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focus on johnnie to

Breaking News

Take an idiosyncratic ride through the always unpredictable streets of Hong Kong cinema with one of its greatest and most prolific filmmakers.

This season of twelve films opens with the Australian premiere of Sparrow, To's tribute to his beloved city, and also includes his (almost) forgotten first film, The Enigmatic Case alongside other rarities and early works.

Thursday 6 November - Sunday 16 November 2008
Full $13 Concession $10
6 Session Package: Full $60 Concession $48

Curated by James Nolen
Presented in association with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO)

Johnnie To sends his personal greetings here
Read our essay on Johnnie To - "A Current Appraisal" by Andrew Grossman
Download the same essay in Chinese language here

sparrow (man jeuk) Three years in the making, Johnnie To's latest film is his most personal yet, a love letter to the city of Hong Kong.

seven years itch (qi nian zhi yang) Itching to return to filmmaking after years in television, Johnnie To's second film marked his entrée into briskly-paced romantic comedies.

the enigmatic case (bi shui han shan duo ming jin) Living up to its title, Johnnie To's directorial debut - one of the first Hong Kong films to be shot in China - is largely forgotten.

ptu: police tactical unit Unfolding over a single night, To's 2003 crime film follows the elite division of Hong Kong's police as they try to recover a colleague's missing gun.

throw down (yau doh lung fu bong) Johnnie To's personal favourite and close to his best work, Throw Down exemplifies his philosophy of 'jiji rensheng' or 'life as a positive force'.

fulltime killer (chuen jik sat sau) This high octane shoot-em-up pits heartthrob Andy Lau against Takashi Sorimachi, as they battle it out for the attentions of the beautiful Kelly Lin.

the fun, the luck and the tycoon (gat sing gung jiu) This early To film stars Chow Yun Fat and Sylvia Chang in a frothy comedy that captures the 1980s in all its excessive, materialistic glory.

the bare footed kid (chik geuk siu ji) This Shaw Brothers' co-production is an exciting remake of Chang Cheh's 1975 martial arts classic Disciples of Shaolin.

exiled (fong juk) A who's who of To regulars unite for this critically acclaimed film, set in Portugese Macau just before it was returned to the Chinese Government.

running out of time (am zin) Proving that he can do pop entertainment to, To created one of the biggest hits in the history of Hong Kong cinema with this gripping crime thriller.

a hero never dies (chan sam ying hung) Heralding To's arrival as a bona fide auteur, as he pushes the 'heroic bloodshed' school of Hong Kong action films to new melodramatic heights.

breaking news (daai si gin) Hong Kong police arm themselves with cameras as well as guns in To's thrilling action drama, which explores the role of the media in current affairs.