Official selection
Toronto International Film Festival 2023
Hawai'i International Film Festival 2023
Fantastic Fest 2023
Rotterdam International Film Festival 2024
Palm Springs International Film Festival 2024
Director
Xu Haofeng, Xu Junfeng
Writer
Xu Haofeng, Xu Junfeng
Cast
Jacky Heung, Andy On, Kuo Beahayden, Tang Shiyi, Li Yuan
contact
Lumen Films
“A remarkably modern martial arts film... with sophistication, wit, and an enormous amount of style”– Calan Panchoo, FILM THREAT
“One of the best and most fascinating action films to have come out in recent years... delivering some of the most graciously beautiful fights you have ever laid your eyes on”– Alex Rallo, FILM EXPOSURE
In the courtyard of a respected martial arts school in 1920s Tianjin, China, the venerable master observes a formal, barehanded duel between his most prized student, Qi Quan (Andy On, TRUE LEGEND, SPECIAL ID) and his own son, Shen An (Jacky Heung, THE WARLORDS, CHASING DREAM). The confrontation concludes with Qi’s victory—and the master’s last breath. Qi will thus step up to assume leadership of the academy, but Shen won’t take that sitting down. Though his father wished for him to take a respectable banking job, beyond the constraints of the wushu world, Shen is too sure of his own talent to turn his back on what he feels is rightfully his. It’s a rivalry that won’t be settled easily, especially not when family secrets, demimonde politics, and romantic entanglements (with women far wiser than they) further complicate matters for the stubborn twosome.
Through four previous feature films beginning with the brilliant THE SWORD IDENTITY, and of course his admired screenplay for THE GRANDMASTER, writer, academic, and film director Xu Haofeng has proven unmatched in his understanding of the techniques, history, and lore of Chinese martial arts. His scholarly knowledge alone would elevate his efforts above the majority of kung-fu movies, and the combat choreography in 100 YARDS (care of Sifu Duncan Leung, a student of the great Ip Man) is indeed impeccable. It is however Xu’s subtlety, precision, sly wit, and striking visual sense (augmented here by Dao Shan’s bravura camerawork) place him among the finest of contemporary filmmakers. The masterful genre auteur’s latest, co-directed by his own brother Junfeng, once again reconciles authenticity and inventiveness, and rewards the attentive audience a hundred times over. – Rupert Bottenberg
Showings
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