![\"IMG_2273\"](\"http:\/\/ssff.sakura.ne.jp\/core\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/IMG_2273.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe Kawabata Shotengai is centered around Hakata\u2019s oldest shopping arcade, which has been running since the mid-1950s. This 400m long street connects the Hakata-za Theater and Hakata Riverain to the north and Canal City to the
\nsouth.
\nIn recent years, the street is booming with 12,000 visitors every weekday, and 25,000 on weekends. The arcade contains around 125 stores \u00ad\u00ad\u2013 everything from shops selling Buddhist altars and traditional fabrics to hamburger and noodle restaurants.<\/p>\n
Luckily, the typhoon presence was still weak in Fukuoka, with only a bit of rain and wind, so from afternoon, events such as audition of actors and a talk event by filmmakers took place on a temporary stage which was built for the festival in the shopping arcade.<\/p>\n
The first event was the audition for an up-coming short film which will be produced and submitted to “SSFF & ASIA 2018,” by T&E, a local production company. The second event was a Q&A talk session with Mr. Kan Eguchi, a prominent commercial and film director from Fukuoka. He had just directed a feature film titled “Gachi Boshi,” and his colleagues (producer and cinematographer)<\/a><\/p>\n
\nThe producers of the company were the members of jury, and about 10 people of all ages (from elementary schooler to young adults) participated in this audition.<\/p>\n
\nalso joined him on stage.<\/p>\n