Three-day Japanese Film festival starts

ISLAMABAD: The three-day Japanese Film Festival kicked off here Thursday at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) to entertain the audience of twin cities through glimpses of Japanese culture, showcasing theatrical animations with English sub-titles and further promote the friendly relations between the two countries.

Embassy of Japan in Pakistan in collaboration with PNCA organized the show that was inaugurated with screening of the film "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" to introduce the entertainment lovers with Japanese culture and history.

The film portrays the story of 17-year-old Makoto Konno who gains the ability to, quite literally,"leap" backwards through time, she immediately sets about improving her grades and preventing personal mishaps.

However, she soon realizes that changing the past is not as simple as it seems, and eventually, will have to rely on her new powers to shape the future of her and her friends.

Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, Hiroshi said the Japanese Film Festival in Pakistan has been held since 1995, with the support of the Japan Foundation, to provide an opportunity for the people of Pakistan to witness various aspects of the Japanese lifestyle, culture and society.

"This year, our Embassy is holding the Japanese Animation Film Festival for the first time in Pakistan. Japanese animation is a widely accepted form of entertainment in Japan and is also known worldwide as `Anime'.

It is different from traditional animation films in terms of storylines and drawings.

The themes and subjects of Anime are targeted at not only the young audience but also the adults," he said.

Japanese Anime is known for its unique artistic style and deep emotional stories. Just like the live-action cinema, Anime can be an adventure, science fiction, historical drama, children's stories or fantasy.

He said that Japanese Anime is quite popular even in Pakistan.

Anime cartoons like Dragon Ball Z, Pokemon, Hello Kitty, Doraemon, and Naruto are very well known among the young people in Pakistan. And for those who are watching Anime for the first time, it is definitely going to open new windows.

"The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" is a science fiction Anime which was released in 2006 and won numerous awards, including the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year.

`Time awaits no one' is the key message of the film and the film teaches that one must live every second of life because each second counts.

The girl grows up and learns through the journey of time feeling both the happiness and the sorrows of life.

"Her journey and experiences will leave different messages to all of us," he added.

The second movie of the festival is "Summer Days with Coo", in which a small, lone Kappa miraculously survives over 200 years into modern day Tokyo, Japan when he is found by young Koichi.

"Coo" who is secretly adopted by the whole family, faces a tragic past and the present's challenge of living in a dramatically changed environment, searches with his new human friend for places not invaded by people hoping to find any remaining of his kind.

When this intelligent "water sprite" draws the popular attention of the whole city upon being discovered and then confronted with his past, it forces him to take action and make an ultimate decision, in order to preserve his kind, inner peace and well being in today's harsh world.

"Spirited Away" is the third movie of the festival which portrays an adventurous story of a girl who learns about friendship and devotion when she is left alone in a place where the good and evil dwell together.

On way to their new home, Chihiro, a young girl, and her parents stumble into what appears to be an abandoned theme park. But all is not as it seems, as the theme park is a bath-house for the spirits, and not a place where humans are welcome. Chihiro must fend for herself and rescue her parents.

The festival will screen movies for school children and general public on November 1 and 2.

The Japanese Film Festival is one of the most popular cultural events by the Embassy of Japan. This year the festival aims to introduce the Japanese Anime to the people of Pakistan.