With Dada Chen at NYAFF 2013

With Dada Chen at NYAFF 2013
With Dada Chen at NYAFF 2013

Saturday, June 01, 2013

ACF 1914: NY Japan CineFest 2013, Program 2, Saturday, June 8th, 2013

Matou, directed by Isamu Hirabayashi
NY Japan CineFest 2013
Program 2: Sapporo Short Fest Selection
When: Saturday, June 8, 2013 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm
Where: Asia Society
725 Park Avenue (at 70th Street), NYC

The NY Japan CineFest 2013 film series will consist of three programs at Asia Society NY on Friday, June 7th and Saturday, June 8th. The second program, on Saturday afternoon, focuses on films selected from the 7th Sapporo Short Fest (2012). These short films offer originality in both subject matter and style. Some meditate on serious issues such as the transience of life, horror of war, and aftermath of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Others offer quirky humor and lightheartedness towards absurdity of everyday life. Together they provide a glimpse of the vitality of Japanese culture.

The films of Program 2 are:

LI.LI.TA.AL.
Dir. Akihito Izuhara. 2011. 7min40sec. Animation.
This beautiful and poetic animation presents the magical formation of Japanese verses.
Sapporo Film Festival--Best Original Score

Matou
Dir. Isamu Hirabayashi. 2011. 3min15sec. Experimental.
Is life about a series of role-playing and the change of clothes?
Sapporo Film Festival--Best Mini Short. Best Contemporary, Experimental Short

663114
Dir. Isamu Hirabayashi. 2011. 7min25sec. Animation.
Listen to a 66-year-old cicada tell its life story. Arduously crawling upwards, it proves its determination to live.

Script
Dir. Albert Ventura. 2010. 29min. Drama.
Driven by the desire to win a thousand dollars, four people participate in a ten-minute psychological experiment.
Sapporo Film Festival-Best Screenplay

Soldier School
Dir. Saya Ito. 2012. 14min30sec. Animation.
Upon discovering the hidden agenda of his school, a sensitive teenager becomes plagued by his fears of war and dashes his dream of attending college.

Transferring
Dir. Junichi Kanai. 2012. 20min. Drama.
What will happen when Youko, a mischievous and isolated schoolgirl, befriends the new transfer student?
Sapporo Film Festival--Best Director, Best National Short

Bicycle
Dir. Dean Yamada. 2009. 21min17sec. Drama.
Sometimes, God works in mysterious ways. Finding no meaning in his dull and lackluster life, a man is out of job and bewildered by a note “sent by God.”
Sapporo Film Festival--Best National Short
Premiered at the 66th Venice Film Festival 

The other two NY Japan CineFest programs are: 

Program 1: Short Films by U.S.-based Directors
Friday, June 7th, 4:00 - 6:00 pm 

Program 3: Miyoko (Miyoko Asagaya Kibun)
Saturday, June 8th, 6:45 pm - 8:45 pm  

New York Japan CineFest is supported in part by Redac, Brother International Corp. and Sapporo U.S.A.