Review:「ゼロの焦点」(Zero no Shōten/Zero Focus) and Q&A

Tags

adaptation, Film Festival, ICA, Japan Foundation, London

Year: 2009
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese
Director: Inudo Isshin
Adaptation from: Matsumoto Seicho’s bestselling novel of the same title (1959)
Screenplay:  Inudo Isshin, Nakazono Kenji
Cinematography: Takahiro Tsutai
Soundscore: Ueno Koji (Theme song: Nakajima Miyuki)
Cast: Hirosue Ryoko, Nakatani Miki, Kimura Tae, Nishijima Hidetoshi, Kaga Takeshi, Nomaguchi Tori, Sugimoto Tetta, Kuroda Fukumi, Honda Hirotarō
Runtime: 131 min
Distribution: Toho (Japan)

Trailer:

Seen at the ICA as part of the Japan Foundation’s 10th Touring Film Programme “Once Upon a Time in Japan”. The film screened February 3 (sold out) and 5 (nearly sold out), with a Q&A with the director following on both days. The JPF also organised a Director’s Talk with Inudo on February 6. For further screenings in the UK see Bonus Bits below.

To make an author’s most popular bestseller into a successful film can never be easy, but imagine the challenge if that the story has already been told on the screen multiple times – once as a film (1961, dir. by Nomura Yoshitaru), sixfold as a TV dorama (1961, Fuji TV; 1971, NKH; 1976, Nippon Television; 1983, TBS; 1991, again Nippon Television and 1994, NKH Nagoya). It also doesn’t help if the tale in question is a mystery drama and everyone, thanks to the original’s and the numerous screen adaptations’ popularity, already knows whodunnit. Yet this is the challenge that Inudo Isshin, commissioned by the production studio, took on when setting out to make another Zero no Shōten film in time for the 100th anniversary of the novelist’s birthdate.

Double Trailer Weekly #69 + #70

Tags

adaptation, documentary, ICA, London, Okada Masaki, trailers

In an effort to not fall behind with the Trailer Weeklies even more, I’m doing a double Trailer Weekly today – lots of films thus. I am a little late with that too, but that’s because I got to see「ゼロの焦点」 (Zero no Shōten/Zero Focus, Japan, 2009) from the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme tonight last night when I thought I wouldn’t (the screening was sold out but I got lucky in the end as the first one on the waiting list ). It was quite a thrill to watch – a murder mystery set at a turning point in time for the Japanese nation. 「八日目の蝉」 (Youkame no Semi/Rebirth, Japan, 2011), another film on the Touring Film Programme that I saw on Friday, I enjoyed even more, but hopefully I’ll be able to share my thoughts with you in detail in some reviews soon.

Before we tackle the monster list of eleven trailers, I just wanted to mention (in case you missed it) that I added a new page on Otherwhere: a schedule of all the 2013 (South East) Asian film releases (both home and cinematic) in the UK.

February 2013 Events

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Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Film Festival, Glasgow, ICA, Japanese Embassy London, KCCUK, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Nottingham, Sheffield, Studio Ghibli

You are not going to run out things to do (or, rather, films to watch) in February, regardless of where you are in the UK.

Note: I’m not really providing synopses this time round, there are simply too many films. Just click on the external links, where you’ll find more info.

As always, if I’ve missed anything, get in touch!

LAST UPDATED: 6/2/2013

January 2013 Events

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Barbican, ICA, Japanese Embassy London, KCCUK, Korean Film Night, London, Manchester, Studio Ghibli, Terracotta

It’s January, which means it’s a new year. And plenty of things for you to do and films to see this month already, although we are bit on the thin side Korean-wise (at least for the moment).

Let me know if I have missed anything!

LAST UPDATED: 14/1/2013

Not Quite Final Thoughts on the Year of 12 Directors

Tags

BFI, ICA, KCCUK, Korean Film Night, London, Q&A, Year of 12 Directors

The Korean Cultural Centre in London (aka the KCCUK) gave Korean cinephiles a special treat in 2012 with the Year of 12 Directors: one Korean director for every month of the year, four screenings (most of them free) for each filmmaker, with a bonus for the final session: a Q&A event with the director of that month flown in straight from South Korea.

