Film Reviews in Osaka Asian Film Festival 2021

What's new in Osaka Asian Film Festival 2021.

The Con-heartist (อ้ายคนหล่อลวง), Thailand 

The Con-heartist (Thai: อ้ายคนหล่อลวง), the most popular Thai film this year premiere in Japan at Osaka Asian Film Festival today.

The ticket were sold out and full of audiences both two shows. Although the narrative way and the story line is made in very Thai style. But there is no any barrier among Thai and Japanese audience. The gags in the film also make them laughing on many scenes. Hopefully this hit love comedy film will be released in Japan theaters nationwide soon. Starring by the hottest Thai actors, Nadech Kugimiya and Pimchanok Liuwisetpaiboon, filming mostly in Esan (Northeastern Thailand) region and the actors also speaking  Esan dialect! 

Director Mez Tharathorn depicts the story of "Ina" (Pimchanok Liuwisetpaiboon), an ex-banker who was cheated by "Petch", her young boyfriend (Nithi Mahayotaruk) so she want to revenge him and then met "Tower" (Nadech Kugimiya) by chance. Ina co-planning to get the money back with Tower and his gang. 

The movie is shot in Khonkaen, actor Nadech's hometown and many cities in Esan region include Bangkok. Sharing the Thailand tourism plot during any foreigners cannot make the trip to Thailand right now. So it make us feel like we are back to Thailand for total 2 hours! 

Not only its attractive story, but the iconic OST. song is also performed by "Bambam", a Thai member in the most popular KPOP boys group "Got7'! Actually, it's one of the best Thai films this year and being nominated in Thailand national academy awards this month.

The Night is Young (夜更) /Hong Kong

If you remember last 2 years ago, many youth protesters and cops gathered on the streets during the political turmoils in Hong Kong.

"The Night is Young" (夜更) premiere in Osaka Asia Film Festival this year, a short film by director Kwok Zune telling behind-the-scene story through a night shift taxi driver's conversation with his passengers (actors); a school girl who calling the freedom by changed her black shirt in the cab and left home with little saving money, a school boy with no money don’t dare to back his home after joined the mob. All of them hold the carry bag with a yellow duck doll. The film received many awards from Taiwan, included Asia's most famous Golden Horse awards.

Young Bird (雛鳥)/Japan

Photo: InStyle Asia

Director Eriko Izumi (right) and actress Nanaho Otsuka (left) from the film Young Birds (雛鳥) attends the world premiere in Osaka International Film Festival in Spring this year.

No matter what others said about you, this film that make us searching our inner strength, DNA and feel confident to be you as you are. Because you are the only one who knew yourself the best, not others.

The story of "Mina" (Nanaho Otsuka) who working as a fashion designer but she lacks of  confidence and never set her life goal. She doesn’t find any value on her job. Moreover, she never be happy by being compared to her genious older sister at home. 

When Mina met Saori, her former classmate, she feel unhappiness and recognized her less success. She also met a smart Chinese guy who is exactly opposite from her. It's the time to change. To meet them make Mina remember her own dreams that she lost and it came up again during an important design competition.

Directed by Eriko Izumi with actress Nanaho Otsuka, Nanami Hidaka, Urara Matsubayashi include Chinese and Thai actor.

Sister Sister (Chi Chi Em Em)/Vietnam

Sister Sister (Chi Chi Em Em), one of the most attractive films from Vietnam is premiere in Japan at Osaka Asian Film Festival this month.

The story of Thien Kim (Thanh Hang), a super rich middle-age woman who working as a host for radio show "Midnight Confessions". She loves to help people and met "Em gai" (Chi Pu), a pregnant poor girl and offered a room at her big mansion but "Huy", Kim's husband (Lanh Thanh), opposed her plan. Where Em Gai came from? The plots are twisted over and over through each person's secrets, homosexual, art of seduction, lusts and the greedies in money and power. Director Kathy Uyen styled the stories with many big surprises and unexpected plots long 2 hours.

This psychological thriller movie is quite interesting and uncommon narrative way in Vietnamese film. The story of a maid in a big mansion also reminds to "Mui", a maid and landlord's son who challenged the old tradition and climbed to higher status in a Cannes award winning film "The scent of Green Papaya" by director Trần Anh Hùng.

Actor "Lanh Thanh" is a rising star from "Goodbye Mother", a Vietnamese boylove's movie,  Rom and HBO® Asia’s Original Anthology Drama Series FOOD LORE. Hanoi-born actress "Chi Pu" is a Vietnamese pop singer and she also appeared in music video from a Southeast Asia's hit Thai film "Friend Zone"

Sister Sister won the ABC TV Award by Asahi broadcasting Television this year in Osaka Asian Film Festival, Congratulations!

Text: InStyle Asia