New Yang Yonghi documentary and AND Fund winners

[fujioka asako]

Here's an announcement for upcoming Tokyo documentary screenings for the week of Oct 23 to 29 in the late show (21:00) slot.  

The final week of the "Yamagata in Tokyo" program will feature six documentaries which were awarded funding from Pusan International Film Festival's AND Fund over the past five years. 

The AND Fund awards Asian documentary projects with a total of ca 160,000 USD per year. Recipients of the Fund are invited to PIFF to present their projects to film professionals and receive advice for the completion of their films. 

KineJapan readers, look out for _Sona, the Other Myself_, _Yasukuni_, _LINE_, and _Mental_!

Nightly at 21:00 this week at Pole Pole Higashinakano; perfect for TIFF visitors who are fed up with Roppongi! Scroll below for directions to the theater. All films have English subtitles.

Oct. 23 (Sat) 21:00 
Sona, the Other Myself
Japan, Korea / 2009 / Japanese, Korean / video / 82 min
Dir: Yang Yonghi
A 15-year video chronicle of Yang Yonghi’s niece Sona in Pyongyang, shot over the course of many family visits. 40 years ago, Yonghi's three brothers migrated from Osaka to North Korea, the so-called "paradise on earth" for Zainichi. Yonghi, who remained behind with her parents, was only 6 years old at the time. This will be the Japanese premiere of Yang Yonghi's follow-up to her renowned _Dear Pyongyang_, and the filmmaker will be present to answer questions after the screening. 

Oct. 24 (Sun) 21:00  
Invisible City 		　　　　
Singapore / 2007 / Chinese, English, Japanese / video / 60 min
Dir: Tan Pin Pin 
An essay on people obsessed with recording the fragmented memories of Singapore, as urban landscapes and lifestyles transform. The director interviews photographers, journalists, archaeologists, people propelled by curiosity to find a City for themselves. Singapore cinema scholar Morita Shigeru will provide a commentary (in Japanese) after the screening. 

Oct. 25 (Mon) 21:00 
Yasukuni 
Japan / 2007 / Japanese / 35mm / 123 min 
Dir: Li Ying 
Chinese director Li Ying’s controversial film on Yasukuni, the Japanese shrine commemorating the war dead. The clamor every year on August 15th, the silence of the last craftsman who forged Yasukuni swords. The project received two prizes from AND, allowing the filmmakers to purchase the cascade of archival footage at the end of the film. 
Read John Junkerman's article on the controversy. http://www.japanfocus.org/-John-Junkerman/3198
Li Ying will attend the screening, which will be the first time he sees the film with a Japanese audience. Amazing, considering box office grossed 10 thousand. 

Oct 26 (Tues) 21:00 
Hope Dies Last in War 
India / 2007 / English, Hindi, Bengali / video / 80 min 
Dir: Supriyo Sen 
33 years have passed since sons, husbands, and fathers who fought in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War disappeared. Families cling to the hope of seeing them again, while governments deny their existence. Supriyo Sen continues to make many award-winning films. The film will be followed by a short talk event with Fujioka Asako, Wakai Makiko, and Mabuchi Ai from YIDFF Tokyo Office. 

Oct 27 (Wed) 21:00 
LINE 
Japan / 2008 / Japanese / video / 52 min 
Dir: Kotani Tadasuke 
This year’s AND Fund recipient Kotani Tadasuke presents his previous film LINE, a personal documentary. By filming Okinawa prostitutes, the filmmaker comes to terms with his relationship with his father and his girlfriend's son. After the screening, Mr Kotani and his team will talk about their Pusan Film Festival experience this year and introduce their new project. 

Oct 28 (Thurs) 21:00 
Bingai 
China / 2007 / Chinese / video / 117 min 
Dir: Feng Yan 
It’s a standoff between the Chinese state bureaucracy and a strong-willed female subsistence farmer, as the pressure to relocate mounts with the Three Gorges Dam construction. A seven year portrait of Bingai, whose love for her family and land just won't let her move. Winner of Yamagata's Ogawa Shinsuke Prize, the film was acclaimed around the world. Feng Yan is currently completing her new film about women who live along the Yangtze River, a sequel to _Bingai_. 

Oct 29 (Fri) 21:00 
Mental 
Japan / 2008 / Japanese / video / 135 min 
Dir: Soda Kazuhiro 
At Chorale Okayama mental health clinic, patients from all walks of life seek help from doctor Yamamoto. The camera captures their words and expressions in verite style and questions what it means to be a "mental" case. Soda Kazuhiro's latest film _PEACE_ has been selected in the competition of the upcoming Tokyo Filmex. 

Pole Pole Higashinakano 
http://www.mmjp.or.jp/pole2/
Click "map" at the bottom of the page
One minute walk from JR Higashi Nakano West Exit, Oedo Line station A1 Exit. 
Follow north side street parallel to the train tracks towards Shinjuku. 
TEL 03-3371-0088

Tickets: 1500 yen at door

Contact: Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival 
Tokyo Office 
TEL +81-3-5362-0672  FAX +81-3-5362-0670
www.cinematrix.jp/dds2010