From romance to chillers, Vancouver Asian Film Festival explores identity

The 19^th annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival got off to a Seoulful (groan—sorry) start last night with the '80s-retro romcom Seoul Searching.

This year's theme asks the eternal question What's Your Role? to explore questions of cultural and personal identity.

Tonight (November 6), It's Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong screens at 7:15. It stars real-life couple Jamie Cheung (The Hangover II, Sucker Punch, Big Hero 6) and Bryan Greenberg (Friends With Benefits) in which two Americans meet in Hong Kong and develop chemistry.

The romantic feature, in the vein of Richard Linklater's Before Tomorrow, previously played at this year's Vancouver International Film Festival.

Also on today's slate is Michelle Kim's Vancouver-shot feature The Tree Inside. 

Other highlights include the centerpiece presentation of the Taiwanese feature Kids by director Sunny Yu on Saturday (November 7).

It follows an eighth grader, Bao-Li, who falls in love with a classmate, Jia-Jia, who he winds up moving in and having a baby with. Things go from bad to worse when his wife reveals she's been having an affair with a married man and is leaving Bao-Li with their daughter. In an act of desperation, Bao-Li turns to illegal activities to make money.

The festival closes on Sunday (November 8) with the thriller-comedy (chiller?) Crush the Skull, about a young couple who make a living off breaking-and-entering homes. Things go awry when their latest target turns out to be the home of a serial killer.

For more details about what else is at the festival, visit the VAFF website.