The Osaka Asian Film Festival 2017 celebrates city’s culture and Asian films…
This year, Osaka Asian Film Festival returns with its 12th edition to promote and create the hub of moving image culture through expanding both Asian films’ and filmmakers’ exposure and supporting filmmaking in Osaka. Hosted by the Osaka Executive Committee for the Promotion of Moving Image Culture, the line-up has been announced including the popular Competition section, Special Screenings, Indie Forum and special programs.
Malaysian-Hong Kong action thriller Mrs K will be this year’s opening film followed by ending the film festival with Japanese film Parks, starring Ai Hashimoto. Sixteen films were selected for this year’s competition. The winners of Grand Prix and Most Promising Talent Award will be announced based on the international juries’ selection. The Special Screenings will showed the most talked-about Asian films like Taiwan romantic comedy 52Hz, I Love You and China comedy I Am Not Madame Bovary.
Three categories of special programs includes showcasing the true face of Asian societies and people through films depicting tough labors, new movements of art and action films in Southeast Asia and emerging Hong Kong filmmakers. To celebrate the 130th anniversary of Thailand-Japan diplomatic relations, Thai films will be screened including 1987’s Duay Klaw. Indie Forum presents 12 films that are directed by aspiring Japan filmmakers including 3 CO2 (Cineasts Organization Osaka) supported films. The Japan Society will be presenting the Japan Cuts Award to the selected film. Supported by Osaka’s Housen Cultural Foundation, six films will be screened in the supported program. This foundation provides support for film study and production in graduate schools.
The film festival will be held from March 3 to 12. During the event, there will be symposiums and talks to be share by participating filmmakers.
Here’s the full line-up at this year’s film festival:
Opening Film
Mrs K, Ho Yuhang, Malaysia and Hong Kong, 2016, 96 minutes, Japan Premiere
Closing Film
Parks, Seta Natsuki, Japan, 2017, 118 minutes, World Premiere
Competition
10,000 Miles, Simon Hung, Taiwan, 2016, 104 minutes, Japan Premiere
29+1, Kearan Pang, Hong Kong, 2016, 100 minutes, Asia Premiere
77 Heartbreaks, Herman Yau, Hong Kong, 2017, 97 minutes, World Premiere
Bliss, Jerrold Tarog, Philippines, 2017, 95 minutes, World Premiere
By the Time It Gets Dark, Anocha Suwichakornpong, Thailand, Netherland, France and Qater, 2016, 105 minutes, Japan Premiere
Come, Together, Shin Dong-il, South Korea, 2016, 122 minutes, International Premiere
Interchange, Dain Iskandar Said, Malaysia and Indonesia, 2016, 102 minutes, Japan Premiere (Review)
Kita Kita, Sigrid Andrea P. Bernardo, Philippines, 2017, 93 minutes, World Premiere
Mad World, Wong Chun, Hong Kong, 2016, 101 minutes, Japan Premiere
One Day, Banjong Pisanthanakun, Thailand, 2016, 135 minutes, Japan Premiere
Revelations, Vijay Jayapal, India, 2016, 118 minutes, Japan Premiere
Sisterhood, Tracy Choi, Macao and Hong Kong, 2016, 97 minutes, International Premiere
Something in Blue, Li Yunbo, China, 2016, 107 minutes, Japan Premiere
Soul Mate, Derek Tsang, Hong Kong and China, 2016, 110 minutes, Japan Premiere (Review)
Tisay, Borgy Torre, Philippines, 2016, 103 minutes, International Premiere
Yamato (California), Miyazaki Daisuke, Japan, USA, Netherland and Taiwan, 2016, 119 minutes, Japan Premiere
Special Screenings
52Hz, I Love You, Wei Te-Sheng, Taiwan, 2017, 110 minutes, Japan Premiere
After Spring, The Tamaki Family…, Huang Yin-Yu, Taiwan and Japan, 2016, 123 minutes, Japan Premiere
Hema Hema: Sing Me a Song While I Wait, Khyentse Norbu, Bhutan and Hong Kong, 2016, 95 minutes, Japan Premiere
I am Not Madame Bovary, Feng Xiaogang, China, 2016, 139 minutes, Japan Premiere (Review)
Mrs. B, A North Korean Woman, Yun Jero, France and South Korea, 2016, 72 minutes, Japan Premiere (Review)
Parks, Seta Natsuki, Japan, 2017, 118 minutes, World Premiere
