2014 Japan Film Festival of San Francisco Kicks Off July 19th, 2014

2014 JAPAN FILM FESTIVAL OF SAN FRANCISCO LAUNCHES JULY 19th TO OFFER SPECIAL BAY AREA PREMIERES OF THE BEST IN NEW JAPANESE CINEMA

Week-Long Film Festival Launches At NEW PEOPLE Cinema In Conjunction With 2014 J-POP SUMMIT And Offers Exciting First-Run Titles, Special Guests Of Honor And Other Unique Content; Advance Tickets On Sale Now

The 2014 Japan Film Festival of San Francisco, the only fully-dedicated annual Japanese film celebration for the S.F. Bay Area, returns for its second consecutive year and kicks off during the 2014 J-POP SUMMIT Festival. Set to open on Saturday, July 19th and running thru Sunday, July 27th, the Japan Film Festival of San Francisco (JFFSF) will showcase a variety of unique programs, many as first-run U.S. premieres.

The 2014 JFFSF takes place at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema, located inside the NEW PEOPLE J-POP entertainment complex at 1746 Post St., San Francisco, CA 94115. Tickets are $15.00 for most films, unless otherwise noted. Film summaries, trailers, screening times and advance tickets are available at: www.JFFSF.org.

The Japan Film Festival of San Francisco is presented in conjunction with the 2014 J-POP Summit, taking place Saturday July 19th and Sunday July 20th across the city’s historic Japantown district to celebrate the phenomenon of Japanese pop culture with a colorful array of live bands and artists, film premieres, edgy fashion shows, a J-pop dance and singing contest, celebrity appearances and more. Full details are available at www.J-POP.com.

Special film screenings taking place during J-POP SUMMIT include J-POP Splash! 2014, a FREE cinema event presented by the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco featuring a colorful feast of music videos by some of the hottest J-Pop artists! Also set to screen at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema during J-POP SUMMIT will be Tokyo Short Shorts: A New Generation of 5 Short Films, as well as Count Five To Dream of You and Kotodama: Spiritual Curse, which both star members of the smash hit teen idol pop group Tokyo Girls’ Style, who will perform at J-POP SUMMIT and also host a special audience Q&A following the film screenings.

For the 2014 Japan Film Festival of San Francisco, exclusive live-action programs representing a vivid cross-section of the best in new Japanese cinema will have their exclusive U.S. and/or San Francisco premiere at NEW PEOPLE Cinema. The JFFSF will complement this press release next week with a subsequent announcement detailing an exciting slate of anime feature films also set to receive their U.S. and/or San Francisco premieres.

Special JFFSF Screenings During 2014 J-POP SUMMIT Festival:

COUNT FIVE TO DREAM OF YOU – U.S. PREMIERE!!!
Saturday, July 19th, 12:00pm - Featuring Special Appearance by Tokyo Girls’ Style!
Thursday, July 24th, 7:00pm

This year's alluring Guest of Honor, Tokyo Girls’ Style, make their big screen debut taking on the leading parts of this film that takes place at an all-girl private high school where the planning for the beauty pageant is in full swing. The short-lived and unforgettable moments of adolescence that is colored by adoration, impatience and impulses, is brought to life by each student played by the members of Tokyo Girls’ Style.

KOTODAMA: SPIRITUAL CURSE – U.S. PREMIERE!!!
Sunday, July 20th, 12:00pm - Featuring Special Appearance by Tokyo Girls’ Style!
Tuesday, July 22th, 9:15pm

Starring the members from Tokyo Girls’ Style, the story revolves around a high school where students start to gossip about the tragic deaths of former students from a gas accident inside of a mysteriously blocked classroom. Since then, a series of bizarre phenomenon begin to occur. Meanwhile, Hitomi and her friends sneak into an abandoned school for a video shoot without knowing that they are stepping into the underworld.

J-POP SPLASH! 2014
Saturday, July 19th, 2:15pm

Come check out the special FREE event, J-POP Splash! 2014, a flood of music videos presented by the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, featuring the hottest J-Pop artists! Enjoy the latest musical acts topping the Japanese pop, rock, and modern charts on the big screen including Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, World Order, Sekai no Owari, Mr. Children, Rip Slyme, and many more! Don't miss special guest DAICHI's live performance as the opening act!

TOKYO SHORT SHORTS; A NEW GENERATION OF 5 SHORT FILMS – S.F. PREMIERE!!!
Saturday, July 19th, 4:00pm;

Discover the latest big screen talent through a unique collection of five short films taking place in Tokyo and other parts of Japan directed by a new generation of filmmakers. From parallel stories of love unfolding around the world's tallest tower, Tokyo Skytree, to a surreal comedy of a careless death god that pays a visit in the middle of surgery, these shorts are colorful and they warmly applaud life's new beginnings and comebacks.

