Kenneth Bi
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Bi has written, directed, and acted in Canada
and Hong Kong
in numerous theatre and film productions.
, Ivy Ling Po
and Chin Han
. They have both starred in numerous films and also had a cameo on Kenneth Bi's first film Rice Rhapsody
. Kenneth Bi graduated with Honours in Theatre/Film from Brock University
in St. Catharines
, Ontario
, Canada
.
Local director/producer Teddy Robin enlisted Bi in the multi-talented capacities of actor, writer, and editor in his 1995 film Hong Kong Graffiti, and offered Bi his first chance at the big screen. In 1998 Bi line-produced Slow Fade
for first time director Daniel Chan Fai which was selected into 1999 Berlin Film Festival. He garnered a second accolade in the same year with a Hong Kong Film Awards
nomination for Best Original Film Score for Fruit Chan
's The Longest Summer
which was also an official selection at the 1999 Berlin Film Festival.
Besides working on films, Bi also took time out in 2001 to write a series of eight children's short stories for the Worldwide Fund for Nature. Entitled Lolo's Big Adventures, the series depicts a young black-faced spoonbill's migratory journeys and is aimed at educating school children on the preservation of endangered animals.
In 2002 Bi took on triple duties as assistant director, actor and story co-creator on The Runaway Pistol, one of the most critically acclaimed local films. It premiered at the Hong Kong International Film Festival
and went on to receive three award nominations — Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Director at the 39th Golden Horse Awards.
Bi's script for Rice Rhapsody
was awarded Outstanding Screenplay of 1999 by the Taiwan Government Information Office. It was subsequently selected by Pusan Promotion Plan as an Official Project for PPP 2000. The film was Bi's first 35mm feature film and it appeared in theatres in Hong Kong, Taiwan
and Singapore
. It stars Sylvia Chang
, Martin Yan
, Maggie Q
and Mélanie Laurent
.
Rice Rhapsody premiered at the largest film festival in Asia, Pusan International Film Festival
in October 2004 and was selected into competition at the Tokyo International Film Festival
in the same month. It was also nominated in the Best Actress and Best Original Film Score category at the Golden Horse Awards in December 2004 in Taiwan. It has also won "Best Actress" at Newport Beach International Film Festival and won "Best First Theatrical Feature" at Worldfest
, Houston International Film Festival in 2005.
His second film as director, The Drummer
was released in Hong Kong on October 11, 2007. It stars Jaycee Chan
, Tony Leung Ka-Fai
, Sinje Lee (Angelica Lee
), Roy Cheung
, Josie Ho
, Kenneth Tsang
, Eugenia Yuan
and the internationally acclaimed Chinese Zen drumming group U-Theatre. [The Drummer] will make its North American premiere in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition section at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival
. It is the first film from Hong Kong and Taiwan to be selected for competition at Sundance.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in numerous theatre and film productions.
Biography
Kenneth Bi is the son of legendary movie star from the Shaw Brothers StudioShaw Brothers Studio
The Shaw Brothers Studio , owned by Shaw Brothers Ltd., was the foremost and the largest movie production company of Hong Kong movies.From their distribution base in Singapore where they founded parent company Shaw Organization in 1924, and as a strategic development of their movie distribution...
, Ivy Ling Po
Ivy Ling Po
Ivy Ling Po is a Chinese actress and Huangmei opera singer. She played an important role in the entertainment industry for preserving the art form.-1950s - 1960s:...
and Chin Han
Chin Han
Ng Chin Han , usually credited as just Chin Han, is a Singaporean actor of stage, film and television whose career has spanned over twenty years. He starred in Masters of the Sea, Singapore television's first foray into English-language drama. In recent years he broke into the Hollywood film...
. They have both starred in numerous films and also had a cameo on Kenneth Bi's first film Rice Rhapsody
Rice Rhapsody
Rice Rhapsody is a 2005 film directed by Kenneth Bi. The cast includes Sylvia Chang and Martin Yan. Jackie Chan was one of the executive producers....
