From a futuristic existential animation about androids to a culturally rich documentary delving into the art of ramen-making, the Japanese Film Festival: Online returns from 14-27 February 2022 with a free streamed Festival featuring the best in Japanese cinema.
The 2022 Festival presented by The Japan Foundation, Sydney will screen 17 films nation-wide for free, including feature films and documentaries. Jff Online 2022 marks the second time The Japan Foundation, Sydney will screen the festival across Australia to enjoy online.
Japanese Film Festival Director, Yurika Sugie said:
“Jff Online invites Australian audiences to celebrate the richness of Japanese cinema from the comfort of their own homes, with an eclectic virtual program traversing the hottest new international film festival award-winners, past Jff favourites and cult hits.”
Japanese Film Festival Programmer, Susan Bui said:
“Enjoy cutting-edge titles from Japan’s finest auteurs in tandem with Japanophiles from 25 countries world-wide as part of this exciting global initiative.
The 2022 Festival presented by The Japan Foundation, Sydney will screen 17 films nation-wide for free, including feature films and documentaries. Jff Online 2022 marks the second time The Japan Foundation, Sydney will screen the festival across Australia to enjoy online.
Japanese Film Festival Director, Yurika Sugie said:
“Jff Online invites Australian audiences to celebrate the richness of Japanese cinema from the comfort of their own homes, with an eclectic virtual program traversing the hottest new international film festival award-winners, past Jff favourites and cult hits.”
Japanese Film Festival Programmer, Susan Bui said:
“Enjoy cutting-edge titles from Japan’s finest auteurs in tandem with Japanophiles from 25 countries world-wide as part of this exciting global initiative.
- 2/9/2022
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Ever since the critical and commercial success of Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land”, the musical, once representative of the old Hollywood studio system, has experienced some kind of comeback. While it seems more like an escapist fantasy to some with its dance and singing routines seemingly coming out of the blue and its wild, vibrant colors, the tales of people being lifted out of their at times dire environment and going through an adventure of their own, make it perhaps the best suited genre for a world in desperate need for some entertainment and fluff. Japanese director Shinobu Yaguchi has been making quite a name for himself as the maker of light entertainment, which has been very successful, also international level. His latest feature “Can’t Stop the Dancing” is no exception to the rule as it tells the story of a businesswoman finding her true calling, while at the...
- 6/6/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
The fifth edition of EstAsia, a film festival in Reggio Emilia, Italy, dedicated to Asian culture, will begin on June 14, after a year of break due to the covid-19 epidemic.
The series of screenings aims to address, from a different angle, the current problems linked to interculturality and integration. Not a festival aimed only at the fanbase and the professionals therefore, but a moment of involvement and dialogue with the foreign communities present in the provincial and regional area.
The Golden Kaiju, a prize created by the artist Hu-Be, will be assigned this year by a jury composed of Nicola Cupperi (film critic), Lara Ferrari (journalist) and Xu Ying (communication professor at Renmin University in Beijing and Chinese director of the Confucius Institute of the University of Bologna). Then there will be the Audience Award and the Youth Award, allocated by a jury made up of students from the Ariosto Spallanzani High School.
The series of screenings aims to address, from a different angle, the current problems linked to interculturality and integration. Not a festival aimed only at the fanbase and the professionals therefore, but a moment of involvement and dialogue with the foreign communities present in the provincial and regional area.
The Golden Kaiju, a prize created by the artist Hu-Be, will be assigned this year by a jury composed of Nicola Cupperi (film critic), Lara Ferrari (journalist) and Xu Ying (communication professor at Renmin University in Beijing and Chinese director of the Confucius Institute of the University of Bologna). Then there will be the Audience Award and the Youth Award, allocated by a jury made up of students from the Ariosto Spallanzani High School.
- 6/3/2021
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
The 21st Japanese Film Festival Nippon Connection is planned as a hybrid event and is scheduled for June 1 to 6, 2021. The event is expected to take place online and at a few selected venues in the city of Frankfurt am Main. On six days, the world’s largest festival for Japanese cinema presents a selection of over 100 current Japanese short and feature-length films. All films will be available via video on demand. In addition, several filmmakers will participate in online discussions and interviews live from Japan. Digital workshops, lectures, performances, and concerts complement the program.
Due to uncertainties regarding the further progression of the pandemic and associated regulations, planning the festival is extremely difficult. The organizing team of the Nippon Connection film festival is hopeful, however, that it will be possible to offer on-site cinema as well. “Film festivals always live from shared moments in the cinema and the film experience...
Due to uncertainties regarding the further progression of the pandemic and associated regulations, planning the festival is extremely difficult. The organizing team of the Nippon Connection film festival is hopeful, however, that it will be possible to offer on-site cinema as well. “Film festivals always live from shared moments in the cinema and the film experience...
- 4/3/2021
- by Rhythm Zaveri
- AsianMoviePulse
Shinobu Yaguchi specializes in feel-good “zero to hero” films, where a group of people take up an unlikely activity, face a number of obstacles, but finally succeed. His film Waterboys was particularly successful and led to a TV series which entered its third season in 2005. He was awarded Best Screenplay at the 2005 Yokohama Film Festival for his film Swing Girls. (Wikipedia)
Having previously won the ‘audience choice award’ at season four of Asian Pop Up Cinema, his film “Survival Family” was brought back as part of the online themed festival ‘father’s day cheer’. On this occasion, we got a chance to speak to the director about challenges in capturing a powerless Japan, as well as his own thoughts on the role technology plays in modern society.
“Survival Family” is screening as part of Father’s Day Cheer on Asian Pop Up Cinema
*Asian Movie Pulse would like to give...
