The film tells the poignant tale of Wang, an old street performer famous for the ancient art of creating and quick-changing silk masks. His search of a suitable heir to pass on his dying art leads him to Doggie, a street urchin that he trains in the craft. Soon, he becomes endeared to his protégé and adopts him as a grandson.
But a desperate lie unravels threatening not only their special kinship but also the rich and colorful legacy of The King of Masks.
Directed by Wu Tianming, the film stars Zhu Xu as the aging artist Wang and Zhou Ren-ying as the orphan Doggie.
The King of Masks has won the hearts of critics and moviegoers worldwide, garnering accolades from international festivals in Moscow, Greece, Australia, Turkey, Switzerland, India, Germany, France, Singapore, Japan and the United States.
Most notably, it won the Audience Award for Best Picture at the San Francisco International Film Festival, the Best Director and Best Actor honors at the Tokyo International Film Festival, and the Youth Jury Prize in the Wurzburg International Film Festival in Germany.
Fourth Generation filmmaker Wu Tianming ranks among the Chinese film industry’s elite. As head of Xian Film Studios, he paved the way for the luminuos careers of Zhang Yimou (Hero, Raise the Red Lantern), actress Gong Li and Chen Kaige (Farewell My Concubine).
The King of Masks is also Greenbelt 1 ArtFilm Coffee Club’s pick for the month of January.
ArtFilm Coffee Club is a monthly gathering of Manila’s film enthusiasts, experts, scholars and ArtFilm Greenbelt patrons engaging in in-depth and insightful discussions on Greenbelt 1 ArtFilm’s featured film.