<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div class="Section1"><div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; ">For people in LA, here is information on the Japan Film Festival Los Angeles. It's happening from April 10th-16th at Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex in Santa Monica and from April 17th-19th at Downtown Independent in Downtown Los Angeles. </span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Tahoma" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Anne</span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Tahoma" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><br></div></div><div><div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "> <span style="font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">JAPAN FILM FESTIVAL LOS ANGELES</span></strong><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">2100 Sawtelle Blvd., Suite 101 Los Angeles CA 90025<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">424-229-0093 <a href="mailto:press@jffla.org" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">press@jffla.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><a href="http://www.jffla.org/" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">www.jffla.org</a></span><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "> <o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><em><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span></b></em><em><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; font-style: normal; "> </span></b></em><em><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span></b></em><em><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "> </span></b></em><em><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">FOR MORE INFO. CONTACT</span></b></em><em><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "> </span></b></em><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "></span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Monday, April 6, 2009 </span><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "> </span><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> Ryoko Leung:</span><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "> </span><a href="mailto:press@jffla.org" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">press@jffla.org</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><strong><u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Japan Film Festival 2009</span></u></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Los Angeles, California</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">—<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Japan Film Festival 2009 presented by the Japan America Media Association is pleased to announce the lineup for this year’s festival. </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black; ">The festival will begin on Friday, April 10<sup>th</sup> through 16<sup>th</sup> at Laemmle’s Monica 4-Plex in Santa Monica, April 17<sup>th</sup> through 19<sup>th</sup> at Downtown Independent in Downtown LA</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">. We will be showing 22 feature films including those that will be North American or Los Angeles Premiers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: blue; ">1. Featured Films<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><b><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Opening Film: The Sky Crawlers</span></u></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "> </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Director: Mamoru Oshii April 10<sup>th</sup> (Fri) 8pm<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Starring: Rinko Kikuchi, Ryo Kase, Chiaki Kuriyama, Syosuke Tanihara, Ai Yamaguchi<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black; ">Animation film featuring the voice of Rinko Kikuchi, Academy Award nominee. Director Mamoru Oshii was nominated for the Golden Lion Award for this film at the 2008 Venice Film Festival.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">"Kildren" are ageless fighter pilots. They continue to live as adolescence until their death in battle. They are destined to fight in endless war to "entertain" the people who live in a peaceful world.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><b><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Closing Film: Vacation</span></u></b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Director: Hajime Kadoi April 19<sup>th</sup> (Sun) 6pm<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Starring: Kaoru Kobayashi, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Nene Otsuka, Ren Osugi, Shuji Kashiwabara<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">2008 Dubai International Film Festival Special Jury Prize winner and Official Selection for the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Hirai, a veteran prison guard, was getting married to Mika, a single mother. </span><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS Gothic'; ">
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Originally hoping to make time to be with his new family, he found out that he would be entitled to a week's vacation - if he acts as the execution assistant.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><i><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Always 2 Sunset Third Street</span></u></i><i><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "> </span></i><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; ">（</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">LA Premier</span></b><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; ">） </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Director: Takashi Yamazaki April 12<sup>th</sup> (Sun) 5:30pm, April 18<sup>th</sup> (Sat) 12pm, April 26<sup>th</sup> (Sun) 2:30pm<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Starring: Hidetaka Yoshioka, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Koyuki, Maki Horikita, Hiroko Yakushimaru<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Starring Koyuki (Last Samurai) and other casts from the previous installment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">The scene is set four months after the previous series in the Tokyo Shitamachi area. It tells of human events of the residents who live in Yuuhi machi 3 chome.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><i><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Mushi-shi</span></u></i><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span></i><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">(LA Premier) </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> Director: Katsuhiro Otomo April 11<sup>th</sup> (Sat) 4:10pm<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Starring: Joe Odagiri, Makiko Esumi, Nao Omori, Yu Aoi<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">A mystery and fantasy movie of Katsuhiro Otomo who directed ”AKIRA” and ‘’Steamboy”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">This is the mysterious story of a ”Mushi-shi” Ginko who has the ability to calm insects and heal people 100 years ago when mysterious insects ”Mushi” existed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><i><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Campaign</span></u></i><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "> </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Director: Soda Kazuhiro April 11<sup>th</sup> (Sat) 1pm<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Starring: Kazuhiko Yamauchi, Sayuri Yamauchi, Junichiro Koizumi, Junko Kawaguchi<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Kazuhiko Yamauchi, the main star in this film, will be coming to JFF for a Q&A session!!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Official selection of the 2007 Berlin International Film Festival. Documentary film.