Hong Kong’s touted ‘Affairs’ screens at desert film festival
As the Palm Springs International Film Festival draws to a close, moviegoers this weekend have the opportunity to catch “Infernal Affairs,” the movie that single-handedly revived the moribund Hong Kong film industry. Currently scheduled for a June U.S. release by Miramax, this tautly paced police thriller is Hong Kong’s submission for the best foreign language film category in the Academy Awards.
Not a bad choice, considering that last year the film demonstrated international appeal when it showed to SRO crowds at the Berlin International Film Festival, and then went home to pick up seven awards at the 22nd Hong Kong Film Awards, including best picture and directing for the team of Andrew Lau and Alan Mak (Mak also wrote the screenplay).
The film has been identified as a hot property by American producers: Early last year there was a bidding war for the remake rights. Warner Bros. won, buying it for Brad Pitt’s production company for a reported $1.75 million.
It’s one Hong Kong film in which the plot is as thick as the action. In it the paths of two very different but equally determined men collide in the world of Hong Kong cops and criminals.
The film spawned two sequels, each of which is also being shown this weekend in Palm Springs.
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‘Infernal Affairs’
Where: Signature Theatre, 789 Tahquitz Canyon Road, Palm Springs
When: “Infernal Affairs,” 2:30 p.m. today
“Infernal Affairs 2,” 5:30 p.m. today, 11 a.m. Sunday
“Infernal Affairs 3,” 8:30 p.m. today, 2 p.m. Sunday
Price: $9
Contact: (760) 325-6565 or (760) 322-2930
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