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Many filmmakers who've experienced success with a short film are tempted to pad the initial project out into a feature. However, in the case of Japanese director Mayu Nakamura, she's taken the key themes and filmmaking principles of her successful short “Among Four of Us” (2021) and produced the touching anthology, “She is Me, I am her”. In just a brisk 70 minutes, the film explores loneliness, life in post-pandemic Japan, and the importance of human connection. Minor spoilers follow

“She is Me, I Am Her” is streaming on Sakka Films

The film is made up of four short films; the first, “Among Four of Us”, follows a phone call between three former college friends reuniting, while the second, “Someone to Watch Over Me”, concerns the relationship that develops between a delivery driver and a regular customer. With the third short, “Ms. Ghost”, we see two street workers of different generations share their stories of lost dreams,...

Chicago – The Asian Pop Up Cinema (Apuc), a Chicago cultural institution, launched Season 16 this past week with a sensational pre-season event featuring Hong Kong superstar Aaron Kwok and the Japan Cinema Showcase. Wrapping up the showcase is “Unami,” Click Here for details.

“With so much streaming content in the market, the festival’s priority is to select films made by new and seasoned filmmakers which are elevating, sophisticated, and told with a distinctive voice,” Sophia Wong Boccio – Apuc’s Founder, Curator and Executive Director – explained. “Audiences who come out to see our films in the cinema will come away with new insight on current societies in Asia or enjoy a new, distinctive filmmaking craft.” The festival will focus on a variety of films from Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Singapore and South Korea. Expert moderators representing each of the films/territories will facilitate discussions afterward. Also unique to Apuc...

Many filmmakers who've experienced success with a short film are tempted to pad the initial project out into a feature. However, in the case of Japanese director Mayu Nakamura, she's taken the key themes and filmmaking principles of her successful short “Among Four of Us” (2021) and produced the touching anthology, “She is Me, I am her”. In just a brisk 70 minutes, the film explores loneliness, life in post-pandemic Japan, and the importance of human connection. Minor spoilers follow.

She is Me, I am Her is screening at Asian Pop-Up Cinema Sophia's Choice

The film is made up of four short films; the first, “Among Four of Us”, follows a phone call between three former college friends reuniting, while the second, “Someone to Watch Over Me”, concerns the relationship that develops between a delivery driver and a regular customer. With the third short, “Ms. Ghost”, we see two street workers of...

Previous | Image 1 of 11 | NextAaron Kwok on the Apuc Red Carpet, March 14, 2023.

Chicago – Excitement was in the air in the first week of Season 16 for the Asian Pop Up Cinema (Apuc). It began on March 14th, 2023, with a Pre-Launch Special Event … an appearance from Hong Kong film and music superstar Aaron Kwok and the North American Premiere of his new film “Where the Wind Blows.” That was followed by the Opening weekend Japan Cinema Showcase, and an appearance by the actress Nahana for her new film “She is Me, I Am Her.”

Aaron Kwok is one of the best and brightest in Hong Kong, both as a pop singer and actor. He came in especially to represent “Where the Wind Blows” for the Asian Pop Up Cinema, to rock star acclaim at the AMC New City Cinema in Chicago. He received Apuc’s highest honor, the Award for Excellent Achievement in Film.

Chicago, Il – Asian Pop-Up Cinema today announced a lineup of films showcasing Japanese cinema opening weekend March 18-19 for its 16th Season running March 18- April 16. While many films released theatrically have not been themed Covid-19, opening weekend explores Japanese life, loneliness, and people’s desire for connection during and after the pandemic, Japanese Americans living here during WWII, and new indie films recently released in Japan.

Since its inception, Asian Pop-Up Cinema has hosted an impressive lineup of film directors, producers, and major talent. This season brings Japanese guests to Chicago for the first time since the pandemic. They will present their latest work, share their stories, and showcase their society and how it has adapted to change in recent years.

