22
Jul
Shinsedai Cinema Festival begins tonight in Toronto

It’s all kicking off in a few hours, the opening night of the second Canada-based showcase for up-and-coming new filmmakers from Japan known as Shinsedai, and I dare say that a fair few of my regular readers are going to be there. I can’t be, of course, due to the recent arrival of my baby son, but I will be there in spirit, and am raising a glass to you all of you as I type – there’s a five hour time distance between London and Toronto so I hope you’ll forgive me if I start a little ahead of schedule.

Kihachiro Kawamoto's sublime House of Flames (Kataku, 1979) at Shinsedai tonight!

The first evening is going to present you with a pretty impressive evening of Momoko Ando’s Kakera: A Piece of Our Life, much appreciated in these parts, and a programme of Kihachiro Kawamoto’s gorgeous stop motion animations. I’ve been harping on about the Kawamoto films for over 7 years, have written articles, programmed seasons etc etc, so hopefully you’ll have got the message by now – I think these are brilliant.

Anyway, if you are there, you won’t need to read the ramblings on the blog of someone the other side of the Atlantic to let you know what’s going on, and if you are not there, there’s not much point in me telling you about the programme anyway – it will only frustrate you. I will however be posting links to any news I find on the web about the weekend, as it is happening, in the comments here, so keep watching this space.

I am also wondering if I can beg a favour of those who are there to indulge the wishes of the co-programmer who couldn’t make it, and to post your thoughts on the festival here in the comments section of this post, not on my Facebook please, but on jaspersharp.com, just to keep me in the loop with how things are going. Let me know what you enjoyed, what you didn’t, what else you’re getting up to at the fest – everything in fact, to make it feel like I was there, if you will. After all, the first ever postings on my website were from last year’s Shinsedai, so it would be carrying on the tradition. Cheers!

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Posted at 19:36 on 22 July 2010 Filed under news.
5 replies to this post
  • Coffin Jon 23 July 2010  15:49 1

    Given how many words they tell, I wish I could post some pictures, but I’ll probably try to put some up on my own site eventually.

    As Jasper already knows, I’m staying with the other festival co-programmer Chris Magee which has afforded me a great amount of behind-the-scenes looks at the fest and I thank both Chris and Jasper for setting up that opportunity.

    That aside, my own opinion is that the opening night was a success. The pre-film reception had about three-quarters of the reception hall full; maybe about 250 people or so including famed Indian-born/Canadian director Deepa Mehta. This, along with stragglers, translated to all but about a few dozen of the seats being filled in the 360-capacity theater at the venue. Reception toward Momoko Ando’s “Kakera: A Piece of Our Life” coupled with Akino Kondoh’s short animation “Ladybird’s Requiem” was very positive as reflected by the 90% of the crowd who stayed for the after-film Q&A. Only about 150 or so stayed for Jasper’s retrospective of Kihachi Kawamoto’s animated shorts which were absolutely incredible.

    So, Chris might argue a few points and details that I don’t know, but I really felt this opening night was a success and great fun which I hope continues throughout the rest of the festival.

  • Jasper 23 July 2010  22:44 2

    Thanks a million for the update Jon, and for sending me the photos, which I’ll upload at some point in the next day or so. Sounds like a decent turnout for the first night, and a lot of fun was had by all. Deepa Mehta, eh?! Wow, wish I was there. Glad you liked the Kawamoto films, and am really interested in hearing how The Water Magician screening foes.

  • Coffin Jon 23 July 2010  23:46 3

    You’re welcome, Jasper. And I apologize, I meant to type “only about 50″. I was a little puzzled by what you told me earlier and hadn’t realized that I made that typo.

  • David McMullan 27 July 2010  4:24 4

    I should preface this by saying that the films I saw were dictated more by parenting responsibility than choice. I was able to see Kakera,Lady bird’s Requiem, Jellyfish Boy and Dark Harbour, 2/3 of the Kawamura Trilogy and Ito san’s “Have ‘em Fresh”. I missed some gems which I hope to see at some point( A Normal Life, Please; a Dog’s Life)

    I enjoyed all the films but I was particularly moved by Kawamura Yuki’s “Senko”. My family finds itself in a similar situation. In addition, I believe that this may be the second Shinseidai film to feature Omi Hachiman as a set (I could be wrong but the scene on the boat through the moat is the same as last year’s Raigyo)

    Again it was a great festival this year and hopefully we will see you next year.
    Dave McMullan

  • David McMullan 27 July 2010  4:32 5

    I should preface this by saying that the films I saw were dictated more by parenting responsibility than choice. I was able to see Kakera,Lady bird’s Requiem, Jellyfish Boy and Dark Harbour, 2/3 of the Kawamura Trilogy and Ito san’s “Have ‘em Fresh”. I missed some gems which I hope to see at some point( A Normal Life, Please; a Dog’s Life)

    I enjoyed all the films but I was particularly moved by Kawamura Yuki’s “grandmother”. My family finds itself in a similar situation. In addition, I believe that this may be the second Shinseidai film to feature Omi Hachiman as a set (I could be wrong but the scene on the boat through the moat is the same as last year’s Raigyo)

    Again it was a great festival this year and hopefully we will see you next year.
    Dave McMullan

Comments are closed.