FFM

Clip: Losique sur le cinema japonais

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À la conférence de presse dévoilant la programmation 2010 du Festival des Films du Monde tenue le 10 août dernier, document.write(“”); le président du festival, Serge Logique, a fait quelques commentaires sur le cinéma Japonais. Ce n’est pas la première fois qu’il exprime ainsi une attention particulière au cinéma Japonais (quoiqu’il y a quelques années, c’était dans le cadre d’un “Focus sur le cinéma Japonais”) ce qui démontre qu’il l’apprécie et s’y intéresse beaucoup.
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Il déplore que le cinéma Japonais ne soit malheureusement pas très présent ni bien connu en Amérique du Nord et que c’est la tâche des journalistes de le faire découvrir et apprécier du grand public. Il rappelle que le Japon nous a donner de nombreux grands réalisateurs et que, après quelques décennies de vaches maigres, le cinéma Japonais est revenu en grande force. Il explique que le cinéma Japonais a toujours été très présent au Festival des Films du Monde parce que les producteurs Japonais le considère comme un tremplin vers le marché international.

Vous pouvez visionner la conférence de presse présentant la programmation 2010 du FFM dans sa quasi-totalité sur Vimeo.

Losique sur le cinema Japonais from clodjee; on Vimeo.
At the press conference unveiling the Montreal World Film Festival 2010 programming, which was held on August 10th, Serge Losique, the director of the festival, made some comments on the Japanese cinema. It is not the first time that he express such a particular interest for this cinema (although a few years ago he did it while the festival was presenting a special “focus” on the Japanese cinema) which seems to demonstrate that he is quite fond of it.

He laments that Japanese cinema is unfortunately not very present nor known in North America, and that it is up to the journalists to introduce it to movie goers and make them appreciate it. He recalls that Japan gave us many great directors and that, following several decades of lean times, Japanese cinema is coming back with great strengths. He points out that it has always had an important place at the Montreal World Film Festival because Japanese producers see the festival as a stepping stone toward the international market.

You can watch the MWFF 2010 programming press conference in almost its entirety on Vimeo.

“Sword of Desperation” video

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Here’s a video of the screening presentation and press conference of the Japanese movie Sword of Desperation at the Montreal World Film Festival 2010 (filmed by clodjee on August 27th, document.write(“”); 31:21 min.):
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Sword of Desperation from clodjee on Vimeo.

“Sword of Desperation” press conference

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Those who follow my World Film Festival coverage might be interested to know that the press conference for the Japanese movie Sword of Desperation (Hisshiken Torisashi) will be held tomorrow, document.write(“”); friday August 27th, at 2 pm (14:00) in the Complexe Desjardins’ Grande-Place. The movie, which is in competition, will be screened tomorrow at the Cinema Imperial at 9:00 and at the Maisonneuve Theatre at 21:30. The director Hideyuki Hirayama and screenwriter Hideri Ito will attend the press conference, which will be open to the public.
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A video of the screening presentation and press conference is available.

A list of the upcoming press conferences can be found on the festival web site.

I will regularly update my list of Japanese films with new information as they are available. I’ll make a separate note for all major new information. Enjoy the festival!

Montreal World Film Festival 2010

/ Clodjee / 2 Comments

In a press conference today, document.write(“”); the Montreal World Film Festival announced the programming of its 34th edition, which will be held from August 26 to September 6. During the twelve days of its duration, the festival will present 430 films from 80 countries, including 277 feature-length movies, 15 medium-length and 188 short films. 113 of those features will be world or international premieres!
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“True to its mandate, which is to encourage cultural diversity, to stimulate quality cinema, to discover and promote new talent, the Montreal World Film Festival presents a program that is more diverse and inclusive than ever, with pride of place to discovery even when offering a showcase to established artists. (…) The Festival team worked hard to find films off the beaten track, especially to offer young filmmakers an opportunity to show their talent.“

This year the festival is offering us twelve Japanese movies: nine features, two documentaries and one “rerun.” Of the twenty features from twenty-four countries that make up the World Competition section, three are Japanese. That’s a much bigger Japanese selection than last year.

The World Competition [list]

  • Akunin (Villain), 139 min., directed by Sang-Il LEE, Cast: Satoshi Tsumabuki, Eri Fukatsu, Masaki Okada, Hikari Mitsushima, Kirin Kiki, Akira Emoto. A young insurance saleswoman is found strangled at Mitsuse Pass. Her family and friends are shocked. The pass — which tunnels through a mountainous region of southern Japan — has an eerie history… Schedule: 9/5, 21:30, TM.05.2; 9/5, 9:00, CI.05.1; 9/6, 16:30, CI.06.3.
  • Box — Hakamada Jiken — Inochi Towa (Box: The Hakamada Case), 117 min., directed by TAKAHASHI Banmei, Cast: Masato Hagiwara, Hirofumi Arai, Riona Hazuki, Takeoni Murano, Naoki Hosaka, Ryo Ishibashi. Based on a criminal case in Japan in mid 1960s, the story centres on two men who was born in the same year; one is sentenced to death for murder and the other is the judge who believes his innocence.
    Schedule: 9/2, 21:30, TM.02.1; 9/2, 9:00, CI.02.1; 9/3, 16:30, CI.03.4.
  • Hisshiken Torisashi (Sword of Desperation), 114 min., directed by HIRAYAMA Hideyuki, Cast: Etsushi Toyokama, Chizuru Ikewari, Koji Kikkawa. During the Edo Period in Japan, Kanemi Sanzaemon, a skilled swordsman and chief of the Unasaka battles to rid his clan of political corruption.
    Schedule: 8/27, 21:30, TM.27.1; 8/27, 9:00, CI.27.1; 8/28, 14:00, CI.28.3.

First Films World Competition [list]

  • Torocco (Rail Truck), Japan/Taiwan co-production, 116 min., directed by KAWAGUCHI Hirofumi. Cast: Machiko Ono, Kento Harada, Kyoichi Omae, Hong Liu, Chang Han, Wan Fan, Bryant Chang, Mei Fang. When Yumiko Yano travels with her sons, Atsushi and Toki, from her home in Tokyo to the Taiwanese village of her late husband, the boys discover a culture and a society that is alien to their Japanese existence.
    Schedule: 9/2, 12:00, L10.02.2; 9/2, 19:00, L10.02.5; 9/4, 19:20, L10.28.3.

