Chinese films nominated for top honors at Tokyo International Film Festival

A promotional photo for the film Mr. No Problem by Chinese director Mei Feng. [Photo/Tokyo International Film Festival]

This year's Tokyo International Film Festival is set to take place in less than a month, and two Chinese-language films are in the final competition for the top Tokyo Grand Prix.

The two films are Mr. No Problem by mainland director Mei Feng and Shed Skin Papa by Hong Kong director Roy Szeto. Mr. No Problem, shot in black-and-white, is a three-act fable set in wartime Chongqing. It focuses on the indifferent rich, the head clerk on a farm, and some young intruders. Based on a 1943 short story, the film is screenwriter Mei Feng's directorial debut and stars well known comedian and actor Fan Wei.

Comedy Shed Skin Papa calls to mind the tale of Benjamin Button. As a frustrated director faces debt and a divorce, his elderly father suddenly regains his youth. Elements of history and romance then unfold. Adapted from a play by Norihiko Tsukuda, the film stars Hong Kong actors Francis Ng and Louis Koo.

A total of sixteen films have been selected to compete for the highest honors in Tokyo. They also include Italy-France-Switzerland co-production Seven Minutes and After You're Gone from Russia.

Established in 1995, the Tokyo International Film Festival is among the most competitive film festivals in Asia. This year's event will open on October 25th and feature more than 200 films from around the world.

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