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TV Times

With love from Japan for the 23rd year
By Susitha R. Fernando
A Japanese Film Festival for the twenty third year is to be held in Colombo at the Elphinstone Theatre from October 23 to 26. The seven Japanese films to be screened are on life’s different aspect. The themes include love, valour, jealousy, perseverance, sacrifice and paternal love. The films will have English subtitles to highlight social issues and are based fictional and true incidents.
The opening ceremony of the film festival will take place on October 23 at 6.30.p.m. which occasion would be graced by Hiroshi Karube, Minister, Embassy of Japan as the Chief Guest.

“ Adrinaline Drive” an action packed movie produced by Kiyoshi Mizokami and directed by Shinobu Yaguchi will be the first film to be screened. The story is about a meek and indecisive car rental clerk and a young nurse who are brought together as a result of a traffic accident and an explosion with a trunk full of blood money belonging to a vicious underworld gang who pursue them to recover their lost booty and the timid couple’s valiant efforts to dodge the revengeful criminals.

“Moving” at 3.30 pm on October 24 jointly produced by Hirohisa Mukuju and Hiroyuki Fujikado and directed by Shinji Somai, is a film which focuses on memory and the cleansing effects of fire in reuniting a broken family.

“Ghost Pub” at 6.30 pm on the same day jointly produced by Munetaka Inami, Yoshihiko Furukawa, Shinji Nakagawa and Kei Ijichi and directed by Takayoshi Watanabe is a film more suitable for adults and is a story of a man haunted by the ghost of his jealous wife who is enraged by his second marriage.

She becomes an obstacle to his happiness but becomes a jinni to bring fortune to his friend at the Giants- Tigers game. “A Class to Remember” produced by Shigehiro Nakagawa and directed by Yoji Yamada, highlights specific social and educational problems currently faced by Japan. It rather than being realistic wish for a return to what has long since disappeared from Japanese society.

“Nodo-Jiman” (6.30 pm) jointly produced by Lee Bong Ou and Hitomi Ishihara and directed by Kazuyuki Izutsu is a story surrounding the famous amateur singing contest broadcast over NHK Japan for over 55 years which is the world’s longest running programme. The film depicts how these local amateurs fought an emotional battle to enter the contest amidst a series of events which looked comical.

“Beijing Watermelon” jointly produced by Kaneo Kawanabe and Kyoko Obayashi and directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi is based on a true story surrounding a family who runs a popular greengrocery. Their lives undergo a dramatic change with the arrival of poor Chinese students attending a college close by. Their commitment to help the poor students at the cost of their own business leads them into further misfortune, but not for long.

“Ah, Spring” (at 6.30pm) jointly produced by Shigehiro Nakagawa and Nazomu Enoki and directed by Shinji Somai is a comedy set in a suburban environment. The story is about a middle class executive whose complacent life with his family is disturbed by the sudden arrival of a shabbily dressed man who claims to be his father.

The film festival will also be moved to the D.S. Senanayake Public Library Auditorium in Kandy on October 29 and 30 . Four feature films, viz., “ Adrenaline Drive”, “Nodo Jiman”, “A Class to Remember” and “ Ah Spring”. will be screened in Kandy. Admission to these films will be on first-come-first-served basis and will be free of charge.

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