Eureka awards at Cannes

[Stephen Cremin]

If anybody out there is thinking of focusing on Aoyama Shinji in their film
festival, his WILD LIFE - a favourite I think of Aaron - is about to be
subtitled in English for the first time.  I've exhibited a couple of his
films in the past, and Bitters End who handled several of his films are a
dream to deal with.  (You will have to play a few political strings to
access the print of HELPLESS from the National Film Centre which is in so-so
condition, but they are also very accommodating if you follow procedures.)

The WILD LIFE print is one of several being subtitled by Japan Foundation.
I was one of the people they consulted with for titles which desperately
needed subtitles.  I also suggested KIZUDARAKE NO TENSHI, since to my
knowledge this is the one title in Sakamoto Junji's filmography lacking
English subtitles.  Does anybody out there know the final list?  Anyway, in
the recent debate about the merits of Aoyama and Iwai, I hope this shows
that one can like, even love, both!

Stephen C.

> From: Aaron Gerow <gerow at ynu.ac.jp>
> Reply-To: KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu
> Date: Mon, 22 May 00 10:16:37 +0900
> To: "KineJapan" <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
> Subject: Eureka awards at Cannes
> 
> The Cannes Film Festival closed on the 21st, with Lars von Trier's
> _Dancing in the Dark_ winning the top prize.  Among the Japanese entries,
> only Aoyama Shinji's _Eureka_ was awarded, winning both the FIPRESCI
> Prize (for the official selection) and the Grand Prize of the Ecumenical
> Jury.  Both _Eureka_ and its star Yakusho Koji were reported in the last
> few days to be in the running for awards.
> 
> Other Japan-related films did win awards, however.  Competition runner-up
> _Devils on the Doorstep_ is a Chinese film (by Jiang Wen, and co-starring
> Kagawa Teruyuki) dealing with the Japanese occupation of China, and _A
> One and a Two_, for which Edward Yang won the best director award, was
> partially financed by Japan's Pony Canyon (and features Issei Ogata).
> _Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her_, by Roberto Garcia, which
> was partially financed by NHK, won a prize in the Un Certain Regard
> competition.
> 
> Aaron Gerow
> Yokohama National University
> KineJapan list owner
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