Having previously won the ‘audience choice award’ at season four of Asian Pop Up Cinema, his film “Survival Family” was brought back as part of the online themed festival ‘father’s day cheer’. On this occasion, we got a chance to speak to the director about challenges in capturing a powerless Japan, as well as his own thoughts on the role technology plays in modern society.
“Survival Family” is screening as part of Father’s Day Cheer on Asian Pop Up Cinema
*Asian Movie Pulse would like to give...
- 6/21/2020
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
Within a society driven by technological dependency, “Survival Family” looks at how the familiar family structure would be disrupted when faced with a complete blackout. Backed by this premise, a family of four is forced to venture out in search of necessities as there seems to be no end or insight into the dire situation. While the family has to face hordes of others in the same desperate scenario, they also must learn to understand their place in the family, which was previously subdued by a focus on money and distraction with the conveniences of modern age.
“Survival Family” is screening as part of Father’s Day Cheer on Asian Pop Up Cinema
The sheer amount of work in creating a landscape without any source of power imbues the production with a sense of awe and wonder. The commitment to world building is apparent in every scene, making for a surreal experience in seeing various locations,...
“Survival Family” is screening as part of Father’s Day Cheer on Asian Pop Up Cinema
The sheer amount of work in creating a landscape without any source of power imbues the production with a sense of awe and wonder. The commitment to world building is apparent in every scene, making for a surreal experience in seeing various locations,...
- 6/19/2020
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
Asian Pop-Up Cinema presented by Sophia’s Choice is looking to spread some Father’s Day Cheer with free screenings of three Japanese films on the subject of fatherhood. Registration for each showing is required, you can find those links and more information on the films on Asian Pop Up Cinema site.
The Hikitas’s Are Expecting! (2019) by Toru Hosokawa
Directed by Toru Hosokawa, starring Gaku Hamada, Shiro Ito, Yutaka Matsushige & Keiko Kitawa, this Japanese drama tells the story of a 49-yr-old writer and his wife. They are happily married without children for some time until one day the wife decides she wants a child. After numerous attempts to conceive, nothing happens. In frustration, they go to the hospital to get tests and answers. What they discover is not what was expected. (Asian Pop-up Cinema)
My Dad and Mr. Ito (2016) by Yuki Tanada
Directed by woman director Yuki Tanada, starring Juri Ueno,...
The Hikitas’s Are Expecting! (2019) by Toru Hosokawa
Directed by Toru Hosokawa, starring Gaku Hamada, Shiro Ito, Yutaka Matsushige & Keiko Kitawa, this Japanese drama tells the story of a 49-yr-old writer and his wife. They are happily married without children for some time until one day the wife decides she wants a child. After numerous attempts to conceive, nothing happens. In frustration, they go to the hospital to get tests and answers. What they discover is not what was expected. (Asian Pop-up Cinema)
My Dad and Mr. Ito (2016) by Yuki Tanada
Directed by woman director Yuki Tanada, starring Juri Ueno,...
- 6/10/2020
- by Adam Symchuk
- AsianMoviePulse
The festival will play 46 features from eight Asian countries.
Udine’s Far East Film Festival (Feff) has revealed a lineup of 46 features including four world premieres, for the online-only edition of the event that will run from June 26 until July 4.
It will open with the international premiere of Lee Hae-jun and Kim Byung-seo’s disaster action film Ashfall, available to viewers in Europe only.
The film was a blockbuster hit in South Korea over Christmas, grossing almost $60m (£47.9m) by the end of January.
The world premieres are Ning Yuanyuan’s Chinese title An Insignificant Affair; Daigo Matsui’s Japanese...
Udine’s Far East Film Festival (Feff) has revealed a lineup of 46 features including four world premieres, for the online-only edition of the event that will run from June 26 until July 4.
It will open with the international premiere of Lee Hae-jun and Kim Byung-seo’s disaster action film Ashfall, available to viewers in Europe only.
The film was a blockbuster hit in South Korea over Christmas, grossing almost $60m (£47.9m) by the end of January.
The world premieres are Ning Yuanyuan’s Chinese title An Insignificant Affair; Daigo Matsui’s Japanese...
- 6/4/2020
- by 1101321¦Ben Dalton¦26¦
- ScreenDaily
Based on a true story, where the male members of the swimming team at Kawagoe High School, inspired by the popular Olympic synchronized swimming exhibitions on TV, choreographed and successfully performed their own synchronized swimming event, “Waterboys” was a huge success in Japan, nominated for eight prizes at from the Japan Academy (winning two), and spawning a TV series that lasted for three seasons.
“Waterboys” is screening at Japan Society
Suzuki is a high-school student who wants to become a great swimmer, but continuously fails, not to mention the fact that he is the sole member of the all-boys Tadano High School’s swimming team. The fate of the team changes when a rather sexy new coach arrives at the school, who seems to have big plans for the team. Scores of students rush to join her class, but when it is revealed that she actually meant to train a synchronizing swimming team,...
“Waterboys” is screening at Japan Society
Suzuki is a high-school student who wants to become a great swimmer, but continuously fails, not to mention the fact that he is the sole member of the all-boys Tadano High School’s swimming team. The fate of the team changes when a rather sexy new coach arrives at the school, who seems to have big plans for the team. Scores of students rush to join her class, but when it is revealed that she actually meant to train a synchronizing swimming team,...
- 3/22/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
From April 10 to April 25 2020 Japan Society will present its new series which follows the topic of sports within the landscape of Japanese cinema.
“Like cinema, sports have been integral to the development of modern Japan since the late 19th century when the country opened its borders to the West. Intersecting these two major cultural forces is the multifaceted and ubiquitous sports film, a fluid genre that offers fascinating insight into issues related to Japanese national identity, gender roles and the clash between tradition and modernity. Organized in anticipation of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, this series celebrates the Japanese sports film in its myriad iterations—covering a wide range of athletic disciplines and filmmaking styles, from wartime Japan to the present—including classics, documentaries, anime and commercial crowd-pleasers.”
