoured the wuxia style, emphasizing mysticism and swordplay, but this trend was politically suppressed in the 1930s and replaced by kung fu films that depicted more down-to-earth unarmed martial arts, often featuring folk heroes such as Wong Fei Hung . Post-war cultural upheavals led to

6942-450: Was awarded to Afire by German filmmaker Christian Petzold . The Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance was awarded to Sofía Otero for 20,000 Species of Bees ; Otero, at age nine, became the youngest winner of the award in the Berlinale history. Festival closed on 26 February with total sales of tickets touching 320,000, and around 20,000 accredited professionals from 132 countries including 2,800 media representatives attending

7031-473: Was designed by Claudia Schramke, who had also created the previous year's Berlinale poster. The executive director of the Berlinale, Mariette Rissenbeek  [ de ] , described the poster as the key visual for the 2023 Berlinale, saying that it directed the attention toward the audience—the indispensable core of the festival. Rissenbeek said, "We're very pleased that with this year's poster, we can honour those whose curiosity, enthusiasm, and applause make

7120-501: Was in large part a martial arts homage, borrowing Yuen Woo-Ping as fight choreographer and actor. Robert Rodriguez 's Desperado (1995) and its 2003 sequel Once Upon a Time in Mexico aped Woo's visual mannerisms. The Wachowski sisters ' The Matrix trilogy (1999–2003) of science-fiction-action blockbusters borrowed from Woo and wire fu movies, and also employed Yuen behind the scenes. A number of Hollywood action stars also adopted

7209-417: Was more responsible for this international profile than Bruce Lee , an American-born, Hong Kong-raised martial artist and actor. Lee completed just four movies before his death at the age of 32: The Big Boss (1971), Fist of Fury and Way of the Dragon (both 1972), and Enter the Dragon (1973). Eastern film historian Patrick Macias ascribes his success to "(bringing) the warrior spirit of old into

7298-515: Was part of the opening ceremony. On 21 February 2023, American filmmaker Steven Spielberg was presented with the Honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement by Irish singer-songwriter Bono . Spielberg's films were screened in the Homage section for the occasion. On the Adamant , directed by French filmmaker Nicolas Philibert , won the Golden Bear . The Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize

7387-517: Was quickly seized on by early Chinese films , particularly in the movie capital of the time, Shanghai . Starting in the 1920s, wuxia titles, often adapted from novels (for example, 1928's The Burning of the Red Lotus Monastery and its eighteen sequels) were hugely popular and the genre dominated Chinese film for several years. The boom came to an end in the 1930s, caused by official opposition from cultural and political elites, especially

7476-530: Was referred to as the "Hong Kongification" of Hollywood. Building on the reduced but enduring kung fu movie subculture, Jackie Chan and films like Tsui Hark's Peking Opera Blues (1986) were already building a cult following when Woo's The Killer (1989) had a limited but successful release in the U.S. and opened the floodgates. In the 1990s, Westerners with an eye on "alternative" culture became common sights in Chinatown video shops and theaters, and gradually

7565-557: Was screened in Out-of-Competition midnight screenings in 2013 . At the Berlin International Film Festival , Sparrow was shown in Competition in 2008. At the Venice International Film Festival , Throw Down was screened Out-of-Competition in 2004 ; Exiled was shown in Competition at the festival in 2006 ; Mad Detective was shown in Competition in 2007 ; Life Without Principle

7654-487: Was shown in Competition in 2011 . In North America, To's films have been consistently screened at the Toronto International Film Festival . The Mission , Fulltime Killer , PTU , Breaking News , Throw Down and Mad Detective all screened between 1999 and 2007. In 2006, Election , Election 2 , and Exiled were screened. In 2005, To received the "Time Machine Career Achievement Award" at

7743-530: Was that year's highest-grossing movie. In 1996, To and frequent collaborator Wai Ka-fai formed Milkyway Image , a production house specialising in cost-efficient independent films made by To and Wai, as well as their frequent collaborators from Law Wing-cheung to scriptwriter Yau Nai-hoi . To was appointed to the Hong Kong Arts Development Council in 2004 and soon after chaired its Film and Media Arts Group. In May 2011, To served as

7832-413: Was the breakthrough that established his unique style in Hollywood. This effort was immensely popular with both critics and public alike (it grossed over US$ 240 million worldwide). Mission: Impossible 2 (2000) grossed over US$ 560 million worldwide. Since these two films, Woo has struggled to revisit his successes of the 1980s and early 1990s. After over fifteen years of success in Hong Kong cinema and

7921-476: Was the winner of Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance for the role of eight-year-old Lucía in 20,000 Species of Bees . She became the youngest winner of the gender-neutral award in the Berlinale history. Stewart commented that Otero had defied "a system designed to diminish the intelligence of the performer", particularly that of child performers. After the ceremony, Otero said to the press that she wanted to dedicate her life to acting. The ceremony closed with

#341658