International Forum “The Present and Future of Film Criticism”

International Forum “The Present and Future of Film Criticism”

Nov. 19th (Sun.) 12:00-14:00

Venue: Yurakucho Asahi Square (Yurakucho Mullion 11F)

In last year’s international symposium “The ‘Bright Future of Cinema’ From Asia,” Tony RAYNS expressed his concerns regarding the state of contemporary film criticism. This year, we invite eminent film critics from Japan and abroad to examine film criticism in Asia today, and explore a new style of film criticism for the year 2020 and beyond.

Keynote Speaker:
Jean Michel FRODON (France, film critic)

Panel Discussion:
Jean Michel FRODON (France, film critic)
Clarence TSUI (Hong Kong film critic)
Chris FUJIWARA (USA, film critic)
SAITO Atsuko (Japan, film critic)

*Open to everyone

*Admission free
*Entry granted on order of arrival on the day
*Japanese-English simultaneous interpretation available

TOKYO FILMeX 2017 Line Up Announced

The opening film for the festival will be “Love Education” by Sylvia CHANG, and the closing film will be “24 Frames” by Abbas KIAROSTAMI. Extraordinary new films from spirited filmmakers on the cutting edge of cinema such as HARA Kazuo, SONO Sion and WANG Bing will be presented. In FILMeX Classics, masterpieces of film history and films thought to be long lost will be screened after digital remastering. In the competition section, we will present 9 new films by the best emerging filmmakers in Asia. Special program will focus on Jacques TOURNER.

The film festival will be held on Nov. 18 (Sat) ~ Nov. 26 (Sun) at Yurakucho Asahi Hall and Toho Cinemas Nichigeki.

[Closed] Rediscover Japan – Japanese Animations with English Subtitles

日本語の情報はこちら

Entries has closed because attendance limit was reached. Thank you!

The 11th “Eiga no Jikan” (Movie Time)
Rediscover Japan
– Japanese Animation with English Subtitles
‘The Mochi-mochi Tree’ and ‘The Magic Fox’
英語字幕付きアニメーション上映会

okon-1

Let’s enjoy animation in English and Japanese!
Try making your own, using an app.
Everyone is welcome to join in!

Date/Time: February 21st (Tue), 2017     4:00pm-6:00pm

Open To: Elementary, junior high, and high school students, their parents and caregivers, and everyone else!

Entry: Free

Venue: British School in Tokyo, Shibuya Campus (1-21-18 Shibuya Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

10 minutes walk from Shibuya Station, JR and Metro
10 minutes walk from Meiji-Jingumae Station, Metro

Access Map (PDF)

Event Program:

1) Animated short film screening and talk
2) Make your own stop-motion animation with an app

Attendance Limits:

50 participants
(applications must be made in advance for parents and children, entries will close when attendance limit is reached)

To apply to participate in the screening, please fill in the online form at the link below.

Entries has closed because attendance limit was reached. Thank you!

Schedule:
3:45pm     Reception opens
4:00pm     Event begins, opening greeting
4:10pm     Screening and Talk
5:00pm     Short break, explanation of 16mm film projector
5:10pm     Workshop
6:00pm     Event ends

This screening, featuring Japanese films with English subtitles, is an event that Japanese and foreigners of all ages can enjoy.
Why does animation make inanimate objects look like they’re alive?
Try making a simple stop-motion animation using an app!

 

About the Film

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(C)1972 Echo Co., Ltd.

“The Mochi-mochi tree”(Mochimochi no ki)

1972 /16 mins / Japanese dialogue with English subtitles / 16mm film

Director and Screenplay: Okamoto Tadanari
Original Novel: Saito Ryusuke
Composer and Shamisen Performance: Tsuruzawa Seiji
Narration: Toyotake Rodayu
Production: Echo

Cowardly Mameta lives with his grandfather on a mountain. He is so scared of the Mochimochi tree in front of his house, he can’t go to the toilet alone when it gets late. One night, Mameta’s grandfather suddenly begins to suffer from some kind of illness, so he sets off to find a doctor…

An adaptation of a famous “kirie” cutout picture book, utilizing stop-motion animation with Japanese paper and “joruri” (dramatic recitation accompanied by shamisen)-style narration.