The 16th Season of Asian Pop-Up Cinema opens at AMC Evanston 12 with Variety and The Japan Times film critic and Apuc’s Advisory Board Member, Mark Schilling hosting...

Many filmmakers who’ve experienced success with a short film are tempted to pad the initial project out into a feature. However, in the case of Japanese director Mayu Nakamura, she’s taken the key themes and filmmaking principles of her successful short “Among Four of Us” (2021) and produced the touching anthology, “She is Me, I am her”. In just a brisk 70 minutes, the film explores loneliness, life in post-pandemic Japan, and the importance of human connection. Minor spoilers follow.

“She Is Me, I Am Her” is screening at Japan Society as part of The Female Gaze: Women Filmmakers from Japan Cuts and Beyond Program

The film is made up of four short films; the first, “Among Four of Us”, follows a phone call between three former college friends reuniting, while the second, “Someone to Watch Over Me”, concerns the relationship that develops between a delivery driver and a regular customer.

In the beginning, one could be forgiven for rolling their eyes at Mayu Nakamura’s “Among Four of Us.” Its opening has all the makings of a generic Covid flick; it skims over the now almost cliche uncertainty we face amidst a phone-call catch-up, and shows its small ensemble pining for some form of normality. Yet, by its culmination, it evolves into so much more. At its core, it is resolutely thought-provoking, and is the type of short which skilfully uses its backdrop as a prop, not a crutch.

“Among Four Of Us” is screening at the Osaka Asian Film Festival

Centrally, the film revolves around a trio of middle-aged former college classmates, all gathered in local public spaces at night to converse with each other over alcohol. At first, their conversations are playful and breezy, mostly focused on the situation everyone finds themselves living in, but imbued with optimism...

A series of dramas inspired by stories directed by Takushi Tsubokawa, such as “Hamelin,” from people he met in Muroran, Hokkaido, where he lives. It tells seven stories of people living in local cities. In addition to Ren Osugi such as “Kyoukaishi”, Nene Otsuka such as “13 Moon”, Kenji Mizuhashi such as “Kazoku Drawing”, Nahana, Shun Sugata, Kouta Kusano, Sayu Kubota, Komatsu Starring Masao, Nagatoshi Sakamoto, Kyoko Kagawa and others.

Synopsis:

Aquarium employee Iwanai (Hiroki Nakajima) sees a woman holding a bottle with a letter at the port (“Episode 1”). Shinta (Ryunosuke Kawai) finds an unreceived photo in his father’s (Ren Osugi) photo studio and searches for the owner (“Episode 2”). Mizuno (Kenji Mizuhashi), who leads the chorus, receives a request from her predecessor’s husband (“Episode 3”). Sugiyama (Kouta Kusano), an oversized garbage collector, is asked to dispose of the piano (“Episode 4”). Junior high school student Momoko (Sayu Kubota) visits the science...

Kai Sayaka attended Joshibi University of Art and Design and worked as an art creator before she started working as assistant at independent films. She directed several short films that where screened at national and international film festivals. “Ondine’s Curse”, which was awarded at Skip City International D-Cinema Festival, was shown, and was met with acclaim at a screening at Paris’s Maison de la Culture du Japon, leading to “Red Snow“, her feature debut.

We speak with her about her inspiration for the film, the impressive visuals, the concept of memory, the atmosphere, and other topics.

What was the inspiration behind “Red Snow”?

I wanted to draw humans and to focus on memory. I started by exploring my own memories and some unforgettable realities, I unraveled each and every one of the shocking events where my memories, especially of my relatives, were lost. And I thought that memory is really ambiguous,...

It is very rarely that films leave me as perplexed about their quality (and if I liked them at all for that matter) but Sayaka Kai’s debut feature has managed to do just that with a film that thrives on atmosphere and visuals but seems to have some narrative issues, particularly regarding the reasons behind its complexity.

