Nippon Connection Japanese Film Festival

[Alex Zahlten]

Dear Kinejapaners,

A little late this year, but I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce 
this years Nippon Connection Film Festival, that will start on the 19th of 
April. In its 6th edition, Nippon Connection is by now the largest 
showcase for Japanese film in Europe, showing around 150 films in 5 days, 
ranging from independent shorts to big budget blockbusters. The majority 
of films will be shown in Europe for the first time. 

The film program consists of three sections: Nippon Cinema ? current 
Japanese 35mm productions -, Nippon Digital ? the latest in digital film & 
video, with a wide range of feature film, experimental film, documentary - 
and Nippon Retro, a retrospective which this year will be titled Exploding 
Japan: Subversive genre cinema of the 1960s and 70s.


Over 40 guests from Japan will attend the festival to introduce their 
films, among them this year are Koji Wakamatsu, Toshiaki Toyoda, Hisayasu 
Sato, Yuki Tanada and Isamu Hirabayashi. There will as always be a host of 
lectures and workshops accompanying the program, with Haruhiko Arai 
(Scriptwriter of VIBRATOR and KT, among others, and publisher of the 
magazine Eiga Geijutsu) holding a critical talk on the auteur approach to 
Japanese film. There will be a podium discussion on the connection of sex 
and politics in Japanese film, chaired by Roland Domenig of the University 
of Vienna and with director Koji Wakamatsu, critic Go Hirasawa, Markus 
Nornes of the University of Michigan and some filmmakers from the younger 
generation participating. On three consecutive nights, Jasper Sharp and 
Tom Mes of Midnight Eye and Luk Van Haute, author of ?Revival van de 
Japanse Film? will conduct in-depth interviews with various filmmakers, 
hopefully with much audience participation. 

Also, quite a few side projects will continue our attempts to increase 
interaction between the films and the audience, as well as collaborations 
between artists. The third edition of the Exchanging Tracks project will 
show short films shot specifically for the festival by Japanese 
filmmakers, who used music tracks that European musicians had in turn 
compiled from samples of sounds (from the subway system) and music 
recorded in Japan. Especially the younger Japanese filmmakers present will 
meet young German filmmakers in the ?Filmmakers Forum?, a chance to screen 
their respective films, exchange ideas, concepts, and hopefully hatch 
plans for future collaborations.

As ?Nippon Connection Film Festival On Tour? parts of the program will 
commence to screenings in several international cities, following the 
festival in Frankfurt. Among others, destinations are Leipzig, Berlin, 
Barcelona, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, The Hague and Eindhoven. Additional 
screenings in the US are planned in the fall.  

Despite Nippon Connection increasing in size every year, the festival is 
still run by the volunteers of the NPO Nippon Connection e.V.. The 
dedicated team consists of 20 members, ranging from students to aviation 
engineers. During the festival itself, over 150 volunteers ensure a smooth 
run.

I?ve already seen quite a few Kinejapaner names on our accreditation list, 
and, as you can see above, many even chose to help and participate in the 
festival events themselves- many many thanks to everyone in advance. All 
the films are screened with English subtitles, and many of the events such 
as podium discussion and filmmaker interviews are held in English as well. 
Everyone is welcome, and of you have any questions about the festival 
write to me or info at nipponconnection.de any time. 
Not without reason, the main focus at a film festival are the films, so 
here?s a short overview of the program. A more detailed account can be 
seen on our website (English version online as well): 
www.nipponconnection.de

Hope to see you there!