Now that the Year of 12 Directors is over, it’s time to reflect.

Once Upon a Time in Japan: 10th Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme

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Birmingham, Edinburgh, Film Festival, Hosoda Mamoru, ICA, Japan Foundation, Katabuchi Sunao, London

Premiere Japan somehow never happened, but fortunately the Japan Foundation’s Touring Film Programme continues to exist – and that I know for certain thanks to an email in my inbox a few days ago, which came with all the details for the 10th edition of the event. Entitled “Once Upon a Time in Japan: Reinventing the Past Through the Eyes of Japanese Contemporary Filmmakers”, this (well, next) year’s focus is on the past. The “contemporary filmmakers” in the line-up include Miike Takashi, Katabuchi Sunao, Koreeda Hirokazu and Inudō Isshin among others.

UPDATED 3/1/2013

Run Far, Fly High: Im Kwon-Taek Season at the BFI and the ICA

Tags

BFI, ICA, KCCUK, Korean Film Night, London, Year of 12 Directors

UPDATED: 10/10/2012

Well, here’s another benefit of having recently become a BFI member: their monthly guide came tumbling through the mail box this dreary-wet morning with details on an upcoming Im Kwon-Taek season.

We had some vague knowledge about this already as it has been listed on the programme for the KCCUK’s Year of 12 Directors since the beginning of the year, but now follow the details: eight film screenings plus a special “Im Kwon-Taek in Conversation” event at the BFI plus seven films at the ICA.

Review: রানওয়ে (Rāna’ōẏē/Runway)

Tags

Film Festival, ICA, London

Year: 2011
Country: Bangladesh
Language: Bengali
Director: Tareque Masud
Screenplay: Tareque Masud and Catherine Masud
Cast: Fazlul Haque, Rabeya Akta-Moni, Ali Ahsan, Nazmul Huda Bachchu, Nasrin Akter
Runtime: 90 min
Trailer: on YouTube
Film’s official website: Runway

Seen at a screening at the ICA as part of the London Indian Film Festival. The film also recently screened at London’s East End Film Festival.

Tareque Masud’s final feature film – the director tragically died in a car accident last year - opens with thematic shots, introducing viewers, before any words are uttered, to a number of key subjects in Rāna’ōẏē. The poverty that the main family of Rāna’ōẏē lives in is immediately obvious, their shabby little hut by the side of the Dhaka airport heavily shaking as the first plane takes off before the sun has yet risen, interrupting the morning peace with thunderous noise. Soon after, Rahima (Rabeya Akta-Moni), the mother, tends to the family cow whose milk earns them some money, and Fatima, the daughter (Nasrin Akter), sets off to work in a garment factory – the two women are the breadwinners of the family. And then there is an old man, the grandfather (Nazmul Huda Bachchu), who lowers his head in devout respect to Allah as he performs his morning prayers, hinting at the role of religion in the film. Only the son, Ruhul (Fazlul Haque), has no real part to play, he is unemployed and without having completed his education has lost any hope in finding a job.

July Events Calendar

Tags

BFI, Film Festival, ICA, Japanese Embassy London, Korean Film Night, London, Miyazaki Hayao, Studio Ghibli, Year of 12 Directors

UPDATED: 11/7/12

This month starts off with a bang as several festivals continue and others are about to commence. It gets a bit quieter towards the middle and end of July, but perhaps that’s not to compete too much with Olympics? Well, that’s the rationale we can make for London at least.

Review: 달팽이의 별 (Dalpaengieui Byeol/Planet of Snail) and Q&A

Tags

documentary, ICA, London

Year: 2011
Country: South Korea/Finland/Japan
Language: Korean
Director: Yi Seungjun (이승준)
Genre: Documentary
Soundscore: Min Seong-ki
Sound Post Production: Äänipää
Sound designer/editor: Sami Kiiski (S.Y.T.M.Ä) 
Cast: Young-chan (as himself), Soon-ho (as herself)
Runtime: 87 min.
Trailer: on YouTube
Film’s official website: Planet of Snail website; Planet of Snail page of UK distributor Dogwoof.

