しあわせ

I was sad to see the death of animator Kon Satoshi 今 敏 reported on Boing Boing today.
He was one of my favourite film-makers. He made animated films with serious themes aimed at adults.
I remember thinking “They broadcast this on TV?!” when watching Paranoia Agent with it’s storylines exploring bullying, prostitution, and Internet suicide pacts. Indeed the episode concerning the suicide pact had cuts made to it in the UK. He depicted a modern Japan much darker than I’ve seen portrayed in other anime. It could have been live action but somehow by being animated it is hyper-real in an odd way.
I thoroughly recommend, Tokyo Godfathers (東京ゴッドファーザーズ (great Christmas movie!), Millennium Actress 千年女優 and the series Paranoia Agent 妄想代理人.

おはよう
This is a one minute short part of the Ani*Kuri15 project for NHK.
It’s a good example of his style.

If you have ever read about Buddhism you are certain to have come across the writings of D.T. Suzuki.
I was recently contacted by a director of a film about Suzuki’s life. There are screenings in the UK in November. While the film isn’t in Japanese, I think it will be of interest to people interested in Japanese culture and Buddhism. I’ll let Michael Goldberg tell you himself after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry »

A season of films by Oshima the director of the infamous Realm of the Senses (愛のコリーダ), and the notable Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence (with a famous soundtrack) is playing at the NFT London from today until the end of October. Details on BFI’s website.

I came across this film today on Japan Probe. It reminds me a bit of “The Queen’s Classroom” except this is a real look inside a classroom in Japan’s primary school system.
The original 涙と笑いのハッピークラス―4年1組命の授業 was made by NHK in 2003. It follows a year in Mr. Kanamori’s 4th grade class. It is very different from the western classes I know of. Not least because of the teacher’s relationship to the children, the discussion of matters such as death, the group solidarity, and the willingness of children to write.
The video on YouTube, Children Full of Life, is CBC’s version that is subtitled and has an English commentary. It’s well worth watching before it inevitably gets taken down.

(But for the gold standard in fly-on-the-classroom-wall documentaries search out Etre et Avoir)

As part of the Terracotta Film Festival at the Prince Charles cinema over the bank holiday weekend, there are three Japanese films being screened.

After School Saturday 23 May 16:15
High Kick Girl Sunday 24 May 18:40
Ghost in the Shell 2.0 Friday 22 May 20:45

Details at the festival site. There are also films from Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, and Malaysia if you are a fan of Asian cinema.

Thanks to Paul at London Japanese Language Meetup for the heads-up!

The Japan Foundation is sponsoring a film programme of Japanese films inspired by actual events.
In London they will be screened at The ICA from the 6th to the 12th of February.
Tickets are £8 / £7 Concessions / £6 ICA Members.

The programme features six films

- A Chain of Islands (Dir: Kei Kumai, 1965)
- Live Today, Die Tomorrow! (Dir: Kaneto Shindo, 1970)
- Face (Dir: Junji Sakamoto, 2001)
- Chosyu Five (Dir: Sho Igarashi, 2006)
- Now, I… (Dir: Yasutomo Chikuma, 2007)
- Who’s Camus Anyway? (Dir: Mitsuo Yanagimachi, 2005)

The programme will also tour to four other venues in the UK during February and March 2009.
7 to 21 February 2009 – Watershed, Bristol
2 to 5 March 2009 -QFT, Belfast
9 to 19 March 2009 – Showroom, Sheffield
11 to 19 March 2009 – Filmhouse, Edinburgh