Japanese movies: 22-01-08

Just a quick note to let everyone know that tomorrow night, Tuesday January 22, SBS has two Japan-related films on that look well worth checking out.

From 10pm, Hot Docs features Young Yakuza:

Yakuza is a term which originally stems from the world of gambling, but the word, literally meaning ‘eight-nine-three’, has other connotations. In Japan, more than 86,000 so-called yakuza are members of consortiums that are fronts for the mafia. The yakuza are led by dictatorial bosses and operate in a world with its own set of rules. In contemporary Japan, it is hard to find enough subservient and reliable disciples, who can be accepted into the clan after a one-year internship. Young Yakuza follows one of them, a 20-year-old freeloader named Naoki, who interns with one of the leading consortiums: the Kumagai clan in Tokyo’s Shinagawa district.

From 11:40pm, it’s the movie that tries to capture a unique demographic: Japanese surfers in Australia. I love films that concentrate on one particular subculture – if you do too, check out Bondi Tsunami:

Two young Japanese surfers, philosophical Shark and happy-go-lucky Yuto, set off on a road trip in an old Holden station-wagon up the east coast of Australia, stopping at beaches to go surfing. The pair soon pick up a pretty Japanese girl, Kimiko, an obsessive souvenir soft-toy buyer and fashion victim, and later a mystery man with cool dreadlocks. As they travel, they discover Australian culture along the way, as strange as the Big Sheep, the Big Pineapple and beetroot in hamburgers. The vast landscape inspires Shark’s soul searching. The taciturn passenger, whom they now call Ganja Man, becomes even more mystical when he calls up great surf and when he disappears in the desert for a surf.

Thanks, SBS!

Revelation and Tezuka - Special Interview!

The 10th anniversary of the famous Revelation Perth International Film Festival starts this week. As usual, there are heaps of excellent films on (check out the PDF timetable), but this year in particular we are lucky enough to have a special touring program, Focus on Tezuka – curated by the multi-talented anime and manga expert Philip Brophy – which will feature several pieces by Osamu Tezuka , the man acclaimed as the father of anime.

Tezuka is probably most well known in Australia as the creator of Astro Boy, but (as you can see by the division of the exhibition into family and mature content) he made a wide variety of anime. This is the perfect chance to keep the kids busy over the school hols while keeping yourself entertained too. The Monday double at Luna Leederville is definitely worth a look (see below).

Brophy will also be giving a speech entitled Tezuka: From Manga to Anime at the Bakery this Saturday (July 14), which promises to be a rewarding and enthralling experience for anyone with an interest in Tezuka or anime and manga in general. Check out details below (you will need to book) – we really recommend this one as the type of great opportunity that doesn’t often come to Perth.

As an added bonus we have also been lucky enough to ask Philip Brophy a few questions about Tezuka and anime which will show you how interesting his speech promises to be. You can check out the interview here.

Focus on Tezuka (Films)

Where: Luna Leederville and Luna SX
Map: View map: Luna Leederville Luna SX
When: 12-22 July 2007
Screening Times: Various – see below
Cost: $15 / $12 concession / $9 Tezuka Kids Flicks ($10 with popcorn, grandparents free!)
Transport: Luna Leederville is right near Leederville Station; Luna SX is within walking distance of Freo Station, just off the cappuccino strip.
Inquries: 9335 3904 or info@revelationfilmfest.org

Tezuka: From Manga to Anime (by Philip Brophy)

Where: The Bakery, 223 James St, Northbridge
Map: View map
When: 14 July 2007 2-3pm
Cost: $10 / $8 concession (please book in advance!)
Transport: The Bakery is just off Roe St and Fitzgerald St, so it’s easy walking distance from Perth Station; otherwise there are lots of buses going down Fitzgerald St (see Transperth)
Inquries/Bookings: 9335 3904 or info@revelationfilmfest.org

Screening Times (all times in July)

