ACF 219: Happy Flight screens for free in Pittsburgh tomorrow night

Happy Flight

Written and directed by Shinobu Yaguchi

Japan, 2008, 103 min.

ANA (All Nippon Airways) is presenting a free screening of this air-travel-centered comedy in Pittsburgh tomorrow night, Thursday, February 5th, 2009. The screening will be at the Regent Square Theater, 1035 South Braddock Ave, Edgewood, PA 15218. Doors will open at 6:15 PM, and the film will be shown at 7:00 PM.

Director Yaguchi's previous works include Waterboys (2001), his break-out film, and Parco Fiction (2002), both of which are delights. Haruka Ayase won the Nikkan Sports FIlm Award for Best Actress for her performance in Happy Flight.

While admission is free, you need to RSVP to attend. For the RSVP form, click here.

And here's some background about the film and director from new-york-tokyo.com:

Director Shinobu Yaguchi brought feelings of laughter, tears, and exhilaration to audiences with his films about boys’ synchronized swimming (WATERBOYS) and girls’ high school big band jazz (SWING GIRLS). The theme of his latest film, HAPPY FLIGHT, is “airplanes” - of all things!

Yaguchi’s intent was to create a realistic, completely new film that oversees all corners of the aviation industry. Having ANA (All Nippon Airways) lend their Boeing 747 for filming and 500 staff members’ involvement, he created a wonderfully entertaining film chock-full of Yaguchi’s love and fascination of airplanes. The setting of the film takes place at an airport and on an airplane.

A great variety of “aviation professionals” such as pilots, flight attendants, the ground crew, mechanics, dispatchers, controllers, and the bird patrol crew all support a single flight. They have only one mission: to secure the safety of the passengers. Today was supposed to be any other day on the job, departing on schedule and heading safely to Honolulu, but…Just like riding on a jumbo jet, please experience this movie as tremendously fun and exciting!

The cast includes Seiichi Tanabe (Memories of Tomorrow, Honey and Clover) and Haruka Ayase (Cyborg She, The Magic Hour, and Ichi). The film was produced by Altamira Pictures (”Shall we dance ?”). Now you really can’t miss it!