. Kenneth Bi graduated with Honours in Theatre/Film from Brock University
Brock University
Brock University is a comprehensive university located in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Brock offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs that include co-op and other experiential learning opportunities to an enrolment of over 17,000 full-time students.The enabling legislation is...
in St. Catharines
St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, Canada, with 97.11 square kilometres of land...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Career
In 1992 he won a Special Merit Award in Toronto for his CBC-Radio Drama, Rice Krinkles.Local director/producer Teddy Robin enlisted Bi in the multi-talented capacities of actor, writer, and editor in his 1995 film Hong Kong Graffiti, and offered Bi his first chance at the big screen. In 1998 Bi line-produced Slow Fade
Slow Fade
"Slow Fade" is a song by the Christian rock band Casting Crowns. It was released as their third single off of their 2007 album The Altar and the Door. It was featured in the 2008 film Fireproof, and also the compilation album WOW Hits 2010...
for first time director Daniel Chan Fai which was selected into 1999 Berlin Film Festival. He garnered a second accolade in the same year with a Hong Kong Film Awards
Hong Kong Film Awards
The Hong Kong Film Awards , founded in 1982, are the most prestigious film awards in Hong Kong and among the most respected in mainland China and Taiwan. Award ceremonies are held annually, typically in April. The Awards recognize achievement in all aspects of filmmaking, such as directing,...
nomination for Best Original Film Score for Fruit Chan
Fruit Chan
Fruit Chan Gor is an independent Hong Kong Second Wave screenwriter, filmmaker and producer, who is best known for his style of film reflecting the everyday life of Hong Kong people. He is well known for using amateur actors in his films...
's The Longest Summer
The Longest Summer
The Longest Summer is Hong Kong independent director Fruit Chan's second feature in the "1997 trilogy", first released in 1998. The first film in the trilogy is Made in Hong Kong...
which was also an official selection at the 1999 Berlin Film Festival.
Besides working on films, Bi also took time out in 2001 to write a series of eight children's short stories for the Worldwide Fund for Nature. Entitled Lolo's Big Adventures, the series depicts a young black-faced spoonbill's migratory journeys and is aimed at educating school children on the preservation of endangered animals.
In 2002 Bi took on triple duties as assistant director, actor and story co-creator on The Runaway Pistol, one of the most critically acclaimed local films. It premiered at the Hong Kong International Film Festival
Hong Kong International Film Festival
The Hong Kong International Film Festival is a platform for filmmakers, film professionals and filmgoers from all over the world to launch and experience new film work. There are seminars, conferences, exhibitions, and parties celebrating the festival community...
and went on to receive three award nominations — Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Director at the 39th Golden Horse Awards.
Bi's script for Rice Rhapsody
Rice Rhapsody
Rice Rhapsody is a 2005 film directed by Kenneth Bi. The cast includes Sylvia Chang and Martin Yan. Jackie Chan was one of the executive producers....
was awarded Outstanding Screenplay of 1999 by the Taiwan Government Information Office. It was subsequently selected by Pusan Promotion Plan as an Official Project for PPP 2000. The film was Bi's first 35mm feature film and it appeared in theatres in Hong Kong, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. It stars Sylvia Chang
Sylvia Chang
Sylvia Chang is a Taiwanese actress, writer, singer, producer and director. In 1992, she was a member of the jury at the 42nd Berlin International Film Festival.- Actress :...
, Martin Yan
Martin Yan
Martin Yan is a Chinese-born American chef and the host of the award-winning cooking show Yan Can Cook.- Early years and education :With ancestral roots in Kaiping, Guangdong, China, Yan was born in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, to a restaurateur father and a grocer mother, Yan began to cook at 12...