The story takes place in a snowy coastal town in northern Japan, where Shogo Kodachi, a journalist arrives to investigate a 30-year-old unsolved case revolving around the disappearance of a young boy, a mysterious fire, and a local woman who became an outcast despite the fact that she was found not guilty by the courts. Kodachi starts speaking with the policemen who investigated the case at the time and discovers that there were three more dead men having to do with the woman, while his research soon brings him to the woman’s daughter,...

If someone would mention Sayaka Kai in a conversation about Japanese cinema, most people would not know who you’re talking about. This would not be so surprising as Kai’s oeuvre, up until date only consisted of short-films. For those who surprisingly have heard about her will know her because of the acclaim the short-films (“Border Line” (2001), “Pellet” (2000)) she co-directed and her short movie “Odine’s curse” received.

When Kodachi (Arata Iura), a reporter, arrives in a small town, he has no other goal than to uncover the truth about the unsolved disappearance of Takumi thirty years ago. Kodachi suspects that Sayuri Eto (Nahana), the daughter of the prime suspect Sanae (Yui Natsukawa), must know more. But, just like her mother 30 years ago, she has no wish to cooperate. In his search for the truth, Kodachi also meets Kazuki Shirakawa (Masatoshi Nagase), the older brother of the disappeared Takumi.

The 17th Marrakech International Film Festival (Nov 30 – Dec 08) has set a jury comprising Suspiria star Dakota Johnson, Indian actress Ileana D’Cruz (Barfi!), Lebanese filmmaker and visual artist Joana Hadjithomas (I Want To See), Brit director Lynne Ramsay (We Need To Talk About Kevin), Moroccan director Tala Hadid (House In The Fields), French director Laurent Cantet (The Class), German actor Daniel Brühl (Rush) and Mexican director Michel Franco (April’s Daughter). As previously revealed, director James Gray will serve as jury president.

A total of 80 films will unspool at the festival, with Julian Schnabel’s Van Gogh biopic At Eternity’s Gate among gala screenings and also the festival’s opener. Other galas include Roma, Green Book and Capernaum while special screenings include Wildlife, Her Smell and Birds Of Passage. The official competition, galas and special screenings are listed below.

The festival will also feature tributes to Robert DeNiro, Robin Wright,...

Director Atsuhiro Yamada has uploaded a trailer for his 2008 film Happy Ending, which will be getting its theatrical release at Shibuya Uplink X on June 26, 2010. Yamada was able to make this film through a scholarship he received for winning the Grand Prix of the 2007 Yamagata International Movie Festival with his independent short film "My First Kiss". Happy Ending has since been screened at the 2009 Austin Film Festival and the 2010 Oxford Film Festival, winning an audience award at the former.

Chances are if you've seen many Japanese movies over the past decade or so, you'll vaguely recognize the film's star, Nahana, as she tends to get lots of small but memorable roles. She was one of the rooftop girls in Sion Sono's "Suicide Club", she played the pair of legs featured in the Hagane segment of the 2006 horror anthology film "Unholy Women", and she fried Minase Yashiro's tempura-battered arm in...

Jelly Fish Film has uploaded a trailer for 27-year-old director Kentaro Matsuda‘s upcoming indie comedy Awaremi Mumashika which was produced in 2009 and will get its theatrical release this summer.

The film revolves around an enthusiastic town council member named Atsuo Kashiwagi (Koshiro Asami) who decides to invent a mysterious creature to make his town famous. Against the objections of his family, he enacts his plan and begins orchestrating sightings. The idea works well at first, increasing revenue by attracting gawkers hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious yeti-like creature; but the excitement generated eventually throws the whole town into chaos.

The cast also includes Yoshie Otsuka as Atsuo’s wife, Nahana as his daughter, Ryunosuke Kawai as his son, and veteran actor Shun Sugata as the town’s mayor.

“Awaremi Mumashika” will be released at Shibuya Uplink X sometime in July.

Source: YouTube...