Zhang Ziyi, John Woo, Juliette Binoche & Tong Dawei In Singapore For The Opening Of SGIFF 2014

Hi Huneybees,

Woohoo! I got to see one of my favourite movie director last night at the opening of the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF)! I was hoping white doves would fly by and we would be drawing out our guns at each other. *Just to act out his signature moves in his movies. Hehehehe...*

SGIFF 2014 opened last night with an extravagant red carpet night. Not only was the world-renowned auteur John Woo there, actresses Zhang Ziyi (章子怡) and Juliette Binoche and actor Tong Dawei (佟大為) graced the red carpet as a local film - Unlucky Plaza, made it to be the Opening Film for the first time.

Mike Wiluan receiving the baton as SGIFF Chairman

The local celebs took the red carpet first, followed by the cast of Unlucky Plaza - Epy Quizon, Adrian Pang, Judee Tan, Pam Oei and Shane Mardjuki., alongside Ken Kwek, director of the film. 

 

SGIFF Board member Elim Chew (founder and president of 77th Street) is joined by Oilivia Ong and YY Low (Co-owner of Hadara Aesthetics)

For the second half of the red carpet, was the highly anticipated arrival of the stars from Clouds of Sils Marja (Sils Marja) - Juliette Binoche as well as the director and cast from The Crossing. Juliette's flight was delayed, but she still arrived in style, decked in a lovely blue gown and red stilettos, she warmly greets her fans who has been waiting all evening...

Juliette is here for the Singaporean premiere of Olivier Assayas’ Clouds of Sils Maria (Sils Maria), that is screened in conjunction with 4th Rendezvous with French Cinema. Tickets for the film have already been sold out.

Finally, it was time for Tong Dawei and Zhang Ziyi to make their appearance. Arriving in style, both actors talked about their role in the movie - The Crossing as well as shared their experience working together alongside director - John Woo. Tong was also joined by Wahyuni Hadi, SGIFF Executive Director on stage.

“The next 10 days will be filled with nearly 150 screenings of films from 50 countries across 11 sections. We will play host to more than 100 visiting guests from the Asia region and abroad, and this include highly acclaimed directors, actors, actresses, as well as new and upcoming emerging talent from the Southeast Asia region. 

Above all, the next 10 days will also see the exchange of meaningful conversations among filmmakers. Because SGIFF is not just an avenue of entertainment to filmgoers but more importantly, it provokes thought, stirs emotions, and makes one think outside the frame." --- Wahyuni Hadi, SGIFF Executive Director

Next up was the gorgeous Zhang Ziyi in a floor sweeping red gown, but the blings on her were more of the highlight as she greets her fans and is joined by John Woo. Woo also brought his family over, shining light on his daughter who also acted in The Crossing.

Woo has been making movies for over 40 years including A Better Tomorrow and The Killer in the 1980s, as well as a series of box office hits such as Broken Arrow, Face/Off, and Mission: Impossible II. He will also be conducting a master class for the public on 5 December 2014.

The Crossing opens today in cinema. It tells of an epic love story spanning half a century of modern Chinese history, with 3 different love stories to follow, everyone will definitely be able to find one to relate to. The film also stars - Takeshi Kaneshiro, Song Hye-kyo and Huang Xiaoming.

SGIFF, which kicked off today until 14, focuses on groundbreaking Asian cinema and discovering new film talents from Southeast Asia. SGIFF is known for its dynamic film programming and commitment to the development of a vibrant local film culture.

For more details, please visit the SGIFF website at www.sgiff.com.

Here's more photos from last night...

Photo Gallery by QuickGallery.com

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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John Woo, Zhang Ziyi, Juliette Binoche & Cheng Pei Pei To Walk The Red Carpets Of Singapore International Film Festival

Hi Huneybees,

It's coming to the end of the year, but more and more events are happening! More big stars are coming to our lovely sunny island and this time, I bet it will be highly anticipated as world-renowned auteur John Woo, actresses Zhang Ziyi, Juliette Binoche and Cheng Pei Pei, walk on the red carpet of this year’s Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF)!

Big, huge bright stars right?! I can't wait to see them!

John Woo and Zhang Ziyi will be in Singapore for Woo’s latest film - The Crossing, an epic love story spanning half a century of modern Chinese history. Woo, who has been making movies for over 40 years will also be conducting a master class for the public on 5 December 2014.

Juliette Binoche will attend the Singaporean premiere of Olivier Assayas’ Clouds of Sils Maria (Sils Maria), screened in conjunction with 4th Rendezvous with French Cinema. Tickets for the film have already been sold out.

Meanwhile, Cheng Pei Pei will be in Singapore to confer the tribute to the late Sir Run Run Shaw, who founded Shaw Brothers Studio and TVB, at the Silver Screen Awards on December 13. She was recently nominated for the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) Best Actress honors for her role in Lilting and the first screening for Lilting on December 6 has been sold out, but audiences can still catch a second screening on December 12.

The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) is the largest and longest-running film event in Singapore. Founded in 1987, the festival has become an iconic event in the Singapore arts calendar that is widely attended by international film critics, and recognized worldwide for its focus on Asian filmmakers and the promotion of Southeast Asian films.The festival is committed to nurturing and championing local and regional talents in the art of filmmaking, serving as a catalyst in igniting public interest in the arts, and encouraging artistic dialogue and cultural exchanges.

The SGIFF is organized by the Singapore International Film Festival Ltd, a non-profit organization and holds the Institution of a Public Character (IPC) status.

In keeping with the festival’s spirit of unearthing new talent, 36-year-old Ahmad Abdalla El Sayed Abdelkader, an Egyptian film director, editor and screenwriter, will also be here as this year’s Filmmaker in Focus. TV host, producer and director Khaled Abol Naga, who has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since his appointment in 2007, will also be here to join him.

