On the subject of Rotterdam...

[Aaron Gerow]

>Another festival favourite was Naomi Kawase's HOTARU. I heard that this was
>not particularly well received by the Japanese critics (it has been released
>in Japan already hasn't it? The director told me it was coming out in March,
>whereas other people gave me the impression it was already out), though I
>found it to be very emotionally powerful, if a little overlong.

It has not been released in Japan since it, as with the other J Works 
movies, was co-produced by Teatoru Shinjuku, which has rights on 
releasing it.  Eureka ended up being delayed by Kao, and Hotaru will show 
after Eureka, but it's not certain when that will end.

Anyway, it still emphasizes what a mess Japanese film distribution can be.

Aaron Gerow
Associate Professor
International Student Center
Yokohama National University
79-1 Tokiwadai
Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240-8501
JAPAN
E-mail: gerow at ynu.ac.jp
Phone: 81-45-339-3170
Fax: 81-45-339-3171