2008 Japan Film Festival – Bigger and Better than Ever
LOS ANGELES, CA— The newly revamped Japan Film Festival (www.jffla.org) will return April 11- 17 with a brand new home at the ImaginAsian Center in Downtown Los Angeles and a slew of films – many of which will debut for the first time in the US – from some of Japan's most prolific writers and directors in a variety of genres. The second round will take place in Irvine, at the Starplex Cinemas, April 18-20. From anime to award-winning films to Kurosawa classics, the 2008 Japan Film Festival is a prime example of the true versatility and vivacity of Japan's film industry.
Among the list of feature films to be presented are: the award-winning and internationally acclaimed “Hula Girls” (directed by Sang Il Lee); the live action adaptation of writer Fumiyo Kōno's award-winning manga “Yunagi no Machi, Sakura no Kuni” “Yunagi City, Sakura Country” (directed by Kiyoshi Sasabe); “Always: Sunset on Third Street” (directed by Takashi Yamazaki ) nominated in three categories at the 2008 Asian Film Awards; winner of the 2007 Berlin International Film Festival's Netpac Award “Faces of a Fig Tree” [Ichijiku no Kao] (Directed/Written by Kaori Momoi)…and many more!
Japanese animation fans will also be able to get their fix with “Atagoal: Cat's Magical Forest” [Atagoal wa Neko no Mori]; Writer Masamune Shirow's much-anticipated “Appleseed: ExMachina”; and the just-released “One Piece - The Desert Princess and the Pirates: Adventures in Alabasta.” Plus, a collection of never-seen-before shorts from independent animation promotion company “Anime Innovation Tokyo.”
(for a full list, please see the website)
In addition to the feature films, the 2008 Japan Film Festival will also hold a symposium at UCLA's Anderson Hall Saturday April 5th in which a panel of known Japanese directors, producers, and industry insiders will discuss the state of Japanese films outside Japan, past present and future.
Among the list of feature films to be presented are: the award-winning and internationally acclaimed “Hula Girls” (directed by Sang Il Lee); the live action adaptation of writer Fumiyo Kōno's award-winning manga “Yunagi no Machi, Sakura no Kuni” “Yunagi City, Sakura Country” (directed by Kiyoshi Sasabe); “Always: Sunset on Third Street” (directed by Takashi Yamazaki ) nominated in three categories at the 2008 Asian Film Awards; winner of the 2007 Berlin International Film Festival's Netpac Award “Faces of a Fig Tree” [Ichijiku no Kao] (Directed/Written by Kaori Momoi)…and many more!
Japanese animation fans will also be able to get their fix with “Atagoal: Cat's Magical Forest” [Atagoal wa Neko no Mori]; Writer Masamune Shirow's much-anticipated “Appleseed: ExMachina”; and the just-released “One Piece - The Desert Princess and the Pirates: Adventures in Alabasta.” Plus, a collection of never-seen-before shorts from independent animation promotion company “Anime Innovation Tokyo.”
(for a full list, please see the website)
In addition to the feature films, the 2008 Japan Film Festival will also hold a symposium at UCLA's Anderson Hall Saturday April 5th in which a panel of known Japanese directors, producers, and industry insiders will discuss the state of Japanese films outside Japan, past present and future.
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