Japanese film director Yoji Yamada is seen in a recent photo. Yoji Yamada's "Kabei - Our Mother," and Taiwan director Chang Tso-Chi's "Soul of a Demon" will together open the 32nd Hong Kong International Film Festival on March 17, according to the festival Web site. 

The annual Hong Kong International Film Festival has announced the opening and closing films for this year's event. They include the new Golden Bear contender, Yoji Yamada's "Kabei - Our Mother."

"Kabei," a story of a Japanese family set in the 1940s, and Taiwan director Chang Tso-Chi's "Soul of a Demon" will together open the 32nd Hong Kong International Film Festival on March 17, according to the festival Web site.

The festival will wrap up on April 6 with a screening of Martin Scorsese's "Shine a Light," a documentary about the legendary rock band The Rolling Stones, and "Coffee or Tea," a movie about a love triangle co-directed by Hong Kong directors Shu Kei and Kwan Man-Hin.

An Asian Film Awards gala is scheduled for the festival's opening day, where "Kabei" director Yoji Yamada will be honored with a lifetime achievement award.

The HKIFF is one of Asia's most important film events.
 
(CRI February 22, 2008)