Editor

SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL (sponsored by Saitama Prefecture, Kawaguchi City, SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL committee, etc.), that had launched for the purpose of discovering new talents in the field of digital cinema, opened on July 23rd and came to the finale on 1 August. All the awards in Feature Length and Short Length Competitions were announced at the awarding ceremony that was held at 11:00 a.m. at the Audio Visual Hall of SKIP CITY. Let us forward you the comments from the festival organizers, juries, and award winners. We would highly appreciate it if you could cover the closing of the 7th edition of SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL 2010.

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Kiyoshi Ueda, Governor of Saitama Prefecture
This year, the film festival received digitally created brilliant feature and short submissions from 85 countries and regions, which surpass the participating countries and regions in Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver (82 countrie and regions). Directors who had joined this film festival have become successful later. So, I consider this film festival to be a very "lucky" film festival. Together with Kawaguchi city, Saitama prefecture will continuously support the creation of visual culture through digital cinema

Koshiro Okamura, Mayor of Kawaguchi City
I hope that the awarded directors will spread their wings around the world. The seed of a film festival that was sown 7 years ago has grown up to be a big-stem tree. We keep our efforts to make this film festival to be the one that represents Japan's film festivals.

Feature Length Competition
Hisao Masuda, President of the Jury
Among the submitted films, I found a lot of films that make me feel like watching them just genuinely and spending a good time by watching them. I'm looking forward to hearing the results to see if the Grand Prize feature length film and the Best Picture short length film are also chosen as best films by the audience's vote.

Short Length Competition
Shoji Masui, President of the Jury
(As a comment on "Ressentiment" that received the Best Picture - Kawaguchi Citizen's Award) It is important how to decide the theme of a film in this world full of visual images. I think that Director Dan deserves the Best Picture award for his film firmly capturing one of the contemporary themes of the present world.

Short Length Competition
Shiro Sano, Jury
(As a comment on "Family Deck" that received the Honorable Mention - Kawaguchi Citizen's Award) I felt Director's affection to this film from every single frame. Knowing that making this film requires great effort, I understood how tough it was for Director Murata to complete the film.

Feature Length Competition - Grand Prize "The Man Who Will Come" , Simone Bachini, Producer
We spent a great amount of time to complete this film. What happened in 1944 near Bologna, Italy is still happening all around the world. We placed our hope in this film.

Short Length Competition - Best Picture /Kawaguchi Citizen's Award "Ressentiment", Takuma Dan, Director
I'm very happy that my film was shown at a big film festival like this because a film can have its meaning when it was seen by audience. I think film and visual image is the communication tool that surpasses languages. I'm glad that my hope and ambition to the film reached the audience.