Tokyo festival features Yoshida's films of hope amid despair

Guy Lodge Film CriticFilm festivals have been the primary hatching-ground for Oscar contenders ever since the Academy’s tastes shifted predominantly from studio to independent cinema earlier this century — though in the international feature category, this has been the case for far longer.

Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car triumphed this eve at the 14th Asia Pacific Screen Awards. The movie scooped best film, which Japanese filmmaker Hamaguchi shared with producer Teruhisa Yamamoto, and best screenplay, which the director shared with Oe Takamasa. Scroll down for the full list of winners on the night.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentThe Middle East premiere of British director Joe Wright’s dazzling romantic drama “Cyrano” will open the Red Sea Film Festival, which is Saudi Arabia’s first full-fledged film festival and market with international ambitions.The ambitious event, which is a key plank of the kingdom’s plans to diversify its oil-based economy and become a prominent Middle East moviemaking hub – following the 2017 removal of its religion-related ban on cinema – is set to

Netflix has unveiled a hefty list of upcoming Japanese titles, including both anime and live-action films and series. The company is hosting a two-day event this week – the Netflix Japan Festival 2021 – at which it will significantly expand its local slate in the country.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefGlobal streaming giant, Netflix is in the process of unveiling a huge expansion of its slate of Japanese film and TV content. These are aimed at cementing and strengthening its position in the critical Japanese market and also showcasing live action and anime programming that is expected to cross borders.After the recent success of Korean series “Squid Game,” many eyes have turned to Asia for further high concept non-English-language shows.

Vera Dreams of the Sea,” Kaltrina Krasniqi’s semi-autobiographical drama about a sign-language interpreter who battles for her rights in an inheritance dispute, was awarded the Tokyo Grand Prix at the closing ceremony of the 34nd Tokyo International Film Festival on Monday.

Three victims of the Astroworld Festival tragedy were identified on Saturday, just one day after the deadly event took place., The family of Brianna Rodriguez, 16, confirmed to PEOPLE that she was one of the eight concertgoers who passed away on the first day of Travis Scott‘s massive two-day outdoor festival at Houston NRG Park. A tribute to her, which revealed she was a high school junior, was posted on Facebook.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefIchiyama Shozo returned this year to the Tokyo International Film Festival as its head selector, having for the last twenty years headed the rival Tokyo Filmex event.COVID last year forced the two festivals to put aside their rivalry and to cooperate in the key autumn slot.

Mark Schilling Japan CorrespondentYasukawa Yuka is one of two Japanese directors with films in the Asian Future section for up-and-coming Asian filmmakers. Her romantic drama “The Nighthawk’s First Love,” is based on Naoki Prize-winner Shimamoto Rio’s 2013 novel about a college student with a facial birthmark that made her a target of bullying as a child and sapped her confidence as a woman.

Kathy A. McDonald Miami film fans have an express pass to the best of the world’s film festivals at Miami Dade College’s eighth annual Miami Film Festival Gems, an offshoot of the Miami Film Festival.

Katherine Tulich Australian film maker Gabriel Shipton wants his new documentary “Ithaka”, which will have its world premiere at the Sydney Film Festival on Sunday, to shine a new perspective on his brother, the polarizing Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange.“It’s a story that’s never been told before,” Shipton, who produced the film, told Variety. “We’ve learned Julian’s story through media headlines, but I wanted to tell this story through his family.

Mark Schilling Japan CorrespondentFestival Ambassador for this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival, Hashimoto Ai is an inspired choice for the role and not only because she is an A-list actor who has starred in hit TV series (“Amachan”) and worked with internationally acclaimed directors like Nakashima Tetsuya (“Confessions”) and Yoshida Daihachi (“The Kirishima Thing”).She is also a certified film nerd, who has proclaimed her love of everything from 1970s “pink” (softcore adult) classics

Mark Schilling Japan CorrespondentNot long ago, director Yoshida Keisuke was little known both in Japan and abroad, though he scored the occasional festival invitation with films like the 2008 quirky comedy “Café Isobe” and the 2016 thriller “Himeanole.”A former lighting director to cult favorite Tsukamoto Shinya, Yoshida was one of many Japanese filmmakers laboring in the middle zone between low-budget indies and major commercial films.

Sharareh Drury administrator“Flabbergasted” is Georges Chamchoum’s choice word to use when thinking of Asia’s disappointingly low Oscar representation, especially given all the masterpieces that have come from the region.Two years after South Korea’s Parasite won best picture, Chamchoum believes events such as the Asian World Film Festival, of which he serves as executive and program director, are essential to raising those statistics moving forward.

Kishida Fumio sent a video message on Saturday to the opening ceremony of the Tokyo International Film Festival.“I would like to express my gratitude to all of you for your ingenuity and dedication in organizing this new type of film festival, a hybrid of the real and online,” Kishida said.Where previous Japanese premiers have trod the red carpet, Kishida’s careful social distancing was in keeping with a low-key ceremony and prevailing anti-COVID conditions.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefPremiering TV and streaming series at film festivals is becoming a familiar route for a growing number of ambitious shows.

Dylan Penn stuns in a red hot dress for the 2021 SCAD Savannah Film Festival on Friday night (October 29) in Savannah, Ga.

Kodi Smit-McPhee suits up in a sharp red ensemble for the 2021 SCAD Savannah Film Festival on Tuesday night (October 26) in Savannah, Ga.

EastEnders’ Tiffany Butcher will watch a blazing argument in Coronation Street as soaps' two universes collide from next week. Maisie Smith's character will be seen catching a clip of Maria Connor and Tracy Barlow (played by Samia Longchambon and Kate Ford) going at it as they dispute air pollution as part of the landmark TV stunt.