The Far East Film Festival will honor Hong Kong action choreographer and director Yuen Woo-ping with the Golden Mulberry Award for Lifetime Achievement at its 28th annual event in Udine, Italy.
His latest directorial effort, Wuxi feature Blades of the Guardians, closes the festival. Based on the award-winning Chinese comic book series Bi Ren, the film centers on a mercenary warrior who navigates the desert and political turmoil of China’s late Sui Dynasty, tasked with escorting a wanted criminal through seemingly insurmountable danger. The painting depicts elements of the Western and era’s epics, along with the martial arts traditions that have defined Yuen’s career.
At the festival, the sandstorm sequence, staged in a style reminiscent of “Mad Max,” particularly stood out, and noted that director Yuen has already begun planning a sequel to the film, which was released on Lunar New Year.
Director Yuen, who recently celebrated his 81st birthday, first shot to fame in Hong Kong and directed “Drunken Master,” a seminal film that established Jackie Chan’s global stardom, along with “Iron Monkey” and “True Legend.” He went on to choreograph action in some of the most celebrated international productions of the past 25 years, shaping the fighting language of the Wachowski sisters’ “The Matrix” trilogy, Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” Quentin Tarantino’s two “Kill Bill” films and Wong Kar-wai’s “The Grandmaster.” He is also known for the “Ip Man” series.
Japanese actor Koji Yakusho will be another recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the festival, while Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing will receive the Outstanding Achievement Award.
The 28th Far East Film Festival will be held from April 24th to May 2nd at Teatro Nuovo and Visionario in Udine.
