Focus on Asia Fukuoka International Film Festival 2015

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過去のアジアフォーカス

1994 (4th)

1994Click on image to open festival catalogue pdf file.
HELD : 9th – 18th September, 1994
VENUES : Solaria Cinema 1, New Taiyo
2, Meiji Seimei Hall
EXHIBITION OF: 36 films from 13 nations and
regions
ATTENDANCE : Focus on Asia ’94 – FIFF 14,084
Sponsored Events 2,940
TOTAL 17,024
OPENING FILM : Muen and Rid(1994/Thailand)

 Beginning with the opening film Muen and Rid, starring Jintara
Sukhapat, a popular actress from Thailand who played the non-fictional
role of a woman who fought for women’s right in her country,
36 films were exhibited at our festival, including motion pictures
shown under the categories of sponsored events and special programs.
The festival put on a feature of Sri Lankan Films in 1994. Seven
Sri Lankan motion pictures, both new and old, were shown including
The Line of Destiny, a film considered to have changed the history
of Sinhalese films. Ten film industry related guests from Sri
Lanka were invited to Fukuoka including Lester J. Peries, director
of The Line of Destiny. A forum was held under the theme of
“Sri Lankan Cinema and Culture”, which introduced the culture
of Sri Lanka including its literature and films.

 Mercedes, Mon Amour from Turkey, a bittersweet comedy, enjoyed
a favorable reception. The story of one’s hometown depicted
through the eyes of a Turkish migrant in Germany, explored a
different aspect of Turkey than that of Yilmaz Guney, another
Turkish film director. Two feature films, one from Laos and
the other from Myanmar, recalled the eve of national liberation,
and depicted respectfully in a warm manner, the relationship
between a father and his children. Films from these countries
are rarely introduced in Japan.
Every year, Chinese language films attract large crowds. Drawn
to the charm of Anita Yuen, audiences waited in long lines to
see C’est la Vie, Mon Che‰ri. Looking confident after seeing
the audience reaction in Fukuoka, the film director and starring
actress, Anita Yuen, left for Tokyo a day later to promote the
motion picture. In addition to new films in the likes of Eat
Drink Man Woman by Lee Ang and Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker
from China, new wave pictures such as Tsui Hark’s Shanghai Blues
and Dust of Angels saw their premier in Fukuoka by being programmed
in the sponsored event section of the festival, thus helping
promote the introduction of even more Chinese language motion
pictures.

 As one of the sponsored events, the Asian Film Directors’ Conference
was held where Asian filmmakers such as Hou Hsiao-Hsien and
Toru Kawashima debated Asian cinemas.

PROGRAM FOR 1994

Preserved
and part of the Fukuoka City Public Library Film Archive Collection
SRI LANKA FILMS COLLECTION
The Line of Destiny Dir. Lester James Peries 1956/Sri Lanka/B & W/90min.
The Age of Kali Dir. Lester James Peries 1982/Sri Lanka/Color/85min.
Where the Sun Sets Dir. Lester James Peries 1994/Sri Lanka/Color/180min.
The Eldest Daughter Dir. Sumitra Peries 1993/Sri Lanka/Color/144min.
Under the Bridge Dir. H.D.Premaratne 1990/Sri Lanka/Color/143min.
The City Dir. H.D.Premaratne 1993/Sri Lanka/Color/112min.
The Way of the Lotus Dir. Tissa Abeysekara 1987/Sri Lanka/Color/140min.
EXCELLENT FILMS OF ASIA
Mercedes, Mon Amour Dir. Bay Okan 1993/Turkey/Color/95min.
The Servile Dir. Adoor Gopalakrishnan 1993/India/Color/112min.
Down Stream Dir. Kyi Soe Tun 1989/Myanmar/Color/114min.
The Red Lotus Dir. Som-ok Southiphone 1988/Laos/B & W/83min.
Muen and Rid Dir. Cherd Songsri 1994/Thailand/Color/120min.
The Return Dir. Dang Nhat Minh 1994/Vietnam/Color/110min.
Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker Dir. He Ping 1994/China/Color/111min.
C’est la Vie, Mon Cheri Dir. Derek Yee Tung Sing 1993/Hong Kong/Color/99min.
Eat Drink Man Woman Dir. Ang Lee 1994/Taiwan/Color/123min.
Fusa Dir. Kon Ichikawa 1992/Japan/Color/92min.
My Wife is Filipina Dir. Yasunori Terada 1993/Japan/Color/100min.
CHILDREN’S FILMS
The Boots Dir. Mohammad-Ali Talebi 1993/Iran/Color/60min.
Love is Oh Yeah Dir. Kim Yoo-Jin 1993/Korea/Color/98min.

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