, Maggie Q
Maggie Q
Margaret Denise Quigley , professionally known as Maggie Q, is an American-born actress and former fashion model. She currently stars as the titular character on the action-thriller TV series Nikita.-Early life:...
and Mélanie Laurent
Mélanie Laurent
Mélanie Laurent is a French actress, director, singer and writer. She is best known to international audiences for her role as Shosanna Dreyfus in Quentin Tarantino's 2009 film Inglourious Basterds, for which she won Best Actress from the Online Film Critics Society and the Austin Film Critics...
.
Rice Rhapsody premiered at the largest film festival in Asia, Pusan International Film Festival
Pusan International Film Festival
Busan International Film Festival , held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan , South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia...
in October 2004 and was selected into competition at the Tokyo International Film Festival
Tokyo International Film Festival
Tokyo International Film Festival is a film festival established in 1985. The event was held biannually from 1985 to 1991 and annually thereafter...
in the same month. It was also nominated in the Best Actress and Best Original Film Score category at the Golden Horse Awards in December 2004 in Taiwan. It has also won "Best Actress" at Newport Beach International Film Festival and won "Best First Theatrical Feature" at Worldfest
WorldFest
WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival is an annual film festival, dedicated to various types of independent films, held in Houston, Texas.-History:...
, Houston International Film Festival in 2005.
His second film as director, The Drummer
The Drummer (2007 film)
The Drummer is a 2007 Hong Kong-Taiwanese film written and directed by Kenneth Bi. It is Kenneth Bi's second film as a director.The film was released in Hong Kong on October 11, 2007. It features the Chinese Zen drumming group U-Theatre...
was released in Hong Kong on October 11, 2007. It stars Jaycee Chan
Jaycee Chan
Jaycee Chan Jo-Ming is a Hong Kong actor and singer. In 2004, he released his first Mandarin CD album in Hong Kong. He is currently based in Taiwan to continue his music career.-Biography:...
, Tony Leung Ka-Fai
Tony Leung Ka-Fai
Tony Leung Ka-fai is a three-time Hong Kong Film Award-winning Chinese film actor.Because he is often confused with actor Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Tony Leung Ka-fai is known as "Big Tony", while Tony Leung Chiu-Wai is known as "Little Tony", nicknames which correspond to the actors' respective...
, Sinje Lee (Angelica Lee
Angelica Lee
Angelica Lee Sin-Jie is a Malaysian Chinese film actress and pop singer. She started her career in singing and later moved on to acting in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Lee starred in The Eye, the hit Asian horror film by the Pang Brothers, winning her the Golden Horse Award for Best Actress, Best Actress...
), Roy Cheung
Roy Cheung
Roy Cheung Yiu-Yeung is a Hong Kong-based actor, best known on-screen for his roles as Triad gangsters in a number of films.- Early life and career :As a child, Cheung idolized kung-fu legend Bruce Lee but never seriously considered a career in acting....
, Josie Ho
Josie Ho
Josephine "Josie" Ho Chiu-Yi is a daughter of Macao casino magnate Stanley Ho, and a singer and actress from Hong Kong.-Movie career:She was involved in numerous movies, TV commercials, TV dramas, and singing performances....
, Kenneth Tsang
Kenneth Tsang
Kenneth Tsang Kong is a Hong Kong actor. Tsang's career has spanned 50 years and included a variety of acting roles.Tsang was born in Shanghai, China with family roots in Jida, Zhuhai, Guangdong. He attended high school in Wah Yan Hong Kong and then Wah Yan, Kowloon...
, Eugenia Yuan
Eugenia Yuan
-Biography:A Hong Kong Film Awards winner and daughter of martial arts legend Cheng Pei Pei, Eugenia Yuan started out her career not as an actress, but as a rhythmic gymnast for the U.S...
and the internationally acclaimed Chinese Zen drumming group U-Theatre. [The Drummer] will make its North American premiere in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition section at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
. It is the first film from Hong Kong and Taiwan to be selected for competition at Sundance.
Awards
- Best New Director (25th Hong Kong Film Awards) - Rice Rhapsody (2006)
- Outstanding Screenplay (Taiwan Government Information Office) - Rice Rhapsody (1999)