Out of Competition [list]

  • Bushi no Kakeibo (Abacus and Sword), 120 min., directed by MORITA Yoshimitsu. Cast : Masato Sakai, Yukie Nakama, Keiko Matsuzaka, Masahito Nishimura, Masatoshi Makamura, Mitsuko Kusabue. In the Edo era, Japan was facing a period of upheaval. The great Tenpo famine of the 1830s and other developments have left the finances of the Kaga Domain in a precarious financial position…
    Schedule: 8/30, 10:00, L12.30.1; 831, 21:30, C!.31.6; 9/1, 14:30, L12.01.3.
  • Caterpillar (Le soldat-dieu), 85 min., directed by WAKAMATSU Koji. Cast : Shinobu Terajima, Shima Ohnishi, Ken Yoshizawa, Keigo Kasuya, Emi Masuda, Sabu Kawahara. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, in 1940, Lieutenant Kurokawa returns home as a honoured and decorated soldier, but deprived of his arms and leg, lost on the battlefield in mainland China.
    Schedule: 9/2, 21:40, L17.02.5; 9/3, 14:50, L17.03.3; 9/4, 21:40, L17.04.6.

Focus on World Cinema [list]

  • Inshite Miru (The Incite Mill), 110 min., directed by NAKATA Hideo. Cast : Tatsuya Fujiwara, Haruka Ayase, Satomi Ishihara. Ten people respond to a preposterous job posting — a short term project promising to pay $1200 an hour. Sounds dodgy but the money is hard to resist.
    Schedule: 9/2, 10:00, L15.02.1; 9/2, 21:40, L15.02.6; 9/5, 19:20, L16.05.5.
  • Shitsuren Satsujin (Lost Love Murder), 100 min., directed by KUBOTA Shoji. Cast : Mao Miyaji, Yurei Yanagi, Ryuchi Ohura, Kinuo Yamada, Kouta Kusano, Mari Hoshino. Suichi is madly in love with his wife, but he suspects that she is unfaithful, and this gnawing jealousy leads to a bizarre murder.
    Schedule: 9/2, 21:40, L16.02.6; 9/3, 10:00, L17.03.1; 9/4, 12:10, L16.04.2.
  • Suito Rituru Raizu (Sweet Little Lies), 117 min., directed by YAZAKI Hitoshi. Cast : Miki Nakatani, Nao Omori, Chizuru Ikewaki, Junichi Kobayashi. Ruriko, an artist, has been married to Satoshi for three years and on the surface their marriage seems ideal. In fact, however, they have been gradually growing distant.
    Schedule: 8/29, 14:50, L10.29.3; 8/30, 19:20, L12.30.5; 9/1, 10:00, L9.01.1; 9/5, 21:40, L16.05.6.

Documentaries [list]

  • Dancing Chaplin, 131 min., directed by SUO Masayuki. A filmed record of the Roland Petit’s well- known ballet but also a union of dance and film that reflects the serendipitous meeting of the great talents of Chaplin, Petit and Japanese director Masayuki Suo.
    Schedule: 9/3, 12:10, L15.03.2; 9/4, 21:21, L15.04.6; 9/5, 17:00, L15.05.4.
  • Umareru (Being Born), 8 min., directed by TOMO. Junichi, an emergency medical technician, and his wife Takako, a nurse, who work with life and death daily, now want a new life of their own, a baby.
    Schedule: 8/28, 12:30, L14.28.2; 8/28, 19:20, L14.28.5; 8/29, 14:20, L14.29.3; 8/30, 17:30, L14.30.4.

Cinema Under the Stars [list]

  • Shall We Dance (1996), 120 min., directed by SUO Masayuki. Cast: Koji Yakusho, Tamiyo Kusakari, Naoto Takenaka. A workaholic’s dull life takes a funny turn when he signs up for a ballroom dance class – just to meet the sexy dance teacher. But when he finally goes for lessons, he winds up with a different instructor and her colourfully eccentric class of beginners.
    Schedule: 9/3, 20:30, Outdoor on Place des Festivals.

Here is the video of the programming press conference (34:23 min.):

MWFF 2010 Programming Press Conference from clodjee on Vimeo.
The schedule [PDF] is now available online [ Part 1, Part 2, Index ]

I’ve made a calendar to help visualize the time and location of all the Japanese movies’ screenings. What were they thinking: putting eight screenings of Japanese movies on the same day (Sept. 2nd)?

I’ve also made a nice, printable PDF file gathering all the useful information from the festival guide.

For the first time in years the MWFF has put in advance on their web site a list of the upcoming press conferences.

More details and links will be added as the information become available. [Updated 08/11 (more details & links), 08/21 (schedule, better description & link’s icon), 08/22 (calendar), 08/24 (FFM web links, Google links, PDF), 08/27 (link for press conferences list), 08/31 (icon & link press conference), 9/04 (programming press conference video), 9/09 (more press conferences video links)]

[I have updated the “MWFF 2009 Overview” blog entry with a few corrections, links and new logos for some links. More update to come. Please have a look!]

Press release: Le 34e FFM rendra hommage à Nathalie Baye

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Montréal, document.write(“”); le 20 juillet 2010 — Le Festival des films du monde rendra un hommage à la grande star du cinéma français et international Nathalie Baye qui sera à Montréal pour présenter une sélection parmi les nombreux films qu’elle a interprétés. « C’est un privilège rare de pouvoir accueillir une des plus grandes actrices du cinéma » a déclaré Serge Losique, président du FFM « Nathalie Baye a joué avec les réalisateurs les plus reconnus non seulement du cinéma français tels Alain Cavalier, Nicole Garcia,  Jean-Luc Godard, Tonie Marshall, Maurice Pialat, Bertrand Tavernier ou François Truffaut mais aussi du cinéma international comme Marco Ferreri, Tsai Ming-liang, Steven Spielberg ou Robert Wise, pour n’en nommer que quelques uns. Elle recevra un Grand Prix spécial des Amériques en hommage à son immense talent » a-t-il précisé.
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Au début de sa carrière, Nathalie Baye suit des cours de danse, mais, parallèlement, s’inscrit au cours Simon. Elle est ensuite admise au Conservatoire dont elle sort avec un second prix en Comédie, Comédie Dramatique et Théâtre Étranger en 1972. C’est aussi à cette époque qu’elle effectue ses premières apparitions sur grand écran, dans Brève rencontre à Paris (Two People) de Robert Wise puis dans un rôle de scripte dans La Nuit américaine de François Truffaut qui la réengage pour La Chambre verte en 1978 et métamorphose soudainement son image dans un vrai premier rôle, laissant apparaître une part d’elle plus opaque et mélancolique.

