New York Asian Film Festival opens with large array of Chinese films

World Today

The New York Asian Film Festival is drawing big crowds at the world-famous Lincoln Center arts complex.

This year, it’s featuring more Chinese movies than ever.

CGTN’s John Terrett reports.

For almost 20 years, the New York Asian Film Festival has highlighted movies from the region.

This year in the era of big screen, television and now streaming more Chinese flicks are being showcased than ever before.

The genres range from coming-of-age stories to screwball comedies action-drama and horror.

“In general, it’s become easier to just make a film and that’s true in China as well, I mean the technical means aren’t as expensive as it used to be. You don’t need to shoot films on a camera and so on and so forth,” said Samuel Jamier the executive director of the New York Asian Film Festival.

11 Chinese movies came to the New York Asian Film Festival at a time when recent Chinese-based film scripts have taken us from outer space to Chinatown.

Lucky Grandma the story of a cantankerous old woman who stole money from Chinese gangland thugs and lived to tell the tale was a highlight of this year’s prestigious New York Tribeca Film Festival in April.

While China’s first big international sci-fi blockbuster opened to critical acclaim worldwide in February.

NYAFF Executive Director Samuel Jamier says science fiction and crime thrillers are the latest craze for young upcoming Chinese filmmakers who he says are whip-smart and among the most talented in the world today.