Top Picks for September's Film Festivals
Chinese Documentary Festival (Sep 8-Oct 5)
Lee Po (Sep 13, 18)
Tan Chi-wing’s half-hour short gives us a succinct understanding of the livelihood, dignity and wisdom of Grandma Lee, who earns a living by collecting recyclable paper.
Flowing Stories (Sep 27)
Tsang Tsui-shan looks at the meaning of “home,” capturing the nostalgia of Cheung Chau villagers who live abroad in England and France.
www.visiblerecord.com. $65 from www.urbtix.hk.
Cine! Italiano (Sep 16-20)
An Italian Name (Sep 18)
The opening film of this year’s Cine! Italiano is a rapidly escalating drama that bubbles from a benign family dinner conversation into the unleashing of each person’s insecurities.
The Invisible Boy (Sep 20)
A sci-fi flick from the producers of “The Great Beauty,” in which a bullied teen receives the power of invisibility, and takes on the great responsibilities that come with it.
www.cine-italiano.hk. $80 from www.thegrandcinema.com.hk.
HK Lesbian & Gay Film Festival (Sep 19-Oct 10)
Front Cover (Sep 19)
A Chinese-American fashion stylist disdains his own Chinese heritage, but is tasked to style a Beijing actor. A fledgling friendship soon develops, leading to a romance as they reconcile their differences and prejudices. Plus, they’re both really, really good-looking.
I Am Michael (Sep 23, 26)
James Franco, Zachary Quinto, Emma Roberts and Charlie Carver star in the controversial true story of a gay activist who rejects his sexuality and becomes a Christian pastor.
www.hklgff.hk. $80-180 from www.cinema.com.hk or www.amccinemas.com.hk.
Sundance Film Festival (Sep 17-27)
Dope (Sep 19, 27)
Malcolm and his best friends would much rather spend their time with 90s hip hop vinyls, but they find themselves caught up in a drug sale that Malcolm must pull off… or jeopardize his dreams of going to Harvard.
The Witch (Sep 20, 24)
Set in 1630 at the edge of a formidable forest, Robert Eggers’ debut feature is a chilling look at puritanical New England and the unraveling anxieties that follow when a crops fail and a baby goes missing—all told through the eyes of a teenage girl.
hk.sundance.org. $90 from www.metroplex.com.hk.
Life is Art Film Festival (Through Sep 30)
Iris (Sep 13, 26)
“Iris” pairs legend with legend: The 87-year-old filmmaker and documentarian Albert Maysles with Iris Apfel, the always fantastically dressed 93-year-old fashion icon.
Amy (Sep 18-19, 25)
The definitive biographical film of Amy Winehouse gives glimpses into her teenage aspirations, intimate thoughts, music and battles with substance abuse.
www.moviemovie.com.hk/lifeisart. $65-190 from www.cinema.com.hk.