En 1981, elle reçoit le César de la meilleure actrice dans un second rôle pour son interprétation dans Sauve qui peut (la vie) de Jean-Luc Godard. S’ensuit alors une impressionnante brochette de succès, avec en point d’orgue Le Retour de Martin Guerre de Daniel Vigne et La Balance de Bob Swaim qui font d’elle la star la plus en vue du cinéma français. Devenue l’une des comédiennes les plus populaires du pays, elle remporte consécutivement deux nouveaux César : son deuxième pour le Meilleur second rôle en 1982 grâce à sa prestation dans Une étrange affaire, puis celui de la Meilleure actrice en 1983 pour La Balance.  En 1999 elle gagne un prix d’interprétation à Venise pour Une liaison pornographique de Frédéric Fonteyne. En 2002 Steven Speilberg l’engage dans Catch Me if You Can.

Quatre ans après Selon Matthieu, sorti en salles en 2001, elle retrouve l’acteur et réalisateur Xavier Beauvois avec Le Petit Lieutenant qui lui offre le rôle d’un commandant de police revenu d’un drame familial et de l’alcoolisme. Sa prestation lui vaut le quatrième César de sa carrière (son second trophée dans la catégorie Meilleure actrice). En 2008, elle tient le haut de l’affiche du nouveau film de Tonie Marshall, Passe-passe et de l’adaptation cinématographique par Josiane Balasko de son propre best-seller publié en 2004, Cliente. Son choix, clairement orienté vers l’éclectisme, lui permet d’alterner productions grand public et cinéma intimiste.

Le 34e Festival des films du monde se déroule du 26 août au 6 septembre 2010.

Press release: Le célèbre réalisateur BILLE AUGUST présidera le Jury du 34e FFM

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Montréal, document.write(“”); le 16 juillet 2010 — Danièle Cauchard et Serge Losique sont heureux d’annoncer que le réalisateur danois Bille August sera le président du jury international du prochain FFM. « Nous sommes extrêmement heureux d’accueillir l’un des plus grands cinéastes de notre temps pour présider le Jury du FFM. C’est grâce à des créateurs de cette qualité que les palmarès du FFM ont toujours été d’un très haut calibre et ont permis que les œuvres primées ici entament de prestigieuses carrières internationales par la suite » a déclaré Serge Losique, président du Conseil d’administration du FFM. « Pour nous Bille August représente le cinéma dans toute sa grandeur » a-t-il ajouté.
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Après qu’Ingmar Bergman eut pris sa retraite de réalisateur dans les années 80, Bille August acquit une place de renom parmi les cinéastes scandinaves. Au cours de sa prestigieuse carrière, il a adapté au cinéma plusieurs romans danois, dont Smilla et l’amour de la neige de Peter Høeg et Pelle le Conquérant, inspiré du livre de l’écrivain Martin Andersen Nexø. Avec le second, il a obtenu la Palme d’Or au Festival de Cannes en 1988 puis le Golden Globe et l’Oscar du meilleur film étranger l’année suivante. Les Meilleures intentions, portrait de jeunesse des parents d’Ingmar Bergman (écrit par le cinéaste lui-même) lui a valu une seconde Palme d’or cannoise en 1992. Bille August est non seulement un grand réalisateur mais aussi un scénariste, un écrivain producteur et acteur de renom mais il est surtout le représentant de la Culture universelle.

Filmographie sélective:

1978 : Honning måne
1983 : Zappa
1984 : Buster’s World (Busters verden)
1984 : Twist and Shout (Tro, håb og kærlighed)
1987 : Pelle le conquérant (Pelle erobreren)
1992 : Les Meilleures intentions (Den goda viljan)
1994 : La Maison aux esprits (The House of the Spirits)
1996 : Jerusalem
1997 : Smilla (Smilla’s Sense of Snow)
1998 : Les Misérables
2001 : A Song for Martin (En Sång för Martin)
2004 : Return to Sender
2007 : Goodbye Bafana

Le 34e Festival des films du monde se déroule du 26 août au 6 septembre 2010.

Press release: “Route 132” de Louis Bélanger ouvrira le 34e FFM

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Montréal, document.write(“”); le 22 juin 2010 — Le 26 août prochain, Route 132 de Louis Bélanger sera le film d’ouverture du prochain Festival des films du monde de Montréal, le film est en même temps en compétition mondiale. « Nous sommes très heureux d’annoncer que le film de Louis Bélanger sera en ouverture du prochain FFM; c’est la deuxième fois que Louis Bélanger ouvre le festival puisque Gaz Bar Blues inaugurait le 27e festival en 2003. Post Mortem, son premier long métrage était, quant à lui, sélectionné en compétition officielle en 1999. Nous sommes très fiers qu’à nouveau un film de ce réalisateur puisse bénéficier de cette première mondiale » ont déclaré Serge Losique et Danièle Cauchard.
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Écrit par Louis Bélanger et Alexis Martin, le film est une production de Fabienne Larouche et Michel Trudeau pour Aetios Productions et Denise Robert et Daniel Louis pour Cinémaginaire. Il met en vedette  François Papineau, Alexis Martin, Alice Morel-Michaud, Andrée Lachapelle, Benoît McGinnis, Sophie Bourgeois, Gary Boudreault, Bobby Beshro, Sonia Vignault, Francesca Barcenas, Janine Sutto, Denise Gagnon, Gaston Caron, Guillaume Chouinard, Clémence Desrochers.

