By APA Staff
The death of Bass Wolf, Hong Kong Film Awards sweep, the passing of Yoshitaro Namura, Online Gaming in China, Olivia Ong becomes household name in Singapore and much, much, much more in this edition of News From Abroad.
Bass Wolf Passes Away While on Tour in the U.S.
On the morning of March 31st, Hideaki Sekiguchi, bassist of the Japanese band Guitar Wolf died of a heart attack. He was 38 years old. Guitar Wolf was in the middle of their 2005 Love Rock tour in the United States, supporting their domestic release on Narnack Records when Hideaki Sekiguchi -- also known as Bass Wolf Billy -- passed away. Subsequently, all shows have been cancelled. The Narnack press release remembered Bass Wolf as someone who "could make all the girls scream in pure delight and all the guys wish he were their friend." Bass Wolf will be missed by friends, family, and fans all over the world.
-- Larry Kao
From Fantasy to Reality: Online Gaming Both a Bane and a Boon to Chinese
With the boom of Internet usage in China comes a subsequent boom in online gaming. But these online games have created a virtual economy that adds to the real social problems China faces. Recently, suicides, death from exhaustion, and legal issues with virtual possessions have all been linked to the rise of online gaming -- especially role-playing games. Because Chinese property rights laws do not cover online properties within such games, disgruntled players have increasingly taken the law into their own hands, often with disastrous results. Online gaming is an industry with potential growth that China sees itself as deficient in -- to compete internationally, China would need 600,000 more online game technicians. But social consequences of the games have also led the Chinese government to crack down on usage, even while pursuing its potential growth.
-- Larry Kao
IMAX in Korea
The Imax Corporation has signed an agreement with Korean exhibitor CJ CGV to build four Imax theaters in South Korea over the course of the next four years. The deal is set such that CJ CGV will operate and retrofit the Imax theaters at its multiplexes in Seoul and Pusan, the first of which are to open in December. CJ CGV currently manages and operates several hundreds of screens through its 50 multiplexes, and is owned by CJ Entertainment Company, a film distributor and producer with a partial stake in DreamWorks SKG.
-- Larry Kao
Asians at Cannes
Korean culture and high-tech products were showcased in Cannes, France during Korea Day cultural exchanges. Among the topics discussed at the conferences was why Korean dramas were so popular among the international scene in general, especially among other Asians. Also Cannes-related (this time with the film festival): prestigious Taiwanese filmmaker Edward Yang will preside over the short-film and Cinefondation juries at this year's festival. Yang's film Yi Yi won best direction at the 2000 festival, and Yang is one of the founders of the Taiwanese new wave of film directors.
-- Larry Kao
2046 and Kung Fu Hustle Sweep the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards
The 24th Hong Kong Film awards were presented on March 27th at the Hung Hom Coliseum in Hong Kong. While many deserving films received recognition, 2046 and Kung Fu Hustle swept the house, winning six awards each. Wong Kar-Wai's 2046 beat out contender Kung Fu Hustle in both the Best Actor and Best Actress categories with dynamic duo Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Ziyi Zhang.
Writer and director Derek Yee Tung-Sing took home the prizes for both Best Director and Best Screenplay for his film One Nite in Mongkok while Yuen Wah was highly applauded for winning Best Supporting Actor in 2046. Other highlights of the night included a tribute to the legendary martial arts actor Bruce Lee and the presentation of a lifetime achievement award to international superstar Jackie Chan.
--Alicia Srinivas
What: 24th Hong Kong Film Awards
Where: Hong Kong
When: March 27, 2005
Legendary Japanese director Yoshitaro Nomura Dies at 85
Japan's most versatile and prolific filmmaker died of pneumonia on April 8th at Tokyo's Okubo Hospital, leaving behind two loving children and countless adoring fans. Namuro's films -- from his musicals to his samurai dramas --have made a lasting imprint on Japanese cinema over the years.
Namuro began his filmmaking career in 1942 at a major Japanese film studio where he acquired the skills and experience to release his debut film Hato. His career took off, and over the course of three decades Namuro produced an impressive 89 films. Many still hail his 1974 film noir/suspense thriller Castle of Sand as one of the best Japanese films of all time.
Throughout Namuro's life, his talent has been validated by awards and accolades, including the prestigious jury's prize at the Moscow International Film Festival in 1975 and the Order of the Rising Sun, one of Japan's top honors. While Namuro may be gone, his legend is sure to live on in his immortal films.
--Alicia Srinivas
Singaporean Singer Olivia Ong releases Successful Debut Album in Japan
Judging by early rave reviews, 19-year-old Singaporean native Olivia Ong may soon be a household name in Japan. Ong was first discovered by Japanese talent agents four years ago at a singing competition in Singapore.
After finishing high school Ong left her home country for Tokyo, where she's worked for the last year-and-a-half to complete her debut album Girl Meets Bossa Nova. The finished product demanded a lot of discipline and responsibility from someone so young, but Ong says it's worth the hard work to be able to do what she loves.
Ong already made a good impression on Japanese crowds earlier this year at the World Exposition in Aichi with her vocal talent and personal charm. It is estimated that at least 5000 copies of her album will be bought in the Japanese market before her album is released in Singapore this June. Ong is taking her career one step at a time and hopes to someday make the transition from working as a solo artist to singing with a band.
-- Alicia Srinivas
Who: Olivia Ong
Album: “Girl Meets Bossa Nova”
Where: Japan
Indian Zee Cine Awards in London Reveals Biggest Names in Bollywood
The 8th Zee Cine Awards night was full of all the glitz and glamour that might be expected from Bollywood's counterpart in Los Angeles. The Zee Awards was much bigger and lavish than anticipated with big projection screens, enchanting hosts and dance performances by some of the biggest stars in the industry, such as Aishwarya Rai and Preity Zinta.
Filmmaker Yash Chopra left as the most decorated man of the evening, winning three awards including the Zee/Yash Johar Producer award and the Best Director Award. Veer Zaara won in the Best Film category and also nabbed the award for Best Actor. Rani Mukherjee took home the coveted Best Actress award for her performance in Hum Tum and the best newcomer award went to Gayatri Joshi for her role in Swades.
-- Alicia Srinivas
What: Indian Zee Cine Awards
Where: London
When: March 26, 2005
Published: Thursday, April 14, 2005
