Downtown Hilo Celebrates Chinese New Year With Film

Friday February 10, and Sunday February 12, the Palace Theater will hold its Fifth Annual Chinese Film Fest, held in conjunction with Chinese New Year celebrations on Saturday February 11 at Kalakaua Park.

On Friday night at 7 p.m., the film “The Flowers of War,” will be screened. This war drama features actor Christian Bale, from the “Dark Knight,” and is directed by Yimou Zhang, who also directed “Hero,” and “House of the Flying Daggers.” The story unfolds in an apocalyptic China in 1937 during a bloody invasion and subsequent massacre of Nanjing’s citizens from Japanese troops. The death toll was estimated at 300,000 to 350,000. The story was shot over the span of five and half months in China. This film is not rated.

On Saturday February 11, pack up the kids and the coolers and head to Kalakaua Park in downtown Hilo, for some free fun with lion dancers, art, music, firecrackers and more. At the Tenth Annual Hilo Chinese New Year Festival, people can also purchase food and crafts from booths onsite and sample dishes from the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s culinary arts students. This event is free and takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On Sunday February 12, “Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame,” and the “City of Life and Death,” will be showing. Detective Dee will unravel a dark murder mystery at 2:30 p.m. This film is rated PG-13.

Then at 6 p.m., director Chuan Lu dissects the Nanking massacre in “The City of Life and Death,” and portrays the event with brutal honesty. It is rated R. “The Flowers of War,” shown on Friday night and this film revolve around this same horrifying event in history.

For more information visit www.palacetheater.com, or call, 934-7010. Ticket prices may vary per screening. General admission is $7, senior and student tickets are priced at $6, and Star members pay only $5. The Palace Theater is located at 38 Haili Street. Don’t forget the reading glasses for the subtitling.