Fests and events, 4/30.

"Korean filmmakers reinvent Hollywood genres and conventions much the way their Asian counterparts do, but my sense is that they tend to put everything in a broader context, using the form to investigate the inexorable influence of the past, both personal and historical," writes Peter Keough in the Boston Phoenix. "That's the case at least with Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) and the lesser-known Lee Chang-dong, who will be appearing at the Harvard Film Archive this weekend with four of his films."

"Wong Kar-wai made his debut feature 20 years ago - an event that BAM is marking with the movie's first non-Chinatown theatrical run," writes J Hoberman in the Voice. "Ostensibly a conventional tale of triad loyalty, As Tears Go By announced the presence of a genuine Hong Kong new wave - as well as an ambitious cineaste."

The Maryland Film Festival opens tomorrow and runs through Sunday; Sujewa Ekanayake has already fired up an entry collecting his coverage. Michael Tully recommends catching Yeast; and Paul Harrill notes that his Quick Feet, Soft Hands will be there, too.

Chicagoans! The Reader's JR Jones notes that Jonathan Rosenbaum is all over town this weekend, lecturing, chatting, introducing screenings.

"Some of Italy's cultural stars are already bemoaning the end of a golden age following the election of the rightist candidate Gianni Alemanno as Mayor of Rome, which has placed a question mark over the future of the city's lavish film festival." Peter Popham reports for the Independent.

Online viewing tip. "For music video fans, BUG, a bi-monthly event held at the BFI Southbank in London, has become a must-attend event," notes Eliza of Creative Review. "So much so that the show has a tendency to sell out long in advance, prompting the organisers to hold two nights in May, one on May 22 with regular host, Adam Buxton and another on May 27, with a special guest host, director Dougal Wilson."

Posted by dwhudson at April 30, 2008 3:32 PM