Seen at a special screening at the ICA that included a Q&A with Yi Seungjun. There are two more screenings scheduled this week (June 27 and 28).

We call ourselves ‘snails’ because we cannot hear or see and our lives are as slow as the snails. Now I live on earth where time runs so fast which makes [it] hard to follow the life of the earthmen.

The words of Young-chan, a young, deaf-blind man whose every day life is at the heart of Yi Seungjun’s award-winning documentary 달팽이의 별 (Dalpaengieui Byeol/Planet of Snail), echo poetically as he describes himself, his wife Soon-ho and their also disabled friends but don’t feel quite true.

June Events Calendar

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Barbican, Edinburgh, Film Festival, ICA, Japanese Embassy London, KCCUK, Korean Film Night, London

UPDATED 9/6/2012 – BFI links fixed!

A great range of events this month. Lots of fabulous films. The ICA in particular is showing plenty of love for Korean cinema and then there is of course the Edinburgh International Film Festival, which has all kind of gems on offer.

May Events Calendar

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Film Festival, ICA, Japanese Embassy London, KCCUK, Korean Film Night, London, Studio Ghibli

There are loads, so get ready:

Review: ネムリユスリカ (Nemuri Yusurika/Sleep) plus Q&A

Tags

ICA, London, Q&A

Year: 2011
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese
Director: Sakaguchi Katsumi
Screenplay: Sakaguchi Katsumi
Cinematography: no names available
Cast: Hirano Mariko, Kobayashi Aimi, Komagata Miyuki
Runtime: 96 min
Trailer: on YouTube (short trailer only)
Film’s official website: Nemuri Yusurika (in Japanese only)

Seen at the ICA as part of The Japan Foundation’s Touring Film Programme “Whose Film Is It Anyway? Contemporary Japanese Auteurs”.

Within a minute of its opening, Nemuri Yusurika throws the viewer a rape scene, which, to make it worse, involves an underage girl. Although it does not use full-on graphics, it is still more explicit than many films, starkly making clear that Nemuri Yusurika will not look away: it provocatively shows the unspeakable and the unspoken right from the very start. What this means, of course, is that Nemuri Yusurika falls among those cinematic productions that are agonisingly difficult to watch (줄탁동시/Jooltak Dongshi is another example that comes to mind) and not possible to endure for everyone. Yet, Nemuri Yusurika is a film that needs to be made and should be watched.

April Screenings for the Calendar

Tags

BFI, Film Festival, ICA, KCCUK, Korean Film Night, London, PCC, Studio Ghibli, world cinema

Sanshō Dayū at the ICA 

You may have noticed that I added an events calendar to Otherwhere a few days ago. It’s not particularly fancy and doesn’t quite have the sleek look I would like – I’m unfortunately limited to Google calendar by WordPress – but at least it’s something. You will primarily find screenings and special events for Japanese and Korean films plus world cinema film festivals on the calendar, most from London but also from elsewhere in the UK if I happen to come across them. Select screenings in other parts of the world (like the Studio Ghibli film events in North America) will be added too.

Review: ぐるりのこと。(Gururi no Koto/All Around Us)

Tags

ICA, London, world cinema

Year: 2008
Director: Hashiguchi Ryosuke (橋口亮輔)
Screenplay: Hashiguchi Ryosuke (橋口亮輔)
Cinematography: Ueno Shogo
Cast: Kimura Tae (木村多江), Franky Lily (リリー・フランキー)
Runtime: 140 min
Trailer: on YouTube (not subtitled)

Seen at the ICA as part of The Japan Foundation’s Touring Film Programme “Whose Film Is It Anyway? Contemporary Japanese Auteurs”.

With a plot centring on a couple that loses their unborn child, I expected Gururi no Koto to be a heart-wrenching film. I went in thinking it would depict the emotional unravelling of its characters to the lowest point, that it would show us their grief, their anger and their sadness over the tragic death, but, alas, there was little of this. Instead, Gururi no Koto surprised me.

January/February at the ICA: Hazanavicius, The Insect Woman and Contemporary Japanese Auteurs

Tags

ICA, London

Loads of interesting films coming up at the ICA (London) in January and February: