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![]() Main stage at the 3rd Okinawa International Movie Festival, 2011 | |
Location | Okinawa Island, Japan |
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Founded | 2009 |
Language | International |
Website | http://www.oimf.jp |
The Okinawa International Movie Festival is an annual film festival held in Ginowan City and Naha City on the Japanese island of Okinawa Island. The festival was founded by Japanese century-old comedy-entertainment giant Yoshimoto Kogyo in 2009 and focuses on comedy films from around the world, with the theme of "Laugh & Peace". [1]
It is held each year at the Okinawa Convention Center and Sakurazaka Theater with indoor and outdoor screenings of film premieres and recent movies from Japan and abroad. It also hosts fashion, music and trade shows and has been likened to a Japanese matsuri in atmosphere. [2]
The most prestigious award given out at the Okinawa International Movie Festival is the Golden Shisa Award for the best film, selected by a jury.
The 8th Okinawa International Film Festival was held from April 21, 2016 until April 24, 2016. [3]
The concept for the festival was inspired by a visit to Cannes Film Festival by Yoshimoto Kogyo CEO Hiroshi Osaki. While watching the premiere of Hitoshi Matsumoto's Dai Nipponjin he considered that the cost of making a film was higher than of putting on a festival, and so to allow people to enjoy watching films, perhaps his company could arrange their own. [4]
Yoshimoto Kogyo, which was started by Sei and Kichibei Yoshimoto in 1912 with a rakugo theater in the grounds Tenmangu Shrine in Osaka, had been expanding throughout the 2000s with hundreds of new comedians graduating each year from New Star Creation, Yoshimoto's entertainment school. In addition it had spread out to manage athletes, producers and musicians, and two theatres in each of Tokyo and Osaka. [5]
With Busan Film Festival director Kim Dong-ho as a patron for the Okinawa International Movie Festival, he was able to give valuable advice while other staff brought expertise from Tokyo International Film Festival. [4] The 1st Okinawa International Movie Festival took place over four days from March 19–22, 2009 at the American Village at Mihama Chatan-cho in Okinawa City.
The location of Okinawa was selected for its natural beauty by the sea in order to replicate the atmosphere of Cannes, but with comedy at its heart. [6]
Before each screening, every film is introduced by one of comedy agency giant and organizer Yoshimoto Kogyo's comedians. [7]
The festival's largest screen is shipped over from Sweden and placed directly on the beach at Okinawa Convention Center. It measures just under 30m wide and 15m tall. [7]
The Okinawa International Movie Festival is organised into two main sections:
Prior to the beginning of each event, the Festival's board of directors appoints the juries who hold sole responsibility for choosing which films will receive a Cannes award. Jurors are chosen from a wide range of international artists, based on their body of work and respect from their peers. [8]
The most prestigious award given out at the Okinawa International Movie Festival is the Golden Shisa Award for the best film.
In addition the Uminchu Prize Grand Prix is awarded to the best film in each of the two categories.
The Cannes Film Festival, until 2003 called the International Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around the world. Founded in 1946, the invitation-only festival is held annually at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès. The festival was formally accredited by the FIAPF in 1951.
Manzai is a traditional style of comedy in Japanese culture comparable to double act comedy or stand-up comedy.
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Yoshimoto Kogyo Holdings Co., Ltd. is a Japanese entertainment conglomerate. It was founded in 1912, Osaka, as a traditional theatre, and has since grown to be one of the most influential companies in Japan, employing most of Japan's popular owarai (comedy) talent, producing and promoting the shows they appear in. The two main headquarters are stationed in Osaka and Tokyo.
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Hōsei Tsukitei, formerly known as Hōsei Yamasaki is a Japanese solo comedian and rakugo performer, signed with Yoshimoto Kogyo. He is best known for being one of the five members of Downtown Gaki no Tsukai's regular cast. His role on the show is usually divided up between the suberi-kyara and the ijime-kyara.
The 65th Cannes Film Festival was held from 16 to 27 May 2012. Italian film director Nanni Moretti was the President of the Jury for the main competition and British actor Tim Roth was the President of the Jury for the Un Certain Regard section. French actress Bérénice Bejo hosted the opening and closing ceremonies.
The 1st Okinawa International Movie Festival was held from March 19 to March 22, 2009, and took place at the American Village at Mihama Chatan-cho in Okinawa City. The inaugural events saw 38 films being shown and was supported by the Ministries of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Foreign Affairs, along with the Cabinet Office in Okinawa.
The 2nd Okinawa International Movie Festival was held from March 20 to March 28, 2010, and took place at the Okinawa Convention Center in Ginowan City and Sakurazaka Theater in Naha, owned and run by Japanese director Yuji Nakae. Attendance was recorded as 380,000, with 194 official guests. The Golden Shisa was awarded to Taku Watanabe for his Miss Kurosawa Film.
The 3rd Okinawa International Movie Festival was held from March 18 to March 27, 2011 and took place at the Okinawa Convention Center in Ginowan City and Sakurazaka Theater in Naha, owned and run by Japanese director Yuji Nakae.
The 4th Okinawa International Movie Festival was held from March 24 to March 31, 2012 and took place at the Okinawa Convention Center in Ginowan City and Sakurazaka Theater in Naha, owned and run by Japanese director Yuji Nakae. Total attendance was 410,000.
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