Film News: Chicago’s Asian Pop-Up Cinema to Close 9th Season with Hong Kong Week & Honors

CHICAGO – Season Nine of Chicago’s Asian Pop-Up Cinema (APUC) goes out with a celebratory bang as Hong Kong Week begins on Saturday, October 5th, 2019, and culminates with a Lifetime Achievement Award event for actor Kenneth Tsang Kong on Thursday, October 10th. In between, some free events around town also celebrates Filipino American History Month and a Taiwanese film event in partnership with the Illinois Institute of Technology.

The screenings are part of the program-packed Season Nine of APUC, as their new format (multiple films per week) highlights a different Asian country or theme every week. APUC is facilitated by founder and veteran film programmer Sophia Wong Bocchio, and Season Nine featured films from South Korea, China, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, and Hong Kong, among others. The films mainly screen at Chicago’s AMC River East 21, with various other locations throughout the season (click link below at the end of the article for more details).

APUC Honors Actor Kenneth Tsang Kong with Lifetime Achievement Award
Photo credit: AsianPopUpCinema.org



The following are the week’s highlights, October 5th-10th …

OFFICE (Hong Kong) – Based on the hit play “Design for Living” by lead actor and producer Sylvia Chang, “Office” is a movie musical spectacular revolving around corporate maneuvering and romantic intrigue. Hong Kong legend Johnnie To delivers a biting takedown of capitalism, detailing the financial crisis following the Lehman Brothers collapse, and what one company has to do to fight to stay alive – all in a lavishly detailed and wholly original musical production. Tickets are FREE and it’s open to the public, click here [25] to join the guest list. Saturday, October 5th, 2pm at the Chinese-American Museum, 238 West 23rd Street, Chicago.

DECEPTION OF THE NOVELIST (Hong Kong) – Tsui is renowned as an excellent healing-style author – his works are often described as “Chicken Soup for the Soul” for his soothing, spiritual prose. Tsui’s public image as a kindhearted family man is challenged when a trendy and charming lady, Elaine, moves into the upper floor flat of Tsui’s apartment. For the first time, Tsui is facing an impact on his calm and dull life. This Closing Week film is sponsored by the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, New York City, and will have appearances by director Christopher Sun and Lead Actor Justin Cheung. For more info and tickets, click here. [26] Wednesday, October 9th, 7pm at AMC River East 21, 322 East Illinois Street, Chicago.

‘The Deception of the Novelist’ at APUC’s Closing Week
Photo credit: AsianPopUpCinema.org

‘THE ATTORNEY’ & LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD for KENNETH TSANG KONG (Hong Kong) – The APUC Season Nine finale is a taut mystery/courtroom drama combining politics, the law, money and murder. Powerhouse attorney Lui has won 12 cases in a row, so it’s a bit bewildering when he agrees to take on the defense of a young kid who wakes up next to the murdered daughter of a billionaire businessman … with no idea what happened the night before. The film features veteran Hong Kong actor Kenneth Tsang Kong, who will be honored beforehand with a Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, New York City. Additional appearances include writer Frances To and Executive Producer Cherrie Lau. For more info and tickets, click here. [27] Thursday, October 10th, 7pm at AMC River East 21, 322 East Illinois Street, Chicago.



Additionally, APUC partners with the Illinois Institute of Technology and the Taiwan Cinema Tool Kit for LONG TIME NO SEA (Taiwan) as a FREE and open to the public screening on Sunday, October 6th (2pm), click here [28] for info and details. And, to celebrate Filipino American History Month, APUC goes to the Harold Washington Public Library on Tuesday, October 6th (6pm), for another FREE and open to the public screening, presenting the Chicago Premiere of MISS GRANNY (Philippines), click here [29] for info and details.

[31]	By PATRICK McDONALD [32] Editor and Film Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com [31]