Also making an appearance at this year’s festival is renowned director Wang Xiaoshuai, who is also regarded as one of China’s “Sixth Generation” filmmakers. He will be here for his film, Red Amnesia, which follows a 60-year-old lady and her family in Beijing, reflecting on contemporary China and the country’s needs to recall its past. He is also the Jury Head for the Asian Feature Film Competition at the Silver Screen Awards. His master class for the public will be on 9 December 2014.

SGIFF, to be held from December 4 to 14, focusing on groundbreaking Asian cinema and discovering new film talents from Southeast Asia. SGIFF is known for its dynamic film programming and commitment to the development of a vibrant local film culture.

For more information as well as more details on Wang’s and Woo’s master classes, please visit the SGIFF website at www.sgiff.com. 

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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CASIO G-SHOCK Celebrates 30 Years of Timepiece Innovation With Shock The World Party

Hi Huneybees,

From New York to Berlin and Paris, to Tokyo and Dubai, the “SHOCK THE WORLD” movement has brought together thousands of people since its inception in 2009 across continents and cultures to celebrate the brand and its legacy of trendsetting innovation in timepieces.

And this July, Casio G-SHOCK returned with the highly anticipated “SHOCK THE WORLD 2013” tour, in celebration of the iconic timepiece’s 30th birthday across major cities worldwide. We had the honour of meeting Mr Kikuo Ibe, the father of these indestructible watches!

Ibe-san made a really kawaii animation to explain to us the whole R&D process where in the end, it lead to him creating a huge ball with a watch face within. He knew he was going the wrong direction and everything came to his mind when he was looking at a little girl playing with ball. He knew he could "suspend" the watch within a rubber encasing shown below...

 Ibe-san even did a demonstration on stage, whacking his watch hard against a board. It was safe and sound and functioning as usual. In fact, at the press conference, watches were dropped sky high and it did not affect them too. That's how durable G-Shock is!

“When we first started G-SHOCK, we wanted to challenge conventional wisdom that a wrist watch always had to be handled with care. Each G-SHOCK watch is the perfect embodiment of the latest in shock resistance technology with cutting-edge design. As we now celebrate G-SHOCK’s successful 30-year history, it is about sharing our vision and journey as we remain committed to continually innovate and evolve our design to excite the world" --- Mr Kikuo Ibe, Creator of G-Shock

To mark G-SHOCK’s milestone 30th anniversary in Singapore, G-SHOCK has collaborated with two of Singapore’s most talented designers and unveiled 2 limited edition stylized G-SHOCK watches designed by local design icon, Keith Png (who has dressed international movie stars like Zhang Ziyi) and the design collective duo, Andrew Loh and Kenny Lim of DEPRESSION, who are known across Asia for their signature bold, monochromatic designs.

Since its inception, G-SHOCK has played a key role in shaping the world’s various sports, arts, fashion and street cultures, making the brand a vital part of youth culture. Hosted by MTV VJ and popular television personality, Max Loong, the “SHOCK THE WORLD 2013” Singapore party featured adrenaline-pumping performances by AOS Collective together with Beatboxer Dhani.

Yohei Uchino, winner of last year’s G-SHOCK presents Real Toughness dance competition, Tsutomu Kitayama, winner of Voodoo Jam 2013, UK Bboy championship winner, 2goo, alongside popular Malaysian singer Shi Xing Hui and local rapper and celebrity Sheikh Haikel were also those on stage to perform for us. Everyone were high to the max under the Singapore heat!

Other program highlights included the exciting battle of local dance talent in the Absolute Toughness Dance Xtreme finals. The grand winner, from each dance genre was not only rewarded with a return trip and accommodation to Japan but also a chance to battle it out with the rest of the world.

At the event, there was also an introduction to some new models of watches that can only be found at the G-Shock premium store at Marina Bay Sands (MBS)...

Woohoo! The new generation G-Shock is Bluetooth v4.0 Enabled, where you can link it to your iPhone through an app. Not only does it alert you when you get Facebook or Twitter notifications, the watch also helps you locate your phone through a simple button. What's more is that the time is synced via the iPhone! Talk about high tech!

The Gravity Defier comes complete with a construction capable of standing up to the forces of impact, vibration, and three G-forces - Shock Resistant, Centrifugal Force Resistant and Vibration Resistant. The hand that indicates direction is made of carbon fiber and it comes with Tough Solar powering system, a sapphire crystal glass with anti-glare coating, a resin band, a water resistance of 200 meters, an easy to read display.

MT-G meaning Metal Twisted G-Shock is made up of composite structure of Metal and Resin, it is definitely anti-shock and solar powered, water resistant and dual time ready.

Mr-G is the ideal watch for the business man who keeps flying non-stop. Made of anti-scratching Titanium body, this watch is not only an analog watch, it also auto syncs to the local time wherever you fly to. Super smart right?

GIEZ are new model watches that are the first to pack event-hand chronograph modules plus World Time with date indication into a G-SHOCK shock-resistant configuration. Their features include a 1/20-second stop watch and 27-city World Time, and more. The seven hands provide display of a wealth of information at a glance. Metal and resin parts create a contrast for a look that is elegant and sporty.

Ok, I'm leaving you with a showcase of watches specially designed. 

Note: they are not for sale...

For more information on G-SHOCK 30th Anniversary ‘SHOCK THE WORLD 2013’ in Singapore, log on to http://shocktheworldsingapore.com/, or at http://www.casio-intl.com/sg/en/.

More photos from the press con and event can be found here in my album...

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