So once again as things draw to a close, the final 2 programs drew big crowds wanting to catch the wonderful shorts until the very end.
All the directors of the Let's Travel program B who came out for this program @ Omotesando Hills came out to Laforet as well. We were delighted by the director of "Harness - A Walk Along the Clover Avenue," Hisayuki Okada who asked only to be acknowledged at the beginning of the screening @ Omotesando Hills because of his tremendous shyness. But here @ Laforet for the final screening of the program, he came up for the final Q&A session & gave a warm greeting to the audience. Thanks Okada-san!
All had wonderful stories of making short films about the beautiful locations here in Japan, something I hope all you have a chance to experience sometime in the near future. It really is magical here, something most all directors who we invite every year talk about feeling and experiencing by the time they leave us to go back to their countries. A big crowd was also on hand to see the Success program which featured past shorts by directors who went on to make features & various levels of success. Jason Reitman who's "Up in the Air" was a huge success & was nominated for 5 Academy Awards (r), had a short that was screened all the way back in '01. My fave short from last year, "Love You More," the Grand Prix winner by the way, was directed by Sam-Taylor Wood who went on to make "Nowhere Boy" last year, a film based on the experiences a young John Lennon.
I'll be back for a rundown of this year's fest.
DJ John
