Asian film refers to the films and film industry produced in Asia, but in Western counties, such as the US, Asian film is often used to refer to East, South, and Southeast Asia. East Asian cinema includes films based in China, Hong Kong, South Korea, as well as Japanese anime. The South Asian film industry includes India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, with the Southeast Asian cinema including the Philippines and Indonesia. With the different varieties of Asian film and cinema available, it is not surprising that these have influenced and inspired fans and filmmakers from around the world.
One country that the Asian film industry has had a massive influence on is with British Film Festivals, for example, the Leeds International Film Festival. Founded in 1987, this is one of the largest film festivals in the UK outside of London and highlights some of the best films in the industry. By welcoming thousands of visitors each year, and showing over 300 films from around the world, the festival also offers a variety of different events. One of these events is Planet Japan, which offers a selection of wonderful fantasy film creations from different Japanese filmmakers, such as The Man Who Stole the Sun and Angel’s Egg.
Other Asian-inspired events that you can attend in Leeds include the National Asian Wedding Show, the Asian Wedding Showcase, and the Asian Media Awards. Leeds is not just home to the Leeds International Film Festival, but it is almost a cultural hotspot. After the Second World War, Yorkshire became home to Asian communities in the 1950s and 1960s, with a large concentration of Asians relocating to Leeds and West Yorkshire. However, it’s not just Asian culture that is a hit for the people of Leeds, with other events, such as bingo, seeing a resurgence as well.
Bingo, while normally considered the ideal game for older members of society, is becoming more popular amongst the younger generations, and has even become one of the UK’s most popular games. If you are wanting to get into playing bingo, Bada Bingo Leeds has one of the best bingo party’s the area has seen and creates a mix of playing bingo with music and dancing.
In recent history, bingo has become more popular, with the game being incorporated into other social events. From raves and discos to the various types of games available, it’s no surprise that younger people are starting to play it.
Asian film and cinema have become a lot more popular, especially when you consider the impact Asian filmmakers are having on the entertainment industry. When you consider Parasite became the most talked-about foreign language film in 2019, Bong Joon-Ho’s Korean thriller became an instant hit for the box office, even winning the best picture Oscar in 2020. The most recent Asian-inspired program taking the world by storm is Squid Game, which is a South Korean survival drama series created by Hwang Dong-hyuk. Both show that Asian entertainment is taking our television screens by storm, and with everyone talking about them, it seems foolish to miss out.
