BTHE 2015 war-romance film inspired by the knotty love story of the parents of Asian Hollywood superstar Jackie Chan is among the six selected offerings in the upcoming 13th Spring Film Festival.
Titled A Tale of Three Cities, the film follows Ching Wan Lau as Charles Chan and Wei Tang as Lee-Lee Chan in a gripping chase of fated lovers that spanned two wars and three places in over 20 years.
The film was shown in a recent exclusive press screening for the annual Chinese filmfest, which will run free of charge from January 30 to February 5 at the posh, five-theater cineplex of Shangri-La Plaza called Red Carpet.
According to Lala Fojas, Shangri-La Plaza executive vice president and general manager, the Spring Film Festival has served as a vehicle for the public over the past 12 years to appreciate the richness and the artistry of the Chinese film industry.
“This year’s edition will present a curated lineup for audiences to appreciate Chinese culture and arts, both in terms of modern day, as well as traditional China,” she said of the festival, which is presented in partnership with the Ateneo Ricardo Leong Center for Chinese Studies and in cooperation with the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Ateneo Celadon, ChinoyTV and Credit Suisse.
The other films in this year’s slate are I Belonged to You, the romance title that won Best Film in the 30th Tokyo International Film Festival; Lost in White, a crime thriller that centers on a dead body pulled out of an icy river; and Detective Chinatown, a comedic story that follows a budding Chinese Sherlock Holmes. Rounding out the list are The Third Way of Love, which tells the tale of star-crossed lovers; and Lost in Hong Kong, a story of a former artist dealing with the realities of life.
In a message by Liza Diño, the FDCP chairman emphasized the role of film to serve as a bridge for people of different countries and cultures to understand, accept and recognize one another.
“The Spring Film Festival highlights that through films, we will realize that there are so many ways in which we are similar, and those that make us different from each other are something to celebrate rather than divide,” she said.
The Spring Film Festival, which kicks-off Shangri-La Plaza’s Chinese New Year Celebrations, is just one of many such events that the luxury mall in Mandaluyong City stages every year, along with the International Silent Film Festival, Eiga Sai, Cine Europa and the Danish Film Festival, among others.
Fojas said their rich collection of cultural offerings and activities show their strong commitment in catering to a “very discriminating market.”
“They really appreciate the arts and culture,” she said. “Film festivals are a means by which we’re able to provide them with their lifestyle needs.”