 

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“The Magic Fox”(Okonjoruri)

1982 /26 mins / Japanese dialogue with English subtitles / 16mm film

Director and Screenplay: Okamoto Tadanari
Original Novel: Sanetou Akira
Production: Sakura Motion Picture, Echo

A bedridden elderly woman helps a hungry fox called Okon. In thanks, Okon sings a joruri song that restores the elderly woman’s health. The two join forces to cure other villagers of their sicknesses. Eventually, their lord hears of their exploits, and summons them to his castle…

The loving generosity of Okon and the elderly woman is brought to life through stop-motion animation, using papier mache, clay figures, and more.

 

Let’s try making stop-motion animation!

Using a smartphone and tablet app, we’ll make simple stop-motion animations. See how movies make objects come to life!

* Equipment will available for loan to participants.
* Files of animations made in this workshop will be sent to participants at a later date.

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Enquiries;
TOKYO FILMeX (Staff member in charge: Okazaki)
3F, Trade Akasaka Bldg 5-4-14 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052
Tel: 03-3560-6394
Email: eiganojikan@filmex.jp

 

Presented by: TOKYO FILMeX Organizing Committee (Non-profit Organization)
Co-presented by: The British School in Tokyo
Supported by: National Institution For Youth Education
Nominal Support: Shibuya City Board of Education / Minato City Board of Education
Cooperation: The Japan Foundation / Echo / Sakura Motion Picture

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mochimochi2s

(C)1972 Echo Co., Ltd.

TOKYO FILMeX 2016 Line Up Announced

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The opening film for the festival will be “The Net” by KIM Ki-duk, and the closing film will be “Trivisa” produced by Johnnie TO. New films by directors close to TOKYO FILMeX such as Amir NADERI, Rithy PANH and WANG Bing will be presented. In FILMeX Classics, masterpieces of film history and films thought to be long lost will be screened after digital remastering. In the competition section, fresh faces will be presented with 6 out of 10 films being directorial feature debuts. Special screenings will focus on 2 Israeli films which gained acclaim in the Cannes and Venice film festival.
Please be careful, as the ticket system for this year has changed.
Stay in tune, as we will also be trying new ideas such as Filmarks Award and Under 25 Discount.

The film festival will be held on Nov. 19 (Sat) ~ Nov. 27 (Sun) at Yurakucho Asahi Hall and Toho Cinemas Nichigeki.

KATO Tai’s last documentary work “The Ondekoza” Digitally Remastered, Triumphant Screening at TOKYO FILMeX in November.

onidaikoza

“The Ondekoza” is the last and extraordinary documentary of KATO Tai (1916-1985), who would have turned 100 in 2016. This film, which has been considered unobtainable because of its lack of public screening, is about the young people of “Ondekoza”, a group that continues to play the Japanese drums in Sadogashima. The film took two year to make and when it was finished, the director said, “This is the first film ever where I was able to do everything as I thought.”

The film which has revived as a Digital Remastered version after 35 years from completion, was screened at Venice Classics of 73rd Venice International Film Festival held between Aug. 31 ~ Sept. 10. And the film will make a triumphant return to Japan with the screening held at TOKYO FILMex International Film Festival held from Nov. 19.

With “Tai Kato Restrospective at his Centenary” held at The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (until Sept. 4), do not miss the chance to watch “The Ondekoza”, a film with a growing hype of returning acclamation.

condolences: Francis Xavier PASION

We are deeply saddened to learn that Filipino filmmaker Francis Xavier PASION passed away on March 6th, 2016, aged 38. CROCODILE (BWAYA), his third feature film, was shown at TOKYO FILMeX 2014 in Competition, and was awarded the Grand Prize. 

He was also an alumnus of “Next Masters Tokyo 2010” (currently “Talents Tokyo”), and his new project “REACTIVE” had been selected for “Next Masters Support Program”, a financial support program for the alumni of Next Masters Tokyo, Talent Campus Tokyo and Talents Tokyo. 

Francis Xavier PASION filmography

“Jay” (2008)
“Sampaguita, National Flower” (2010)
“Crocodile” (2014) TOKYO FILMeX 2014 Grand Prize

We would like to express our sincere condolences on the untimely death of Francis.

TOKYO FILMeX
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[Come join us!] Rediscovering Japan – Japanese Films with English Subtitles

日本語の情報はこちら

 

The 10th “Eiga no Jikan” (Movie Time)
Rediscovering Japan – Japanese Films with English Subtitles
“Good Morning” by OZU Yasujiro

映画で日本を再発見!『お早よう』英語字幕付き上映

Untitled 01 1

(C) Shochiku Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Travel back in time to old Japan!
Let’s enjoy a movie in English and Japanese!

