by Erin Free

Movies in the cinema for free? What? Is this some kind of sick joke, or a weird mirage singing out like a phony oasis in a bleak desert of commercial rip-offs? Nope, it’s for real. Sponsored and organised by China Cultural Centre in Sydney, the upcoming Chinese Film Week at Sydney’s Event Cinemas George Street boasts the latest and greatest in Chinese cinema…for free.

Audiences can purchase tickets either through the Event website, or go to the box office directly. There will be no admission fee at the box office, but if audiences purchase tickets online, there will be a $1.50 transaction fee, but that will be the only cost. That’s right, the only cost.

Chinese Film Week is designed to give local audiences a taste of what Chinese cinema has to offer, and to hopefully spark a continuing interest in movies from the region.

To that end, a wide variety of films will be showcased, from broader-than-broad commercial hits through to stylish critical darlings and provocative game-changers. “The China Cultural Centre in Sydney is an official non-profit organisation registered by the Chinese government here in Australia,” says China Cultural Centre director, Chen Shuang. “The Centre is dedicated to enhancing the mutual understanding of the two nations, and promoting the existing friendship between the two peoples.”

Offering up free movies will certainly help in sweetening that friendship, especially with such a strong selection of titles on offer. There’s the acclaimed drama, Lost, Found, which made a major splash at The Shanghai Film Festival last year, along with the equally highly regarded The Wasted Times, which crackles with themes of violence, revenge and redemption. Slamming action comes in the unbridled form of the wuxia extravaganza, Brotherhood Of Blades, and the comic goofiness of Detective Chinatown 2. The moody thriller, Animal World (which is headed to Netflix, and was post-produced in Australia), meanwhile, offers tension of the first order. There are plenty of laughs on display too, with the amusingly titled double-shot of Hello Mr. Billionaire (loosely based on the Hollywood favourite, Brewster’s Millions) and Go Away Mr. Tumor.

Take your pick…you’ve literally got nothing to lose!

FILM SCHEDULE

27/02/2019: 6:30PM: event opening + screening Lost, Found
28/02/2019: 7:00PM: screening The Wasted Times
01/03/2019: 7:00PM: screening Brotherhood of Blade
02/03/2019: 3:30PM: screening Detective Chinatown 2
02/03/2019: 6:30PM: screening Animal World
03/03/2019: 3:30PM: screening Hello Mr. Billionaire
03/03/2019: 6:30PM: screening Go Away Mr. Tumor

Shares:

Leave a Reply