The Buzz Newsletter - East Asian Cinema Special Edition

CUEAFS Special Edition 19 November 2009

Looking through the 3rd Window W by Elena Rapondzhieva

public, he explains his leading motivation, saying how, when choosing what films to distribute, he looks at whether he himself enjoys the film and thinks if it is something the western audience should see: “I want to release the films I like. I really have no business in mind when I watch a film”

Taking about distributing Kakera: “This was a project directly about giving a first-time break [to director Momoko Ando]. Her management agency and I really wanted to sculpt this young woman, with lots of talent into what can be the next big face of female cinema in Japan.”

Picture courtesy of George Rippon

ith more than 120 people in the audience, both staff and students from all Coventry University Faculties, the screening of “Kakera” was a complete success for the newly found East-Asian Films society. Mr Adam Torel, owner of Third Window Films, entered ETG34 Wednesday to discuss briefly about his views as a film distributor and to show his latest film, the unseen and unreleased “Kakera: A Piece of Our Lives”. “I started my company around four years ago with the goal to bring various types of East Asian cinema to the UK” says Torel, “but without exploiting the market as it has been done before by other companies, through films like longhair-ghosts, action or other genre of films. I wanted to do the full spectrum, including dramas, comedies, musical comedies, even an action or two, if I thought they were good enough” Regarding his company, Torel comments: “I would like to think of ‘Third Window’ as a window to films from the East that can change peoples’ perceptions of the East Asian cinema” Answering a question from the

“ ...can change peoples’ perceptions of the East Asian cinema.”

Adam Torel with Spencer Murphy, talking at the screening of “Kakera”

World premiere screening hits controversy by Elena Rapondzhieva „„ Wednesday’s screening of the unreleased film “Kakera: A Piece of Our Lives”, caused many controversial reactions. During the film, students and staff alike were smiling, laughing, making disgusted or shocked faces, gasping and at the end, applauding.

“...few culture barriers...” The hour-and-a-half long drama left the audience a bit puzzled and opinions varied from one extreme to the other: “I absolutely loved it!” said Michelle, second year Com-

munication, Culture and Media student, “I’m going to watch it again!” One first year student’s experience: “I thought the movie was really good, especially for a firsttime director. It shows promise and the potential for future films by Momoko Ando. I think that some parts of the film were a bit confusing though, such as the bottle turning into a bird. Maybe it is symbolic in the Japanese culture for something which doesn’t quite translate to western society.” Kris, a History student confessed: “I didn’t like it actually, it might be really good for its genre but this just wasn’t my type of movie” The plot of “Kakera” revolves around two young women, one suffering from a bad relationship,

“...the bottle turning into a bird...” but too indecisive to end it and the other dedicated to her work as a medical artist for a prosthetics firm. The two begin a love affair which soon changes their lives. “Kakera: A piece of Our Lives” is to have its official premiere in London, on April 2010.

Picture source: http://mcopenmedia.org

A film scene showing the two leading characters from “Kakera”

The student and staff newsletter of the Media and Communications department of Coventry School of Art and Design Edited by Teo Beleaga Submissions invited to [email protected] With many thanks to Elena Rapondzhieva, George Rippon and all the CUEAFS members.