2010 SIFF Project ASH Nominated at Busan International Film Festival

On September 11, the Busan International Film Festival announced the 10 official candidates for Kim Jiseok Award of its A Window on Asian Cinema section. Chinese film ASH, a selected production in the 2010 SIFF Project, was among the candidates. The film is directed by LI Xiaofeng, with LUO Jin, NIE Yuan, XIN Peng and JIANG Peiyao as the main cast and HUANG Jue as guest performer.

ASH: Actor LUO Jin

ASH: Actor NIE Yuan

ASH is a crime & romance film, which is also deemed as the director Li Xiaofeng’s transition work, with distinctive style and tone compared with traditional commercial movies. The overseas film selectors have described the film as a work about morality and beauty, instead of the criminal case itself. To that comment, Li Xiaofeng replied: “The film is actually running in people’s mental world, which works to reflect what I believe the psychological changes of the people from the 1990s to the 21st century. Its English title ASH makes an interesting contrast with the Chinese ZHUIZONG (meaning: tracing): after the characters chase till the end, they find everything to be the ashes of desires; some people are burnt into nothing by desires, while others are reborn in the ashes and regain the innocence of the past.”

ASH: Actor XIN Peng

ASH: Actress JIANG Peiyao

The 22nd Busan International Film Festival newly establishes the Kim Jiseok Award to honor the late Kim Ji-seok who passed away earlier this year in Cannes, the founding member of BIFF and renowned Asian film selector. Created relying on the A Window on Asian Cinema – the sectionwith a history of 22 years for the films of most talented and promising Asian directors, the Award is to discover and propel the new trends of Asian films, and inherit Mr. Kim Ji-seok’s sprit of fostering the growth of Asian new directors.The released nominees’ list shows the competition is quite intense: nine other outstanding films will compete with ASH for the Award, and 2 finalists will be chosen through the jury’s examination.

ASH: Special Performer HUANG Jue

ASH: “Mystery Person” in the moonlight

As the entry list being announced, the international poster of ASH is also unveiled. The scene in the poster is described by the director as a graveyard shrouded in Hell Red light, where the characters WANG Dong, played by LUO Jin and XU Feng, played by XIN Peng, are confronting with each other silently in the nightmare-like mental scenario, full of tension and explosiveness. The 22nd BIFF will take place from 12 to 21, October, and ASH will present its world premiere in Busan on October 14.

Latest international poster of ASH

Following his film production NEZHA nominated in the New Currents program in 2014, this is the second time that BIFF recognizes LI Xiaofeng’s talent and capability. LI Xiaofeng’s feature debut NEZHA was also selected as the Most Creative Project of 2013 SIFF Project, and nominated for three awards of the SIFF Asian New Talent Award in 2015, including Best Screenplay.

ASH: Confrontation between LUO Jin and XIN Peng

Obtaining the Plan A investment of Alibaba Pictures, ASH is coproduced by Shenzhen GTS Investment Management Ltd, Taopiaopiao, Gohigh Financial Holding Group, Luo Jin (Shanghai) Studio, etc., and internationally distributed by REDiance. The film is scheduled for public release in China in March 2018.