Well, here we are now - the festival is already behind our backs. I don't remember the last time five days went by so quickly. I feel I couldn't have possibly endured more days of pressure, deadlines and lack of sleep, but I did want to stay. And I really wanted to work this way all my life (perhaps living a little closer and having something real to eat for dinner).
Looking back on it now I realise most of my expectations were wrong and thus most of my anxiety was unnecessary. But it was a wonderful experience and I am sure no one would've offered us the opportunity to speak to all of those directors, stars and fellow journalists in our first year, if it weren't for the society and the work that Spencer had done. It was an amazing chance for a person like me, interested in film journalism, not only to experience a totally different culture and to sit through hours and hours of East Asian film, allowing me to be able to find their similarities and where they differ, but also to observe how a festival like that works, how other journalists and media operate and to get a feeling of normalcy - after all, this is not something to be freaking out about.
The work was tough, indeed. It took me about 5-6 days to catch up on my sleep and to normalise my body not to wake me up at 7 in the morning by instinct. It was a relief not to think about deadlines and schedules and just to enjoy the wonderful silence sitting by the water near the hostel in Venice. But a part of me misses all the craziness and pressure - I love working like that, having no free time for my mind to wander aimlessly, not thinking about food or energy, not obsessing over money or travel or other things in my life that usually disturb me. No wonder after five stressful days travelling alone around Italy was so peaceful and, surprisingly, not worrying (it was the first trip where I just didn't worry about anything) - my body just couldn't produce anymore stress hormones and adrenaline. :)
I adore watching film and writing about film and I would do it over and over again. Although it was difficult to combine seeing as many films as possible and writing about them within the time limit (and a part of me just wanted to stay out and enjoy the sunlight), it was the most pleasurable type of writing I have done so far in my journalism course. And perhaps if I didn't have problems getting to a free computer, I would've done a little better, having had enough time to write and re-read and have everything perfect. But I am pleased with my work and I am glad that it has been posted on Cine-Vue, as well, and I am happy Spencer was happy with our performance overall - so all I have to say is a big bravo to the whole CUEAFS team and hope somehow we can make it to next year's festival, as well.
Hats off to the documentary team, too - from what I've seen, their work was very professional and they were able to catch on film some of the big fish on the festival. I hope all of us didn't come off looking like idiots, as most of the time we were so tired we had no idea what was going on. But I can't wait to see the promotional video and I am sure that whatever way they edit it, it will be a damn impressive piece of footage that will probably get a lot of new members into the society and get our 'organisation' running more and more professionally.
Now, with so much time on my hands, I am glad I still have material to write about from our Udine coverage, as we couldn't possibly cover everything at the spot, and I try to place myself back in the atmosphere and get the right vibe in order to sound the same way, when writing.
As to the films, I was able to catch nine of them (I couldn't possibly sit through Bodyguards and Assassins for the second time and I missed the international premiere of The Arrival, because I couldn't enter the theatre), which was pretty much what I was aiming at. Since I was covering South Korea, the Philippines and Indonesia, the films from those regions were my priority, but I was able to see also films from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Thailand, which helped me broaden my horizon and build a bigger picture of East Asian film in my head. Here is what I attended on the festival:
The Message (2009) by Chen Kuofu and Gao Qunshu (China)
Gallants (2010) by Clement Cheng and Derek Kwok (Hong Kong)
Seven 2 One (2009) by Danny Pang (Hong Kong)
Possessed (2009) by Lee Yong-ju (South Korea)
Slice (2009) by Kongkiat Khomsiri (Thailand) 
Running Turtle (2009) by Lee Yeon-woo (South Korea) Secret Reunion (2010) by Jang Hun (South Korea)
Hear Me (2009) by Cheng Fen-Fen (Taiwan)
Identity (2009) by Aria Kusumadewa (Indonesia)
 For short overviews of all the films seen by members of CUEAFS and movie reviews visit CUEAFS's webpage or our partners' website.
Compared to my original schedule, I haven't attended two films (The Arrival and The Legend is Alive - the first I couldn't enter, the second was overlapping with the interview of Lee Yong-ju, director of Possessed). On my first schedule I had also the South Korean and South-East cinema panels. However, since we arrived quite late on April 27, I couldn't catch the first, and I missed the second because I had too much material to write before 7pm (the deadline) and I wasn't ready by six. Ellie and Nadia covered the panels, though, and recorded everything, so keep your eyes peeled for podcasts on CUEAFS's website.
Other highlights from the festival, as I look back on it now, were the three interviews, conducted by Spencer Murphy - the first one with the directors of Gallants Clement Cheng and Derek Kwok, the second with Lee Yong-ju, director of Possessed and the third with La Comedie Humaine's producer and main star Mr Chapman To. The interviews might be found on CUEAFS's website and the website of our partners Cine-Vue and they will be coming soon as podcast and video.
Overall, an invaluable experience for everyone involved, whether interested in media production, journalism or film, whether Asian in culture or European (Eastern or Western), whether involved in the documentary or the writers team - it is absolutely marvelous to receive such an opportunity to visit an actual international film festival and to be introduced and speak to stars, producers and directors; to witness interviews and press meetings and to be given the chance to produce material for an international film platform, which is the website of our partners Cine-Vue. To me, personally, as a journalist interested in film, involved in an East Asian film society and an absolute admirer of Italy and everything related to it - I had the time of my life. With no sleep, hardly any food at all (except the breakfast and dinner panettone, which I am so sick of by now) and constant work and pressure, I felt like an absolute professional at work and will gladly do it all over again (perhaps pack some food in my checked bag).
And, finally, I would like to extend my greatest gratitude and compliments to everyone - mainly to Mr Spencer Murphy, who made that whole trip possible, but also to all members who went to Udine and did a spectacular job: Michelle Bailey, Nadia Baird, Andreea Dascalu, Ruodong He, Michael Jarvis, Stanley Lau, Elena Rapondzhieva and Kevin Weng - well done to everyone (including compliments to myself, of course), it was an absolute pleasure to work with all of you and I am looking forward to more professional opportunities with everyone from the society (including the members who couldn't come with us).
*Images from:
http://en.cnci.gov.cn/PicLib/200910816718394.jpg
http://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews_2/ab5734/gallants_a.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKULLUZQ6_Mh4oMhkLrW9Nh9kW-UyL3gueLO1e2xot41Es9aoMMNiw7rOqx8f0memkb7EHhZc_nd5fO-CyKrX20O56ksRYwmiybmHY4iLPNuZWE2d12Uk_REVu2CuRwWl3_FF4522_yTaV/s320/seven2one.jpg
http://lolyfe.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Possessed-209x300.jpg
http://www.enjoythaimovies.com/media/blogs/thaimovies/slice.jpg
http://www.flixunlimited.com/wp-content/uploads/Running_Turtle.jpg
http://www.watchtopmovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/TheSecretReunion.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaXbGYaYgqgbs1hT_jPFgvO_RN7lBrWLVpsD_gtX5WIJvCyU8pT-l2uwYT9ATR0loT3C8EDwKHJasAx-_wH2jZSmu8qYy2fY4CMNdS7bFV3R82TkQUDWatHawt_1oahNnM_b1v6VpaNLL4/s400/hear_me_02.png
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QBXSKg1fEAg/S05HPfmf3GI/AAAAAAAABcQ/YPDcd5gReho/s320/identitas.jpgLabels: cine-vue, clement cheng, cueafs, derek kwok, east asian film, far east film, feff, festival, gallants, interview, italy, lee yong-ju, panel, possessed, screening, udine |
