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Off the Fantastic

Tea Fight

Yeming WANG

Japan / Taiwan2008 105min 35mm Color Korean Premiere

Synopsis

An international project by Taiwanese, Hong Kong and Japanese film crews, Tea Fight centers around competition between master "tea fighters," where the biggest attraction would be the chemistry between superb trio Jing WONG, Vic CHOW and Teruyuki KAGAWA. The ancient "tea fight," which contends for best flavor and aroma, originates from Fujian, China. In the region, centuries ago, there was this bloody tribal duel surrounding the legendary premium brand "black tea." With the loser tribe retreating to Japan, the fight seemed over, only it isn't. Yagi, a blak tea successor, runs a traditional tea shop in Kyoto. His daughter Mikiko, repulsed by her dad's disengagement in the business due to the tea curse known to run in the family, heads out to Taiwan to undo the curse. Yagi tracks her down, finding himself faced with un inevitable duel to save his girl. Director's WANG's expert combination of animation, special effects, far-reaching plot, intriguing characters offer dynamic live-or-die fight. (KWON Yong Min)

Diretor

Yeming WANG

Graduated from the Taipei National University and studied under Edward Yang; he had shown talent as a student, and acted in Edward Yang's films. Wang also directed many experimental stage plays. Tea Fight is his first film as both the director and scriptwriter.