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Remake of Pang Ho-Cheung's 2004 movie “Beyond Our Ken”, “Thorns of Beauty” is a story about an unlikely erotic triangle, which has been adapted in a Japanese setting by Hideo Jojo, who is in charge of both the direction and the script (along Kaori Sawai). The movie opened in Japan in January and now finds its place in Nippon Connection.

Thorns of Beauty is screening at Nippon Connection

24-year-old Momo is a timid young woman who works in a public library. She was recently dumped by her fashion photographer boyfriend Kentaro, but is still worried about some explicit photos he took of her and never returned. One day, she has a chance encounter with his new girlfriend Riko, and decides to approach her and ask her help to delete the photos. Riko, an aspiring dancer who doubles as a barwoman, is initially suspicious of the “nerdy” girl that essentially stalked her,...

Asian Pop-Up Cinema: Season 14 will present 28 films in downtown Chicago and the north suburbs, with select films available for online streaming. The joint virtual and in-person festival opens March 13 and runs through April 10.

The diverse lineup celebrates the best of Asian cinema from South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Taiwan. Programming highlights include work from female filmmakers and an in-person special guest appearance from Sunday LEAGUEdirector Yi Sung-il.

Season 14 opens with the Midwest Premiere of Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness (AMC Niles 12) from director Im Sang-soo. Korean stars Choi Min-sik (Oldboy) and Park Hae-il (War of the Arrows) lead this crime comedy as two terminally ill men on one last, unexpected journey of their lives. The international premiere of sports comedy Sunday League will follow, a heartwarming story of a former rising soccer star who reluctantly coaches a ragtag team of amateur players. Writer/director Yi is...

Asian Pop-up Cinema Announces

Opening, Centerpiece, And Closing Films

Bright Star Award Recipient And Special Guest For Season 14

Asian Pop-Up Cinema today announces the spotlight Marquee films scheduled for the 14th Season, March 13- April 10. Additionally announced is, Kai Ko as the recipient of the festival’s Bright Star Award, and the first movie director special guest to attend the festival since the pandemic started during Season 10.

Korean star power from Choi Min-sik (Oldboy) and Park Hae-il (War of The Arrows) will open Season 14 with the Midwest Premiere of Heaven: In The Land Of Happiness from Im Sang-soo, director of The Housemaid (2010) and The President’s Last Bang. ‘Heaven’ is about a journey of two terminally ill men making a heart-throbbing finale of their lives.

Director Sung-il Yi will attend his International debut of Sunday League, a sports comedy about a once-rising high school soccer star reduced to coaching children,...