Hong Kong, 7 March 2013 -(ASIA TODAY)- The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) today announced that comedian XU Zheng’s moral comedy, Lost in Thailand, will receive 2012’s Top Grossing Asian Film Award at the 7th Asian Film Awards (AFA) Presentation Ceremony on 18 March.
Lost in Thailand is XU’s directorial debut and stars himself as a cynical business executive on a wild and precarious adventure. While often humorous, the film raises public awareness of the dog-eat-dog ethos prevalent in the modern-day corporate world. It was last year’s top grossing film throughout all of Asia, with total revenue reaching 993 million yuan1. By the end of its run in mid February 2013, the film had already raked in 1.26 billion yuan in accumulated ticket sales, making it the most financially successful work in the history of the Chinese film industry.
Lost in Thailand is a male-bonding comedy that tells the story of a middle-aged businessman who invents a chemical solution, which can save his company a fortune on petrol costs and reap huge profits from competitors. However, after a number of hilarious mishaps and experiences, XU’s character finally learns to put family before fortune, and turns into a relaxed, compassionate humanist by the film’s end. Lost in Thailand is a playful movie that mildly ribs office politics and entertains audiences in scene after scene. The film also cleverly discloses the social development of China under the impact of its commodity-driven capitalism.
“Lost in Thailand is an entertaining work that questions some of society’s modern values in a playful way,” said Roger GARCIA, Executive Director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society. “Although the Chinese film industry in recent years has invested in big-budget special effects movies, it’s also the sign of a maturing industry and market that there is space for the ‘little film’ to break through as a box office champ. As a highly successful follow-up to 2010’s Lost on Journey it remains to be seen if this is the start of a lucrative comedy franchise!”
About the Asian Film Awards
Inaugurated in 2007, the Asian Film Awards (AFA) is an international pioneering programme, honouring filmmakers with outstanding achievements in the field of Asian cinema. The AFA is the only platform in the world that brings together the best cinematic talents of Asia, drawing film fans and professionals together from all across the globe.
The AFA Presentation Ceremony is a core event of the Entertainment Expo Hong Kong. Eminent filmmakers and superstars from around the world are invited to present awards to winners in each category, making the ceremony an elaborate extravaganza as well as an influential cultural event that helps position Hong Kong as the hub of Asian cinema.
Website: www.asianfilmawards.asia
About Hong Kong International Film Festival Society Limited
Uniting the World through Film
The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) is a charitable, non-profit, non-government organisation dedicated to the discovery and promotion of creativity in the art and culture of film.
Through its year-round programmes, the mission of the Society is to strengthen global appreciation of Chinese film culture and to promote inspiring films from around the world, enriching the cultural life of Hong Kong.
Committed to the development of a vibrant film culture in Hong Kong and Asia, the Society organises three annual flagship events in March and April: The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) and the Asian Film Awards (AFA).
Passionately believing in the power of films to unite cultures and generations, the HKIFFS is devoted to giving thousands of film lovers around the region direct access to the world’s most inspired films all year round.
Website: www.hkiff.org.hk
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