HONG KONG—Continuing its tradition of honoring accomplished female directors, the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society will pay tribute to the groundbreaking works of Márta Mészáros with a retrospective featuring ten films in the upcoming January/February/March edition of the Cine Fan program.
Complementing Mészáros’ pursuit of excellence, a selection of 16 films will juxtapose original works of master filmmakers with their certified copies in paired screenings. This unique presentation invites comparisons between directors such as Alfred Hitchcock, Ozu Yasujiro, and Leo McCarey, placing them on equal footing.
Images Courtesy of The Hong Kong International Film Festival.
Titled “Márta Mészáros: Embracing the Independent Spirit,” the retrospective celebrates the pioneering Hungarian director’s six-decade career, consistently placing women at the forefront. Mészáros broke barriers in the film industry, legitimizing women’s gender and artistic emancipation through nuanced portrayals of women facing struggles but daring to make independent choices.
The retrospective explores Mészáros’ directorial debut, “The Girl,” making her the first woman to direct a feature film in Hungary. She later became the first female filmmaker to win the Golden Bear at the Berlinale with “Adoption.”
Images Courtesy of The Hong Kong International Film Festival.
The inclusion of auto-remakes by master filmmakers highlights their pursuit of perfectionism rather than a lack of creative ideas. The 16 classics featured in “Two of a Kind: Auto-Remakes by Master Filmmakers” demonstrate how these auteurs reinvented their works, reflecting technological advancements, changes in censorship, the passage of time, and artistic growth.
For the complete program and schedule of Cine Fan’s January/February/March edition, visit the official website at https://cinefan.com.hk. Tickets for all screenings can be purchased from URBTIX outlets starting from December 20.