Additional Japan Film Festival of San Francisco Live-Action Screenings:

ASK THIS OF RIKYU – S.F. PREMIERE!!!

Saturday, July 19th, 6:00pm - Featuring Special Appearance by Director Mitsutoshi Tanaka!

Based on the award-winning novel, "Rikyu Ni Tazuneyo," by Kenichi Yamamoto, the film begins with the final days of Rikyu, the tea master with the most profound influence on chanoyu, the Japanese "Way of Tea" tradition, who was ordered to commit ritual suicide by the chancellor Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Who was Rikyu - who inspired fear in the most powerful man of his time?

BON LIN – U.S. PREMIERE!!!
Friday, July 25th, 7:00pm

Director Keiichi Kobayashi's second feature film is a surprisingly pleasant and refreshing road movie about a young couple in Akihabara, the world-renowned holy ground for Otaku culture and anime fandom. Natsuko, a.k.a. BON, an eccentric Boys' Love (BL) and online game nerd girl, heads to Tokyo along with LIN, her longtime game-playmate, in order to save her best friend MIYU, who seems to be suffering from an abusive boyfriend she lives with.

CROWS EXPLODE – U.S. PREMIERE!!!
Thursday, July 24th, 9:00pm; Sunday, July 27th 12:00pm

Based on the popular "school of punk" manga by Hiroshi Takahashi, Crows: EXPLODE boldly ignites the gang wars in the delinquent schoolyards of Japan. The deadly road battle quietly begins when lone wolf Kazeo Kaburagi transfers to the notorious Suzuran High School. He quickly establishes himself as a fearless fighter, though he has no interest in the power struggle that encircles him.

KANZABURO THE MOVIE – S.F. PREMIERE!!!
Sunday, July 27th, 4:50pm

This rare documentary features Nakamura Kanzaburō XVIII, a popular Kabuki actor who died of cancer at the age of 57 in 2012. With nearly 7,000 hours of footage that captured his life journey, the film takes us through his enthusiastic life as one of the greatest Kabuki Actors of our time, and his personal side as a father of two sons succeeding his path as descendants of the family with a long history in Kabuki tradition.

PECOROSS’ MOTHER AND HER DAYS – S.F. PREMIERE!!!
Saturday, July 26th, 2:10pm

Based on the autobiographical comic by Yuuichi Okano, this heart-warming comedy depicts a middle-aged comic artist Pecoross's humorous daily life with his hapless mother, Mitsue, who has dementia that began soon after her husband passed away 10 years before. Directed by Azuma Morisaki, the oldest active filmmaker in Japan at the age of 85, the film was critically acclaimed as one of the best movies of 2013 in Japan.

SILVER SPOON – S.F. PREMIERE!!!
Tuesday, July 22rd, 7:00pm

Based on the bestselling manga by Hiroshi Arakawa, Silver Spoon centers around an isolated agricultural high school in Hokkaido at the northern end of Japan. Kengo is a freshman with an inferiority complex due to his failure to meet his fathers' expectation. He finds himself to be a misfit among eager students from farmers’ families, but he gradually discovers his own perspective on life through farming and friendship.

A STORY OF YONOSUKE – S.F. PREMIERE!!!
Saturday, July 26th, 7:00pm

A Story of Yonosuke is a beautiful endearing film that reminds us of the incredible impact one person can have on the lives of others. Yonosuke, an 18-year old university freshman just moving to Tokyo, attracts people with his loving character. Set in the 80’s, the story is connected to the modern day by four friends of Yonosuke. Each have lost contact with him somehow, but are pleasantly reminded of their time together.

A TALE OF SAMURAI COOKING: A TRUE LOVE STORY – S.F. PREMIERE!!!
Friday, July 25th, 9:00pm; Sunday, July 27th, 2:20pm

A once-divorced woman named O-haru remarries into the Funaki family, generations of trusted samurai chefs that serve the lord of the Kaga Domain. Her husband Yasunobu is the young heir of the family, however, his cooking skills and passion aren’t up to par. With the full support of her new mother-in-law, O-haru takes it upon herself to help Yasunobu find his way to become a great chef and maintain pride of his family tradition.

WHY DON’T YOU PLAY IN HELL? – S.F. PREMIERE!!!
Sunday, July 20th, 6:00pm

Why Don't You Play In Hell? is among Sono’s best work as his trademark outrageous-style is infused with his affection for 35mm and Japanese cinema. The Fuck Bombers are an eager group of wannabe filmmakers whose dream of making movies comes crashing down. Circumstances have brought them to this fateful moment where they’ll be able to film Why Don't You Play In Hell?

