Father Geek here with the Thanksgiving Edition of our regular late week Asian column, buuuuut before I turn over to Darius25 and the lovely Ms. Moon Yun Choi there is this that appeared here at Geek World Headquarters in Central Texas...

Long time reader yadda yadda. Just saw this over at
www.akadot.com, a fantastic anime news site, and
thought my fellow AICN addicts would like to hear the
first rumblings of confirmation about a CAPTAIN
HARLOCK live action movie. A joint US/Japan production
with English dialogue and Japanese effects? Yes
please!!!

Check it out;

Taken from This Cool Site;

CAPTAIN HARLOCK GOES LIVE- French director Olivier
Dahan (La Vie Promise, Le Petit Poucet) is gearing up
to produce a live-action interpretation of Leiji
Matsumoto's classic manga and anime hero Captain
Harlock, according to French film site AlloCine.com
According to the article, the film will be an
American/Japanese co-production, featuring English
dialogue and Japanese special effects. The screenplay
is being produced by an unnamed English author.A
composer has also not yet been named, but it's
speculated that two possibilities are Joe Hisaishi and
Kenji Kawaii. Harlock has been budgeted at 27 million
euros (Source- Destory all monsters)

Yum. Now can we have some more adaptations of anime
that involve Japanese film-makers please? the US live
action AKIRA fills me with utter dread....

foreverguardian signing off.

Father Geek back for a sec... Here's our far east editor Darius25...

Asia-AICN

Hey all, Happy Thanksgiving and welcome to the latest edition of your weekly Asian column. This week we have news on “Kaante (Thorns)”, “Rishtey (Relationships)”, “Ishq Hua Hai Tumse (Fallen in Love with You)”, “Searching for Paradise”, “A La Folie … Pas Du Tout (He Loves Me … He Loves Me Not)”, and “Bowling for Columbine”.

INDIA

- Just a week before it’s much anticipated release, some new stills have been released from the hyper-violent action flick, “Kaante (Thorns)”. And in case you don’t know, the “Reservoir Dogs” remake is directed by Sanjay Gupta and stars Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty, Lucky Ali, Mahesh Manjrekar and Kumar Gaurav. Here’s the pics.

The boys go on a violent shooting spree: They're Right Here

Another pic of the violent shootout, check out Bachchan with the crazy beard and the assault rifle (at the far left): Great Action Right Here

Sanjay Dutt goes after the LAPD with his shotgun: Check Him Out Here

And this is a FANTASTIC explosion: The Action's Here

- Some new stills have also been released from director Inder Kumar’s next film, “Rishtey (Relationships)”, supposedly due out next week. Even with a high profile cast of Anil Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor, and Shilpa Shetty, expect the film to get pushed back a week or two, because there is NO WAY it will ever top “Kaante”. Here’s the pics.

Anil and Karisma: See Them Here

The gorgeous Shilpa: Yum Yum!!!

Shilpa and Karisma in one frame!!! Just Click

- After starring in “Mohabbatein (Love Affairs)” and “Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai (My Friend’s Wedding)”, actors Jimmy Shergill and Uday Chopra have signed on for a yet another film, this time directed by newcomer Tigmanshu Dhulia. The romantic comedy’s main leading lady will be played by Namrata Shirodhkar, and it is due to start shooting from mid-December.

- And after this year’s superhit “Raaz (Secret)” and average “Gunaah (Crime)”, Bipasha Basu and Dino Morea will be seen together again in a new film, titled “Ishq Hua Hai Tumse (Fallen in Love with You)”. The film will be directed by G. Krishna, and will start shooting early next year.

HAWAII INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Here’s the latest news from this year’s Hawaii International Film Festival, courtesy of Ms. Moon Yun Choi.

SEARCHING FOR PARADISE

USA – 2002 – 35 mm – 88 minutes – Director/Screenplay: Myra Paci – Producer: Ruth Charny, Janet Grillo, Jonathan Shoemaker – Cinematographer: Teodoro Maniaci – Cast: Chris Noth, Susan May Pratt, Jeremy Davies

Where do you go from here when your loved one has died?

Thanks to talented first-time feature director Myra Paci, SEARCHING FOR PARADISE takes the audience on an introspective journey into the inner life of its leading character, Gilda Mattei, played beautifully by Susan May Pratt. Her most notable movie credit is CENTER STAGE. The movie wouldn’t have succeeded as a moving drama without the acting chops of the young, pretty starlet, who along with her director, came as guests to the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) 2002 in mid-November.