Screenings:
“Sumo Do, Sumo Don’t” by Masayuki Suo
“Sanshiro Sugata” by Akira Kurosawa
“I Will Buy You” by Masaki Kobayashi
“The Sword...
“Like cinema, sports have been integral to the development of modern Japan since the late 19th century when the country opened its borders to the West. Intersecting these two major cultural forces is the multifaceted and ubiquitous sports film, a fluid genre that offers fascinating insight into issues related to Japanese national identity, gender roles and the clash between tradition and modernity. Organized in anticipation of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, this series celebrates the Japanese sports film in its myriad iterations—covering a wide range of athletic disciplines and filmmaking styles, from wartime Japan to the present—including classics, documentaries, anime and commercial crowd-pleasers.”
Screenings:
“Sumo Do, Sumo Don’t” by Masayuki Suo
“Sanshiro Sugata” by Akira Kurosawa
“I Will Buy You” by Masaki Kobayashi
“The Sword...
- 2/14/2020
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Ryuichi Sakamoto to serve as president of the jury, which also comprises Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Pff director Keiko Araki.
Japan’s Pia Film Festival (Pff) is launching a cinema award in honour of Japanese filmmaker Nagisa Oshima, which is designed to recognise ‘next generation’ talents and give them exposure on the world stage.
Conceived by Oshima’s widow, actress Akiko Koyama, the Oshima Prize will be presented to young Japanese filmmakers who “following in the footsteps of Oshima, continue to take on challenges on an international scale and after making their commercial debuts”.
One of the masters of Japanese cinema,...
Japan’s Pia Film Festival (Pff) is launching a cinema award in honour of Japanese filmmaker Nagisa Oshima, which is designed to recognise ‘next generation’ talents and give them exposure on the world stage.
Conceived by Oshima’s widow, actress Akiko Koyama, the Oshima Prize will be presented to young Japanese filmmakers who “following in the footsteps of Oshima, continue to take on challenges on an international scale and after making their commercial debuts”.
One of the masters of Japanese cinema,...
- 12/9/2019
- by 89¦Liz Shackleton¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Taika Waititi’s provocative Nazi comedy “Jojo Rabbit” has been set as the opening night gala screening at the fourth edition of the International Film Festival & Awards Macao.
The festival packs together a competition section that includes recent festival favorites Gitanjali Rao’s animation “Bombay Rose,” and barely fictionalize modern-day slavery drama “Buoyancy,” by Rodd Rathjen, alongside gala screenings of “Shaun The Sheep 2: Farmageddon,” and Japan’s “Dance With Me,” by Shinobu Yaguchi.
A strong Chinese presence includes “Better Days,” by Derek Tsang; Cannes Critics Week film “Dwelling In The Fuchun Mountains,” by Gu Xiaogang; “To Live To Sing,” by Johnny Ma; and Singaporean director Anthony Chen’s “Wet Season.”
The World Panorama strand films by celebrated directors, includes “The Invisible Life Of Eurídice Gusmao,” winner of Un Certain Regard, “Little Joe,” for which Emily Beecham won best actress in Cannes, and “Proxima,” for which director Alice Winocour won...
The festival packs together a competition section that includes recent festival favorites Gitanjali Rao’s animation “Bombay Rose,” and barely fictionalize modern-day slavery drama “Buoyancy,” by Rodd Rathjen, alongside gala screenings of “Shaun The Sheep 2: Farmageddon,” and Japan’s “Dance With Me,” by Shinobu Yaguchi.
A strong Chinese presence includes “Better Days,” by Derek Tsang; Cannes Critics Week film “Dwelling In The Fuchun Mountains,” by Gu Xiaogang; “To Live To Sing,” by Johnny Ma; and Singaporean director Anthony Chen’s “Wet Season.”
The World Panorama strand films by celebrated directors, includes “The Invisible Life Of Eurídice Gusmao,” winner of Un Certain Regard, “Little Joe,” for which Emily Beecham won best actress in Cannes, and “Proxima,” for which director Alice Winocour won...
- 11/5/2019
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
With a final wave of programming, the 2019 edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival has now released its full lineup, featuring over 130 incredible features from across the globe.
Fantasia International Film Festival
Montreal, Quebec – July 11 to August 1
In addition, the festival is also very proud to announce a record number of repertory titles, its esteemed 2019 jury, a horror film location bus tour through Montreal, and exciting, one-of-a-kind live events with producer Edward R. Pressman, “First Blood” director Ted Kotcheff, and iconic horror host Joe Bob Briggs.
Japanese horror icon ”Sadako” will open fantasia 2019!
Sadako
Twenty years ago, Fantasia celebrated the North American Premiere of Hideo Nakata’s “Ringu” and its sequel, which led to Dreamworks acquiring the franchise and is largely seen as having been the birth of J-Horror in the West. This Summer, the festival is proud to open its 23rd edition with the series’ latest sequel, “Sadako” (North...
Fantasia International Film Festival
Montreal, Quebec – July 11 to August 1
In addition, the festival is also very proud to announce a record number of repertory titles, its esteemed 2019 jury, a horror film location bus tour through Montreal, and exciting, one-of-a-kind live events with producer Edward R. Pressman, “First Blood” director Ted Kotcheff, and iconic horror host Joe Bob Briggs.
Japanese horror icon ”Sadako” will open fantasia 2019!
Sadako
Twenty years ago, Fantasia celebrated the North American Premiere of Hideo Nakata’s “Ringu” and its sequel, which led to Dreamworks acquiring the franchise and is largely seen as having been the birth of J-Horror in the West. This Summer, the festival is proud to open its 23rd edition with the series’ latest sequel, “Sadako” (North...
