The first ever festival dedicated to sparking global conversations via contemporary Chinese cinema in the Midlands is set to return to Leicester for the third year in a row.
Scheduled to take place at the end of this month (25 November – 1 December), Electric Shadows 2024 will present a series of ‘Action’ related new and classic films this year at both Showcase Cinema and Phoenix Cinema in Leicester
As a tradition, the festival will continue to host a programme of cultural events in parallel, including free Mandarin lessons, heritage performances and Tai-Chi lessons by De Montfort University’s Confucius Institute, concluding with an industry networking event led by NGO UK-China Film Collab.
Focusing on the theme of “Action” this year, the festival is a proactive response to and a part of the larger ongoing national film season across the UK – “Art of Action”, presented by the BFI. This year’s festival receives supports from the BFI Film Hub Midlands for such participation.
“Art of Action” is a new BFI season celebrating the artistry of real action choreography, that has kept film audiences on the edge of their seats since the early days of cinema. Presented by the BFI Film Audience Network (BFI FAN) using funds from the National Lottery, “Art of Action” will take place at cinemas across the UK from October-December 2024, with the chance to get behind-the-scenes insights from those working in the action and stunt communities, via special events, demonstrations, talks and screenings throughout the season.
Electric Shadows is proud to be part of this important season.
Opening Film: Leap of Faith
Dir. Lina Yang
Mon 25 November 19:00 (SOLD OUT)
Showcase Cinema, Leicester
Directed by Lina Yang, Leap of Faith is the first ever feature documentary about Chinese teenagers learning horse riding. The four lead ‘actresses’ are all excellent young riders. Which distinguishes them from their peers is that they each have a horse and each girl has a story related to herself and her horse. During the year, we recorded their efforts and results while they were preparing for the national young sports meeting. What was unexpected is the separation between them and their loved ones in life or death, failures and pains. Love and trust between them and their horses, their growth and worries of adolescence, their ideas and duties about future society, all of these are like a song of life composed through the journey of 2019.
The Grandmaster
Tue 26 November 19:00
Showcase Cinema, Leicester
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The fall of China’s last dynasty, a time of chaos, division and war, is the golden age of Chinese martial arts. Legendary kung fu master Ip Man, who will eventually train Bruce Lee, finds his peaceful life interrupted by vengeance.
Police Story 1
Wed 27 November 20:30
Phoenix Cinema, Leicester
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Considered by Jackie Chan himself to be his best film in terms of pure action, Police Story stars Chan as “super cop” Chan Ka-Kui, who goes up against a notorious crime lord in a series of escalating set-pieces that resulted in many of Jackie’s stunt team being hospitalised.
Screening as part of Electric Shadows: Chinese Film Festival and Art of Action, a UK-wide film season supported by National Lottery and BFI Film Audience Network.
Police Story 2
Thur 28 November 20:30
Phoenix Cinema, Leicester
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Demoted to traffic cop after the events of the first film, Chan Ka-Kui is reinstated to the detective unit when a deadly gang of explosive experts blow up a building and threaten to blow up more if their demands are not met.
Featuring yet more bravura stunt work, and even more injuries to its cast and crew, Police Story 2 is to this day considered one of the best action films ever made.
Screening as part of Electric Shadows: Chinese Film Festival and Art of Action, a UK-wide film season supported by National Lottery and BFI Film Audience Network.
Police Story 3
Fri 29 November 20:45
Phoenix Cinema, Leicester
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Action superstar Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Everything Everywhere All at Once) joins the series as Inspector Yang Chien-Hua, who teams up with Chan Ka-Kui to take down an international drug ring.
With some of the most outrageous stunt sequences ever committed to film, Police Story 3: Supercop is an action masterpiece that must truly be seen to be believed.
Screening as part of Electric Shadows: Chinese Film Festival and Art of Action, a UK-wide film season supported by National Lottery and BFI Film Audience Network.
Kung Fu Panda 4
Sat 30 November 14:00
Phoenix Cinema, Leicester
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With Po about to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace, he must find and train a new Dragon Warrior.
But his plans are scuppered by the arrival of “The Chameleon” – a formidable villain who has the ability to resurrect Po’s vanquished foes.
Enter plucky fox Zhen, who can help to infiltrate The Chameleon’s booby-trapped lair. A cracking animated comedy adventure sequel.
Closing Film The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru
Sun 1 December 18:00
Phoenix Cinema, Leicester
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A hit in China and the country’s pick for the 2025 Academy Awards, the closing film of Electric Shadows 2024 is an exclusive preview of new documentary The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru.
Through detailed historical investigation and appeals in international press, the film crew tried their best to find the core parties and descendants from UK, US, Japan and China, getting close to the truth about the sinking of the “Lisbon Maru”, aka “ship of death” in WWII.
