Thank you for your interest in the 24th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF). TIFF and its supporting partners and sponsors held a special screening event at Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture today. Seven hundred people in devastated area including those who are still in temporary compounds were selected by drawing, out of 1,781 applications, visited MOVIX Sendai to enjoy four new films. Outline of and excerpts from this event are as follows.
■ Date & venue:
October 25th (Tuesday) @MOVIX Sendai (7-20-15 Nagamachi, Taihaku, Sendai)
■ Content:
13:00- Hal’s Flute @Theater 8: Keiko Toda, Masako Nozawa (voice-over actresses)
15:20- A Ghost of a Chance @Theater 7: Toshiyuki Nishida (actor), Koki Mitani (director)
17:00- KAIJI 2 @Theater 8
19:10- THE THREE MUSKETEERS @Theater 7: video message from Mila Jovovich (actress)
Hal’s Flute is an animated film based on a story by Takashi Yanase, a Japanese creator of popular anime Anpanman. Following the screening at a theater full of children, voice over actresses Keiko Toda and Masako Nozawa came out on stage. Nozawa praised the film saying, “All creatures share the same emotion. This story lets you go back to the basics you tend to forget about.” Toda delivered a message from Takashi Yanase. “I would like the adults to watch this film, too. It’s very touching and has warmth and may do wonders to your mind.” A photo session with the two voice-over actresses and the children followed and the whole theater was filled with a warm and comfortable mood.
Nobushige Toshima (TIFF Secretary-General) and Hitoshi Takeda (Director of the Cultural and Sports Department, Citizens’ Affairs Bureau, Sendai City Government) also greeted the audience. Toshima said, “What we can do as a film festival is to provide opportunities for people to enjoy films. I hope you will be intrigued to watch more movies after this.” He also mentioned that TIFF is supporting Cinema Yell Tohoku’s efforts of implementing a screening tour around the affected areas. Takeda delivered the message from Mayor Emiko Okuyama of Sendai City. “People need hope and dreams to survive. The power of culture is indispensable to keep our dreams alive…
Today, you are together to feel the power of culture in the form of films. If this helped you to foster a hope, then I would be more than pleased. Let’s get united to move in a positive direction. ” Following the screening of A Ghost of a Chance, the lead role actor Toshiyuki Nishida and director Koki Mitani came out on stage. Mitani said, “Movies are lot more fun when we see it together at a movie theater.” Nishida passionately spoke about how he was affected by the cinema in his childhood. “It’s no exaggeration to say that my sentiment was cultivated at movie theaters. My father took me to see films so very often. We watched every kind of movies. Once I saw my teacher, who was always scolding us at school, crying while watching Nijushi no Hitomi (Twenty-Four Eyes). Even as a child, it made me realize that people are full of different emotions. I’d like everyone, all children to watch A Ghost of a Chance. Movies have very special power.”
Along with the screening of THE THREE MUSKETEERS, a thoughtful video message from the lead role actress Milla Jovovich was presented. “I love Japan and whatever movie we make, I will come again! In this difficult time, I want to present this movie to all of you with all my love.”