Family titles (dubbed in English), including several WA premieres (all screenings start at 11am and 3pm):

• Jungle Emperor Leo (PG), a remake of the earlier Tezuka TV series and a response to Disney Studios’ scene stealing – in the literal sense – The Lion King
Luna Leederville: Thu 19th; Fri 20th Luna SX: Mon 16th; Tue 17th

• The Fantastic Adventure of Unico (G), depicted in dizzying kitsch, visual sensations
Luna Leederville: Tue 17th Luna SX: Thu 19th

• TV Series Program 1 (Astro Boy & Kimba The White Lion) (G)
Luna Leederville: Fri 13th, Mon 16th Luna SX: Wed 18th, Fri 20th

• Alakazam The Great (unclassified 15+), the 1960’s animated musical with characteristic Tezuka mix and match narrative, for those who love Monkey
Luna Leederville: Wed 18th Luna SX: Fri 13th

Revelation’s mature component includes anime based on gekiga (adult pictures) manga of deep and sometimes disturbing political and philosophical content (all shows at Luna Leederville):

• Black Jack, the scarily topical story of a debarred master surgeon fighting a viral infection and Metropolis, inspired by a still from Fritz Lang’s sci-fi film, will feature as a special Tezuka double screening
Mon 16th 7:30pm

• Cleopatra, full of hyper-graphic passion and pathos
Sun 22nd 1:40pm

• Space Firebird 2772, infusing Buddhist, Shinto and Zen concepts with sci-fi to create the recurrent Tezuka ‘loner’ figure
Sat 14th 2:45pm

• 1001 Nights, beautifully dated and hedonistically constructed
Sun 15th 12:40pm

Free Japanese Films in Freo

This month, the Australia Japan Society will present a free film event at The Film and Television Institute of WA cinema in Fremantle. On show will be Waterboys, on Friday 18th May and Hachiko, on Saturday 19th May. Both films start at 7.00pm with doors opening at 6:30. The Japanese Consulate’s Hiroba newsletter has more information:

Waterboys is about… Suzuki “the last remaining member of Tadano High School’s swim team. If no new members join the team this year, it will be cancelled altogether. Fortunately, a pretty teacher, Sakuma, is picked as the swim team’s new coach. After class, 30 young men gather at the poolside. Many of them want to join the team for reasons other than a love of the water! Sakuma, however, had dreamed of coaching a synchronised swimming team, an ambition that was shattered when she was assigned to work at a boy’s school. She announces to the students that she plans to teach them synchronised swimming in spite of their gender…” and Hachiko is “based on a true story, this is a heart-warming movie about a dog’s devotion to his master. It also embodies the virtue of loyalty that is so prized by the Japanese”.

Australia-Japan Society Film Festival 2007

Where: The Film and Television Institute, Fremantle
Map: View Map
Date: Waterboys, 7pm May 18. Hachiko, 7pm May 19.
Cost: Free
Transport information: Perth to Fremantle train services run approximately every 15 minutes up to 6.30pm, then every 30 minutes thereafter until 2.30am.　FTI is a short walk from Fremantle train station.
Enquiries: fti@fti.asn.au or (08) 9426 8000

2007 German Film Festival

From April 26 to 29 the Festival of German Films will bring the best new German films into Cinema Paradiso, Northbridge:

Join us for an eclectic and exciting selection of German films – all of them released here for the first time in Australia. Be transported from the dark bars of Berlin to the sunny mountain slopes of Bavaria, find out why 11 year old boys have very adult thoughts, see what the Turkish gang is up to in their neighbourhood and indulge in surprising culinary feasts – on celluloid!

The Goethe-Institute hosts the official website for the festival including a directory of all films and a weblog covering the films as they are shown. For Perth, further information can be found at the Cinema Paradiso website.