Montréal. Gilles, un homme dans la trentaine, vient de perdre son fils et ne peut l’accepter. N’importe quelle raison est valable pour fuir. En train de noyer son chagrin, il retrouve Bob, son vieil ami magouilleur, qui cherche un coup fumant pour se sortir du trou. C’est l’occasion idéale pour nos deux protagonistes de prendre le large sur la route 132, en direction du Bas-du-Fleuve où, croient-ils, les caisses populaires regorgent du bel argent durement économisé des personnes âgées et où il y a 0,1 policier par kilomètre carré. Et ce sera tellement facile pour deux astucieux Montréalais de berner ces « provinciaux »!

Route 132 est distribué par Alliance Vivafilms et sa sortie est prévue pour le 8 octobre 2010 au Québec.

Press Release: Passeports et Cartes Cinéphiles au FFM 2010

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Montréal, document.write(“”); le 10 juin 2010 — Le prochain Festival des Films du Monde aura lieu du 26 août au 6 septembre 2010. Les amateurs de cinéma seront encore choyés. En effet, le Festival offre, comme l’an dernier, le système de PASSEPORT mais en plus, il offre la carte CINÉPHILE.
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Aussi bien le PASSEPORT que la carte CINÉPHILE, donnent accès au choix énorme de films présentés au FFM (plus de 700 séances). Les informations ainsi que les bons de commande du PASSEPORT et de la carte CINÉPHILE sont disponibles sur le site Internet du Festival www.ffm-montreal.org

Le PASSEPORT est en vente au coût de 100 $, il donne droit à une réduction sur le prix du catalogue et de l’affiche. La carte CINÉPHILE est en vente au coût de 250 $, elle donne droit à un catalogue et une affiche gratuits. Les détenteurs de la carte CINÉPHILE et les détenteurs de billets individuels auront priorité sur les PASSEPORTS. Chaque détenteur du PASSEPORT ou de la carte CINÉPHILE pourra voter pour les Prix du Public.

Si vous aimez le cinéma de qualité sur grand écran, si vous voulez voir des films des 5 continents, si vous êtes ouvert à la diversité culturelle, si vous aimez voir des films en premières et vous faire votre propre opinion, si vous ne voulez pas rater des films qui ne seront pas distribués par la suite, si vous aimez le contact avec les réalisateurs et acteurs qui présentent leurs films, si vous aimez voyager et être confronté à d’autres façons de vivre et de penser, si vous êtes d’avis qu’une meilleure connaissance des autres cultures rend plus tolérant, si vous aimez la musicalité des langues et des accents, si vous planifiez d’être à Montréal et disponible pour voir des films entre le 26 août et le 6 septembre 2010 pendant le Festival des Films du Monde…

Si vous répondez OUI au moins une fois à ce qui précède, le PASSEPORT ou la carte CINÉPHILE sont faits pour vous. Attention, les quantités sont limitées… Premier inscrit, premier servi.

Pour informations, appeler : (514) 848-3883.

Press Release: Le 34e FFM présentera une rétrospective de Jafar Panahi

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Montréal, document.write(“”); le 10 Mai 2010. Le prochain festival des films du monde de Montréal présentera une rétrospective des films du cinéaste iranien Jafar Panahi qui fut le président du jury du FFM en 2009. Sa présence comme président du Jury l’an dernier a été remarquée et saluée par les médias internationaux qui reconnaissent en Mr Panahi l’un des grands cinéaste du monde. « Nous sommes heureux de lui consacrer cette rétrospective en hommage à son immense talent » déclare Serge Losique, le président du conseil du FFM.
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Né en 1960 à Mianeh (Iran), Jafar Panahi est l’un des cinéastes les plus influents de la Nouvelle Vague iranienne. Après son diplôme en réalisation du Collège IRIB à Téhéran, il réalise plusieurs courts et moyens métrages pour la télévision de son pays. En 1995, il signe son premier long métrage de fiction, LE BALLON BLANC,  qui remporte la Caméra d’or à Cannes la même année. Son deuxième film, LE MIROIR, remporte le Léopard d’or au Festival de Locarno en 1997. Son troisième long métrage, LE CERCLE, est présenté dans 40 pays et remporte 18 prix internationaux, parmi lesquels le Lion d’or à Venise en 2000. SANG ET OR (2003) remporte le Prix du jury dans la section Un certain regard à Cannes. Son dernier long métrage, OFFSIDE, est lauréat de l’Ours d’argent au Festival de Berlin en 2006.

Le Festival des films du monde se tient du 26 août au 6 septembre 2010.

L’AFFICHE DU FESTIVAL DES FILMS DU MONDE 2010

Montréal, le 27 avril 2010 – Le Festival des Films du Monde annonce que c’est le projet d’Hubert Samson qui a été choisi comme affiche de sa prochaine édition qui se déroulera du 26 août au 6 septembre 2010.

L’affiche du Festival des Films du Monde 2010 a été choisie par le public général parmi 3 finalistes, tous étudiants en arts graphiques à l’UQAM. Leur professeur, Philippe Béha (lui-même auteur de l’affiche du FFM en 1986), avait demandé à ses étudiants de créer une affiche pour le FFM 2010.

Le public était invité à voter pour désigner son affiche préférée parmi les finalistes et à écrire un commentaire sur les raisons de son choix. Parmi les nombreux commentaires, celui de d’Éric Montpetit, professeur de cinéma, exprime de manière éloquente les impressions éprouvées par ceux qui ont voté pour l’affiche d’Hubert Samson :

« L’acte de voir se trouve bien synthétisé dans cette image d’un personnage aux yeux multiples, symbole de la variété des points de vue exprimés dans la programmation du Festival et, également, dans le regard subjectif de chaque spectateur. Les contours flous de son corps donnent l’impression qu’il vibre ; touché, ébranlé, ému par ce qu’il voit. Cette vibration rappelle aussi celle de la lumière projetée à travers la pellicule sur l’écran. Belle évocation du mouvement au cinéma. Bravo ! »

MWFF 2009 Overview

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Once again, document.write(“”); this year, the Montreal World Film Festival was an enjoyable experience. There was less Japanese movies available than previous years, but I must admit I found this situation rather convenient because, with two jobs (still writing for the magazine & blogs as well as working full time as assistant-librarian), my schedule was already quite full.