- 6/28/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
North America’s largest festival of contemporary Japanese cinema presents a diverse slate of 42 films, with over 20 guest filmmakers and talent in person for daily post-screening Q&As, including Cut Above awardee Shinya Tsukamoto.
Premiering 26 features and 16 short films, the summer festival offers a deep dive into one of the world’s most vital film cultures with a diverse selection across its Feature Slate, Classics: Rediscoveries and Restorations, Documentary Focus, Experimental Spotlight and Shorts Showcase sections. This year’s lineup features 19 first-time filmmakers and 14 female directors (the most in the festival’s history), including 10 International Premieres, 16 North American Premieres, 4 U.S. Premieres, 4 East Coast Premieres and 6 New York Premieres. In addition, over 20 guest filmmakers and talent from Japan will join the festival to participate in post-screening Q&As and parties.
“This 13th edition of Japan Cuts provides testament to the continued vitality of contemporary Japanese cinema with a wide array...
Premiering 26 features and 16 short films, the summer festival offers a deep dive into one of the world’s most vital film cultures with a diverse selection across its Feature Slate, Classics: Rediscoveries and Restorations, Documentary Focus, Experimental Spotlight and Shorts Showcase sections. This year’s lineup features 19 first-time filmmakers and 14 female directors (the most in the festival’s history), including 10 International Premieres, 16 North American Premieres, 4 U.S. Premieres, 4 East Coast Premieres and 6 New York Premieres. In addition, over 20 guest filmmakers and talent from Japan will join the festival to participate in post-screening Q&As and parties.
“This 13th edition of Japan Cuts provides testament to the continued vitality of contemporary Japanese cinema with a wide array...
- 6/14/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Centrepiece Highlight
World Premiere of “Dance With Me”
Director Shinobu Yaguchi, Lead Actress Ayaka Miyoshi in attendance
Opening Night
North American Premiere of Masayuki Suzuki’s mystery thriller, “Masquerade Hotel“
Special Guests:
Star of “Love’s Twisting Path” – Mikako Tabe
Director of award-winning “Born Bone Born” – Comedian Toshiyuki Teruya “Gori”
Director Tatsushi Omori – “When My Mom Died, I Wanted to Eat Her Ashes” and “Every Day a Good Day”
Star of “The Gambler’s Odyssey 2020” – Takumi Saitoh
The samurai, of the cinematic variety, are set to descend on Toronto this summer. They are joined by reluctant sake brewers, yakuza assassins, tea ceremony sages, deadly mahjong-playing robots, dashing hotel detectives, and calculating masters of “corporate kabuki”.
Now in its eighth year, the 2019 Toronto Japanese Film Festival brings Toronto audiences 28 of the finest contemporary Japanese films recognized for excellence by Japanese audiences and critics, international film festival audiences and the Japanese Film Academy.
World Premiere of “Dance With Me”
Director Shinobu Yaguchi, Lead Actress Ayaka Miyoshi in attendance
Opening Night
North American Premiere of Masayuki Suzuki’s mystery thriller, “Masquerade Hotel“
Special Guests:
Star of “Love’s Twisting Path” – Mikako Tabe
Director of award-winning “Born Bone Born” – Comedian Toshiyuki Teruya “Gori”
Director Tatsushi Omori – “When My Mom Died, I Wanted to Eat Her Ashes” and “Every Day a Good Day”
Star of “The Gambler’s Odyssey 2020” – Takumi Saitoh
The samurai, of the cinematic variety, are set to descend on Toronto this summer. They are joined by reluctant sake brewers, yakuza assassins, tea ceremony sages, deadly mahjong-playing robots, dashing hotel detectives, and calculating masters of “corporate kabuki”.
Now in its eighth year, the 2019 Toronto Japanese Film Festival brings Toronto audiences 28 of the finest contemporary Japanese films recognized for excellence by Japanese audiences and critics, international film festival audiences and the Japanese Film Academy.
- 5/22/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Jurassic sequel becomes the third highest grossing imported film in 2018.
Incredibles 2 failed to topple Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom which reigned again for the second straight week in the period of Jun 18-24.
The $84m added by Universal’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom represented about 60% of the week’s total box office. With a 10-day total of $188.3m, it has become the third highest grossing imported film in 2018 and will soon overtake Ready Player One for second place.
Disney/Pixar’s Incredibles 2 launched strongly in second with $19.3m from its three-day opening weekend, making it the best Pixar’s debut in China.
Incredibles 2 failed to topple Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom which reigned again for the second straight week in the period of Jun 18-24.
The $84m added by Universal’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom represented about 60% of the week’s total box office. With a 10-day total of $188.3m, it has become the third highest grossing imported film in 2018 and will soon overtake Ready Player One for second place.
Disney/Pixar’s Incredibles 2 launched strongly in second with $19.3m from its three-day opening weekend, making it the best Pixar’s debut in China.
- 6/25/2018
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
Japan’s Close-Knit wins audience award.
Thai high school thriller Bad Genius starring the Screen International Rising Star Asia Award winner Chutimon ‘Aokbab’ Chuengcharoensukying was named best feature as the 16th New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff) came to a close.
Director Nattawut “Baz” Poonpiriya attended the awards ceremony on July 15. His film received its international premiere and opened the 17-day festival on June 30, when Chuengcharoensukying collected her award on stage at the Walter Reade Theater. Nyaff concluded on July 16 with the Us premiere of The Villainess.
Bad Genius was among seven features nominated in the new main competition, which was restricted to films by first- and second-time directors. The inaugural three-person jury comprised actress Jennifer Kim, VOD acquisitions executive George Schmaltz, and festival super fan Kristina Winters.
