Tokyo FILMEX 2012

Okay, so now I wanna go to Japan!

A wee bit late, may have missed the boat but still could fly there.

What a program, What a festival. Tokyo FILMEX 2012

The creme de la creme of Asian Cinema but only nine films in competition?

Ahha but 14 films in special screenings!

Here's a little run down on some of the South Korean & Japanese gems

Hong Sang soo's In Another Country is the opening film and he was a there for a Q&A. This is an extraordinarily witty film with the addition of English dialogue from Isabelle Huppert presence making for some fantastic cross conversations and quite awkward situations. For me it was evidence of evolution of filmmaker and thus I see it totally as fitting to be an opening film for a good look'n festival.

Moon Sori, Hong Sangsoo, French actress Isabelle Huppert,  Yu Jun Sang                                                                             and Youn Yuh-jung arrive for the screening of "In Another Country." at Canne 2012

Also in Japan.
Hong Sang soo has four films touring the country, described as a 'roadshow'. Sounds like the surf movie exhibition route of traveling the coast of Australia during summer? Hahaha, Like You Know It All, Oki‘s Movie and The Day He Arrives. The roadshow started at Cinemart Shinjuku, Tokyo on November 18th. After 6 weeks in Tokyo, the roadshow will move to Osaka and continue for 3 weeks. Then it will progress to other cities including Nagoya, Kyoto and Fukuoka.

But back to Filmex, here's a bit of a coup, Sion Sono's Bad Film is getting it's premier.
Shot in 1995 on Hi8 it was never finished! That is until this year, 17 years later and apparently sourced from 150hrs of footage, this is one that I would love to see.
Stunning, awe-inspiring, masterwork are some of the adjectives used to describe this film.

161min of pure experimental Sion Sono

I'm excited. It's political, it's activism, it's about China and Japan. It stars Tokyo GAGAGA
It's a good year when they release Bad Film.

Ok and now back to Korea, the one that roared at Venice this year, with some controversy but hell I still wanna see it that's for sure.
Kim Ki Duk's - Pieta
The first South Korean film to win the ol' Golden Lion. It's a film about mum and son but that's really under selling it.

Two of his other films are on my to see list. The auto biographical doco Arirang and one I almost saw at KOFFIA this year Spring Summer Autumn  Winter...and Spring

 

No doubt I've missed some beauties in this years line up but hey if you just saw these three in a week it'd be a pretty darn good one. eh? just another good reason to visit Japan. but hurry!