June 08, 2006

The closing scene of Hungarian filmmaker Karoly Ujj Meszaros’s dark comedy “Palika Brings Down the Trashcan” includes a lot of Japanese people. This unexpected visual joke caught audiences at Laforet off-guard and was met with total silence. Karoly was not completely distraught, however. “Maybe [there was] a smile . . . very dry skin,” says Karoly demonstrating how it can be difficult to force a smile. “Or maybe I’m just projecting.”

Karoly describes the characters in his film as “stupid little creatures, looking for peace of mind, rebirth, silly things.” Their pursuits are futile, as are ours, explains Karoly, because the end of the world is upon is. “It’s all gonna end sometime,” he says, and yet we continue to run around, making films, discussing world politics, and otherwise idling away our time, completely oblivious to the doom that certainly awaits civilization . . . eventually.

Not all of Karoly’s films are so dark or so funny. One of his earlier shorts, “Rubberman,” tells a redemptive story about a society where flesh and blood humans coexist with men made of rubber and air. His latest work is an experimental film called “Them.”

We hope Karoly doesn’t let the impending day of reckoning deter his call to filmmaking. You might see him wandering around Tokyo this weekend with a camera strapped to his chest as he shoots a documentary about his trip to Japan. Give him a wave and tell him to keep on with his silly pursuits!

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Filmmaker Matias Meyer cast his father in the title role of his film “The Passenger.” His father is a history professor, not an actor, but because he is so accustomed to speaking to large groups of people and being interviewed for television news, he was very at ease in front of the camera.

“The Passenger” has been a very successful film for Matias, screening at 20 festivals, including a non-competition program at the Cannes Film Festival. After its screening at Cannes, many other festivals began to contact him. “And I saw a lot of movies there. That was the most important thing!” says Matias.

Matias’ most recent project is a short film called “Green” that tells the story of a friendship between two children from different social classes. In theme it is similar to “The Passenger,” in which a wealthy gentleman spends the day with a common cab driver. “These two films are like brothers.”

Filmmakers, staff, and volunteers gathered on Omotesando this morning to clean up the sparkling sidewalks of this busy and beautiful shopping district. Sweepers is a time-honored tradition of the Short Shorts Film Festival that allows everyone involved in the event to offer a show of thanks to the neighborhood that hosts this festival each year. Working alongside the Short Shorts gang were volunteers from Greenbird, a non-profit environmental organization that has supported Sweepers for the last several years.

Festival Director Seigo Tono welcomed the Sweepers, and introduced Ken Hasebe, President and Founder of Greenbird. A representative from Japan’s Ministry of the Environment also welcomed the filmmakers and volunteers and thanked them for their contribution. He explained that there is a movement in Japan to encourage companies to relax their dress codes and eliminate ties from men’s summer wardrobes. This would enable offices to maintain their thermostats at slightly higher temperatures, thereby saving energy and reducing heat emissions from air conditioners.

The Sweepers split into two groups and set off in opposite directions on the hunt for abandoned cigarette butts, drink cans, newspapers, rubbish of any kind really. As in years past, it was a task that called for keenly alert senses; garbage is not easy to find in Tokyo. Even Tokyo native and festival staffer, Eri Taguchi, enjoying the fresh air in her first ever Sweepers event, was surprised by how clean the sidewalks were.

The Web Reporter asked some Sweepers how they felt about cleaning up rubbish in Tokyo:

“In Canada, there would be cigarette butts and beer cans all over the place―even though it’s illegal to drink in the streets!” -- filmmaker Shaleen Sanga (Sohni Sapna/Beautiful Dream)

“It’s the same concept as for eating.” ?Jury Member Beth Safreire, demonstrating that the garbage collecting tongs are not unlike chopsticks

“Small dogs go in the burnable bag.”- ?anonymous

“I’m happy with my non-burnables. And I didn’t come across that big stash everyone else got. This is all my own work.” --Leon Ford (The Mechanicals)

“It’s so clean, I’d be willing to lick the street.” --Chris Waitt (Dupe)

“It was stinky, but satisfying.” --Tatia Rosenthal (A Buck’s Worth)