Japanese films in the Berlin lineup

[mark schilling]

Thanks to Fujioka-san for the list of Japanese films at Berlin. One
question -- the Berlinale press page lists "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi"
(Spirited Away) as being in the competition. I also heard this directly from
Studio Ghibli last week. Has there been a change?

Mark Schilling
schill at gol.com



----- Original Message -----
From: "Fujioka Asako" <asakof at tkd.att.ne.jp>
To: <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2002 7:02 PM
Subject: Japanese films in the Berlin lineup


> This is my annual post to Kine Japan plugging New Cinema from Japan.
> No, it's not a "brand" or a curated program, but just a conveniently
> ambiguous name.
>
> New Cinema from Japan is a loosely organized cooperative that gets
together
> several times a year to support the promotion of Japanese films at various
> major international film festivals and markets. For the past five years,
> staff have set up a booth in the European Film Market during the
Berlinale.
> We are a non-profit organization supported by the Japan Foundation and the
> Tokyo International Film Festival.
>
> When we started out, there was a need on the part of Japanese producers
for
> logistic support (a lot of it was and still is, language) and simple
advise
> how to get around festivals and markets. Over the years, we've seen some
> change for the better. Still, an ideal situation would be for the Japanese
> government to better finance and staff Uni Japan, who could do overseas
> promotion of Japanese films on a constant and year-round basis. (like
KOFIC
> in Korea.) New Cinema from Japan volunteers have "day" jobs that they'd
like
> to get back to.
>
> Here is the Berlin International Film Festival lineup of Japanese films
for
> this year, as far as we have researched.
> For the "films on video" you need to be an accredited industry
professional
> to enter the Market and come see us at the booth.
>
> Fujioka Asako
> New Asian Currents Coordinator,
> Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival
> *******************************************************:
> NEW CINEMA FROM JAPAN lineup for:
> Berlin 2002 (6-17 February)
>
> @@ IN COMPETITION
>
> KT (dir: SAKAMOTO Junji, WP)
> Korea-Japan co-production. Sakamoto (Face) presents a dramatic exploration
> of the conspiracy behind the 1973 abduction of now-ROK-President Kim
> Dae-jung from a Tokyo hotel.
>
> @@ IN FORUM
>
> Alexei and the Spring (dir: MOTOHASHI Seiichi, IP)
> Alexei to izumi
> Documentary photographer Motohashi's sequel to Nadya's Village (Forum 98),
> about a idyllic Belarus village deserted after the Chernobyl nuclear
> disaster.
>
> Daughter from Yan'an (dir: IKEYA Kaoru, IP)
> Yan'an no musume
> Gripping documentary about the wounds left by China's Cultural Revolution.
A
> village girl looks for former Red Guard parents who abandoned her at
birth.
> Projected on High Definition, courtesy NHK.
>
> Manzan Benigaki (dir: OGAWA Shinsuke, PENG Xiaolian, IP)
> Charismatic documentary filmmaker Ogawa's final project about Yamagata
> persimmon trade is completed by a Chinese female director and friend, ten
> years after his death.
>
> The Mars Canon (dir: KAZAMA Shiori, IP)
> Kasei no kanon
> Female director Kazama (How Old is the River?) plays with the wavering
> psychology of a young city woman in this light-hearted romance between
four
> men and women.
>
> Mike Yokohama: A Forest with No Names (dir: AOYAMA Shinji, WP)
> Hama Mike: Namaeno nai mori
> Aoyama (EUREKA) tries his hand at the detective genre: the classic story
of
> the cool and cynical private investigator Mike (as always, played by
Nagase
> Masatoshi). This time, with a new melancholic spin.
>
> The Princess Blade (dir: SATO Shinsuke, IP)
> Shurayuki Hime
> The meeting of hi-tech action and Asian swordplay set in SF fantasy.
Rising
> talent Shaku Yumiko plays the daughter of a clan of assassins in a
thrilling
> drama of filial trust, betrayal, and romance.
>
> A Tree of Palme (dir: NAKAMURA Takashi, WP)
> New anime by animation director of Akira. Wooden robot Palme encounters
> adventures on a journey to the underground world, where he hopes to be
> turned into a human being.
>
> @@ IN PANORAMA
>
> All About Lily Chou-Chou (dir: IWAI Shunji)
> Lily Chou-Chou no subete
> Asia's hit-maker Iwai (Love Letter) sensitively conveys the emotions of a
> bullied 15-year-old's retreat into an enigmatic singer's world. Brilliant
> cinematography, casting, music, et al.
>
> Dark Water (dir: NAKATA Hideo, IP)
> Honogurai mizuno sokokara
> Horror film Ring's golden team director Nakata and writer Suzuki Koji are
> back to scare, with the story of Yoshimi and her 5-year-old daughter who
> live in a dark musty flat with a ceiling that drips water.
>
> Go (dir: YUKISADA Isao, EP)
> Japan's entry for Oscar's foreign language films is about a Zainichi
Korean
> boy with spunk and cool. How does he overcome social and emotional hurdles
> that come with being Korean?
>
> God's Children (dir: SHINOMIYA Hiroshi, IP)
> Kamino kotachi
> Documentary about people living by the largest dumpsite in the
Philippines.
> When a massive landslide occurs, 1000 people perish and others lose their
> livelihood as scavengers.
>
> A Painful Pair (dir: SAITO Hisashi, IP)
> Itai futari
> Saito's third feature about a newly-wed couple who physically feel each
> other's pain. Pregnancy brings panic, as the husband fears the pain he
must
> endure with his wife's delivery.
>
> @@ ON VIDEO AT OUR BOOTH
>
> Chiyoko: Millennium Actress (dir: KON Satoshi)
>   New animation film from the director of Perfect Blue.
>
> Concent (dir: NAKAHARA Shun)
>   Gripping drama of a young urban woman with psychic powers.
>
> Jesus Is My Boss (dir: SAITO Koichi)
>   Yakuzas repent and convert to Christianity. Japan-Korea co-production.
>
> The Lament of a Lamb (dir: HANADO Junji)
>   Based on a popular comic, a boy finds he comes from a bloodline of
> vampires.
>
> Patlabor Theater Version (TAKAYAMA Fumihiko, ENDO Takuji)
>   Sequel to the world famous animation series. Will Patlabor defeat the
> monster?
>
> A Tender Place (dir: NAGASAKI Shunichi)
>   Important work by solid veteran director. The dark sides of human
nature.
>
> VISITOR Q (dir: MIIKE Takashi)
>   A hilarious black satire on the family with Miike's trademark potion of
> violence and sex.
>
> Wave (dir: OKUHARA Hiroshi)
>   Timeless Melody director's second feature is a low-budget indie made
with
> love.
>
> @@ OUT OF COMPETITION (not in our catalogue)
> Spirited Away (dir: MIYAZAKI Hayao)
> Sen to chihiro no kamikakushi
> Miyazaki's newest. Blockbuster animation that broke Titanic's record box
> office returns in Japan last summer.
>
>
> (NOTE)** IP: International premiere  WP: World premiere EP: European
> premiere
> **********************************************
> New Cinema from Japan
> NEW!: 3-2-6 Sekiguchi Bldg. 4F
> Minami-aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062 Japan
> Tel +81-3-5474-5290 / Fax +81-3-5474-3760
> Email newcinejp at aol.com
>
>
>
>