Memoirs of a Geisha Filming Ends
January 31, 2005
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Memoirs of a Geisha (aka Sayuri)
— a Columbia Pictures / DreamWorks Films /
Spyglass Entertainment feature film adaptation
based on author Arthur Golden's exotic and enthralling
best-selling novel of the same name, directed by Oscar nominated
director Rob Marshall, produced by
multiple Oscar award-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg
and starring British Academy Award nominee Zhang Ziyi,
Michelle Yeoh,
Gong Li,
Ken Watanabe,
Kaori Momoi,
Youki Kudoh and
Koji Yakusho, among others —
officially ended filming with a press conference this afternoon at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo
in Tokyo, Japan. Final scenes were completed over the weekend in Kyoto, the film's setting.
Beginning second from the left, Rob Marshall (director), Gong Li (Hatsumomo), Kaori Momoi (Mother), Michelle Yeoh (Mameha),
Ken Watanabe (Chairman Iwamura), Koji Yakusho (Nobu), Youki Kudoh (Pumpkin) and Suzuka Ohgo (Chiyo/Young Sayuri); Michelle Yeoh;
and Gong Li at today's press conference:
Screen captions from the broadcast of Fuji TV's showbiz news
program 'FNN Super News'. Cast and crew from the film in attendance; Rob Marshall and Gong Li; Michelle Yeoh and Ken Watanabe;
Koji Yakusho as Nobu; Kaori Momoi as Mother; Youki Kudoh and Suzuka Ohgo:
More screen captions from 'FNN Super News':
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Unfortiunately, in order to keep a prior commitment in Eastern Europe, the film's star, Zhang Ziyi, was not able to attend today's
press conference or after-party. Producer Steven Spielberg was also unable to attend. Both sent video messages to be played
at the press conference.
Memoirs of a Geisha, scheduled for release in Fall 2005, depicts the life of a poor girl from a small Japanese fishing village sold to a geisha
house in Kyoto, Japan during the Great Depression, her ultimate rise to become the most successful geisha in Kyoto's Gion District and her unending
desire to be loved by the man she's always loved. Expected to be a strong Oscar contender, Memoirs of a Geisha will
have its world premier in Japan and will be released internationally in December 2005.
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Zhang Ziyi Wins Hong Kong Film Critics Society Best Actress Award
January 18, 2005
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Zhang Ziyi and Tony Leung were named Best Actress and
Best Actor, respectively, by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society
for their roles in 2046 —
director Wong Kar-wai's long-awaited sequel of sorts to his
2000 art-house hit In the Mood for Love,
starring Tony Leung, Zhang Ziyi, Maggie Cheung,
Chang Chen,
Gong Li,
Carina Lau,
Takuya Kimura,
Faye Wong and
Dong Jie — at the society's recent 11th annual
awards ceremony in Hong Kong, China.
Zhang Ziyi was praised by the critics for her "expressive" body language, combined with her "reserved and complex emotions" for
her role as Bai Ling in 2046.
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Zhang Ziyi Nominated For BAFTA Best Actress Award
January 18, 2005
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Yesterday it was officially announced by the British Academy of Film and Television Art
that House of Flying Daggers
(Shi Mian Mai Fu - "No Way Out", aka Lovers) — director
Zhang Yimou's second wuxia
film since 2002's internationally successful, Oscar nominated
Hero, starring Zhang Ziyi,
Andy Lau and
Takeshi Kaneshiro (Jin Chengwu) and choreographed by
Tony Ching Siu-tung —
was nominated for 9 'BAFTA' awards, including a Best Actress nomination for Zhang Ziyi.
The other 8 BAFTA nominations for Flying Daggers were in the categories of Make-Up & Hair, Special Visual Effects,
Sound, Editing, Costume Design, Production Design, Cinematography and Film Not in the English Language (Best Foreign Film).
The awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, February 12, 2005, at the
Odeon, Leicester Square in London.
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Flying Daggers Top Grossing Film of Year In China
January 02, 2005
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As was recently announced by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television,
House of Flying Daggers
(Shi Mian Mai Fu - "No Way Out", aka Lovers) — director Zhang Yimou's second wuxia
film since 2002's internationally successful, Oscar nominated Hero,
starring Zhang Ziyi, Andy Lau and
Takeshi Kaneshiro (Jin Chengwu) and choreographed by Tony Ching Siu-tung —
was the top grossing film in China last year.
In a market usually dominated by foreign films, particularly Hollywood productions, Flying Daggers grossed
153 Million Yuan ($US 18.5 million) in 2004, far exceeding all other films screened within the country, both foreign and domestic.
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