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World Fantastic Cinema

W¡âZ

Tom SHANKLAND

UK / USA2007105min 35mm Color Asian Premiere

Synopsis

The veteran detective Eddie and his rookie partner Melissa are assigned to a serial killer case involving bodies dumped in the back allies of NYC. All the corpses show signs of torture and an odd marking of the geneticist Price's equality "W¡âZ" on their skin. Turns out our killer brutalized his victims (former gang members associated with a vicious rape case) by offering an unspeakable choice: To be killed or to kill someone they love. W¡âZ, like Saw, incorporates horrific torture scenes and like Seven, explores the city's hellish landscape with handheld camera techniques. But it distinguishes itself from the two American movies by focusing on the quintessentially self-absorbed human nature and the futile, pessimistic psyche associated with such selfishness. Are humans equipped with a truly philanthropic spirit that enables them to sacrifice themselves for others? (CHO Hye Young)

Diretor

Tom SHANKLAND

He made his feature film directorial debut with W¡âZ(2007), after being nominated for two BAFTA awards for his short movies. And also invited to 13th PiFan with W¡âZ Previously he has worked on many popular UK television series’, Marple: The Moving Finger, Family Business. etc.