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| June 25, 2002 |
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| 12:20 | Day Two in Osaka and counting |
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Despite the nagging rain, people came out in huge crowds to see the festival. Or maybe because of the rain…?
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| 14:00 | Audiences speak up |
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One woman, Ms. Saito, had the day off, so she thought, Short Shorts. "Short films compact a lot of information into such a small amount of time.
It's like reading a really good short novel. I'm so busy because I work full-time, so I really don't want to miss the chance to see short films
when I can. I hope I'll be back to see some more during the festival." Wait! She didn't tell us which ones she liked… |
| 16:15 | Another audience member shares his views |
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"I think it's great that there are films about soccer in this festival, with the World Cup going on at the same time,"
this anonymous man told us. "Especially that film about Pele ('A Soccer Story'). I filmed some films when I was younger
on 8-mm film and for a while I've been getting some friends together, and hopefully we'll make our own short." |
| 18:00 | Japan Hot Shots! |
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This much-talked about special program finally screened in Osaka. Makoto Shinkai's "Hoshi no koe" ("Beyond the Stars"), Hideki Nakaoka's
"@ Punch Drunkard Building," and jamFilms George Iida's "Cold Sleep," and finally, Ryuhei Kitamura's 'the messenger,' all screened to
the delight of the audiences. Film producer Kiyomaro Kawano led a discussion about the films and filmmaking with Ryuhei Kitamura, and
actress Kae Uotani for about half an hour. For Kawano and Kitamura, the event was a sort of reunion, since the two had worked together
a while back, incidentally, in Osaka, their home town, and are good friends. |
| 18:00 | Osaka Special Program Part 2 |
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Shinya Kawai, producer of hit films like 'Swallowtail,' 'The Ring,' and 'Rasen' showed up for another discussion and to promote
his jamFilms. Kawai said he thinks this is a revolutionary plan to bring more short films out by young directors who like Japan's
Iwate is currently enjoying success at the box office (in Japan). Other directors whose works Kawai plans to include in the jamFilms,
in addition to Kitamura, and Iida are Shunji Iwai, Tetsuo Shinohara, Yukihiko Tsutsumi and Rokuro Mochizuki. |
| 18:00 | Osaka Special Program Part 3 |
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In the final portion of this special, Osaka-only program, director Ryuhei Kitamura, talked about his film 'the messenger' enjoyed
a world debut at the SSFF kick-off in Los Angeles this year as well as what it takes to become a director. "Whether you have ten
million yen or ten thousand yen, if you want to make a film, and you have the idea for it, the passion for it, then you'll make
that film no matter what. You'll be a director. But you need to be persistent." Well put. |