NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL, July 12–28, 2024

[Chris Knipp]

THE ESCAPING MAN (Wang Yichun 2023)

Wang Yichun, who excels at doing several contradictory things at once, shows us one of the kindliest of kidnappings, while satirizing the new Chinese privileged class.

The Escaping Man 绑架毛乎乎 ("Kidnapping ...."), 101 mins., was screened for this review as part of the 2024 NYAFF. For What's in the Darkness the 47-year-old director, who studied French before becoming a fimmmaker, won the best director award at the 9th FIRST International festival in Xining, China and it was included in the Berlinale Generation section in 2016. This is The Escaping Man's international debut.

SCHEDULE:
Friday Jul 26, 9:00pm
SVA Theatre
Intro and Q&A with director Wang Yichun and producer Zhao Wendi