It is really great to have in town an International Festival for the more classical and traditional type of movies. I do enjoy as well the youthful and exciting atmosphere of the Fantasia festival, but, as I am getting older, I realize that I enjoy far more the quiet experience of a movie where the talking and the scenery are the essential parts of the plot instead of the special effects and explosive action. Unfortunately, it seems that Fantasia is getting more and more popular and, due to it’s scheduling in late August and early September, the MWFF seems to attract less young viewers as we see mostly white and grey heads at the MWFF screenings. I have not seen any official attendance numbers (and there’s probably a reason for that), but it really seems that the MWFF has been beaten by Fantasia. However, is it really a bad thing? After all I don’t like to wait in long line, so the more quieter atmosphere around the MWFF suits me quite well. The festival has begun to get more governmental subsidies again and it was showing. There was more events and the show was running much smoothlier than the previous years.

All in all, the quality of the Japanese selection of the festival was quite good:

Be sure to share (Chanto Tsutaeru): When his father is hospitalised for a stomach cancer, Shiro’s is told by the doctor that he should have himself checked too. He soon discovers that he has a cancer ever worse than his father and ends up hoping that his father would die first to save him the pain of losing his son. Shiro never really bonded with his father, who was also his physical education teacher at school, but finds himself desperate to share with him more time and affection. Shiro faces also another dilema: should he tell his fiance that he will die soon? Director Sion Sono (who had gotten us used to crazier and more violent stories) is offering here a surprisingly beautiful and subtle movie. See also our full review.
Counterfeit (Nisesatsu): The postwar era was a difficult time for most Japanese as they found themselves strapped for cash. When Shingo propose to Kageko, his old school teacher, to make counterfeit money, she is reluctant at first but eventually succumb to the tentation of giving new books to her students. He then recruits the village chief, an old soldier who used to make false Chinese money for the government, as well as the village’s papermaker and photographer. Soon the entire village is part of the conspiracy, but all this cannot end well. Director Yuichi Kimura (Always: Sunset on 3rd Street) is bringing us another great postwar period movie which reflects, this time, on criminal motivation. See also our full review (link avail. soon).
Dear Doctor (Dia Dakuta): When Soma, freshly graduated from a Tokyo medical school, arrives in a remote mountain village to work as an intern, he is first bored and full of self-doubt. With time his attitude changes as he is inspired by the work of Osamu Ino, the local veteran doctor who manages to take care of the entire village by himself. However, one day, Dr. Ino disappears and, as Soma, the police and the villagers are looking for him, they realize that the doctor they loved so much is not who he said he was. Both funny and sometime sad, this excellent film uses the beautiful Japanese countryside as backdrop to reflect on the situation of rural Japan, where the population (made mostly of elderly) suffers from loneliness. They need less bureaucratic medecine (like it is practiced in the big cities hospitals) and more people to “care” for them (in all meanings of the word: provide medical support, give attention and affection). It also ask the question: is it alright to lie in order to do good?
Dear my love (60 sai no Love Letter): An anthology of three short stories based on the “Love Letters at Sixty” project that gathered over 80,000 letters “written by one spouse to another voicing unspoken appreciation for lives shared over the years.” A retired construction company executive decides to move out with a younger woman, but his wife comes to see this as a liberating experience. A couple who worked together all their life in their fish store are faced with grave health issues but find strenght in playing music of the Beatles. A widower finds, at the instigation of his daughter, a new life with a translator. Indeed, upon retirement, Japanese couples face many challenges. It’s an interesting subject but I found its treatment in the movie rather ordinary and disappointing.
The Faceless dead (Kouryo-Shibounin): Misaki is an aspiring writer who works in a supermarket. Through a strange phone call she learns that someone is usurping her identity. Who would use her name and why? The identity thief is unconscious and dying at the hospital—she will die the next day without providing any answers. To Misaki’s surprise she knows her from a previous job at a publishing company. A little investigating reveals that the identity of the hospital’s woman had also been stolen. Obsessed by the mystery she will skip work and follow the trail left by a chestnut lucky charm to the woman real identity and uncover an incredibly tragic story of love and betrayal which will bring her back to her starting point: the supermarket. This movie has all the elements for a good thriller, but the storytelling is weak and there’s a little something missing at the end that leave us on our appetite.
The Hovering blade (Samayou Yaiba): Having already lost his wife to cancer, Nagamine is devastated when his only daughter is raped and murdered by two young punks. Unfortunately, under the protection of the Japanese law, juvenile criminals cannot be prosecuted. Nagamine is infuriated by what he perceives as a gross injustice and would like nothing better than obtain retribution. He gets his chance when a sympathising policeman tips him on the boys’ whereabouts and sets out to hound them desparately… The movie is a good thriller and ends in a tragic twist. It brings strong emotions, but unfortunately that kind of story—sets around the injustice of the Japanese Juvenile Act—has been done many times already.
Villon’s wife (Viyon no Tsuma): Based on an Osamu Dazai’s quasi-autobiographical novel written in 1947, it tells the tangled love story of a married couple. Despite being a talented novelist, Otani is a tormented, drunken man who’s constantly getting in debts and unfaithful to his wife. Aware of his weakness and despressed, he will attempt to commit “double suicide” with one of his mistresses, but gets into trouble because she dies and he survives. In contrast, Sachi is a strong woman, a devoted and loyal wife who accepts Otani as he is and does her best to support him despite everything. She starts working in an izakaya (small bar also serving food) in order to pay off her husband’s debts. Her cheerful beauty makes her popular and she even gets several admirers. This gives her self-confidence, and yet she stays by him when he needs her. But for how long? The film offers a superb photography and director Negishi succeeds to paint a dreamy portrait of the harsh postwar Japan. Unfortunately, the storytelling is sometime awkward and left me with a dissatisfied impression. Surprisingly, Kichitaro Negishi won the WFF 2009 Award for Best Director.

