Fantasia Fest, in a tremendous show of charity, is putting together a fundraising event to help aid those in need in Japan following the terrible events of March 10th. Proceeds from the screenings of three Japanese films that were very successful at the festival will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross, Japan Earthquake/Asia-Pacific Tsunami Fund.
The event will take place on Saturday MACRCH 26th, at 4pm at Concordia University in Montreal. Every $10 contribution will give you a chance to win one of numerous door prizes that will be raffled throughout the event.
The three films being showcased:
4 pm – ADRIFT IN TOKYO (2007)
Director: Satoshi Miki
Cast: Jo Odagiri, Tomokazu Miura
Distributor: Evokative Films
A deeply indebted student is offered a strange proposition by a persuasive debt collector: in exchange for 1 million yen, he must accompany his executioner on his visit to Tokyo. Led by a uniquely intelligent script, this love letter to Tokyo, at once touching and disconcerting, guides us through the Japanese megalopolis in ways no film has done before. From small peaceful parks to the legendary Shinjuku neighbourhood, funny and heart-warming characters take us strolling through one of the planet’s most fascinating cities. Best Scenario Award and Special Mention of the Jury winner at Fantasia 2008.
7 pm – KAMIKAZE GIRLS (2004)
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima
Cast: Kyoko Fukada, Anna Tsuchiya
Distributor: New People Entertainment
Bashful Momoko was born for Tokyo’s Harajuka neighbourhood and its Lolita shops. Instead, she’s rotting away in the countryside sporting clothing fit for Marie Antoinette’s Versailles. Ichigo is a neglected fighter belonging to a scooter-riding girl gang. An unusual friendship will develop between these two completely opposite individuals. Adapted from a cult short story (also the source for a manga of the same name), and led by two stars of Japanese pop, this dynamic and hilarious picture offers a unique narrative and visual universe stemming from the knowledgeable talent of one of Japan’s most eclectic directors.
9:30 pm – SURVIVE STYLE 5+ (2004)
Director: Gen Sekiguchi
Cast: Tadanobu Asano, Vinnie Jones, Sonny Chiba
Distributor: Geneon Entertainment
Five storylines criss-cross one another in this funny, original and infinitely cool cocktail in which evolve, among many, a sharp-tongued English hitman, a man unsuccessfully attempting to rid himself of his wife, a publicist with a strange sense of humour who imagines questionably-tasteful ads and a family that finds itself in a delicate situation following an hypnosis session. It needs to be seen to be believed. SURVIVE STYLE 5+ is archetypical of the overflowing imagination, aesthetic refinement and controlled insanity that emanate from Japanese popular culture. With its rock/electro fusion soundtrack, sumptuous art direction and ambitious creativity palpable in every shot, this unclassifiable picture promises an unequalled sensorial experience. Best Direction Award, L’Écran Fantastique Award, Best Asian Film Audience Award and Most Groundbreaking Film Audience Award winner at Fantasia 2005.
To learn more about this fundraiser, hit up the official Facebook page.
KAMIKAZE GIRLS’ Anna Tsuchiya
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