The competition’s special mention award went to Yoshiyuki Kishi’s A Double Life from Japan, and an honourable mention for most promising director went to Le Binh Giang for Vietnam...
Thai high school thriller Bad Genius starring the Screen International Rising Star Asia Award winner Chutimon ‘Aokbab’ Chuengcharoensukying was named best feature as the 16th New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff) came to a close.
Director Nattawut “Baz” Poonpiriya attended the awards ceremony on July 15. His film received its international premiere and opened the 17-day festival on June 30, when Chuengcharoensukying collected her award on stage at the Walter Reade Theater. Nyaff concluded on July 16 with the Us premiere of The Villainess.
Bad Genius was among seven features nominated in the new main competition, which was restricted to films by first- and second-time directors. The inaugural three-person jury comprised actress Jennifer Kim, VOD acquisitions executive George Schmaltz, and festival super fan Kristina Winters.
The competition’s special mention award went to Yoshiyuki Kishi’s A Double Life from Japan, and an honourable mention for most promising director went to Le Binh Giang for Vietnam...
- 7/17/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Japan’s Close-Knit wins audience award.
Thai high school thriller Bad Genius starring the Screen International Rising Star Asia Award winner Chutimon ‘Aokbab’ Chuengcharoensukying was named best feature as the 16th New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff) came to a close.
Director Nattawut “Baz” Poonpiriya attended the awards ceremony on July 15. His film received its international premiere and opened the 17-day festival on June 30, when Chuengcharoensukying collected her award on stage at the Walter Reade Theater.
Director Nattawut “Baz” Poonpiriya attended the awards ceremony on July 15 and Nyaff concluded on July 16 with the Us premiere of The Villainess.
Bad Genius was among seven features nominated in the new main competition, which was restricted to films by first- and second-time directors. The inaugural three-person jury comprised actress Jennifer Kim, VOD acquisitions executive George Schmaltz, and festival super fan Kristina Winters.
The competition’s special mention award went to Yoshiyuki Kishi’s A Double Life from Japan, and an honourable...
Thai high school thriller Bad Genius starring the Screen International Rising Star Asia Award winner Chutimon ‘Aokbab’ Chuengcharoensukying was named best feature as the 16th New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff) came to a close.
Director Nattawut “Baz” Poonpiriya attended the awards ceremony on July 15. His film received its international premiere and opened the 17-day festival on June 30, when Chuengcharoensukying collected her award on stage at the Walter Reade Theater.
Director Nattawut “Baz” Poonpiriya attended the awards ceremony on July 15 and Nyaff concluded on July 16 with the Us premiere of The Villainess.
Bad Genius was among seven features nominated in the new main competition, which was restricted to films by first- and second-time directors. The inaugural three-person jury comprised actress Jennifer Kim, VOD acquisitions executive George Schmaltz, and festival super fan Kristina Winters.
The competition’s special mention award went to Yoshiyuki Kishi’s A Double Life from Japan, and an honourable...
- 7/17/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Chicago – The filmmaking community of Japan has given us many films dealing with the fallout of man’s modern interventions – usually in the form of giant creatures like Godzilla that reign terror on earth. But writer/director Shinobu Yaguchi is putting a different spin on this age-old theme. When an unusual event knocks out all electricity and electronic-powered devices, one group of kin must learn to keep going in “Survival Family.”
The film kicks off the 2017 Spring Season 4 of the Asian Pop-Up Cinema Series, taking place on Wednesday, March 1st, 2017, at the AMC River East Theatre in downtown Chicago. Director Yaguchi-san will be in attendance, as well as moderator Mark Schilling from the Japan Times. For complete details and to purchase tickets, click here.
‘Survival Family,’ Directed by Shinobu Yaguchi, Kicks Off Season Four of Asian Pop-Up Cinema
Photo credit: AsianPopUpCinema.org
Shinobu Yaguchi specializes in comedy, and “Survival Family...
The film kicks off the 2017 Spring Season 4 of the Asian Pop-Up Cinema Series, taking place on Wednesday, March 1st, 2017, at the AMC River East Theatre in downtown Chicago. Director Yaguchi-san will be in attendance, as well as moderator Mark Schilling from the Japan Times. For complete details and to purchase tickets, click here.
‘Survival Family,’ Directed by Shinobu Yaguchi, Kicks Off Season Four of Asian Pop-Up Cinema
Photo credit: AsianPopUpCinema.org
Shinobu Yaguchi specializes in comedy, and “Survival Family...
- 3/1/2017
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Chicago – What defines success? How about another Season, the Fourth, for the Asian Pop-Up Cinema Festival in Chicago. The premiere themed fest will kick off its 2017 Spring Season run with Shinobu Yaguchi’s “Survival Family” on Wednesday, March 1st, 2017, at the AMC River East Theatre in downtown Chicago. Filmmaker Yaguchi-san will be in attendance, as well as moderator Mark Schilling from the Japan Times. For complete details and to purchase tickets, click here.
‘Survival Family,’ Directed by Shinobu Yaguchi, Kicks Off Season Four of Asian Pop-Up Cinema
Photo credit: AsianPopUpCinema.org
The Asian Pop-Up Cinema series – founded by Chicago film program veteran Sophia Wong Boccio – is a revolving showcase of diverse Asian films, with China, Hong Kong, Inner Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Tibet and Vietnam all represented for the 2017 Spring Season, in films with English subtitles. Screenings occur at the AMC River East 21 in downtown Chicago, the Wilmette Theater in Wilmette,...