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">In the fall of 2005, 40-year-old, self-employed Kazuhiko “Yama-san” Yamauchi’s peaceful, humdrum life was turned upside-down. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) had suddenly chosen him as its official candidate to run for a vacant seat on the Kawasaki city council. Yama-san had zero experience in politics, no charisma, no supporters, no constituency, and no time to prepare for the impending election.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><i><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Retribution</span></u></i><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span></u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa April 10<sup>th</sup> (Fri) 5:30pm, April 13<sup>th</sup> (Mon) 9:45pm,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">April 18<sup>th</sup> (Sat) 7:45pm<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Starring: Koji Yakusho, Manami Konishi, Riona Hazuki, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Joe Odagiri, Ryo Kase<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa (“Tokyo Sonata”)’s horror film that terrified the world at 2006 Venice Film Festival, starring Koji Yakusho (“Babel”) who is a regular actor in Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s films.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Detective Yoshioka is investigating a mysterious murder case. However, clues begin to appear that point to him being the murder. As the investigation progresses, even he begins to wonder whether he may be the murderer that he is pursuing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none; "> </span></o:p></span></u></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><i><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">The Battery</span></u></i><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> Director: Yojiro Takita April 12<sup>th</sup> (Sun) 3:00pm, April 19<sup>th</sup> (Sun) 12pm, April 26<sup>th</sup> (Sun) 12pm<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Starring: Kento Hayashi, Kenta Yamada, Yuuki Amami, Goro Kishitani, Masato Hagiwara<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">A feature film by the Academy Award winning director Yojiro Takida (Departures).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">A story of a junior high school boy, who feels alone because of his superior talent as a baseball pitcher. He overcomes his conflict with his family and through the process nurtures his friendship with his classmate and “battery” (pitcher and catcher partnership) partner.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><i><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">ICHI</span></u></i><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "> </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">(LA Premier)</span></b><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "> </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Director: Fumihiko Sori April 11<sup>th</sup> (Sat) 9:30pm<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Starring: Haruka Ayase, Shido Nakamura, Yosuke Kubozuka, Akira Emoto, Riki Takeuchi, Takao Osawa<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">A new and female version of the famous sword hero “Zatoichi”, previously performed by world famous actors such as Shintaro Katsu and Takeshi Kitano.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">The heroine, Ichi, depends on only her sword hidden in a cane to fight fiercely with men. She falls in love with a samurai through her fights, which leads to her misfortune.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><i><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">The Gift from Beate</span></u></i><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "> </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Director: Tomoko Fujiwara April 12<sup>th</sup> (Sun) 1pm, April 18<sup>th</sup> (Sat) 2:45pm,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">April 25<sup>th</sup> (Sat) 6pm<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Starring: Beate Sirota Gordon<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Ms. Beathe Shirota Gordon makes every effort to build "essential equality of the sexes" in the Constitution of Japan after WW</span><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS Gothic'; ">Ⅱ</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">. Supported by her effort, Japanese women devote their energies to establishing a sex equal society.</span><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "> </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><i><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">252: Signal of Life</span></u></i><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "> （</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">US Premier</span></b><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; ">） </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Director: Nobuo Mizuta April 12<sup>th</sup> (Sun) 8:30pm, April 19<sup>th</sup> (Sun) 3pm, April 26<sup>th</sup> (Sun) 5pm<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Starring: Hideaki Ito, Masaaki Uchino, Takayuki Yamada, Yu Kashii, Yuichi Kimura<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">With the biggest monster Typhoon ever to hit Japan, people try to survive while in a furious panic. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; ">【</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Tribute to actor, Ken Ogata</span></b><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; ">】</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><i><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">A Long Walk</span></u></i><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "> </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">(US Premier)</span></b><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "> </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Director: Eiji Okuda April 13<sup>th</sup> (Mon) 4pm, April 14<sup>th</sup> (Tues) 6:30pm,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">April 17<sup>th</sup> (Fri) 7pm.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Starring: Ken Ogata, Saki Takaoka, Kana Sugiura, Shota Matsuda, Eiji Okuda<o:p></o:p></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: black; ">Veteran actor Ken Ogata stars in one of his final roles. A multiple prize winner at the 2006 Montreal World Film Festival (2006 Montréal World Film Festival Grand Prix des Amériques, Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, and the FIPRESCI Prize).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 13pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">A middle-aged man who suffers from remorse in his life meets a girl who has blocked out her emotions after being repeatedly abused by her mother. While chased as a kidnapper, he decides to take off on a journey of redemption. <o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><i><u><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Vengeance is Mine</span></u></i><b><span lang="JA" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'MS PGothic', sans-serif; "> </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Director: Shohei Imamura April 14<sup>th</sup> (Tues) 3:30pm, April 17<sup>th</sup> (Fri) 9:45pm<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">Starring: Ken Ogata, Rentaro Mikuni, Chocho Miyako, Mitsuko Baisyo, Mayumi Ogawa<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; ">A story of a man who kills five people and flees through Japan. The film show his life of crime, women, and his relation with his father.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></div><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always; "></span><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 3pt; "><span style="position: absolute; z-index: 2.51658e+08; margin-left: 275px; margin-top: 30px; width: 294px; height: 738px; "></span></div></div></div></div></body></html>