2019-01-13

Two Asian Film Festivals Join Hands and Embrace the Second “Chinese-Japanese Film Festival”

To promote the exchange of movie cultures between China and Japan, Chinese-Japanese Film Festival is held, consisting of Japanese Film Festival in Shanghai and Chengdu in January and Chinese Film Festival in Tokyo and Osaka in March respectively. On Jan. 11, Tonde Saitama, as the opening movie of Japan New Movie Show, embraces its world premiere in Shanghai Grand Theatre.

Guests at the Opening Ceremony

Present at the opening ceremony are Hu Jinjun, Deputy Minister of Publicity Department of CPC Shanghai Committee and Director of Shanghai Film Bureau, Tamotsu Shiina, Vice President of UNIJAPAN, Takamoto Fukuda, Minister of News and Culture Department in Consulate-General of Japan in Shanghai, Jin Hui, Secratery of Shanghai Film Distribution and Exhibition Association, Wang Ye, Deputy Director of Shanghai International Film Festival Center, Takao, Minister of Image and Video Department of the Japan Foundation, Director Hideki Takeuchi, Producer Reiko Katayama, etc.

The exchange of movie shown between two countries encounters an overwhelming response

Both China and Japan produce large numbers of films in Asia. Shanghai International Film Festival and Tokyo International Film Festival are both non-specific competitive international film festivals. Early in 2015, the two festivals have launched International Express to present new talents and new movies to promote the communication of movie cultures between two countries and to deepen the understanding between audience from the two countries. At the end of 2017, the two festivals expanded movie cultures beyond film festival and organized annual Chinese-Japanese Film Festival. Japanese Film Festival, held in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Kunming, presented ten new Japanese movies including Lear on the Shore, Funôhan and Light to meet the demands of audience who found it hard to get a ticket. Last March, Chinese New Movie Show in Japan also presented ten movies, covering Duckweed, Wrath of Silence and City of Rock, which receives a warm response from Japanese audience.

In the night of Jan. 11, Tonde Saitama, as the opening movie of Japan New Movie Show, witnesses its world premiere in Shanghai Grand Theatre. Audience waiting in the queue.

Carefully Prepared, Grasping the First Glimpse of the New Movie

All seats occupied in the screening

With the success of the first attempt, the two international film festivals have deliberatively prepared for 2019 Chinese-Japanese Film Festival. In the Japanese Film Festival, six movies presented are Netemo Sametemo, Hanalei Bay, Your Bird Can Sing, You, I Love, Naughty Boy and the Beautiful World and Tonde Saitama, of which Tonde Saitama is world premiere, Your Bird Can Sing, You, I Love are international premiere and Hanalei Bay is firstly presented in China. These movies cover various categories and genres with high quality, attracting hundreds of fans rushing to the cinema. According to Taopiaopiao, a statistical platform of box office, until 18:00 on Jan. 11, all tickets are sold out in Shanghai with seldom left in Chengdu. Currently, the selection of movies for China New Movie Show has also started.

World Premiere of New Movie and Interaction with Directors after Screening

Tamotsu Shiina, Vice President of UNIJAPAN, addressing

Fukuda Kuda, Minister of News and Culture Department in Consulate-General of Japan in Shanghai, addressing

On Jan. 11, Tamotsu Shiina, Vice President of UNIJAPAN, said in his address, “I am very glad that Japanese movies have such a screening opportunity. In May, 2018, China and Japan have signed a coproduction agreement in filming. I sincerely hope that the communication between the two countries in movie culture could be deepened with more and more Japanese movies brought in and more coproduction.” Wang Ye, Deputy Director of Shanghai International Film Festival, expressed that since the operation of International Express in 2015, they have promoted multiple movies of new directors to compete in Asian New Talent Prize in Shanghai International Film Festival and The Future of Asia in Tokyo International Film Festival. An exchange of screening in cinemas between the two countries will be furthered, hoping that the two parties could build a path to increase the communication and interaction between China and Japan and to enhance the understanding, mutual trust and friendship.

Wang Ye, Deputy Director of Shanghai International Film Festival Center, addressing on behalf of Shanghai International Film Festival

Tonde Saitama, directed by Hideki Takeuchi and starred by Nikaidou Fumi and Gackt, kicked off 2019 Chinese-Japanese Film Festival with a world premiere in Shanghai. The film, based on the work of famous cartoonist Mineo Maya, is one of the hot topics in the first half of 2019. Director Hideki Takeuchi and Producer Reiko Katayama attended the activity to communicate with the audiences in Shanghai. They would also go to Chengdu to meet the audiences there.

Director of Tonde Saitama, Hideki Takeuchi, in the meeting, interacting with the audiences