Hong Kong thriller opens Asia’s top film festival

A glittering line-up of top Asian cinema stars converged on the South Korean port city of Busan on Thursday for the opening of the Busan International Film Festival, which was launched with the world premiere of the Hong Kong thriller <i>Cold War</I>, starring Aaron Kwok and Tony Leung Ka-fai.

Reading Time:2 minutes

The Hong Kong film <i>Cold War</i> will launch the Busan Asian Film Festival. Left to right, the film's star actor Tony Leung Ka-Fai, co-directors Sunny Luk and Longman Leung, and actor Aaron Kwok pose for photographs after a press conference in Busan, South Korea, on Thursday. Photo: EPA

Published: 7:58pm, 4 Oct 2012Updated: 4:30pm, 5 Oct 2012

A glittering line-up of top Asian cinema stars converged on the South Korean port city of Busan on Thursday for the opening of the region’s premier international film festival.

Along with Korean heartthrobs Lee Byung-hun and Jun Ji-hyun, Chinese stars Tang Wei and Cecilia Cheung are attending the 10-day Busan International Film Festival.

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi — currently taking legal action against a number of news outlets over claims the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star was a prostitute who had sex with senior Chinese officials — is also scheduled to attend.

Launching the 17th edition of the festival will be the world premiere of Hong Kong thriller Cold War, which stars screen veterans Aaron Kwok and Tony Leung Ka-fai.

“It’s an honour to have this film open BIFF, the first time a Hong Kong film has done so,” said Kwok at the event’s opening press conference.

“We hope it will remind the world that there are a lot of talented filmmakers in Hong Kong and they are still making exciting films.”