‘Survival Family,’ Directed by Shinobu Yaguchi, Kicks Off Season Four of Asian Pop-Up Cinema
Photo credit: AsianPopUpCinema.org
The Asian Pop-Up Cinema series – founded by Chicago film program veteran Sophia Wong Boccio – is a revolving showcase of diverse Asian films, with China, Hong Kong, Inner Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Tibet and Vietnam all represented for the 2017 Spring Season, in films with English subtitles. Screenings occur at the AMC River East 21 in downtown Chicago, the Wilmette Theater in Wilmette,...
- 2/24/2017
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Rugged realist dramas, fantastical monster movies, animated teenage romances — Japanese filmmakers have mined a wide variety of fiction-film genres to reflect on the earthquakes, tsunamis and nuclear plant meltdowns that devastated their country in 2011. With Survival Family, director Shinobu Yaguchi has taken to the road movie to articulate the collective anxiety still haunting his home country.
Giving his city-dwelling protagonists the task of finding a habitable pasture in an extended global blackout, Yaguchi has delivered a gripping but ultimately feel-good chronicle of the evolution of a spoiled, self-indulgent family at a time of crisis.
A mellow and at...
Giving his city-dwelling protagonists the task of finding a habitable pasture in an extended global blackout, Yaguchi has delivered a gripping but ultimately feel-good chronicle of the evolution of a spoiled, self-indulgent family at a time of crisis.
A mellow and at...
- 12/14/2016
- by Clarence Tsui
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Mueller said his unexpected resignation was due to “divergent opinion” with the festival organisers.
The inaugural International Film Festival and Awards Macao (Iffam) today unveiled its lineup of 49 feature films, one day after the abrupt departure of festival director Marco Mueller.
The six-day festival will open on Dec 8 with the Asian premiere of Valérie Müller and Angelin Preljocaj’s Polina, which recently premiered at Venice Days.
The 11-strong international competition section consists of three world premieres (Macao-born Tracy Choi’s debut feature Sisterhood, Shinobu Yaguchi’s Survival Family and Shanker Raman’s debut feature Gurgaon) and two international premieres (Elon Doesn’t Believe In Death by Ricardo Alves Jr and Hide And Seek by Liu Jie).
The rest of the competition is filled by six Asian premieres, including 150 Milligrams by Emmanuelle Bercot, Free Fire by Ben Wheatley [pictured], Queen Of Spades by Pavel Lungin, Saint George by Marco Martins, The Winter by Emiliano Torres and Trespass Against Us by [link...
The inaugural International Film Festival and Awards Macao (Iffam) today unveiled its lineup of 49 feature films, one day after the abrupt departure of festival director Marco Mueller.
The six-day festival will open on Dec 8 with the Asian premiere of Valérie Müller and Angelin Preljocaj’s Polina, which recently premiered at Venice Days.
The 11-strong international competition section consists of three world premieres (Macao-born Tracy Choi’s debut feature Sisterhood, Shinobu Yaguchi’s Survival Family and Shanker Raman’s debut feature Gurgaon) and two international premieres (Elon Doesn’t Believe In Death by Ricardo Alves Jr and Hide And Seek by Liu Jie).
The rest of the competition is filled by six Asian premieres, including 150 Milligrams by Emmanuelle Bercot, Free Fire by Ben Wheatley [pictured], Queen Of Spades by Pavel Lungin, Saint George by Marco Martins, The Winter by Emiliano Torres and Trespass Against Us by [link...
- 11/14/2016
- ScreenDaily
Mueller said his unexpected resignation was due to “divergent opinion” with the festival organisers.
The inaugural International Film Festival and Awards Macao (Iffam) today unveiled its lineup of 49 feature films, one day after the abrupt departure of festival director Marco Mueller.
The six-day festival will open on Dec 8 with the Asian premiere of Valérie Müller and Angelin Preljocaj’s Polina, which recently premiered at Venice Days.
The 11-strong international competition section consists of three world premieres (Macao-born Tracy Choi’s debut feature Sisterhood, Shinobu Yaguchi’s Survival Family and Shanker Raman’s debut feature Gurgaon) and two international premieres (Elon Doesn’t Believe In Death by Ricardo Alves Jr and Hide And Seek by Liu Jie).
The rest of the competition is filled by six Asian premieres, including 150 Milligrams by Emmanuelle Bercot, Free Fire by Ben Wheatley [pictured], Queen Of Spades by Pavel Lungin, Saint George by Marco Martins, The Winter by Emiliano Torres and Trespass Against Us by [link...
The inaugural International Film Festival and Awards Macao (Iffam) today unveiled its lineup of 49 feature films, one day after the abrupt departure of festival director Marco Mueller.
The six-day festival will open on Dec 8 with the Asian premiere of Valérie Müller and Angelin Preljocaj’s Polina, which recently premiered at Venice Days.
The 11-strong international competition section consists of three world premieres (Macao-born Tracy Choi’s debut feature Sisterhood, Shinobu Yaguchi’s Survival Family and Shanker Raman’s debut feature Gurgaon) and two international premieres (Elon Doesn’t Believe In Death by Ricardo Alves Jr and Hide And Seek by Liu Jie).
The rest of the competition is filled by six Asian premieres, including 150 Milligrams by Emmanuelle Bercot, Free Fire by Ben Wheatley [pictured], Queen Of Spades by Pavel Lungin, Saint George by Marco Martins, The Winter by Emiliano Torres and Trespass Against Us by [link...
- 11/14/2016
- ScreenDaily
The series includes I Am Sion Sono!!.
The Forum strand of the Berlinale (Feb 11-21) has completed its programme with a series of Special Screenings.
Artist Ulrike Ottinger’s 12-hour film Chamisso’s Shadow (Chamissos Schatten) opens this year’s Forum with a mammoth screening at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele on Feb 12. At the end of the festival, it will be repeated in three separate parts at CineStar at Potsdamer Platz.