Only two of those movies (Dear Doctor and Villon’s wife) were in official competition, but Villon’s wife managed to get the “Best Director” award (see the full list of awards).

My busy schedule prevented me to film a video of the programmation press conference but I could at least shoot a video of the Dear Doctor screening presentation and press conference (it will be added here as soon as I can manage to edit it).

We are grateful to the festival for bringing us this good selection and hope the 2010 edition will offer even more Japanese movies. See you next year!

[More information and links will be added when possible]

[Updated 2010/08/10 with a few corrections, links and new logos for some links]

Eiji Okuda part of the MWFF’s Jury

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The Montreal World Film Festival has announced that this year’s jury will include Eiji Okuda:

“Other members of the jury include Japanese actor-turned-director Eiji Okuda, document.write(“”); Quebec actor-producer David La Haye, Spanish writer-director Fernando Méndez-Leite Serrano, French director Pascal Thomas, French film music composer Reinhardt Wagner, and Diane Demers of Montreal, who was chosen in a contest to represent the public on the official jury.”

“Eiji Okuda began his screen career as an actor in 1979, winning awards and critical notice for his work in Japan and at international festivals, including Kei Kumai’s Mt. Aso’s Passions at the Montreal World Film Festival in 1990. He won numerous honours for his playing in such films as The Sea and Poison (1986) and Death of a Tea Master (1989), including a Japanese Oscar for his performance in Bo No Kanashimi (1994). He made his directorial debut in 2001 with Shojo. In 2005 he produced Claude Gagnon’s Kamataki, which won four prizes at the 2005 MWFF. His A Long Walk won the Grand Prize of the Americas at the 2006 MWFF.”

Also, the MWFF website just released the programme’s schedule as a PDF file.

Montreal World Film Festival 2009

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In a press conference held on August 11, document.write(“”); the Montreal World Film Festival revealed the programmation for its 33rd edition. The festival will be held from August 27 to September 7 and will offer over 450 movies from 78 countries, including 240 feature-length films and 130 world premieres!

Unfortunately, this year is a slim pick for the Japanese movie aficionado as there are (so far) only seven movies and two documentaries being shown at the festival.

First of all, and most importantly, there are two movies in the “World Competition” category (COMP):

  • Dia Dokuta (Dear Doctor) directed by NISHIKAWA Miwa, 127 min. A much loved small town physician mysteriously disappears one day. It’s only while searching for him that his colleagues, friends and the townsfolk begin to discover exactly who their doctor is. (COMP) 9/2 9:00 CI.02.1; 9/2 21:30 TM.02.2; 9/3 13:40 CI.03.3. ( IMDb / Official website / Trailer )
  • Viyon no Tsuma (Villon’s Wife) directed by NEGISHI Kichitaro, 114 min. When her husband runs into financial trouble, Sachi obligingly goes to work in a restaurant to pay off his debt and discovers that she has value beyond being a housewife; she is now an independent woman. (COMP) 9/6 9:00 CI.06.1; 9/6 21:30 TM.06.2; 9/7 14:00 CI.07.2. ( IMDb / Official website )

There is one movie in the “First Films World Competition” category (PRE):

  • Nisesatsu (Counterfeit) directed by KIMURA Yuichi, 96 min. In 1950, in the chaos of postwar Japan, a young hustler has a plan to solve his school’s — and the village’s — financial problems: make fake 1,000 yen notes. (PRE) 9/5 13:00 L12.05.2; 9/5 19:20 L12.05.5; 9/6 14:40 L12.06.3; 9/7 21:30 L15.07.6. ( IMDb / AsianMediaWiki )

There is one movie in the “World Great” (Out of Competition / Hors Concours) category (HC):

  • 60 sai no Love Letter (Dear My Love) directed by FUKAGAWA Yoshihiro, 129 min. 86,441 love letters — mostly messages written by one spouse to another voicing unspoken appreciation for lives shared over the years — DEAR MY LOVE, examines the different situations of three particular couples. (HC) 9/1 18:40 L15.01.4; 9/2 12:10 L15.02.2; 9/3 14:40 L15.03.3. ( IMDb / Official website )

There are three movies in the “Focus on World Cinema” category (REG):

  • Chanto Tsutaeru (Be Sure to Share) directed by Sion Sono, 108 min. Shiro’s struggle with his father’s cancer and impending death leads to a realization that he must communicate his love and admiration for the man before it is too late. (REG) 8/28 19:20 L15.28.5; 8/29 11:40 L15.29.1; 8/30 10:00 L15.30.1; 8/31 19:30 L15.31.5. ( IMDb / Official website / Trailer )
  • Kouryo-Shibounin (The Faceless Dead) directed by Kishu Izuchi, 112 min. When a 24-year-old wannabe writer gets a call one day informing her that “Ms. Misaki Takigawa” has been hospitalized, she is puzzled: she is Misaki Takigawa. Why would anyone be using her name? (REG) 8/28 12:40 L10.28.2; 8/30 19:00 L10.30.5; 9/7 10:20 L10.07.1. ( Official website )
  • Samayou Yaiba (The Hovering Blade) directed by MASHIKO Shoichi, 122 min. When his only daughter is raped and killed by two youths, widower Hideki Nagamine is bitter and inconsolable. He knows they will be tried as juveniles and he is determined to exact revenge. (REG) 8/28 21:30 L15.28.6; 8/30 12:00 L13.30.2; 9/1 19:00 L11.01.2; 9/2 16:30 L11.02.3. ( IMDb / Official website / Trailer )

And there are two documentaries (DOC):

  • Eatrip directed by NOMURA Yuri, 78 min. For Yuri Nomura, who studied cooking, developed menus for restaurants and writes for culinary magazines, the way to people’s feelings is through their stomachs. (DOC) 8/29 12:10 L11.29.1; 8/29 19:20 L11.29.4; 8/30 14:30 L11.30.3. ( Official website / Trailer )
  • Grandmother, a short directed by KAWAMURA Yuki, 34 min. Masa, an 83-year-old Japanese grandmother, has just spent 50 days in a coma. Her family gathers to be with her through this difficult period. Her death is an opportunity to reflect on nature and the meaning of life. (DOC) 8/28 14:30 L16.28.3; 8/29 14:40 L10.29.3; 8/30 21:30 L10.30.6. ( Official website )

Unfortunately, I was so busy with work, various projects and the covering of other festivals that I missed the programmation press conference itself. So, I don’t have any pictures or video footage to show you. However, as usual (we’ve been covering the MWFF for ten years now!), we will do our best to screen all those movies and report on them (whether in the magazine — in print or digital edition — or on the web page or on my personal blog or a combination of those). We will also attend all the movie press conferences that we can.

