An accomplished NHK director who will be in Malaysia to present 3 award-winning films
Yoichiro Takahashi joined NHK the Japanese television channel upon graduating from university in 1986. He worked on a series of documentaries and short films before moving to the drama section, where he made a name as an award-winning director. The first of his feature films to gain wide attention and acclaim was Fishes in August, which won the New Directors Prize at the San Sebastian Film Festival in 1998 and the Golden Alexander and FIPRESCI Prizes at the Thessaloniki Film Festival in 1999. His subsequent works Sunday?s Dream and Vitamin F were similarly acclaimed, winning prizes and being selected for numerous international film festivals.
This event is organised by Kelab Seni Filem Malaysia with the supported of The Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur and HELP University College.
Date : 2 & 3 April 2005
Venue : HELP University College Theatrette, Pusat Bandar Damansara, KL
Admission : Free
Program
Saturday, 2 April 8:00pm
Fishes in August (1998; 90 min)
Screenplay: Masato Kato
From the novel by: Natsuo Sekikawa
Photography: Fumio Kodaka
Art director: Juichi Inaba
Cast: Kenji Mizuhashi, Ayumi ito, Yoshiki Sekino
High school student Kenji, a member of the swimming team, falls for classmate Reiko, but she has set her sights on Arai, a Korean-Japanese who is the star of the team. Bravura performances and amazing photography and camerawork distinguish this debut film.
Festivals: San Sebastian, Thessaloniki, Troia, Brazil, Changchun.
Q&A with the director at end of screening.
Sunday, 3 April 3:30pm
Sunday?s Dream (2000; 90 min)
Screenplay: Ryo Iwamatsu
Photography: Kazuhiko Ishikawa, Takeshi Hori
Art director: Hiroshi Arimoto
Cast: Kenji Mizuhashi, Yumika Hayashi, Tetsu Watanabe, Liliy
Kazuya is a dreamy loner on a run of bad luck. Laid off work by his dad, he next finds his personal space invaded by his stepfather. Biking around the red-light district, he stumbles into romance with hooker Suchiko. He asks her out for a Sunday date, but fate intervenes. Beautifully shot on HDTV, this inventive, lyrical and enigmatic tragicomedy was co-winner of the FIPRESCI award at the Chicago Int Film Festival.
Other festivals: Cannes (Un Certain Regard), Sao Paolo, Goteborg, HK, Skopje, Kolkota, Mumbai.
Sunday, 3 April 6:00pm
Vitamin F (2004): 2 episodes: Se-Chan (43 min) & Nagisa Hotel (43 min)
This is a unique work, visualising the award-winning novel by Shigematsu Kiyochi, adapted into 6 episodes by various screenwriters and predominantly under the banner of Yoichiro Takahashi?s direction.
Se-Chan tells the tale of schoolgirl Kanako who tells her parents of a new kid who is being bullied at school, until they realise that the kid is a projection of their own daughter.
In Nagisa Hotel, Tatsuya returns with his family to the hotel where he had stayed ten years ago with an old girlfriend, a hotel unique for its ?future post? where letters can be written and delivered to addresses after ten years.
Q&A with the director after screening of Sunday?s Dream and Vitamin F.
For enquiries, please kindly contact 012-225 5136.
