Udine festival to feel 'Pain'

Cop film set to debut at Far East Film event

By NICK VIVARELLI

The international bow of Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's Hong Kong cop crimer "Confession of Pain" -- picked up for a Hollywood remake starring Leonardo DiCaprio -- is among 60 titles set to unspool at Italy's Udine Festival of Far East Film.

Ninth edition will open April 20 with the European preem of hit Japanese Samurai pic "Dororo," with helmer Akihito Shoita expected.

The international bow of Chinese supernatural thriller "The Matrimony"; Filipino spy spoof "Agent X44," by Joyce E. Bernal; and Koji Shiraishi's Japanese chiller "The Slit-Mouthed Woman" are among other highlights of the prominent European showcase for Asian fare.

"The Slit-Mouthed Woman," for which Tartan Films recently bought U.S. rights, is part of Udine's Horror Day sidebar, which also includes Thai helmer Chookiat Sakweerakul's "13." The Weinstein Co. acquired remake and North American rights to latter pic.

Udine will celebrate Hong Kong New Wave helmer Patrick Tam with a complete retro, ranging from "The Sword" to his latest pic, "After This Our Exile," plus a selection of his TV movies.

The non-competitive, nine-day event started out in 1988 as a Hong Kong cinema showcase but has since expanded its horizons to pics from China, Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, Japan, Singapore and Thailand.