Maturing East Asian screen icons re-emerged at the 38th Tokyo International Film Festival, which took place from Oct. 27 to Nov. 7, in darker and more serious roles than before. But these latest works, with a reliance on style over substance, are unlikely to win over fans or provide a major boost to their careers.
At the festival’s opening ceremony, Chinese star Fan Bingbing brought glamor to the red carpet alongside Malaysian director Chong Keat Aun and fellow cast members from “Mother Bhumi,” which screened in competition. Hong Kong director Peter Ho-Sun Chan also attended to promote his film “She Has No Name,” a Gala Selection entry headlined by Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi.
Fan, Zhang and Taiwan-based Japanese leading man Takeshi Kaneshiro (appearing in Juno Mak’s “Sons of the Neon Night,” another Gala Selection film at TIFF) are among some of the most recognizable faces of their generation. After their film and television debuts in the 1990s, they went on to collaborate with major directors like Wong Kar-wai and Ang Lee and undertake a dizzying array of brand sponsorships ranging from Armani to Cartier.
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