Focus on Asia Fukuoka International Film Festival 2015

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過去のアジアフォーカス

1998 (8th)

1998Click on image to open festival catalogue pdf file.
HELD : 11th – 20th September, 1998
VENUES : Solaria Cinema 1, Elgala Hall,
Tsukushi Kaikan, AIREF
EXHIBITION OF : 30 films from 15 nations and
regions
ATTENDANCE: Focus on Asia ’98 – FIFF 15,519
Jointly Presented Events 852
TOTAL 16,371
OPENING FILM: Let There be Light(1996/Turkey)

 With the 21st Century drawing closer to us, an increasing number
of new film directors exhibiting their highly motivated films
have taken the central stage to our festival. These new film
directors have given us such films as Let There Be Light (Turkey),
Who Is Running? (Thailand), The Contact and Christmas in August
(Korea). The last two films have enticed the Japanese audience
in taking an interest in films made by new generation filmmakers
of Korea. From India, a major film producing country, came 5
films in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil and Malayalam. Sound track compact
discs full of attractive song and music highlighting such films
as Melody and The Duo sold extremely well at the theaters.
The theme for the 1998 festival symposium was “Asian Films Today
and Its Future”. Various problems were raised concerning the
film industry of Asian countries facing economic crises with
a confirmation of common concern addressed by those involved.
Film director Dang Nhat Minh, a leading figure in the Vietnamese
film industry, gave a lecture for a seminar at the Kyushu Institute
of Design.

 The permanent video screening facility at the Elgala Hall, one
of the screening theaters used from the previous year, facilitated
the exhibition of works of video. Nepal and Cambodia participated
in our 1998 festival by presenting their works in the form of
video. Recognized for his talent, Tsering Rhitar Sherpa, a young
Nepalese director, received an offer from NHK to co-produce
his next film, Mask of Desire. The Japanese film, Children of
the Plains was well received as well. The film, after being
screened in Fukuoka, was invited to film festivals in Iran and
India.
1998 marked the launching of our official home page that provides
festival information not only to Japan but to the world as well.

 As of the end of March 1998, over 100 motion pictures previously
exhibited at the Focus on Asia Fukuoka International Film Festival
have been acquired at the Fukuoka City Public Library.

PROGRAM FOR 1998

Preserved
and part of the Fukuoka City Public Library Film Archive Collection
Let There be Light Dir. Reis Celik 1996/Turkey/Color/85min.
The Little Man Dir. Ebrahim Foruzesh 1998/Iran/Color/85min.
Birth of a Butterfly Dir. Mojtaba Raie 1998/Iran/Color/110min.
Monologue Dir. Adoor Gopalakrishnan 1987/India/Color/125min.
The Play of God Dir. Jayaraaj 1997/India/Color/121min.
Crossfire Dir. Rituparno Ghosh 1997/India/Color/145min.
Melody Dir. Sai Paranjpye 1997/India/Color/158min.
The Duo Dir. Maniratnam 1997/India/Color/163min.
Mother Alone Dir. Sumitra Peries 1997/Sri Lanka/Color/129min.
Dipu Number Two Dir. Morshedul Isram 1996/Bangladesh/Color/156min.
The Spirit doesn’t Come Anymore Dir. Tsering Rhitar Sherpa 1997/Nepal/Color/38min.
An Army of Peace Dir. Chheng Daravuth Kosal 1997/Cambodia/Color/52min.
Who is Running? Dir. Oxide Pang 1997/Thailand/Color/105min.
Hanoi, Winter 1946 Dir. Dang Nhat Minh 1996/Vietnam/Color/94min.
In the Navel of the Sea Dir. Marilou Diaz-Abaya 1998/Philippines/Color/114min.
Ferocious Saint Lord of Gobi Dir. I. Nyamgavaa 1998/Mongolia/Color/106min.
Live at Peace Dir. Hu Bing-Liu 1997/China/Color/100min.
Wolves Cry under the Moon Dir. Ho Ping 1997/Taiwan/Color/121min.
The Contact Dir. Chang Yoon-Hyun 1997/Korea/Color/104min.
Christmas in August Dir. Hur Jin-Ho 1998/Korea/Color/97min.
Children of the Plains Dir. Setsuo Nakayama 1997/Japan/Color/127min.

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