Sori: Voice From the Heart, Lee Ho-jae, South Korea, 2016, 117 minutes, Japan Premiere (Review)
Special Programs – In & Out of Work: Looking at Asia through the Prism of Employment
Apocalypse Child, Mario Cornejo, Philippines, 2015, 96 minutes, Japan Premiere (Review)
Jagat, Shanjhey Kumar Perumal, Malaysia, 2015, 76 minutes, Japan Premiere (Review)
My Stupid Boss, Upi, Indonesia and Malaysia, 2016, 100 minutes, Japan Premiere
Ping Pang, Tanaka Yoichi, Japan, 2016, 15 minutes
The Refugee, Nomura Yoshitaro, Japan, 1955, 135 minutes
Summer Night, Lee Ji-won, South Korea, 2016, 30 minutes, Japan Premiere
Special Programs – New Action! Southeast Asia
Baka Bukas, Samantha Lee, Philippines, 2016, 87 minutes, Japan Premiere
Birdshot, Mikhail Red, Philippines and Qater, 2016, 116 minutes
A Gift, Chayanop Boonprakob, Nithiwat Tharatorn, Jira Maligool and Kriangkrai Vachiratamporn, Thailand, 2016, 144 minutes, Japan Premiere
Goodbye Mr Loser, Adrian Teh Kean Kok, Malaysia, 2017, 106 minutes, World Premiere
Mrs K, Ho Yuhang, Malaysia and Hong Kong, 2016, 96 minutes, Japan Premiere
Patintero: The Legend of Meng The Loser, Mihk Vergara, Philippines, 2016, 95 minutes, Japan Premiere
Yellow Y, Philippines and France, 2016, 94 minutes, Asia Premiere
Singing in Graveyards, Bradley Liew, Malaysia and Philippines, 2016, 141 minutes, Japan Premiere
Suddenly Twenty, Araya Suriharn, Thailand, 2016, 125 minutes, Japan Premiere
Tam Cam: The Untold Story, Ngo Thanh Van, Vietnam, 2016, 116 minutes, Japan Premiere
A Yellow Bird, K Rajagopal, Singapore and France, 2016, 112 minutes, Japan Premiere
Special Programs – Special Focus on Hong Kong 2017
Husband Killers, Fire Lee, Hong Kong, 2017, 90 minutes, World Premiere
29+1, Kearan Pang, Hong Kong, 2016, 100 minutes, Asia Premiere
77 Heartbreaks, Herman Yau, Hong Kong, 2017, 97 minutes, World Premiere
Mad World, Wong Chun, Hong Kong, 2016, 101 minutes, Japan Premiere
Sisterhood, Tracy Choi, Macao and Hong Kong, 2016, 97 minutes, International Premiere
Soul Mate, Derek Tsang, Hong Kong and China, 2016, 110 minutes, Japan Premiere (Review)
130th Anniversary of Thailand-Japan Diplomatic Relations: Thai Film Promotion
Duay Klaw, Bundit Rittakol, Thailand, 1987, 120 minutes, Japan Premiere
By the Time It Gets Dark, Anocha Suwichakornpong, Thailand, Netherland, France and Qater, 2016, 105 minutes, Japan Premiere
One Day, Banjong Pisanthanakun, Thailand, 2016, 135 minutes, Japan Premiere
A Gift, Chayanop Boonprakob, Nithiwat Tharatorn, Jira Maligool and Kriangkrai Vachiratamporn, Thailand, 2016, 144 minutes, Japan Premiere
Suddenly Twenty, Araya Suriharn, Thailand, 2016, 125 minutes, Japan Premiere
Indie Forum
Dynamite Wolf, Taniguchi Kohei, Japan, 2017, 71 minutes, World Premiere – 13th CO2 Grand-recipient Film
Hizume, Kimura Asagi, Japan, 2017, 76 minutes, World Premiere – 13th CO2 Grand-recipient Film
Visualized Hearts, Igarashi Akiko, Japan, 2017, 76 minutes, World Premiere – 13th CO2 Grand-recipient Film
Bamy, Tanaka Jun, Japan, 2016, 100 minutes, World Premiere
Breathless Lovers, Shimizu Shumpei, Japan, 2017, 20 minutes, World Premiere
Good-bye, Matsuno Izumi, Japan, 2016, 76 minutes
Her Mother, Sato Yoshinori, Japan, 2016, 95 minutes, Japan Premiere
I Want to be Loved, Ronan Girre, Japan and France, 2017, 84 minutes
Love and Goodbye and Hawaii, Matsumura Shingo, Japan, 2017, 94 minutes, World Premiere
Ping Pang, Tanaka Yoichi, Japan, 2016, 15 minutes
Poetry Angel, Iizuka Toshimitsu, Japan, 2016, 95 minutes
Tamayura Mariko, Segawa Koji, Japan, 2016, 65 minutes
Supported Program – Housen Cultural Foundation: Support for film study and production
Breathless Lovers, Shimizu Shumpei, Japan, 2017, 20 minutes, World Premiere
Cooperation and Community, Ikeda Keishiro, Japan, 2015, 51 minutes, World Premiere
Icarus and The Son, Sanada Kohei, Japan, 2015, 34 minutes
Promises, Endo Mikihiro, Japan, 2015, 85 minutes, World Premiere
Bright Night, Konno Yasumasa, Japan, 2016, 43 minutes, World Premiere
Sweetest Truth, Evdoxia Kyropoulou, Japan and Greece, 2015, 58 minutes, World Premiere