By APA Staff

Next Zatoichi cast, latest Stephen Chow on deck, and newest Host gets big. All this and more in the latest edition of News from Abroad.

From Idol to Ichi

Emerging starlet Haruka Ayase will play as the female version of legendary blind swordsman Zatoichi in the upcoming martial arts flick, Ichi. Ayase is a marked contrast to rugged Shintaro Katsu, who played Zatoichi in the original series. Recently seen in the movies Hero and The Magic Hour, Ayase is also a popular idol, singer, and model. The film will be directed by Vexville director Fumihiko Sori, who'll be working alongside Akira Kurosawa collaborator Hiroshi Kuze. Kuze will reprise his role as sword action coordinator to aid the transformation of Ayase from sugary pop idol to deadly swordswoman. Script writer Taeko Asano, who worked on the second Nana film, will pen the screenplay. Shochiku will distribute the film overseas while Warner will handle the domestic Japanese release. --William Hong


Mieko Kawakami Wins Akutagawa Prize

The 138th Akutagawa Prize, Japan's premier literary award for new writers, was awarded to Mieko Kawakami for her second novel Chichi To Ran ("Breast and Egg"). Its sister award, the Naoki Prize, was given to Kazuki Sakuraba for Watashi no Otoko ("My Man"). Many guessed that Yang Yi would take the Akutagawa Prize, since her Chinese ethnicity would have made her the first non-native winner of that award. But Kawakami, at least, is one of the few professional singers to win, and that (sort of) lessens the craving for revolution. Kawakami's novel explores the intricacies of the individual "I," illustrating the relationship between mind and body in her three characters. Sakuraba's novel, fairly darker in its inferences, is anchored on the corrupt relationship between an orphaned girl and her adopted father. Both prizes consist of a pocket watch, one million yen, and no shortage of media attention. --Ian Shaikh


Korea's "Sweet Sister" nominated for top award at China's oldest television festival

This year at the 13th Shanghai Television Festival, Chae Rim will be nominated for the Best Actress Award for her performance in the popular South Korean television drama series Dalja's Spring. The 29 year-old actress made her premiere in the South Korean TV series Hot River and is better known for her roles in All About Eve, Four Sisters, and Cheers for Women. Known for her sweet demeanor, Chae Rim gained popularity in the Chinese TV market, appearing in Taiwanese, Mainland Chinese, and Hong Kong TV series in recent years. While South Korean TV series have been heavily imported into China as well as many East and Southeast Asian countries since 1999, Chae-rim will be the first South Korean performer to be nominated for a top award at the five-day festival in June, competing against popular Chinese actresses Rene Liu, Zheng Zhenyao, Chen Xiaoyi, and Sun Li. --Christie Liu


Asian Film Awards Nominations Announced

The Chinese film industry received the most nominations for the Asian Film Awards that will be held in Hong Kong on the 17th of March of this year. Lust, Caution from Taiwan, and The Sun Also Rises and The Warlords from Hong Kong will be up for Best Film, while the directors from these films are also up for Best Director. Lust, Caution and The Warlords each have six nominations each, while The Sun Also Rises receives five. Other best picture nominations include South Korea's Secret Sunshine, (which also got a nod for Cannes Film Festival Best Actress winner Jeon Do-Yeon), Japan's Oscar nominee I Just Didn't Do It, and Iran's Buddha Collapsed Out of Shame. This year's nominations are more from the commercial film industry compared to last year's. In addition, the Best Supporting Actor and Actress award were added. --Richard Park
 

Phoning in literature

Half of Japan's top 10 selling books during the first half of 2007 were composed from an unexpected source: mobile phone handset. A nursery school teacher, who goes by the moniker Rin, found herself a spot besides literary giant Dostovesky on the sales charts. While her story, Moshimo Kimigi (If You...), is light years from being within the same league as Dostovesky literary masterpieces, Rin has become just as entrenched in recent Japanese reading circles as the old literary stalwart. She composed the entirety of her 142-page high school romance saga on her phone, uploaded to the internet in episodic parts, and digitally distributed via subscriptions. This digital success story translated into an even more successful reality, as the hardback compilation has sold over 420,000 copies. This genre of cellular literature has been harshly criticized by academics for being crude and backwards, as these books are written in the short, staccato style typical in text messages. Quality issues aside, young Japanese have embraced this new literary style as mobile phones are increasingly becoming an intrinsic part of their daily lives.  --William Hong


