Eiga Arts News

[Joss Winn]

This post contains a basic schedule for the rest of the year, notes on
submissions already received and a call for submissions for a two day Eiga
Arts festival in October which will be followed by a tour of other venues
in Japan.


EIGA ARTS PROGRAMMES 1999

June: Iimura Takahiko

July: Video work by Murakami Kenji and Sam Easterson

August: Filmmaker, Koike Tetsuo will be present to show a selection of his films

September: ---

October 2nd: Jon Jost guest curator

October 30th: Special Eiga Arts two day festival sposored by Saga City as
part of the 400 year anniversary celebration of China Town.  Six
programmes. Scott Stark will then accompany the films to other venues
around Japan for screenings and interviews.

November: My own efforts (better get started!)

December: London?  If any London venues would be interested in showing a
programme of Japanese work around Christmas time, please contact me.

                                *****

Iimura Takahiko is unable to come to Saturday's (26th) screening of his
films due to a foot injury.  However, his art coordinator and assistant,
Ms. Yasuda, will be bringing the films and videos down in his place and is
looking forward to talking about  Iimura's work.  Due to his absence,
Iimura has also made a video for Eiga Arts and copies of the catalogue of
his recent show in Paris will be for sale.



*********Good News!   Saga City have offered to sponsor a special two-day
Eiga Arts in October as part of the 400th anniversary of China Town.  Plans
are to invite two Japanese filmmakers and one foreign filmmaker (Scott
Stark) to the screenings which, if possible, will be held in a Buddhist
temple over the weekend of 30/31st October.  The City is hoping to attract
a lot of people over the two days and will be assisting with necessary
promotion.  Two professional projectionist friends will be handling the
films.  So far, two other screenings are being arranged in Kobe and Nagoya
for selected foreign films.  I also hope to arrange a screening in Tokyo.
Films will be accompanied at all times by Scott who will also be giving
interviews and introducing the films at Eiga Arts.

I am currently looking for about 3 hours of recent non-Japanese and 3 hours
of Japanese experimental film (16mm/8mm).  Please email me before sending
any preview tapes.  Deadline is August 31st.   Fees and insured shipping
will be paid for all work shown.*********


Finally.....

An apology:

To all the people who have contacted me in the last few months inquiring
about screening Japanese programmes in the US and Europe:

I apologise for not coming up with anything. I've been slowly working on
it, but it always depends on the time and cooperation of filmmakers here
and organising it is much more time consuming that I expected. If you are
in NYC, there will be
a Japanese programme on August 3rd.  Details to follow.

To filmmakers who have sent preview tapes and I have suggested that
sometime in the near future I would like to show them:

Sorry, showing films once a month, just isn't frequent enough to fit
everything in.  As I've said, I'd love to show your work but have learned
that trying to programme something coherent requires more than just a bunch
of good films/videos.

On the other hand, the Film Maker's Field (FMF) in Fukuoka City (one of the
largest cities in Japan and about 40mins from Saga City), have asked me to
do joint programmes of foreign work I receive, so there is the possibility
of two screenings for foreign filmmakers.  FMF is a group established in
the seventies and is well known among experimental filmmakers in Japan.
They meet every month or so, show films, eat, drink and discuss.  They also
organise a 'Personal Focus' festival each year.

I have also been contacted by VIEW, another well established group of
filmmakers from around the country who organise screenings, publications, a
festival and occasionally invite foreign filmmakers over to show and
discuss their films.  I've spoken to them about jointly inviting a foreign
filmmaker (suggestions?) over next year before Eiga Arts is put to sleep in
July/August 2000 and they seem keen.


Yes, my contract ends in July 2000, and I'm not sure where I'm going/what
I'm doing.  Eiga Arts will take a forced rest as I pack my failed filing
system and a bunch of preview tapes into my suitcase and look for another
home.  If anyone can suggest classes/courses/work for a film-making,
projecting, curating, enthusiast of experimental film with a knowledge of
Japanese, in Japan, the US or Europe, then please let me know!  Ideally,
I'd like to stay in Japan or go back to the US but as a UK citizen, would
need legal work/scholarships, etc, etc......oh, woe is me.....

Best wishes to all,

Joss Winn


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Eiga Arts
1217 Shinden, Kubota-cho, Saga-gun, Saga-ken, 849-0203, Japan.	

Tel. (81)-(0)-(952)68-4722	<edq39077 at saga-ed.go.jp>
Fax. (81)-(0)-(952)68-2989
Mobile. 090-7165-9998

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