Third Window Films and Other Japanese Titles at the Raindance Film Festival

Anime UK News forumites were amongst some of the first to back an interesting Kickstarter project launched by Third Window Films to bring a selection of some of the most interesting indie film projects in Japan. The project was a massive success and now the films are due to be released in the UK in November. Before they get released, people will get the chance to see the films on the big screen at the Raindance Film Festival in September and October.

The festival takes place from September 24th to October 05th, at the Vue Cinema at Piccadilly Circus with a large selection of quality titles that have garnered great reviews on the international festival circuit.

Here is a press release from Third Window Films plus some extra titles from the festival:

Third Window Films will be promoting their 4 latest films at the Raindance Film Festival, with all 4 titles having directors over for Q&A sessions. Fuku-chan of Fukufuku Flats by Yosuke Fujita, The Lust of Angels by Nagisa Isogai, And the Mud Ship Sails Away by Hirobumi Watanabe and Buy Bling, Get One Free by Kosuke Takaya will all play. Plus A2-B-C director Ian Thomas Ash returns with his latest -1287 and actor Hoshi Ishida joins us for Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Touching the Skin of Eeriness.

Promoting the ‘New Directors from Japan’ release, all 3 directors will attend the Raindance Film Festival introducing their films and participating in post-screening Q&A events.

Third Window Films’ New Directors from Japan project was an innovative idea started through a Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign with the goal of creating a limited edition DVD & Blu-ray release to highlight young & upcoming directors from Japan. The Kickstarter campaign managed to reach its goal of pre-selling 250 copies in just 3 days from its announcement, and then the rest of the total 1,000 limited copies went up for sale and reached a high of #2 in the Amazon World Cinema sales chart! There are still a small number of limited edition copies available for pre-order, with a release date of November 24th. They can be pre-ordered here. The release focuses on three directors:

Nagisa Isogai whose film THE LUST OF ANGELS will play at the Raindance Film Festival on September 28th at 6:10pm. It will play back to back with Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s TOUCHING THE SKIN OF EERINESS which stars Shota Sometani (Himizu, Lesson of Evil) and Hoshi Ishida.

Both director Nagisa Isogai and actor Hoshi Ishida will be present for Q&As on September 28

Hirobumi Watanabe’s film AND THE MUD SHIP SAILS AWAY, which is also part of the ‘New Directors from Japan’ release, will play twice at Raindance on October 1st at 8:20pm and on October 2nd at 1:10pm. 

Director Hirobumi Watanabe, producer Yuji Watanabe and cameraman Bang Woohyun will be at both screenings and Q&As. 

The final director highlighted in the release if Kosuke Takaya whose film BUY BLING, GET ONE FREE will play on October 2nd at 4:10pm as part of the ‘New Directions in Japanese Cinema: ndjc shorts’ program which takes a look at a yearly project run by the VIPO organisation which helps young directors get their careers started by having them make 30 minute short films shot on 35mm.

Director Kosuke Takaya will be available for Q&As on October 1st and 2nd. 

Having its UK premiere at the festival will be FUKU-CHAN OF FUKUFUKU FLATS a comedy from Yosuke Fujita (director of Fine, Totally Fine) and starring Miyuki Oshima of Mori-sanchu alongside Asami Mizukawa and Yoshiyoshi Arakawa.

The film is a first for Japanese comedy cinema as it’s a major co-production between distribution companies in the UK, Italy, Germany and Taiwan. Fuku-chan has played at many festivals all over the world and recently won the Best Actress Award at the Fantasia Film Festival! It screens at the Raindance Film Festival on September 30th at 9pm and again on October 1st at 1:40pm 

Director Yosuke Fujita will be at both screenings and Q&As.

Also attending the festival will be IAN THOMAS ASH, the director of last year’s competition film A2-B-C, an international award-winning documentary on the aftermath of the Fukushima Nuclear disaster.

His latest film -1287 will have its world premiere at Raindance, screening twice on October 1st at 1:10pm and again on October 3rd at 9pm.

Director Ian Thomas Ash will be at both screenings and Q&As.

Other Japanese films include the comedy musical How Selfish I Am!, Japan’s entry for the next Oscar ceremony, The Light Only Shines There. Unlucky Woman’s Blues is the latest title from prolific pink film director Shinji Imaoka, and The Horses of Fukushima provides a moving examination of the after-effects of the 3/11 disaster on a group of horses and the countryside they roam in as well as a number of shorts and music videos like White Sea and Ensemble.