Gilda, a young girl just out of high school, is grieving over the loss of her father when she finds a photo of his long-ago mistress. Her love bruised by a father she idolized, she takes off for New York City to search for sexy Hollywood actor Michael De Santis, with whom she believes she’s in love. In between caring for her sick father, we see her talking to her video camera about her thoughts and desires for an actor who we see only within the context of a TV interview in the beginning of the movie. Chris Noth, of LAW AND ORDER and SEX AND THE CITY fame, played it great as a sort of a nitwit actor during that one-on-one TV interview. Your reaction is “Huh? Just what did he say?”

In New York City, Gilda is staying with her grandparents. She left her mother behind to take care of the after-funeral arrangements, partly because she’s angry with her for covering for her father’s betrayal.

“You push too much,” is all Gilda’s mom can give her for now.

She meets a cute graduate student played by Jeremy Davies (SPANKING THE MONKEY and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN). During her grandparents' party, Gilda becomes upset when one of the guests jokes in front of her about her grandfather’s extra marital dalliance. She springs upon her friend at the library and pushes him for sex. When he refuses, she goes into emotional overdrive and yells at the sweet-natured student to FUCK HER until he just walks away.

Gilda does the same thing again when she finally meets the actor and he takes her to his hotel room. She goes from extreme emotional vulnerability to screaming hatred. “I want to be the special one. I want you to love me,” Gilda says after she pushed him off her when they were having sex. She sobs in his arm while the very uncomfortable Michael soothes her until his assistant arrives to take her back to her place.

During the Q and A section that was held after the movie, Paci was asked if Gilda was transferring the emotions she has for her father – love, pain and hatred – on to the actor. Paci responded with a delighted, “Yes.”

After the movie ended, the audience applauded and gushed. It was refreshing to see a movie that wasn’t filmed in today's fast music video style and was instead simple yet modern. Although it felt like a slow movie to me, I enjoyed it all the same.

Paci said that the hotel scene with Michael and Gilda – the movie’s climax – was about 20 minutes long and took two days to shoot. There were emotional twists and turns the actors had to take. Paci was proud the two hit those complicated notes. She allowed them some room for spontaneity, since the scene had them acting high and getting a little wild.

The audience was amazed by Susan May Pratt’s performance. Her black locks, ivory skin and the sadness around her eyes made me think of another pretty brunette actress, Juliette Binoche. Her next project is for the Lifetime channel in which she’ll be in a film called HUNGER POINT. She’ll play a girl with an eating disorder.

Paci is a graduate of NYU Film School and began her career as a TV commercial director. At the time of the festival, the attractive director was very pregnant and happy to be in Hawaii with her family. It was her first visit to the isles.

Standing in front of the big screen inside the theater, the two ladies from SEARCHING FOR PARADISE shined.

To look at the pics from this screening, please click here

BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE and A LA FOLIE … PAS DU TOUT (HE LOVES ME … HE LOVES ME NOT)

BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE, a modern masterpiece, is a documentary that everyone has seen so I won’t delve too much into that for my review of Louis Vuitton presents Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) 2002. Audrey Tautou’s A LA FOLIE … PAS DU TOUT (HE LOVES ME … HE LOVES ME NOT) is a movie that everyone is going to want to see because of how we all fell in love with the charismatic French actress in AMELIE.

But A LA FOLIE is going to be a shocker to Tautou fans because you don’t want the character she plays in the movie to fall in love with you in real life. In AMELIE, she was “jolie” (pretty in French) and “charmante” (charming). You wanted to be in that endearing world. In A LA FOLIE she is all that too but she is also “mechant” (wicked, mean) without even realizing it. She carries on about her wicked ways in just the same manner as that sweet, charming AMELIE.

Tatou’s character, Angelique, is a gifted, young artist who’s won a coveted art scholarship. She has a promising, medical student who’s pining after her and the friendship of a sassy, cute and supportive girlfriend with whom she works at a Parisienne café. She lucks out on a house sitting gig. It’s a large, beautiful place and the owners are going to be in America for a year.

Wow! I would love to be in her situation. I was a student at the Sorbonne (University in Paris) during my junior year in college. And to be back there again -- “quel bonheur” (what happiness).

Then you’re shocked to find out that she’s ready to throw all that away for “love.” And for a guy who’s married and “promises” to leave his wife. I just couldn’t believe that. When I was living in Paris, an American friend made this joke about the French that I still remember. “Love, love, love. The French are just so much into love. Everything is about love. They just don’t know how to get down to business.” But it was tongue-in-cheek and stereotyping but had a shade of truth in it.

Angelique, however, is very serious about Loic, a cardiologist and expectant father. When she is a glow with love, Angelique’s portrait of Loic is vibrant and full of hope. When love leaves her in despair, his portrait is as dark as Dorian Grey.

A LA FOLIE is Laetitia Colombian’s directorial debut. She also wrote the screenplay for the movie, which has many twists and dark corners. It’s an impressive start but I walked away from it drained and not quite sure if I’m suppose to like this movie because “our dear AMELIE” was in it. Still, the movie played to a packed house during HIFF and it became one of the hottest tickets during the festival.

BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE is where we do not WANT to be. We don’t want to be looking down the barrel of a rifle, live in a community forever scarred by a senseless mass shooting at a local high school or slave away at two low paying jobs in order to put food on the table. Life is pretty ugly. But the documentary is pure magic and deserves every bit of the mass reviews it has gotten around the world. Directed by cultural, political and social renegade, Michael Moore, (THE BIG ONE, TV NATION, ROGER & ME), the documentary is an extremely sharp and ironic tale that looks into the tragedy at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado and the tragedy at Littleton bowling alley to explore two rights that conflict with each other: the Declaration of Independence’s unalienable right to the “pursuit of happiness” and the Second Amendment’s protection of the “right to bear arms.”

It was also awarded with the Special Prize of the 55th Cannes Film Festival and was the first documentary to be part of Canne’s official festival competition in almost 50 years. My only problem with the movie was toward the ending when Moore ambushed National Rifle Association president (NRA) Charlton Heston. I believe everyone has a right to their own interest. And before Moore went in to see Heston, he had done extensive research on the subject – why there’s a high incidence of gun shot deaths in America. Without having had that same knowledge, you couldn’t make a good comeback or even have an enlightening discussion among two equals. Maybe I wouldn’t have felt this way if it was a less daring filmmaker but we thank Moore for stirring things up – American society needs a “check-up” or the soul of the country becomes lost.

Ms. Choi has also sent information for an independent film festival in Hawaii that will run between December 6 and 12. Here it is:

CINEMA PARADISE FILM FESTIVAL - Independent Media that Matters-

DECEMBER 6th – 12th
7 DAYS - 50 FILMS at the Art House Theaters at Restaurant Row

FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT:
http://www.cinemaparadise.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT SERGIO GOES AT:
info@cinemaparadise.org...
808.551.5866;
808.732.1607

PRESS SCREENINGS: MONDAY NOVEMBER 25th AND TUESDAY NOVEMBER 26th 12:00 NOON AT THE MOVIE MUSEUM. FESTIVAL ORGANIZERS WILL BE PRESENT. LIGHT LUNCH WILL BE SERVED. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 551.5866

Presented by the founders of the Honolulu Underground Film Festival (HUFF), Cinema Paradise is a showcase of international independent works in film and video. Cinema Paradise will introduce local audiences to progressive programs which otherwise would not find their way to Hawaii’s screens. Some films have already been shown at major international film festivals while others come from experimental collectives from New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo. The festival is made possible this year by support from the Movie Museum , W Hotel, The Hawaii Film Office, The Image Foundation, Aquaria, University of Hawaii, Political Science Department, and others.

PROGRAMS:

-NEW DIRECTIONS – Ten award-winning feature length narrative and documentary films that represent new directions in contemporary film making.

-WAR AND PEACE - Highlighted by the US premier of the French production 11’09”01 on December 7th, Pearl Harbor Day, this program showcases features and short films that deal with the events of September 11th, that offer an alternative to mainstream broadcast.

-LIFE IS SHORT – The next generation of cinema’s elite directors are among the talented short filmmakers of today. This program includes the Sundance award winning “Delusions in Modern Primitivism”.

-WOMEN MAKE MOVIES – WMM was established in 1972 to address the under representation and misrepresentation of women in the media industry. Most films in this program have screened and won awards at major festivals including Cannes, Berlin, and Sundance. This selection was curated by local filmmaker Kathryn Xian.

-COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN – Since 1996, Ocularis has presented a weekly film series throughout the fall, winter, and spring at Galapagos, an old mayonnaise factory converted into an Art & Performance Space in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Ocularis has been hailed by The New York Times as "one of the more evocative new screening venues," and noted as "the most important microcinema outside of Manhattan" in Variety

-ISLAND VISIONS - A showcase of local features and shorts, curated by Violet Murakami.

-HIP HOP FILM FESTIVAL – Showcasing “Scratch”, “Freestyle” and “Black Picket Fence”The Hip Hop Film Fest is organized by a collective of artists, poets, writers, musicians, dancers, filmmakers and volunteers who have formed The Center for Hip-Hop Education dedicated to youth development and cultural and economic revitalization. The CHHE operates in association with groups like Film Arts Foundation, Hip-Hop Congress, and others. The Hip Hop Film Fest is an ambitious project that travels to cities, reservations and prisons. Future schedules include stops in L.A, Seattle, Portland, NYC, Chicago and Atlanta.

-UNDERSKATEMENT – A traveling mini film festival that showcases the work of skaters/filmmakers.

