Ann Hui's new film "Our Time Will Come" will be the opening film of the 2017 Shanghai International Film Festival and will also join the race to compete for the festival's Golden Goblet Awards, the organizers announced in Cannes on Thursday.
"Our Time Will Come" is an art-house war epic drama directed by China's most esteemed art house director Ann Hui, starring Zhou Xun, Eddie Peng, Jiang Wenli, Deanie Ip, Chun Xia, Wallace Huo, Tony Leung, Guo Tao, and Ray Lui.
Set in the 1940s, it tells a legendary story of how a guerrilla group led by a remarkable woman Fang Lan (Zhou Xun) rescued hundreds of cultural elites from Japanese occupied Hong Kong. It also portrays the fight and struggle for freedom and independence by youths of the resistance groups.
It is very rare for a film to become both the opening film and competition film at the same time in the film festival, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary in June. Zhou Xun, Eddie Peng and Wallace Huo will also compete in the actor’s category of the awards.
Though Ann Hui's last epic "The Golden Era" failed at the box office, it won Best Film and Best Director awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards. "Our Time Will Come" will surely be a great contender for various film awards and festivals if Hui hasn't lost her grip of her own artistry.
The film is going to be widely released in theaters on July 1, 2017 and will also mark the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China.
The 2017 Shanghai International Film Festival will be held from June 17 - 26, organizers said at a promotional event at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival.
Romanian director Cristian Mungiu, who was awarded the Palme d'Or in Cannes with his feature "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days," will be the chairman of the jury for the Shanghai festival's Golden Goblet Awards. Chinese director Cao Baoping, screen writer Li Qiang, Chinese actress Xu Qing, Macedonian film director Milcho Manchevski, American producer Gary Michael Walters, and Japanese director Sabu will be the jurors.
Source: china.org by zhang rui