Under the title “Hachimiri Madness – Japanese Indies from the Punk Years”, the Forum is showing a series of newly digitised and subtitled Japanese 8-mm films from 1977 to 1990.
Many of the highest profile directors Japan has to offer today made their debut features in this format but very few of them have ever been shown internationally. The series was jointly curated by Keiko Araki (Pia Tokyo), Jacob Wong (Hong Kong Film Festival) and Christoph Terhechte (Berlinale Forum).
The series includes Sion Sono’s I am Sion...
The Forum strand of the Berlinale (Feb 11-21) has completed its programme with a series of Special Screenings.
Artist Ulrike Ottinger’s 12-hour film Chamisso’s Shadow (Chamissos Schatten) opens this year’s Forum with a mammoth screening at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele on Feb 12. At the end of the festival, it will be repeated in three separate parts at CineStar at Potsdamer Platz.
Under the title “Hachimiri Madness – Japanese Indies from the Punk Years”, the Forum is showing a series of newly digitised and subtitled Japanese 8-mm films from 1977 to 1990.
Many of the highest profile directors Japan has to offer today made their debut features in this format but very few of them have ever been shown internationally. The series was jointly curated by Keiko Araki (Pia Tokyo), Jacob Wong (Hong Kong Film Festival) and Christoph Terhechte (Berlinale Forum).
The series includes Sion Sono’s I am Sion...
- 1/26/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
With today's announcement of a series of special screenings, the Berlinale Forum completes its lineup. There's be world premieres of Ulrike Ottinger's 12-hour Chamisso's Shadow, Serpil Turhan's portrait of Rudolf Thome and Dominik Graf and Johannes F. Sievert's Doomed Love - A Journey through German Genre Films. Then the program of "Japanese Indies from the Punk Years" will feature work by Sion Sono, Shinya Tsukamoto, Nobuhiro Suwa, Katsuyuki Hirano, Macoto Tezka, Sogo Ishii, Shinobu Yaguchi, Masashi Yamamoto and Akira Ogata. » - David Hudson...
- 1/26/2016
- Keyframe
With today's announcement of a series of special screenings, the Berlinale Forum completes its lineup. There's be world premieres of Ulrike Ottinger's 12-hour Chamisso's Shadow, Serpil Turhan's portrait of Rudolf Thome and Dominik Graf and Johannes F. Sievert's Doomed Love - A Journey through German Genre Films. Then the program of "Japanese Indies from the Punk Years" will feature work by Sion Sono, Shinya Tsukamoto, Nobuhiro Suwa, Katsuyuki Hirano, Macoto Tezka, Sogo Ishii, Shinobu Yaguchi, Masashi Yamamoto and Akira Ogata. » - David Hudson...
- 1/26/2016
- Fandor: Keyframe
TwitchFilm is honored to have the distinction of announcing the award winners from this year's edition of the the Toronto Japanese Film Festival. By all accounts the festival continues to grow in popularity, it was their biggest festival so far. Kazuyoshi Kumakiri's My Man, starring perennial TwitchFilm favorite Tadanobu Asano, took home the Jury Prize. And it is no surprise that Shinobu Yaguchi, director of crowd pleasers like Waterboys, Swing Girls and Robo-g, enchanted the crowd in Toronto with his latest film Wood Job! and won the audience award. The full press release follows. Kazuyoshi Kumakiri's My Man and Shinobu Yaguchi's Wood Job! Take Major Awards at 2015 Toronto Japanese Film Festival. Masato Harada's Kakekomi also HonouredKazuyoshi Kumakiri's My Man was selected the winner of the Grand Jury Prize...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 6/29/2015
- Screen Anarchy
Wood Job! (2014) ReviewStory78%Acting80%Directing79%Visuals80%Lots of energy and fun vibeFun performances Great visuals of Japan's mountainous countrysideStory is pretty straight forward80%Overall ScoreReader Rating: (0 Votes)0%
When people think of Japan, most think of its popular culture, neon signs and the busy streets of Tokyo. But when one leaves the busy hustle and bustle of Japan’s modernised capital, Japan’s mountainous countryside reveals a vastly different world which on many fronts is the total opposite of what the city life has to offer. Wood Job! is a film that explores this world through the eyes of a down on his luck city boy, who ends up working at a forestry devision deep in the Japanese mountains. And we are there with him to enjoy as he experiences a whole different kind of hustle and bustle.
Yuki (played by Shota Sometani from the Parasyte series) could use a bit more luck in his life.
When people think of Japan, most think of its popular culture, neon signs and the busy streets of Tokyo. But when one leaves the busy hustle and bustle of Japan’s modernised capital, Japan’s mountainous countryside reveals a vastly different world which on many fronts is the total opposite of what the city life has to offer. Wood Job! is a film that explores this world through the eyes of a down on his luck city boy, who ends up working at a forestry devision deep in the Japanese mountains. And we are there with him to enjoy as he experiences a whole different kind of hustle and bustle.
Yuki (played by Shota Sometani from the Parasyte series) could use a bit more luck in his life.
- 5/31/2015
- by Thor
- AsianMoviePulse
The Fantasia International Film Festival is over for now, but don't be too sad; the 2013 dates have already been announced! Fantasia will be back from the 18th of July to the 6th of August 2013. In the meantime read on for the last news from the 2012 edition.
From the Press Release:
The festive atmosphere of Fantasia’s 16th edition will live on for several directors whose acquisition deals were announced during the festival: Boris Rodriguez, the Montreal director of Eddie: The Sleepwalking Cannibal, is celebrating his new contract for a theatrical release in the United States with Music Box Films. As well, Kern Saxton’s Sushi Girl was recently picked up by Phase 4 and Magnolia, while Quentin Dupieux’s Wrong will be distributed by Drafthouse Films.