Esteemed Vietnamese Writer Dies at 78

Nguyen Manh Khai, award winner of many literary prizes including the prominent Ho Chi Minh Award for Literature, died Tuesday, January 15th. Among Vietnam's chiefly recognized writers, he was most famous for his short stories of post-war Vietnam. His widely acclaimed short story collection Mua Lac (Peanut Season) became 12th grade course material nationwide in the 1960s, and the documentary novel Past Continuous, about the Vietnam war and four friends who lived it, was translated into English. Nguyen wrote largely on the social issues of his time and country, acting as a cultural voice and conscience whose words persisted -- and may yet persist -- until his death. Though he finished his last novel in 2003, he was in the process of writing another when he died. --Ian Shaikh



CJ7: Stephan Chow's New Sci-Fi Film

Revered comedy writer, director, and actor Stephen Chow is back with his latest, Chang Jiang Qi Hao, or CJ7. Rumored to cost over $100 million, CJ7 is a sci-fi tale about the turn of events surrounding the lives of a poor, selfless father and his son when they discover a new pet: a creature from the planet of E.T. As in Chow's most recent works (Shaolin Soccer, Kung Fu Hustle), CJ7 features special effects and comic action in addition to his signature verbal humor. We will see how Chow's familiar and award-winning comedic style meets innovation and how Chinese audiences will respond when CJ7 opens in Asia on February 7. --Christie Liu


Burmese comedians banned

A group of Burmese performers have officially angered Myanmar's military junta.  The seven-member team called Theelaythee sings and performs traditional Burmese dances, with a satirical act that pokes fun at the military junta's administration. Theelaythee became popular last year when a VCD of their performance began circulating in Yangon. People loved the performers making fun of government officials who never get anything done because real work just trickles down the hierarchy. After the junta banned the video and the group, Theelaythee took its shows abroad. After performances in Thailand, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, and possibly the US and Europe, the threat of arrest upon returning home is a cloud looming on the horizon, but no serious impediment for these comedians. The troupe's leader, Godzilla, says they simply want to reflect the "funny side of things that are happening," "what people think but never say in Myanmar." --JoJo Yang


The Host 2: This time, more monsters, more graphics, more excitement?

An instant blockbuster hit in South Korea, The Host was extremely well received internationally during its release in 2006. The thriller was the first South Korean film to top China's box office, was sold for an American remake by Universal, and won numerous awards internationally. Now, a prequel is on its way and is scheduled to reach theatres in 2009. Again, the story is set in downtown Seoul at the familiar Han river. Director and writer Kang Full, Korea's highest ranking cartoonist, shares that the prequel will feature yet more monsters and more action. It promises to be big. A partnership between Weta Workshop (King Kong and Lord of the Rings) and Orphanage (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) anticipates state-of-the-art graphics. According to the press release, Host 2 will feature 3-D scanning data, filmed footage with live actors, and scannable maquette production, bringing unprecedented graphics to the big screen. The Host was extremely well-received as a family drama, horror film, and political statement. Will its sequel live promise to stir as much international applaud as the original? --Christie Liu


England's BBC Radio Stoke Launches Asian Program ANISHA

United Kingdom's Staffordshire community has a new radio program for their weekly scoop on everything South Asian with the launching of BBC Radio Stoke's ANISHA, named after radio host Anisha Shah. The program, dedicated exclusively to Asian issues, entertainment, and culture, premiered January 21. The former BBC Stoke reporter and presenter, Shah, commented that her show is "friendly, fun, and feisty" and encourages listeners to debate the issues affecting their community. BBC Radio also includes their Asian Network, which is England's national digital radio station playing current British Asian music and covering British Asian issues. --LiAnn Ishizuka


Indonesian Film festival winners

The Jakarta International Film Festival wrapped on December 16th and awarded Riri Riza's 3 Days to Forever the title of Best Indonesian film for its "positive messages of nationalism." Best director was Deddy Mizwar for his film Nagabonar Becomes 2, while the human rights award went to Aryo Danusiri's Playing Between Elephants. The festival witnessed 180 films from 33 countries, with top ticket sellers including Indonesian films Chants of Lotus, Persepolis, and the Coen brothers' No Country for Old Men. Despite a budget cut, the festival still saw 54,000 viewers, only 15% less than the previous year. --My Thanh Mac

Published: Friday, January 25, 2008