Our cinematic journey this year explores femininity in Japanese Cinema, as exemplified by the festival theme: Jyo-yuu. Together, the Japanese characters, or kanji, mean “actress”, as we pay tribute to the heroines, antagonists and muses on the silver screen. Taken individually, the Japanese characters take on the meanings of woman/womanhood and elegance/excellence, as we recognise the feminine creative talents behind and beyond the silver screen.

We pay homage to the work of master director NARUSE Mikio and acclaimed actress-director TANAKA Kinuyo. With simplicity and great observation, NARUSE mastered the shomin-geki, films about the lower-middle class, with unparalleled subtlety and compassion. KUROSAWA Akira likened NARUSE’s style of melodrama to “a great river with a calm surface and a raging current in its depths”. TANAKA began her film career as a leading actress and muse for several directors, especially MIZOGUCHI Kenji with whom she collaborated in 15 movies, including MIZOGUCHI’s epic SANSHO THE BAILIFF. In 1953, she became Japan’s first female director with LOVE LETTER. Both films, together with more fine examples of NARUSE’s and TANAKA’s oeuvre, are included in this year’s lineup.

We are especially pleased to present the exciting work of KAWASE Naomi, one of Japan’s most promising young directors and two-time award winner at Cannes. She gained international attention with the Camera d’Or for Best New Director in 1997 for MOE NO SUZAKU, and won the Grand Prix in 2007 for THE MOURNING FOREST, which will have its Singapore Premiere, together with KAWASE’s striking, critically acclaimed documentaries and other feature films.

In addition, we will be featuring the films of two independent directors MATSUOKA Naomi and MATSUE Tetsuaki, both of whom represent the current indie film movement in their respective cities of Osaka and Tokyo. This year’s programme has an eclectic mix of recent Japanese cinema, from the riotous pop-art sensibilities of SAKURAN (starring rock singer TSUCHIYA Anna) to the subdued, emotionally wrenching HARMFUL INSECT.

We look forward to seeing you at the festival.

Japanese Film Festival 2008 Committee

JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL 2008

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Special Thanks to

Chung Meng, Chiba Hirohisa, Kuwayama Naoki, Gavin, Leon, Sheila, Yamamura Machiko, Li Koon, Naz, Alice, Constance, Chee Yen, Duc, Pauline Ong, Dr Ann Tan, Karen, Katrina, Mark Sun, Lung Hsiang, Pui Kwan, Samuel, Shu Chiang, JF, Dave, Tris
and many others.

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