The last juries have finished deliberating on this year’s competitions and are pleased to announce the following winners:
Aqcc Jury – Asian Section
President: Daniel Racine,...
From the Press Release:
The festive atmosphere of Fantasia’s 16th edition will live on for several directors whose acquisition deals were announced during the festival: Boris Rodriguez, the Montreal director of Eddie: The Sleepwalking Cannibal, is celebrating his new contract for a theatrical release in the United States with Music Box Films. As well, Kern Saxton’s Sushi Girl was recently picked up by Phase 4 and Magnolia, while Quentin Dupieux’s Wrong will be distributed by Drafthouse Films.
The last juries have finished deliberating on this year’s competitions and are pleased to announce the following winners:
Aqcc Jury – Asian Section
President: Daniel Racine,...
- 8/11/2012
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
Twitch Film and Movies.com once again present the International Trailer Domination Tour, a selection of the best trailers from upcoming international films. For the second week in a row the Itd is an action-heavy affair. What can I say? People like to make movies about people punching each other. 1. The Raid by Gareth Huw Evans, Indonesia We kick things off with Indonesia’s The Raid. The action packed flick won the audience award for the Midnight Madness section of the Toronto International Film Festival and has just been announced as part of Sundance as well with a Us release from Sony Pictures Classics coming in the spring. What better time, then, to release a new, extended trailer. 2. Robo-g by Shinobu Yaguchi, Japan You...
Read More...
Read More...
- 12/3/2011
- by Todd Brown
- Movies.com
One of the most distinctive filmmakers in the world, Japan's Shinobu Yaguchi rose to international attention on the back of his comedies Swing Girls and Water Boys. His work is richly detailed stuff with complex, realistic characters with humor coming out of the situations rather than broad slapstick or unrealistic punchlines. And he's back to his old tricks with the upcoming Robo-g.Tokyograph describes the film like this:The story revolves around a team of three at a small electronics maker, who receive an order from the company president to develop a robot for the purpose of getting the company more exposure. However, one week before their planned announcement at a robotics expo, their robot gets destroyed, so in order to save face they decide to...
- 11/27/2011
- Screen Anarchy
First Teaser Trailer for Robo-g (Robo Jî) by Water Boys and Swing Girls director Shinobu Yaguchi about a group of engineers who put an old man in a robot suit for an important expo.
[See full post to watch this video]
Synopsis:
The story revolves around a team of three at a small electronics maker, who receive an order from the company president to develop a robot for the purpose of getting the company more exposure. However, one week before their planned announcement at a robotics expo, their robot gets destroyed, so in order to save face they decide to take the stage with an old man in a robot suit. Unexpectedly, their “robot” receives huge acclaim and fame.
[via Twitch, Tokyograph & Official Website]...
[See full post to watch this video]
Synopsis:
The story revolves around a team of three at a small electronics maker, who receive an order from the company president to develop a robot for the purpose of getting the company more exposure. However, one week before their planned announcement at a robotics expo, their robot gets destroyed, so in order to save face they decide to take the stage with an old man in a robot suit. Unexpectedly, their “robot” receives huge acclaim and fame.
[via Twitch, Tokyograph & Official Website]...
- 8/29/2011
- by Ulrik
- Affenheimtheater
Writer-director Shinobu Yaguchi occupies a fairly unique space in Japan's film industry. On one hand he reads like a classic indie film director, one who creates clever character based stories with a cinematic eye but minimal frills. He's an observer, and a damn good one. But on the other hand Yaguchi also makes money. And lots of it. Though he is left a large degree of control Yaguchi's films are made with major studio backing and have been enormous commercial hits at home while titles like Swing Girls and Water Boys have won him a loyal overseas cult.Yaguchi's latest, Robo-g, hit's Japanese screens in January and it represents a bit of a departure for the director, at least on one obvious level. Special effects,...
- 8/27/2011
- Screen Anarchy
Shinobu Yaguchi’s breakout movie, Waterboys, was a commercial and critical smash, elevating its writer/director from low-budget indie flicks to the big league. But the zany tale of a group of schoolboy losers who form a synchronized swimming team didn’t do his creative muse much good. When it came time to make a proper follow-up (after the little-seen anthology Parco Fiction), he did the obvious thing: he made the same film again. 2004’s Swing Girls was a much more polished piece of work, but there was no escaping the fact that its zany tale of a group of schoolgirl losers who form a swing band was kind of… familiar.
Based on the name alone, you could be forgiven for expecting Happy Flight, Yaguchi’s latest feature, to be the zany tale of a group of university drop-outs who form a budget airline company. It isn’t, thankfully. Breaking...
Based on the name alone, you could be forgiven for expecting Happy Flight, Yaguchi’s latest feature, to be the zany tale of a group of university drop-outs who form a budget airline company. It isn’t, thankfully. Breaking...
- 12/2/2008
- by James Hadfield
- Screen Anarchy
Yes, Kevin over at Nippon Cinema - always worth a read - has been covering this one for a while but in the lead up to the madness that is the Toronto International Film Festival I just didn’t have the chance to check out the latest from the director of Swing Girls and Waterboys until now. As with those two films the latest from Shinobu Yaguchi looks to be a clever, sophisticated comedy though this time his protagonists have aged a little: Yaguchi has graduated from high school and this time focuses on the world of airline attendants which certainly seems like fertile ground for a mind like Yaguchi’s.
The first teaser was little more than an announcement that the film existed but the latest spot is much more substantive and looks to be a very good time. Check it out in the Twitch Player below the break.
The first teaser was little more than an announcement that the film existed but the latest spot is much more substantive and looks to be a very good time. Check it out in the Twitch Player below the break.
- 9/16/2008
- by Todd Brown
- Screen Anarchy
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