Date/Time:    February 2nd (Tue), 2016    4:00pm-6:15pm
Open To:      Elementary, junior high, and high school students, their parents and caregivers, and everyone else!
  (Priority will be given to students from international schools, and public and private schools.)

Entry:        Free
Venue:        Showa Women’s University, Green Hall (1-7-57 Taishido, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo)
http://office.swu.ac.jp/campusmap/
7 minutes walk from Sangenjaya Station, Tokyu Denentoshi Line
1 minute walk from Showa Joshidai bus stop (bus leaves from Shibuya Station)

Event Program:
1:        Film screening
2:        Talk from guest speaker
3:        Mini-game for participants

Attendance Limits:
1 & 2:    600 participants (no applications necessary, entry granted on first-come basis)
3:        50 participants (applications must be made in advance for parents and children, entries will close when attendance limit is reached)

To apply to participate in the mini-game, please fill in the online form at the link below.
https://goo.gl/15TqEr

Schedule:
3:30pm      Reception opens
4:00pm   Event begins, opening greeting, film introduction
4:05pm    ”Good Morning” screening
            (94 mins, Japanese dialogue with English subtitles)
5:40pm      Discussion about the film (15 mins)
5:55pm    Screening event wrap-up
6:00pm   Screening event ends, mini-game participants remain
6:05pm   Mini-game (10 mins)
6:15pm    Event ends  
            *Followed by optional explanation of 16mm film projector

Films are like time machines that can take us on journeys beyond time and national borders.
This screening, featuring a classic Japanese film with English subtitles, is an event that Japanese and foreigners of all ages can enjoy.
What’s more, in our simple mini-game, you can have a fun time trying to speak without using words!

About the Film

お早よう004S(C) Shochiku Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

“Good Morning”
(1958 / Dir. Ozu Yasujiro / 94 mins / Japanese dialogue with English subtitles / 16mm film)

Cast: Sada Keiji, Kuga Yoshiko, Ryu Chishu, Miyake Kuniko, Sugimura Haruko, Shitara Koji, Shimazu Masahiko, Izumi Kyoko, Takahashi Toyo, Sawamura Sadako, Tono Eijiro
Screenplay: Noda Kogo & Ozu Yasujiro
Cinematography: Atsuta Yuharu
Production Designer: Hamada Tatsuo
Music: Mayuzumi Toshiro

In an ordinary neighborhood in Tokyo, two things are very popular with local kids: a farting game, and television. They all look forward to gathering together after school at a friend’s house to watch sumo wrestling matches, instead of doing their homework.
Two brothers, Minoru and Isamu, ask their father to buy them a television set too, but he says no. The boys decide to go on a “silence strike,” in which they don’t speak to anyone at home, in their neighborhood, or at school. Before long, they run away from home, and make everyone else worry about them. Eventually, they return home, but what is waiting for them there?
See what it was like to be a kid in Japan in the Showa period!

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Guest Speaker Profile

Donprofilephoto

Don Brown
Japanese film translator. Born in New Zealand. Moved to Japan in 1999, and worked at the Kawachinagano City Office in Osaka and the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo before becoming a freelance film translator in 2010. Creator of English subtitles for many Japanese films, including Ozu’s “Late Spring” and “Early Summer,” Yamada Yoji’s “The Little House” and “Nagasaki: Memories of My Son,” “Neko Samurai – A Tropical Adventure,” and “Tokyo Tribe.” Also translates scripts for films in development, as well as handling catalog translation plus MC-ing and interpreting duties for film festivals in Japan. Writes “One Take on Japanese Cinema,” a twice-monthly column for the Asahi Shimbun’s English language website AJW.
http://www.donbrown.jp

Let’s explore the world of Japanese film with Don, in English and Japanese!

What is “Eiga no Jikan”?
“Eiga no Jikan” is a film workshop for children, organized by international film festival TOKYO FILMeX since 2008. See the festival website for reports on the nine previous workshops, which have included short film production and programs to enhance children’s enjoyment of watching films.

Enquiries
TOKYO FILMeX (Staff member in charge: Okazaki)
3F, Trade Akasaka Bldg 5-4-14 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052
Tel: 03-3560-6394
Email: eiganojikan@filmex.jp

Presented by: TOKYO FILMeX
Co-Presented by: The British School in Tokyo
Supported by: National Institution For Youth Education
Nominal Support: Setagaya City Board of Education, Shibuya City Board of Education
Cooperation: The Japan Foundation, Shochiku Co., Ltd.