In any case, as soon as we have new information I will update this entry (updated: 8/15, 8/21, 8/22, 8/23, 8/25, 8/26) or make new ones.

This calendar shows the schedule of the Japanese movies’ screenings.

Tony Curtis at the World Film Festival

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This is the highlights of the Tony Curtis press conference at the Montreal World Film Festival 2008, document.write(“”); held on August 24th. With his wife he was introducing their movie “The Jill and Tony Curtis Story.” (19 min. out of a 48 min. conference).
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You can also view it on my BlipTV page.

Your Name Here

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Since I am pretty busy I usually check only the Japanese films at the Montreal World Film Festival (because I like them and for work). If I have the opportunity, document.write(“”); I may–from time to time–screen some Iranian or French movies just for “l’amour de l’art.”
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A friend of mine just pointed out to me a USA film in competition that seems to be a weird sci-fi movie based on the life of my fetish & favorite writer, Philip K Dick. It’s worth checking:

Your Name Here, directed by Matthew Wilder and starring Bill Pullman, Taryn Manning, Harold Perrineau, Traci Lords (!), M. Emmet Walsh and Ivana Milicevic. “The lines between reality and perception blur in this comic journey into the life and mind of one of science fiction’s most brilliant authors” ( IMDb )

Montreal World Film Festival 2008

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

Today, document.write(“”); in a press conference, the Montreal World Film Festival has announced the program for its 32nd edition. The festival will be held from August 21 to September 1st in four locations (at the Imperial Theatre, Maisonneuve Theatre, Quartier Latin Cinema and Cinema ONF). Tickets are sold for $10, but are available in 10-coupon ($60) or 30-coupon booklets ($150). A Cinephile Pass is also available for $300.
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This year the festival will offer 234 feature films (105 of which are world or international premieres), 13 medium-length films and 208 shorts. That includes 32 films in World Competition (20 features, 12 shorts), 17 in the First Films World Competition, 30 Hors-Concours, 192 in the Focus on World Cinema (84 features and 108 shorts), 63 documentaries, 15 tributes movies, 18 in the Cinema Under the Stars, 15 in Our Cinema at Radio-Canada and 73 in the Student Film Festival!

The Festival will offer a posthumous tribute to Mrs Kashiko Kawakita, founder of the Kawakita Memorial Film Institute, for her work promoting Japanese Cinema abroad. To commemorate her 100th anniversary, the festival will be presenting a sampling of significant works by prominent postwar Japanese directors, each a winner of the Kawakita Award:

There will be ten Japanese films shown at the festival. Two are in Official Competition:

  • Okuribito, directed by Yojiro Takita (Onmyoji, Mibu Gishi Den, Ashura). A young cellist who suddenly finds himself out of work when his orchestra disbands, moves back to his hometown and takes a job as an undertaker. It’s not a job his wife appreciates, but his daily encounters with death teach him about life. ( IMDb / Official web page )
  • Dare mo Mamotte Kurenai (Nobody To Watch Over Me), directed by Ryoichi Kimizuka (writer for Parasyte Eve and the Odoru Daisosasen TV series & movies). The Funamaras seem a typical suburban family until the police knock on the door one day and arrest their 18-year-old boy for murder. His teenage sister and the cop assign to protect her must hide out from a relentless public braying for blood. ( IMDb / Eiga Wiki / Official web page )

Three in the First Film World Competition:

  • Der Rote Punkt (The Red Spot), directed by Marie Miyayama, is a Germany/Japan co-production. ( IMDb )

One in the Hors-Concours / World Greats category:

  • The Magic Hour, by Koki Mitani (Uchoten Hotel). A gangster having an affair with the wife of his boss is found out, but promises to save face by recruiting a famous hitman. Instead, when he can’t find the real thing, he hires an actor to fill the role until he can find a suitable replacement. ( IMDb / Wikipedia / Official web page )

And four in Focus on World Cinema:

  • Yashi (Tears) by Sano Shinju (a Kazakhstan/Japan/Russia co-production).

More details will be added as soon as they are available.

Here’s the highlights of the press conference (10 min. out of the 60 min. conference — in French, sorry):

Video thumbnail. Click to play.
Click to play

play_blip_movie_1156781();

And a picture of Serge Losique (Festival’s president) and Danièle Cauchard (Directeur Général) with this year’s poster:

[Updated 2008/08/15]

More movie & festival reviews

/ Clodjee / Leave a comment

I’ve just put online a bunch of movie reviews from last year’s Montreal World Film Festival.
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You can access them either at this updated blog entry or on Protoculture’s web site.

Montreal World Film Festival 2007

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Today, document.write(“”); the 31st Montreal World Film Festival announced its programmation. The Festival, which will be held from August 23 to September 3, 2007, will offer 230 movie features and 215 shorts from 70 countries (including 53 world premieres (PM), 56 international premieres (PI), 59 North American premieres (PNA), and 42 Canadian premieres (PC))!
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Unfortunately, there is very little Japanese movies at the festival this year: two in competition (COMP), one out of competition (HC), four in the “Focus On World Cinema” segment (REG) and one short:

KURO-OBI (Black Belt) (COMP) (PM) Japan / 2006 / 95 min / Dir.: Shunichi Nagasaki; Cast : Akihito Yagi, Tatsuya Naka, Yuji Suzuki, Takayasu Komiya, Yasuto Kosuda, Kenji Anan, Masahiro Sudo, Taro Suwa, Arashi Fukasawa, Narumi Konno. Set in the 1930s in Japan, three martial arts practitioners who are competing to inherit the mantle of their late master, are ordered to enlist in the military. Having no choice, the trio leave their dojo for an encounter with fate. Review.

