Café Astoria (Taiwan, China)
Director: Chih-yen Yee
Producer: Satoru ISEKI, James C. Liu
Production: Joint Entertainment International Inc.
Screenplay: Chih-yen Yee, James C. Liu
Genre: Drama Shooting Material: 35mm Length: 110 min
Stage of script: Draft
Language: Chinese Mandarin, English
Production Budget: 2,000,000 USD
Finance in place: 100,000 USD
Business Parter Involved: Tara Contents Inc.
Seeking: Co-investor, Territory Buyer, Ads Sponsor
Synopsis:
The Sun Family come across the Russian Jewish Peter Elsner on exile in Shanghai in early 1930s. Elsner is lingering in Harbin before escaping to Shanghai where a couple of his former army buddies have settled down. He makes friend with Hwai Qun, the second son of the Sun Family due to common love for Jazz. Later they open the Cafe Astoria in Jaffe Road in the French Conssesion in the town with financial support by the Suns. The Cafe Astoria provides homemade bakery and Russian cuisine which serve as relief of nostalgia for the group on exile, making it a regular passtime for the local highbrows and at the same time a makeshift for those lonely souls. As time goes on, the dual witness the ups and downs of early Chinese cinema, WWII, withdrawal of KMT, founding of New China, and migration of millions of Chinese and foreigners from Shanghai to Hong Kong and, to some, finally to Taipei. Café Astoria is run in three different cities at three different times, but it leaves the same warmth and comfort to its guests.
Director's Statement :
Café Astoria will be a melodrama full of mysterious legends. When we talk about myths or legends, it is likely to come up with glamorous colors. By this logic, the audience is kept away from getting into the story because of the emotional gap. Thus, I hope Café Astoria will create the opposite dramatic situation.
I would like to put up my hypothesis: What will it be like if the Last Super of Jesus is not visualized as Da Vinci's painting but a simple dinner scene in a poor family over 2000 years ago? Therefore, I prefer realizing this film in a realistic tone and domentary style, with natural light, real location, and improvisation in performance.
By doing so, the history and the present can be bridged for crossing.
Director's Biography
Chih-yen Yee graduated from UCLA with a MFA degree on Film. He has been working in Film, TV drama and TV commercials since late 1980s. In 1995 he made his film directorial debut with Lonely Heart Club and in 2002 his second film Blue Gate Crossing was both a critical and box office success. The film was selected by Directors' Fortnight of Cannes Film Festival in the same year and established his international reputation. Yee is one of the few Taiwanese directors whose career successfully crosses between the big screen and the tube. He is also a highly demanded director of TV commercials for famous brands like Sony, Motorola, Citibank, 7-11 and Sundory.
Film Works
2004 About Love, Taipei Episode
Open Cinema, Pusan International Film Festival
2002 Blue Gate Crossing
Directors' Fortnight, Cannes film festival
Best Director Award, Slovak film festival
Nominated for Best Asian Film, the 23rd Hong Kong Film Festival
1995 Lonely Hearts Club
Best Actress Award, Slovak Film Festival
Nominated for Best Dirst Dilm, Golden Tiger Award, Amsterdam Film Festival
TV Works
2005-6 Dangerous Mind, 30-episodes TV drama, Taiwan PTS
Nominated for 4 Golden Bell Awards in Taiwan, including Best Drama Series, Best Director, Best Scriptwriting, Best Actor in the leading role.
1998 The Fleeting Moments, TV movie, Taiwan PTS
Production Company and Producer:
Joint Entertainment
Joint Entertainment was incorporated in August 2005 in Taipei, Chinese Taiwan. It is currently run by James Liu and mainly involved in film distribution and production. The company distributes 20 titles annually across the world. It has also produced For More Sun (2006), a full-length documentary and Keeping Watch (2007), a melodrama. Launched in Asian Film Market Pusan 2007, Joint also became Taiwan's first specialist international sales outfit.
Producer-James Liu
Graduated from Taiwan National Chengchi University with a BA degree in Journalism, James Liu continue to complete his MFA program on Film in Columbia College Chicago. Since 1990 when he came home to Taiwan, James has been working in various sections of the film industry, including rental house Arrow Cinematic Group, Sun Movie Channel, Spring International, for almost 20 years, during which he made his directorial debut with In One's Thirties. He launched Joint Entertainment in 2005 after completing his EMBA program.
Producer's works
2007 Keeping Watch
Screened in Hong Kong Asian Film Festival
Puchon Fantastic Film Festival
Stockholm International Film Festival
Asian Festival of 1st Film
2006 For More Sun
Screened in Taipei Film Festival, Puchon Fantastic Film Festival
Director's works
1997 Flame
1989 A Scent of Incense
Contact:
Joint Entertainment International Inc.
Add:421-6F,Guangfu South Road, Taipei, Taiwan
Postcode:11074
Tel:886-2-2720-6007 ext.19
Fax: 886-2-2758-8516
Email:james@j-ent.com.tw
Web: www.j-ent.com.tw/sales
