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30 Jan – 9 Feb 2025

King Hu

King HU (1931–1997, China) was an actor, graphic artist, set builder, screenwriter, and filmmaker. He was educated at an art school in Beijing and left for Hong Kong in 1949, where he entered the film industry in the art department in 1951. He began acting in the 1950s and joined Shaw Brothers as an actor and writer in 1958 and later as a filmmaker. He is best known for his wuxia films. With the films Come Drink with Me (1966) and Dragon Inn (1967), he became a prominent filmmaker. He gained international prominence with A Touch of Zen (1969) which was nominated for a Palme d’Or and awarded the Technical Grand Prize in Cannes. He was nominated twice for a Gold Hugo: for The Valiant Ones (1975) and Raining in the Mountain (1979). In 1997, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at Golden Horse Film Festival.

Filmography

Yu Tangchun/The Story of Sue San (1962), Ding Yishan (1964), Da di ernu/Sons of the Good Earth (1965), Da zui xia/Come Drink with Me (1966), Longmen kezhan/Dragon Inn (1967), Xi nu ai le/Four Moods (1970, co-dir, segment Anger), Xia nü/A Touch of Zen (1971), Yingchunke Zhi Fengbo/The Fate of Lee Khan (1973), Zhonglie tu/The Valiant Ones (1975), Kong shan ling yu/Raining in the Mountain (1979), Shan zhong zhuan qi/Legend of the Mountain (1979), Zongshen dashi/Marriage (1981), Tian Guan Ci Fu/Heaven’s Blessing (1981), Tianxia diyi/All the King’s Men (1983), Da lunhui/The Wheel of Life (1983, co-dir, segment Part One), Xiao ao jianghu/The Swordsman (1990, co-dir), Hua pi zhi yinyang fawang/Painted Skin (1992)

More info: Wikipedia, King Hu

King Hu at IFFR

  • Dragon Inn

    The epitome of a 1960s wuxia film and a must-see by King Hu. Taking place mostly at the inn, with incredible fight scenes.

    • 25 Encounters
    • Harbour
  • Dragon Inn

    Not available on Festival Scope Pro

  • Come Drink With Me

    New print of the mother of all martial-arts films by the godfather of the genre, about the Five Tiger Gang, Golden Swallow and the hero Drunken Cat.

    • Cinema Regained
  • Dragon Gate Inn

    The epitome of a 1960s wuxia and a must-see by King Hu. Mostly taking place at one location – the inn – the scenes are never repetitive with impressiv

    • Cinema Regained
  • Legend of the Mountain

    A scholar travels afar to copy scriptures, only to be possessed by evil spirits. Legend of the Mountain saw King Hu do away with the traditional trapp

    • Signals: Water Tiger Inn
  • Dragon Gate Inn

    The epitome of a 1960s wuxia and a must-see by King Hu. Mostly taking place at one location – the inn – the scenes are never repetitive with impressiv

    • Signals: Water Tiger Inn
  • Yingchunke Zhi Fengbo

    Brilliant ‘chamber’ play with epic dimensions and super cast at the time of the Yuan dynasty.

    • golden harvest
  • A Touch of Zen

    Epic film about intrigues in the 14th century with imposing camerawork and a breakthrough role by Hsu Feng.

    • actresses producing: Hsu
  • Shan Zhong Chuanqi

    Power struggle between ambitious monks and a power-hungry general during the Ming dynasty about the vacant post of abbot.

    • actresses producing: Hsu