Filmasia Festival: Celebrating 20 Years of Asian Cinema in Prague

The Filmasia Festival, an annual celebration of Asian cinema, returns to Prague from December 5 to December 10 at the Bio Oko cinema.

Over the past two decades, this event has introduced Czech audiences to the diverse world of contemporary Asian filmmaking. Since its first edition in 2005, the festival has screened nearly 250 films, including works from South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.

This year, Filmasia celebrates its 20th anniversary by focusing on women in Asian cinema.

The festival’s theme, Women in Asian Film, highlights the contributions of female directors and heroines, symbolizing a new era for the industry.

The program will feature four films by contemporary female filmmakers from Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan.

The Women Directors section presents:

• Fly Me to the Moon (2023): The acclaimed debut by Hong Kong filmmaker Sasha Chuk, mentored by industry veteran Stanley Kwan. Chuk will personally attend the festival to introduce her work.
• Fagara (2019): Directed by Heiward Mak, this Hong Kong drama explores family ties and resilience, with contributions from actress Sammi Cheng and producer Ann Hui. A post-screening discussion with Mak will offer further insights into her creative process.
• Next Sohee (2022): South Korean director July Jung delivers a gripping societal critique through this detective drama. Jung will also engage in a discussion following the screening.
• A Journey in Spring (2023): Taiwanese directors Peng Tzu-Hui, and Ping-Wen Wang present a poignant exploration of loss and self-discovery.

Special Screenings

This year’s Special Screenings section includes highly anticipated new releases:

• Exhuma (2024): A visceral South Korean horror film by Jang Jae-hyun that promises to thrill genre enthusiasts.
• Evil Does Not Exist (2023): Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, this Japanese environmental drama delivers a profound cinematic experience, reminiscent of the director’s previous work, Drive My Car.

In addition, audiences can enjoy a double screening of Wong Kar-wai’s classics Chungking Express and Fallen Angels, as well as the Taiwanese romantic comedy Salli, which subtly critiques the world of online dating.

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