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

- U.S PREMIERE OF "11’09’’01"

11’09”01 is a movie composed of 11 short films shot by international filmmakers, representative of a large cultural diversity. One common inspiration:the events of September 11th 2001 in New York and their aftermath. A symbolic length: 11 minutes, 9 seconds and one frame. Total artistic freedom granted to each filmmaker. A commitment expressed in a message of peace and tolerance between populations. DIRECTED BY: KEN LOACH, ALEJANDRO GONZALEZ INARRITU, AMOS GITAI, MIRA NAIR, SEAN PENN, SHOHEI IMAMURA, SAMIRA MAKHMALBAF, CLAUDE LELOUCH, YOUSSEF CHAHINE, DANIS TANOVIC AND DRISSA OUEDRAOGO.

- "CINEMANIA"

“WINNER”
BEST DOCUMENTARY 2002 HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

- "SCRATCH"

“INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD”
“OFFICIAL SELECTION” 2002 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

- "MAI’S AMERICA"

“GOLDEN GATE AWARD”
2002 SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

- "CHARLOTTE SOMETIMES"

“AUDIENCE AWARD”
2002 SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FILM FESTIVAL

- "SENORITA EXTRAVIADA"

“SPECIAL JURY PRIZE”
2002 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

- "PLEASURE AND PAIN"

"Pleasure & Pain" is an intriguing and in-depth look at the life that is lived by contemporary roots rock icon Ben Harper. This documentary offers a rare glimpse into Ben's travels, performances, songwriting, religion and life in general. Along with a rare behind-the-scenes perspective of the lives that these enigmatic musicians live, it incorporates concert footage, backstage clips and what goes into producing Ben Harper's performances. Not just another self-indulgent music documentary, "Pleasure & Pain" lives up to its name by showing the imperfect yet true humanity behind the performer on a pedestal. "Music is the last true voice of the human spirit. It can go beyond language, beyond age, beyond color...straight to the heart and mind of all people." - Ben Harper

- "LA TROPICAL"

La Tropical is an exuberant hotspot for Cuban music, dance and passion that continues to thrive on the periphery of Havana after some sixty years. Pulitzer-Prize winning photojournalist, David Turnley, seized the opportunity to document the ambiance of this sensual club and delve into the lives of the striking array of characters who surround it. He spent eight weeks during the summer months of 2000 capturing the concerts, cabarets and, in essence, the sights and sounds of the Cuban music scene. Turnley chose to shoot this stunning documentary in black and white in order to visually encapsulate the feeling of timelessness and passion that Cuba exudes. The result is indeed a visual feast, that, coupled with an outstanding soundtrack of contemporary and traditional Cuban music, creates a revealing examination of the ways in which music, race, class and socialism have shaped the lives of contemporary Cubans.

- "CINE MAMBEMBE"

In this award winning documentary, a couple of filmmakers travel to the interior of Brazil, screening short films to different audiences in public squares. From the south of Bahia to the distant edges of the Amazon, they discover a country that goes to the movies and see themselves in a big screen for the very first time at the dawn of the 21st century.

- SPECIAL EVENTS:

DEC 6th at 2:00PM at UH MANOA - Special screening and Panel featuring "The Selling of Innocents" by Ruchira Gupta. sponsored by the UH Women Studies Program, the Center for South Asian Studies, Aquaria, and Zang Pictures.

DEC 6th AT THE W HOTEL - OPENING PARTY FEATURING THE WORK OF VIDEO ARTISTS, AND DJ J-BOOGIE FROM OM RECORDS IN SAN FRANCISCO

DEC 8th - YOUTH MEDIA WORKSHOP –FROM 12:00 TO 8:00 PM AT THE ART HOUSE CINEMA AT RESTAURANT ROW. CINEMA PARADISE video artists will lead a workshop in which participants ages 12 to 18 will direct, film, and edit a 5 minute video documentary that will be screened before the feature film that evening.

DEC 8th – LATIN CELEBRATION FOLLOWING THE HAWAII PREMIER OF “LA TROPICAL” AND “CINE MAMBEMBE”. LOCATION TO BE ANNOUNCED.

DEC 10th AT THE WAVE WAIKIKI - “FREESTYLE” HAWAII PREMIER PARTY FEATURING A FREESTYLE CYPHER WITH HAWAII’S BEST MC’S AND SPECIAL PERFORMANCE BY PSYCHOKINETICS FROM SAN FRANCISCO.

DEC 12th AT THE W HOTEL – CLOSING PARTY FEATURING THE “STONE GROOVE FAMILY” AND “QUADRAPHONIX”

Well, that’s it for this week’s column. Remember, if you have information regarding any film industry in Asia, please contact our Asia-AICN offices at atshrivas@rogers.com. See you next week.

Darius25