NIPPON CINEMA

A STRANGER OF MINE (UNMEI JA NAI HITO), R: Kenji UCHIDA, J 2004
ALWAYS - SUNSET ON THIRD STREET (ALWAYS SAN-CH?ME NO YUHI), R: Takashi 
YAMAZAKI, J 2005
ASHURA ASHURA-J? NO HITOMI), R: Yojiro TAKITA, J 2005
BASHING, R: Masahiro KOBAYASHI, J 2005 
THE BOOK OF THE DEAD  (SHISHA NO SHO), R: Kihachiro KAWAMOTO, J 2005
CYCLING CHRONICLE ? LANDSCAPES THE BOY SAW (17-SAI NO F?KEI ? SH?NEN HA 
NANI WO MITA NO KA, R: Koji WAKAMATSU, J 2004 *
DEAD RUN (SHISSO), R: Sabu, J 2005
EXECUTIVE KOALA (KOARA KACHO), R: Minoru KAWASAKI, J 2005
FUNKY FOREST (NAISU NO MORI: FIRST CONTACT), R: Katsuhito ISHII, 
Shunichiro MIKI, Hajime ISHIMINE, J 2005
HANGING GARDEN (KUCHU TEIEN), R: Toshiaki TOYODA, J 2005 *
HI-BI: DAYS OF FIRE, R: Banmei TAKAHASHI, J 2004
IT`S ONLY TALK (YAWARAKAI SEIKATSU), R: Ryuichi HIROKI, J 2005 *
LOFT, R: Kiyoshi KUROSAWA, J / ROK 2004
NEGOTIATOR (K?SH?NIN MASHITA MASAYOSHI), R: Katsuyuki MOTOHIRO, J 2005
OUR HOUSE (MINNA NO IE), R: Koki MITANI, J 2001
RAMPO NOIR (RAMPO JIGOKU), R: Suguru TAKEUCHI, Akio JISSOUJI, Hisayasu 
SATO, J 2005 *
THE STRANGE SAGA OF HIROSHI THE FREELOADING SEX MACHINE, R: Yuji TAJIRI, J 
2005 *
SKI JUMPING PAIRS - ROAD TO TORINO 2006, R: Riichiro MASHIMA & Masaki 
KOBAYASHI, J 2005 *
TALES OF TERROR - HAUNTED APPARTMENT (KAIDAN SHIN MIMIBUKURO: GEKIJO-BAN: 
YUREI MANSHON), R: Akio YOSHIDA, J 2005
TRAIN MAN (DENSHA OTOKO), R: Shosuke MURAKAMI, J 2005
UNIVERSITY OF LAUGHS (WARAI NO DAIGAKU), R: Mamoru HOSHI, J 2004
WHAT THE SNOW BRINGS (YUKINI NEGAU KOTO), R: Kichitaro NEGISHI, J 2005



NIPPON DIGITAL

A VOLATILE WOMAN (KIHATSU SEI NO ONNA), R: Kazuyoshi KUMAKIRI, J 2004
ANIMATION SOUP SPECIAL *
JAPANESE MUSIC VIDEOS *
BAMBI ? BONE, R: Noriko SHIBUTANI, J, 2004 *
B.M.K (BIG MAGNUM KILLER), R:  Mina YONEZAWA, J 2005
COFFEE AND MILK, R: Hironori OKUBOJ 2004
DEAR PYONGYANG, R: Yonghi YANG, J 2005
DIGISTA (Animation Special)
DV DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, J 2004, R: Shun NAKAHARA
FANTASTIC THEATER SPECIAL VOL. 2
GIRLFRIEND, R: Ryuichi HIROKI, J 2004
HAZE (LONG VERSION), Shinya TSUKAMOTO, J 2005
KOO-KI-CLIPS (Japan. Werbeclips) *
MAREBITO, R: Takashi SHIMIZU, J 2004
MOON & CHERRY (TSUKI TO CHERRY), R: Yuki TANADA, J 2004 *
OPEN ART: ANIMATION
OPEN ART: ISAMU HIRABAYASHI SPECIAL *
PLANET STUDYO +1: CO2 SPECIAL *
SPACE POLICE, R: Kazushi WATANABE, J 2004
THE WAY OF THE DIRECTOR (EIGAKANTOKUNI NARU HOUHOU), R: Tomoko MATSUNASHI, 
J 2005
TOKYO VIDEO FESTIVAL SPECIAL VOL. 2
VISIONS OF FRANK (Animation) *
WATERMELON, R: Ryuichi HONDA, J 2004



NIPPON RETRO

GESCHICHTEN HINTER W?NDEN (KABE NO NAKA NO HIMEGOTO), R: Koji WAKAMATSU, J 
1965 *
SASORI II ? JAILHOUSE 41(JOSH? SASORI DAI 41ZAKKYOB?), R: Shunya ITO, J 
1972
ZATOICHI MEETS YOJIMBO (ZATOICHI TO YOJINBO), R: Kihachi OKAMOTO, J 1970
LONE WOLF AND CUB: BABY CART AT THE RIVER STYX (KOZURE OKAMI: SANZU NO 
KAWA NO UBAGURUMA), R: Kenji MISUMI, J 1972
LONE WOLF AND CUB: SWORD OF VENGEANCE (KOZURE ?KAMI: KOWOKASHI UDEKASHI 
TSUKAMATSURU), R: Kenji MISUMI, Japan 1972
GO, GO SECOND TIME VIRGIN (YUKE YUKE NIDOME NO SHOJO), R: Koji WAKAMATSU, 
Japan 1969 *

* = filmmaker or special guest present



-- 
alex at nipponconnection.de

Echte DSL-Flatrate dauerhaft f?r 0,- Euro*!
"Feel free" mit GMX DSL! http://www.gmx.net/de/go/dsl