• Film Title: Ip Man
  • Director: Wilson Yip
  • Producer: Raymond Wong
  • Screenplay: Edmond Wong
  • Photography: O Sing-Pui, HKSC
  • Music: Kenji Kawai
  • Casts: Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Lynn Hung, Gordon Lam, Fan Siu Wong, Xing Yu, Chen Zhihui, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi
  • Runtime: 106 mins
  • Theatrical release date: 19 Dec 2008 (Hong Kong); 12 Dec 2008 (China); 18 Dec 2008 (Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand); 27 Feb 2009 (Taiwan); 16 Apr 2009 (South Korea); 13 May 2009 (Philippine); 2 Oct 2009 (England); 17 Jun 2010 (Kuwait); 1 Oct 2010 (USA); 12 Nov 2010 (Poland); 19 Feb 2011 Japan
  • Language: Cantonese, Mandarin
  • Awards: Best Actor, Favorite Director (Beijing Student Film Festival); Technical Achievement (Fantasia Festival, 2009); Best Action Choreography (46th Golden Horse Film Awards); Best Film, Best Action Choreography (28th Hong Kong Film Awards); Outstanding Abroad Actor (Huabiao Film Awards); Film of Merit (Shanghai Film Critics Awards); Orient Express Award (Sitges – Catalonian International Film Festival); Best Picture, Best Action Choreography, Best Actor (2nd Iron Elephant Awards)

Synopsis: In 1930s, Foshan is a hub of Southern Chinese martial arts, where various schools actively recruit disciples and compete against each other. The Wing Chun master Ip Man keeps a low profile, who spends time on his training, meeting with friends, and family. Ip’s reputation is further enhanced when he defeats an aggressive and highly skilled Northern Chinese martial arts master, Jin Shanzhao. The Japanese invasion in 1937 adversely affects the life of everyone in Foshan. Ip and his family lose their wealth and are forced to move into a decrepit house. Desperate to support his family, Ip accepts work at a coal mine. The Japanese General Miura, who is a Karate master. The Chinese earn a bag of rice for every match they win. Li Zhao, a former police officer and Ip’s acquaintance, is now working as a translator for the Japanese. Ip at first declines to participate in the matches. However, he is enraged when he sees a fellow Foshan master (Master Liu) mercilessly. Barely able to contain his rage, Ip demands a match with ten karate at once. He proceeds to mercilessly crush each of them and his skill arouses the interest of Miura, who seeks to learn more about Ip and see him fight again. Ip visits his friend Chow Ching-chuen, who owns and runs a cotton mill in Foshan. Chow tells Ip that a highway robbery gang led by Jin Shanzhao is harassing his workers and trying to extort money from them. Ip trains the workers in Wing Chun for self-defense. The workers fight back using the techniques that Ip taught them, and Ip warned him never to harass the workers again. Meanwhile, Miura grows impatient when Ip does not return to the arena. The Japanese soldiers eventually find Ip at the cotton mill. Miura tells Ip that his life will be spared if he agrees to instruct the Japanese soldiers in martial arts. Ip refuses and challenges Miura to a match. The match between Ip and Miura is held in public in Foshan’s square. Miura soon finds himself unable to penetrate Ip’s impeccable defense and becomes overwhelmed by his relentless and direct blows. As the beaten general lies down after his defeat, Ip looks over to the cheering Chinese crowd and spots his wife and child with Chow…