HONG KONG—The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society is thrilled to follow the Summer International Film Festival with an enthralling lineup of dark comedies by esteemed American filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen, along with a tribute to Czech New Wave master Jiří Menzel, featured in its upcoming Cine Fan program from September to October.
Dubbed “Crimes and Misdemeanours – The Eccentric Cinema of the Coen Brothers,” this distinctive showcase honors the Coen Brothers’ distinctive storytelling style through a meticulously chosen array of ten films that encapsulate their trademark fusion of offbeat narratives, intricate twists, and dark humor.
From their remarkable debut with the dark and intense neo-noir film “BLOOD SIMPLE” to the lauded “FARGO,” which earned Frances McDormand her maiden Best Actress Oscar, and the Cannes-winning “THE MAN WHO WASN’T THERE,” as well as the Oscar-winning “NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN,” the Coen Brothers’ movies remain magnetic to audiences and critics alike.
Image Courtesy of Park Circus/ Universal.
Images courtesy of The Big Lebowski/ Universal Studios.
Known for seamlessly transitioning across styles and genres while maintaining their playful knack for upending storytelling norms, the Coen Brothers have crafted a unique cinematic universe populated by shrewd criminals and peculiar personalities. From the sharp-witted mob accomplice in “MILLER’S CROSSING” to the self-absorbed playwright in “BARTON FINK” and the dim-witted protagonist in “THE HUDSUCKER PROXY,” these unforgettable characters are embroiled in grisly and surreal situations, cementing the Coen Brothers’ standing as one of filmmaking’s most inventive voices.
Image Courtesy of Park Circus/ Universal.
Image Courtesy of Orion Pictures Corporation.
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In tandem with the Coen Brothers’ retrospective, Cine Fan pays homage to the late Jiří Menzel, a trailblazing figure of the Czech New Wave movement. The program, titled “Too Absurd a Reality: A Jiří Menzel Retrospective,” showcases eight of Menzel’s classic films. These films illuminate Menzel’s distinct amalgamation of satirical comedy, whimsical storytelling, and compassionate perspective. His notable collaboration with Bohumil Hrabal, a prominent Czech writer of the 20th century, resulted in five acclaimed features vividly portraying life’s absurdity under totalitarian regimes while reflecting Czechoslovakia’s tumultuous history.
The lineup includes the Oscar-winning “CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS,” the Berlinale Golden Bear winner “LARKS ON A STRING” (released after a 21-year ban), “CUTTING IT SHORT,” “THE SNOWDROP FESTIVAL” (both part of the country life trilogy), and the visually splendid epic “I SERVED THE KING OF ENGLAND.”
The Snowdrop Festival 
I Served the King of England 
Cutting It Short 
Larks on a String 
Closely Watched Trains
Images Courtesy of CineFan.
Complementing the Menzel retrospective are extra screenings of British director Carol Reed’s wartime intrigue and espionage thriller “NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH,” and two classics from Hollywood’s Golden Age – Frank Capra’s lively romantic comedy “MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN,” and Preston Sturges’ comic masterpiece “SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS,” featuring the dynamic Veronica Lake. The ingenious screenplays and timeless wit of these films provide fascinating parallels to the Coen Brothers’ dark comedies.
Image Courtesy of Park Circus/ Universal.
Image Courtesy of Park Circus/ Disney.
Image Courtesy of Park Circus/ Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.
For the complete program and screening schedule of the September/October edition, please visit Cine Fan’s official website at https://cinefan.hkiff.org.hk/en. Tickets for all screenings will be available from URBTIX starting on August 24th.