Beijing's New Century Cinema on Thursday will start a
three-day festival of Japanese films to mark the 35th anniversary since
diplomatic relations between China and Japan were normalized.
The Film
Bureau of China's State Administration for Radio, Film and Television (SARFT),
Japan's Ministry of Culture, Beijing's Xinyinglian Cinema Circuit Company and
some Japanese film industry non-profit organizations are jointly sponsoring the
festival.
The festival is part of the non-profit international film
initiative SARFT launched almost 3 years ago. The initiative so far has movies
from around 20 countries to China.
Japan has sent a strong delegation to promote the films at the festival. It
is made up of prominent directors, as well as the actors and actresses who star
in the films at the festival. Host country China has also invited a number of
well-known movie stars to act as ambassadors for the festival.
The carefully prepared line-up of Japanese movies includes some that have
never been screened in China before, as well as landmark movies produced by
Japan's most brilliant directors.
The Japanese delegation believes the films will greatly appeal to Chinese
film buffs. Most explore the themes that are popular with young people, like
love, dreams and worries. They will also act as a mirror on Japanese society and
culture, showing Chinese people how Japanese people act, live and think.
"Heaven Can Wait, Maybe..." will screen at the opening night on Thursday. A
2007 production created by popular playwright Yoshikazu Okada, it tells the
touching story of the friendship and love between two boys and a girl.
" Ichigo Domei" also examines the issues that affect young people. The main
character, 15-year-old boy Liangyi, feels frustrated when he loses sight of his
future and attempts to commit suicide. But his friend Cheye and Cheye's
girlfriend talk him out of his dilemma and teach him to stand firm again.
"Give It All" depicts the story of five high school girls trying to win a
rowing competition after an initial failure. It is a fast-paced movie starring
Rena Tanakas, who won the New Actress Award from an influential Japanese film
magazine, "キネマ旬 .
