HI EVERYBODY!

So we’ve moved on down the street from Omotesando Hills, Space O to the LAFORET HARAJUKU shopping complex for week 2 of the festival & it’s already the last day of screenings here. Harajuku of course is the center of the world for the younger generations from around the world & this area is jamming on the weekends. 

FOR TODAY’S 1ST PROGRAM: ASIA INTERNATIONAL & ASIA PROGRAM 6,

Japanese movie star MASAYA KATO made a return appearance after our screening at Shibuya Shidax on Wednesday. MOORE THIT SETT HTOON also returned for his short “NON FOSSILS” as well as director KENJI QURATA with his cast SO HIRASAWA, YUKI TAKASHI & MIHO SUGIMOTO. Please my report from that day for details.

 

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM 5 with 2 Q&A directors!

1ST UP WAS ANDREAS “SPLASH” KYRIACOU who brought his wonderful short “RED NOSE.” It is based on MOHAMMED AWWAD who was an immigrant in Andreas’ native Cyprus & who entertained the children in refugee camps by becoming a circus clown bringing much needed smiles & laughter to the refugees.

Director KERSTIN ZEMP co-directed the magical world of “LIVING LIKE HETA” with fellow Lucerne School of Art & Design animators BIANCE CADERAS & ISABELLA LUU. KERSTIN revealed that the story idea came from beer sessions & soon they were creating this unique world of “HETA” over a period of 7 – 8 months. They have already been invited to screenings at over 30 film festivals & we couldn’t be happier to have them here.

So that’s it for Q&A’s here at LAFORET HARAJUKU. We have the Cinema Fighters Program & our Academy Program finishes the day & our stay here at LAFORET. It’ always sad to say goodbye to a venue but we’ll be back at ITSCOM HALL in the RISE shopping mall in suburban FUTAKO-TAMAGAWA next week from Thurs through Sunday.

See you all there!

DJ JOHN