Part 3 of Marvel's Shang-Chi: 陳法拉 Fala Chen's Courage, Performance, and Dazzling Transformation

How many of us can stop ourselves at the height of our careers or pursuits, and put the work into transforming ourselves? The introspective journey of self actualization may bring many of us to a point of realization and reflection, of self-awareness and authenticity. Then it requires action and change, the hard part. Fala Chen, a name that many American and Canadian-Chinese households have watched for over a decade via Hong Kong Television, is an inspiration for her dedication to her own journey and development as a person, as an artist.

Current Affairs, Film & BooksDeborah Lau-YuSeptember 8, 2021film review, shang-chi, hong kong, fala chen, asian american, Asian representatonComment

Part 2 of Marvel's Shang-Chi: Tony Leung 梁朝偉 as Wenwu

A global icon through his many unforgettable performances in Hong Kong cinema, Tony Leung stars as Wenwu in Marvel’s Shang-Chi. Are you excited to watch his first Hollywood production? We are! Read on to reminisce the work of this highly acclaimed and decorated superstar, as well as our discussion on why his appearance in Shang-Chi holds utmost significance for so many Chinese-Canadians and North American diasporas. Two Canadians also had the privilege of acting opposite this industry giant — who were they?

Current Affairs, Film & BooksDeborah Lau-YuSeptember 1, 2021film review, shang-chi, tony leung, hong kongComment

Part 1 of Marvel's Shang-Chi: Simu Liu, Tony Leung, and the Cast of a Lifetime

It is the week of Marvel’s Shang-Chi! In theatres September 3rd. Be sure to book your tickets to support this milestone moment of representation in movie culture. Read about why our editor-in-chief, Deborah Lau-Yu, is particularly excited for and proud of fellow Canadian, Simu Liu, our country’s newly minted superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We appreciate his journey, his voice and his leadership as a cultural advocate.

Current Affairs, Film & BooksDeborah Lau-YuAugust 30, 2021chinese canadian, film review, shang-chi, simu liu, Asian representatonComment

Fantasia Film Festival: Features You Won't Want To Miss!

A pandemic won't stop us from enjoying cinema! The Fantasia Film Festival is here. In an effort to introduce Hong Kong films to the Canadian community, the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office has been partnering with numerous film festivals across the country. The Fantasia International Film Festival 2021 will take place from August 5 to 25th, both virtually and in-person — a hybrid model so that more audiences can view some great action on screens at home and in theatre.

Mark Your Calendar, Film & BooksDeborah Lau-YuAugust 10, 2021Film, hong kongComment

EXCLUSIVE: Behind The Scenes With The DIRECTOR + PRODUCER Of BLOOD AND WATER

Producing a television series through a pandemic year might be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the crew behind Blood and Water’s Season 3: Fire & Ice. Storytelling is a fine art with a rigorous process, no matter in which field the work is being done. If you can imagine for a moment how long it takes you to perfect that one photo to post on Instagram or Facebook, or to film yourself over and over before you like a take for TikTok or Instagram Live, you might be able to put yourself into a frame of mind to imagine the number of moving parts in the footage of producing hours and hours of content for television. The infinite details in one scene, especially filmed inside a casino, layered with the complication of breaking up filming between lockdowns yields a complex process of combing through fine visual details to present a professionally produced story.

Film & BooksDeborah Lau-YuJuly 6, 2021blood and water, selena lee, omni tv, television, drama, Behind the Scenes, film reviewComment

JUST IN TIME: BLOOD AND WATER’S SEASON 3 BEGINS JUNE 13th

Just in time to fill the void left by the abrupt end of one show with a mostly Asian cast from another network, Rogers announced the third season of Blood and Water yesterday, the only trilingual Canadian production in English, Cantonese and Mandarin that is produced in Canada. It is also a labour of love, having been brought to life during the pandemic, with the on and off shutdowns that made for an exhausting and extended filming process. After over a year in the making during the emergency lockdown in Toronto, it is finally airing June 13th on OMNI Television on Sunday evenings.

Blood and Water: Fire + Ice is an 8-episode 30 minute crime series uniquely featuring three languages, English, Cantonese, and Mandarin, with an all Asian main cast. Produced in Canada, Blood and Water: Fire+Ice is tailored to resonate with a multi-cultural audience, while keeping the authenticity of Chinese culture in the West (North America). Starring award winning Canadian actress and Fête Chinoise-loved Selena Lee, and many Chinese Canadian talents.

Acting Like it’s the 1970s 演藝夢想: Eugene Tang 飾演70年代的譚詠麟

Acting in a movie — that was the dream. In particular, to be able to act in a Chinese film. Being Canadian-born with Chinese ethnicity, that was what I dreamed about as a kid. I wanted to be in the movies that my immigrant parents loved to watch, the ones they made me watch while growing up in Calgary. It was a family weekend ritual that my parents could enjoy to remind them of a home that they missed and that I never really knew. My parents were from Hong Kong and Guangzhou, and decided to move to Canada in hopes my sister and I would be able to go to university here. To be in a movie with actors in those very films we watched at home is still surreal and is something I'm very grateful for.