Festival to highlight Japanese Cinema

The department of communication and culture, along with City Lights, is sponsoring a Japanese film festival this weekend. The two day film marathon will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday and will continue until 11 p.m. Sunday. \nAll free films shown are open to the public and will be shown in Ballantine Hall 013. Each film will be preceded by a brief introduction, given by graduate student Lori Hitchcock -- who organized the festival. The audience will also get a moderate dose of Japanese pop music before each screening. \n"The purpose of these films is to educate people on the diversity and dynamic nature of contemporary Japanese cinema," Hitchcock said. "It's not just Kurosawa anymore," she said, referring to the legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa.\nHitchcock said Japanese cinema is far from being stagnant after Kurosawa's death. \n"There are a lot of good things going on in Japanese cinema," said Sumie Jones, professor of film studies and adjunct professor of communication and culture. "There is a profusion of multicultural and experimental films nowadays."\nThe festival begins at 1 p.m. Saturday with the screening of "Like Grains of Sand" directed by Hashiguchi Ryosuke. The film explores an unusual love triangle between three high school students. \n"The film deals with homosexuality, which is not a common theme in Japan," Hitchcock said. "In\nfact, Ryosuke is one of the very few openly gay directors in Japan." \nThis film will be followed by "Kids Return" at 3:30 p.m. The film is directed by Takeshi Kitano, one of the best known Japanese filmmakers today. The film was made after he was involved in a near fatal motorcycle accident. \n"He does not try to show off like Kurosawa," Jones said. "The beauty lies in the subtlety and simplicity of his storytelling." \nThe film tells the story of two high school dropouts who are trapped in an endless cycle of command. \n"It is a tender, funny and melancholic affair which will come as a delight to ardent admirers," said David Wood of the BBC in a press release. \n"Bounce ko Gals" by Harada Masato is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday. Concerning the phenomenon of "paid dates" in Japan, it garnered much critical acclaim. \nThe last few films Saturday are "made-for-TV" movies by Iwai Shunji, "Ghost Soup" and "Fried Dragon Fish." \n"He is a very self conscious director who loves making films," Hitchcock said. "These couple of films are exercises in style." \nSunday, the film extravaganza continues at 1 p.m. with a transnational feature from Japan and Hong Kong. The film, called "Sleepless Town," is a prime example of Asian film noir, said Hitchcock. \n"The film is part of a conscious effort by Asian filmmakers to make Asian films, as opposed to Japanese films or Chinese films," Hitchcock said.\nThe next films are "Dangan Runner" and "Postman Blues." The double header begins at 3:30 p.m. The films were made by Tanaka Hiroki, who is one of the most critically acclaimed Japanese directors today. The films are both funny and contemplative, said Hitchcock. \n""Postman Blues' also consists of hilarious parodies of 'The Professional' and 'Chungking Express,'" Hitchcock said. "You need to stay till the very end or you'll be disappointed!"\nThe last film scheduled is "Samurai Fiction," directed by Nakano Hiroyuki. Hiroyuki directs music videos, and "Samurai Fiction" is his first feature film. It is about the life of the samurai, and was shot in black and white with occasional bursts of color. \n"It promises to be an exhilarating, hilarious and unique roller-coaster ride. You have Pink Floyd kind of moments in a film about samurai," Hitchcock said.\nReflecting the diversity of contemporary Japanese and Asian culture, the films provide an alternative from the slew of big budget Hollywood flicks, she said.