Timetable

Thursday 26 April
6:30pm, Four Minutes

Friday 27 April
6:45pm, Heavyweights
9.00pm, Valerie

Saturday 28 April
2.00pm, TKKG
4.30pm, Can – His World Has Its Own Rules
7.00pm, Yella
9.00pm, Dresden – The Inferno

Sunday 29 April
1.30pm, Summer ’04
4.00pm, Hui Buh – The Goofy Ghost
6.30pm, Monks – The Transatlantic Feedback
8.45pm, Eden

Opening Night and Film Celebration

The festival will open with a special opening night event on Thursday 26 April at Cinema Paradiso with a screening of VIER MINUTEN (Four Minutes) at 7pm, followed by an after party at the cinema with a distinctly German flavour. All tickets are $35.

Perth Festival of German Films 2007

Where: Cinema Paradiso, Northbridge
Map: View Map
Date: 26 – 29 April 2007
Cost: General Admission: $15 Adults, $13.50 Concession. 5-Film Pass: $67.50 Adults, $62.50 Concession
Transport information: Cinema Paradiso is conveniently located in the heart of Northbridge. The Blue CAT stop number 13 is directly in front of the building. For those with cars, you can present your movie ticket at the City of Perth Roe St Car Park and get the first hour of parking free. The Roe St Car Park has car entry from Roe St and pedestrian entry on to James St a minute’s walk from the cinema.
Enquiries: paradiso@lunapalace.com.au or (08) 9227 1771

Festival Films

Films for the 2007 Perth International Arts Festival screen at two locations: the Somerville Auditorium, University of WA, Crawley and the Joondalup Pines, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup. All films start at 8:30 and full details can be found on the Lotterywest Films page page of the festival website.

Somerville

Feb 12 – 18th: Along the Ridge (M)
Feb 19 – 25th: As It Is In Heaven (M)
Feb 26 – March 4th: Change of Address (PG)
March 5 – 11th: Familia (MA)
March 12 – 18th: The Method (M)
March 9 – 25th: The Page Turner (PG)
March 26 – April 1st: The Road to Guantanamo (MA)

Joondalup

Feb 12 – 18th: The Bothersome Man (M)
Feb 19 – 25th: Along the Ridge (M)
Feb 26 – March 4th: As It Is In Heaven (M)
March 5 – 11th: Change of Address (PG)
March 12 – 18th: Familia (MA)
March 9 – 25th: The Method (M)
March 26 – April 1st: The Page Turner (PG)

2007 Bollywood Masala Indian Film Festival

The 2007 Bollywood Masala Indian Film Festival is on at Luna Outdoor from Thursday 15th February until Thursday 1st of March and features the biggest commercial and critical successes of the last twelve months, direct from Bollywood. Regular session prices are $14.50 full price and $10.00 concession. Titles include Kabul Express, Rang De Basanti and Fanaa. Check the festival website for full details.

Two big parties will be held as part of the event:

Opening Night and Film Celebration:

A vibrant Bollywood themed evening with delicious Maya Masala Samosas and Indian sweets, Bhuja Original Mix, pulsating Bhangra Musical beats by Minesh Amba, and a spectacular Bollywood dance by Lena John & the Move Dance Project. If that doesn’t get you moving and shaking, we also have Cobra Premium Indian Beer plus a taste of the old Brit Empire days with Gordon’s Gin on Thursday Februrary 15 from 7.30pm. Opening party followed by Rang De Basanti screening indoors at 8.30pm. Party and Film admission: $30.00

Closing Night Film and Celebration:

Whilst the Bollywood Masala Film Festival winds down for another year we celebrate with The Namesake, the new film from Mira Nair ( Salaam Bombay, Monsoon Wedding.) Again we have tasty samosas and delicious indian sweets, catchy Bhangra beats by DJ MixtaBishi from Bhangrology, some dazzling and colourful Bollywood dance and Amstel Premium lager on Thursday March 1 from 7:30pm. Closing party followed by The Namesake screening indoors at 8:30pm. Party and Film admission: $30.00