The seventh annual event of the Hong Kong Salento International Film Festival (HKSIFF) highlights world-class independent films focusing on Italian and International productions. From Tuesday May 8 to Sunday May 13, the rave of the International Independent Cinema from all over the world continues in Hong Kong. Since 2004, SIFF has been screening the World’s best indie films to broad international audiences: A yearly occasion to watch the real Independent Cinema. Many of the festival’s “Official Selection” films will be part of SIFF WORLD, which brings the films to 14 cities every year, from Hong Kong to Yerevan, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Santiago del Cile, London, Oslo, and many more. The Salento International Film Festival will present in Hong Kong a selection of the Best of the Fest 2017 Edition, to be screened in one of the coolest venues in the city, The Grand Cinema.
The 6-day HKSIFF will showcase 6 feature films from Italy, Russia, Israel, Taiwan and Iran. “American Fango”, the semi-autobiographical film by Italian director Gabriele Altobelli, presents a love and self-searching story about an Italian actor who leaves Rome and goes to New York where he pursues romance with several beautiful ladies. “Blue Hollywood”, the feature directorial debut of award-winning Italian director Francesco Gabriele, is about two young actors who meet on the path to a shared dream, the Acting Summer Programme held in London. Stepping foot in Hollywood, they walk at their own pace due to different approaches, priorities and even life-changing decisions. It is a journey filled with desire, determination and disappointment.
“Beneath the Silence” is set in 1973, a time when PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) was not recognized as a medical condition. Daphna, the wife of an ex-soldier, struggles to get help from the military in order to maintain her husband Menashe’s last bits of sanity while their 10-year-old son, Shlomi, tries to understand what has happened to his father and why he is different from what he was. It is the debut feature film by the Israeli filmmaking duo Erez Mizrahi and Sahar Shavit. “About Love”, directed by the famous Russian Director Vladimir Bortko, is inspired by L. Tolstoy’s novel “Anna Karenina”. It is a film about adultery and erotic romance, showing the life and moral values of modern elites.
The Iranian film “Cold Breath”, directed by Abbas Raziji, illustrates the struggles of Maryam, an impoverished person who was born as a woman but lives as a man. When her daughter succumbs to cancer she must find a way to pay for treatment. Trusting in love for survival, Maryam faces her greatest fears head on when her secret is revealed. “The Receptionist” is the debut film of London-based Taiwanese director Jenny Lu. The story is based on real facts and portrays the dark underworld of the illegal massage parlours business in London. It is filmed in the first person angle of the Taiwanese college graduate Tina who has resorted to work as a receptionist in a massage parlour during the economic crisis in 2008.
The Hong Kong Salento International Film Festival is part of the Salento Week in Hong Kong.
FURTHER INFORMATION: https://tinyurl.com/y8n5mnzw
SCREENING SCHEDULE & MOVIES INFORMATION:
Tuesday, 8 May, 7:50 pm
ABOUT LOVE – Book Tickets ^
by Vladimir Bortko | Russia 2017 | 93 min | Category: III – INFO
Nina is a student married to the young beautiful professor Alexandr. She is convinced that love is all about fidelity and humility, but everything changes after she meets Sergey, the head of the bank where her husband has debt.
Wednesday, 9 May, 7:50 pm
BENEATH THE SILENCE – Book Tickets
by Erez Mizrahi & Sahar Shavit | Israel 2016 | 106 min | Category: IIB – INFO
Set in 1973, a time when PTSD was not recognized as a medical condition, Daphna, the wife of an ex-soldier, struggles to get help from the military in order to maintain her husband Menashe’s last bits of sanity while their 10 year-old son, Shlomi, tries to understand what has happened to his father and why he is different.
Thursday, 10 May, 7:50 pm
AMERICAN FANGO – Book Tickets
by Gabriele Altobelli | Italy/USA 2017 | 104 min | Category: IIB – INFO
Francesco, a young Italian actor with big dreams, goes to Los Angeles to see his American lover whom he met in Rome. Upon arriving, however, he is unceremoniously shown the door when her boyfriend shows up. He then leaves LA for NY where he has some more solid contacts and thus begins Francesco’s romance with New York City as seen through his eyes.
Tuesday, 8 May, 9.45 pm (ADDITIONAL SCREENING) / Wednesday, 9 May, 9.55 pm (ADDITIONAL SCREENING) / Thursday, 10 May, 9.50 pm (ADDITIONAL SCREENING) / Friday, 11 May, 7:50 pm (SOLD OUT) / Sunday, 13 May, 7.50 pm (ADDITIONAL SCREENING)
THE RECEPTIONIST – Book Tickets
by Jenny Lu | Taiwan/UK 2016 | 100 min | Category: IIB – INFO
Struggling to find work and weighed down by financial problems, Taiwanese graduate Tina takes a job as a receptionist at an illegal massage parlour in London. As she slowly gets to know the women who work there, Tina is forced to question her values as she discovers humour and humanity in the most unlikely of places.
Saturday, 12 May, 6:10 pm
BLUE HOLLYWOOD – Book Tickets ^
by Francesco Gabriele | Italy/UK/USA 2017 | 82 min | Category: III – INFO
Two young actors sharing the same dream embark on a journey filled with desire, determination and disappointment. Reckless Alessandro, from Italy, crosses paths with cautious Celeste, a British student, at an Acting Summer Programme in London. Not long after that they decide to move together to Los Angeles. Stepping foot in Hollywood, they have different approaches and priorities and in the end they both have to make life-changing decisions.
Sunday, 13 May, 6:10 pm
COLD BREATH – Book Tickets
by Abbas Raziji | Iran 2017 | 85 min | Category: IIA – INFO
Born a woman but living as a man, 30-year-old Maryam struggles in conforming to societal gender norms. She is living paycheck to paycheck when her daughter succumbs to cancer and she must find a way to pay for her treatment. Trusting in love for survival, Maryam faces her greatest fears head on when her secret is revealed.
TICKETING INFORMATION: Tickets available now!
Ticket Price
HK$95 Regular-priced
HK$70 Full-time Student | Child | Senior
Ticket Promotion
20% Discount THE CIRCLE member
The ticket promotion is applicable to regular-priced tickets only.
Promotion offers are subject to related terms & conditions. For details, please refer to www.thegrandcinema.hk
1.Tickets are available at the box office of The Grand Cinema.
2.Online Booking: www.thegrandcinema.com.hk
3.Moblie Apps Booking: The Grand Cinema (iTunes) / The Grand Cinema (Play Store)
4.Ticketing Enquiry: 2196-8170
Handling fee will be charged on each ticket purchased online or mobile apps.
All screenings offer Free Seating. One ticket per person is required regardless of any age.
Gift Vouchers and Complimentary Tickets are not applicable.
^About Love & Blue Hollywood have been classified as Category III. Ticket Exchange for other non sold-out screenings of Hong Kong Salento International Film Festival 2018 Programmes which shown in the Grand Cinema or Refunds will be made to ticket holders under 18 years of age who buy tickets before the announcement. The aforesaid arrangements can be made at the box office of The Grand Cinema. (All services fees will not be refunded)