Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon popularised the universe of Asian warriors to the Western world. Brave, attractive and independent women that are martial arts experts.
However, Chinese, Taiwanese and Cantonese filmmakers and filmgoers had known and enjoyed this tradition of fighters for a long time, from the very beginning of wuxia literature.
From the first sword fighting films to the Girls with Guns in the 90s, kung fu films or Taiwan Black Movies, dozens of female martial arts stars featured in Chinese action films; a legacy that still continues today. The festival dedicates a retrospective and a book to actresses such as Cheng Pei-Pei, Angela Mao, Sharon Yeung, Sibelle Hu, Kara Wai, Michelle Yeoh, Cynthia Khan, Moon Lee or Zhang Ziyi.
From the first sword fighting films to the Girls with Guns in the 90s, kung fu films or Taiwan Black Movies, dozens of female martial arts stars featured in Chinese action films; a legacy that still continues today. The festival dedicates a retrospective and a book to actresses such as Cheng Pei-Pei, Angela Mao, Sharon Yeung, Sibelle Hu, Kara Wai, Michelle Yeoh, Cynthia Khan, Moon Lee or Zhang Ziyi.
KUNG FU GIRLS! written by Domingo López and Jorge Endrino with illustrations by Toni Benages is the third book about cinema published by the Asian Summer Film Festival. Get your hands on this book before is too late or you will weep like a man for what you could not defend like a woman.
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels has collaborated with the festival for the publication of this book to highlight women’s roles in Hong Kong action films. The retrospective will include five films and two documentaries, as well as some other special screenings and events sessions.