OH-OKU (Oh-Oku, The Women Of The Inner Palace) (COMP) (PI) Japan / 2007 / 128 min / Dir.: Toru Hayashi; Cast : Yukie Nakama, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Haruka Igawa, Mitsuhiro Oikawa, Kaoru Sugita, Machiko Washio, Kaori Yamaguchi, Maki Kubota, Yuki Matsushita, Reiko Takashima. Set during the short reign of child Shogun Ietsugu Tokugawa, OH-OKU recounts the legendary power struggle between the young shogun’s natural mother and his official wife, who must watch her stake in the bloodline. Review.

BIZAN (HC) (PNA) Japan / 2007 / 120 min / Dir.: Isshin Inudo; Cast : Nanako Matsushima, Takao Osawa, Nobuko Miyamata, Aya Enjoji, Tatsuo Yamada, Manami Kurose, Toshiyuki Nagashima, Takeo Nakahara, Ken Kaneko. A Tokyo travel agent who returns to her hometown when her mother is hospitalized for cancer discovers that the father she never met is not dead as her mother always claimed. She sets out to find him and perhaps re-unite the family before it is too late. Review.

DEAR FRIENDS (REG) (PI) Japan / 2007 / 115 min / Dir.: Kasuyuki Morosawa; Cast : Keiko Kitagawa,Yuika Motokariya, Masaya Kikawada, Airi Toriyama, Mao Sasaki, Hatsune Matsushima, Mantaro Koichi, Naoko Otani, Yoshiko Miyazaki, Ren Osugi; Prod. & Sales: Toei Company Ltd.

MAMIYA KYOUDAI (The Mamiya Brothers) (REG) (PNA) Japan / 2006 / 119 min / Dir.: Yoshimitsu Morita; Cast : Kuranosuke Sasaki, Muga Tsukaji, Miyuki Nakajima, Takako Tokiwa, Erika Sawajiri, Keiko Kitagawa, Hiromi Iwasaki, Ryuta Sato, Teppei Yokota, Koji Sato, Kenichi Katsura; Prod. & Sales: Yasushi Tsuge, Kazuko Misawa, Asmik Ace Entertainment, Inc.. The nerdy Mamiya brothers live in a comfortable Tokyo apartment, work 9-to-5 jobs and have done everything together for over thirty years. Everything but date girls. Which they’ve never done at all. They decide a curry-and-Monopoly party might kick-start their love lives… Review.

SAKURAN (REG) (PC) Japan / 2007 / 111 min / Dir.: Mika Ninagawa; Cast : Anna Tsuchiya, Kippei Narimiya, Yoshino Kimura, Miho Kanno, Masatoshi Nagase, Minami, Hiroshi Yamamoto; Prod.: Mitsuru Uda, Yoshinori Fujita, Asmik Ace Entertainment, Inc. An elegant red light district flourished in In 17th century Edo, as Tokyo was then known. SAKURAN tells the story of one woman living in the lustrous world who was determined to stand on her own two feet and live life as she pleased. Review.

TANA-NO-SUMI (The Dark Corners Of The Shelves) (REG) (PI) Japan / 2007 / 81 min / Dir.: Hajime Kadoi; Cast : Ren Osugi, Ryoko Uchida, Makiko Watanabe, Hideo Sakaki; Prod.: Kazuhiro Koike, Little Bird (Espero Keikaku). A woman comes into Yasuo’s toy shop and, without a word, buys an old toy and leaves. The woman is Yoko, Yasuo’s former wife who walked out on him and their son eight years ago… Review.

Grand Odyssey (REG – Short) (PNA) Japan – France / 2007 / 19 min / Dir.: Tomoyuki Kato; Cast : Yuzo Kayama, Natsumi Okumura. Review.

Check the festival’s web site for more details. Bon festival!

See the full Event Report in Protoculture Addicts #96: 71.

See also our quick overview of the festival and our Picture Gallery.

[updated 2007/8/20 and 2008/5/13]

Montreal World Film Festival 2005

/ Clodjee / 2 Comments

This year the Montreal World Film Festival was quite interesing as usual. There was less Japanese films than the previous years, document.write(“”); but it just meant that I would be able to find time to see them all. And I did: I saw all six Japanese movies [Himiko’s House, Kamataki, Itsuka Dokusho Suruhi (The Milkwoman), Shonen To Hoshi To Jitensha (Satoru – Fourteen), Umineko, Yumeno] and one Iranian movie [Sima-Ye Zani Dar Doordast (Portrait Of A Lady Far Away)]. We have also met several directors as well as many great actors (Maggie Cheung! Tatsuya Fuji! I have also met Isshin Inudo, director of Himiko’s House, who also directed the live-action version of “Touch” but unfortunately I couldn’t talk much with him). The movies will be reviewed either in the magazine or on my web pages.
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Unfortunately, this year the festival was showing its lack of budget (less movies, less events, etc.). That’s because it stopped receiving big governmental subsidies. All this because of bullshit politics and some people who wanted to make big money by creating their own festival. They want this other festival to be more glamorous, like Cannes. So they lobbied enough to get the subsidies yanked from the MWFF. Lots of people are bashing on the MWFF (mostly the press — probably unhappy because they were not invited to the parties with the big guests), but it is an excellent festival, which is offering a fine selection of international movies to the people. I don’t care that its director is an a** or that all the big guests and big business went to Toronto. I just want to see good movies. That’s all. I wish good luck to the New Festival (even if they stole the subsidies, copied the name and web page design of the MWFF) and if it is a good festival, it will be good for them and for the movie goers. But they are hurting the MWFF. I don’t want two half-festival. I want one good festival. The MWFF has been doing a fine job for nearly 30 years. So my thought is “Don’t fix it if it is not broken.” But now it is too late. Hopefully, both festivals will continue to do well.

Also, during the festival, I saw at the cinema Parisien something I had never seen before: they started a movie 20 minutes early! That’s an unforgivable mistake. I was told that all people who complained got a refund, but if it was up to me that projectionist would have lost his job!

Here is a selection of our pictures from the festival. Enjoy!