Since I'm a fan of Spirited Away, I was looking forward to seeing Mai Mai Miracle at the San Francisco International Animation Festival this morning. Mai Mai Miracle is directed by Sunao Katabuchi, who is a protege of Hayao Miyazaki's and worked as his assistant director on Kiki's Delivery Service. Miyazaki, who has received much critical acclaim for at least a dozen films and is considered the Walt Disney of Japan, is one of the few Anime directors who has managed to make films that hav...
Japanese animation film fans are in for a real treat at the 36th edition of the Ghent Film Festival (6-17 October), with its film retrospective on Studio Ghibli, Japan’s premiere animation studio founded by directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. The retrospective reflects the festival’s Asia theme and ties in with the anime exhibition held at The Carmelite Friary – Provincial Centre of Art and Culture.Studio Ghibli is one of Japan’s most successful animation studios. Takahata Isao a...
The "Arca Cinema Giovani" announced three awards that will be presented tomorrow at the Golden Lion ceremony: Prize for the movie that has best treated the theme "Passagi d'Occidente: encounters, diversities, contrasts": Fernando Meirelles's The Constant Gardener, "for having chosen such a difficult and up-to-date subject; for the intense elaborated artistic direction." (France/Germany, 2005) Prize for Best Italian Film: Cristina Comencini's Don't Tell, "for having harmonized the stories of eve...
Hong Kong Tsui Hark's epic martial arts fantasy Seven Swordswill open the Venice Film Festival, and will be screened out of competition. The Venice fest is slated for Aug. 31-Sept. 10 and Dante Ferretti, Oscar-winning set designer of The Aviator will be president of the juryA special "wuxia" martial arts theme party is planned on the Excelsior Hotel beach, the meeting place for journalists, cast and crew, for a celebration of 100 years of Chinese cinema.Asian films will predominate this year's ...
Rotterdam opens with Depardon's 10E CHAMBREIFFR's Closing Night Film: HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE by MiyazakiWednesday 26 January, the 34th International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) opens with French court documentary 10E CHAMBRE, INSTANTS D'AUDIENCES (THE 10TH DISTRICT COURT, MOMENTS OF TRIALS) by Raymond Depardon. Later that evening the IFFR presents SIDEWAYS by US director Alexander Payne as its first 2005 public screening. The IFFR closes next Saturday February 5 with HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE by Jap...
The "Arca Cinema Giovani" announced three awards that will be presented tomorrow at the Golden Lion ceremony: Prize for the movie that has best treated the theme "Passagi d'Occidente: encounters, diversities, contrasts" (my sentiments exactly!): Fernando Meirelles's The Constant Gardener, "for having chosen such a difficult and up-to-date subject; for the intense elaborated artistic direction." (France/Germany, 2005)Prize for Best Italian Film: Cristina Comencini's Don't Tell, "for having harmon...