NEW PEOPLE Cinema is a 143-seat cinema located in the underground floor of NEW PEOPLE in San Francisco. Equipped with a cutting-edge HD digital projection and THX®-certified sound system, NEW PEOPLE Cinema is home for local film festivals and entertaining events. www.newpeoplecinema.com

About JAPAN FILM FESTIVAL OF SAN FRANCISCO
Launched in 2013, Japan Film Festival of San Francisco is the first and only fully-dedicated Japanese film event for the SF Bay Area, will feature a colorful mix of narratives, anime and documentary film premieres and exclusive screenings with special guest appearance at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema in SF Japantown from July 19 (Sat) through 27 (Sun), 2014. More details and ticket information available at www.jffsf.org

About J-POP SUMMIT Festival
Launched in 2009, J-POP SUMMIT Festival is an annual street fair held in San Francisco, CA that celebrates Japanese popular culture. By introducing the latest in Japanese music, film, art, fashion, gaming, anime, food, as well as niche subcultures, the festival has become a prominent platform to showcase the latest pop trends and creative innovations from Japan.

The 5th annual J-POP SUMMIT held in July 2013 welcomed more than 80,000 attendees, making it one of the largest Japanese festivals in the United States. In addition to the original Festival held in Japantown, new attractions include the J-POP LIVE AT UNION SQUARE concert in downtown San Francisco, the Bay Area’s premier dedicated Japan Film Festival of San Francisco, and sake-tasting and fine foods events at the POP GOURMET Food Festival, which have each further enriched the experience. Additional information about J-POP SUMMIT Festival is available at: J-POP.com.

VIZ Cinema Announces Anime and Drama at New People for February

NEW PEOPLE PRESENTS SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENTS FOR THE GARDEN OF SINNERS, KIM KI-DUK’S BREATH AND GANTZ IN FEBRUARY

 

VIZ Cinema at NEW PEOPLE, the nation’s only movie theatre dedicated to Japanese and Asian film, presents a trio of special movie events taking place at the venue in February. Trailers, screening times and tickets are available at www.VIZCinema.com. The venue is located inside NEW PEOPLE at 1746 Post Street in San Francisco’s Japantown.

The month begins as Aniplex of America, Inc. and NEW PEOPLE present the U.S. premiere of the anime feature film, THE GARDEN OF SINNERS, on February 5th, to be followed by a discussion panel with key members of the movie’s production staff. This one-day-only event will celebrate the highly anticipated release of the film’s Blu-ray Box Set which will be released in North America on February 8th (a week after the Japanese release).

Also slated to screen on February 19th will be the acclaimed Korean director Kim Ki-duk’s romantic prison drama, BREATH, which will be followed by a reception with The Red Lantern: Bay Area Asian Cinephiles, based in San Francisco and the world's largest Meetup group for Asian films - http://www.meetup.com/sf-asian-film.

Finally, by popular demand, VIZ Cinema at NEW PEOPLE will offer a special one-night-only screening on February 19th of the live-action sci-fi thriller GANTZ (in Japanese with English subtitles). GANTZ is based on the smash hit manga and anime series and was world-premiered at 334 theatres nationwide in January.

THE GARDEN OF SINNERS
Saturday, 2/5 at 1:30pm – ONE DAY ONLY! Tickets: $15.00
(Directed by Ei Aoki, Takuya Nonaka, Shinsuke Takizaw, Japan, 49min, 58min, and 119min, Digital, Japanese with English subtitles)

After spending two years in a coma caused by a traffic accident, Shiki Ryougi awakens with amnesia. Inexplicably, she finds that she has also obtained the “Mystic Eyes of Death Perception” in which she can see the invisible lines of mortality that hold every living and non-living thing together. Working for a small independent agency, Shiki attempts to unravel the baffling mystery behind a series of abnormal, horrifying incidents, but are they a foreshadowing that leads to something even more tragic and ominous? Things are not what they appear to be on the surface, but what dark revelations lie underneath? This is a modern occult-action thriller where Shiki must tackle supernatural incidents with her special abilities while searching for a reason to live.

This screening will be immediately followed by a special discussion session with key members of the movie’s production staff.

BREATH
Saturday, 2/19 at 5:00pm – ONE NIGHT ONLY! Tickets: $12.00
(Directed by Kim Ki-duk, Korea, 83min, 2007, Digital, Korean with English subtitles)

On a cold winter day, after learning her husband has found a new woman, Yeon absent-mindedly heads for a prison where an inmate name Jin is confined. Although she doesn’t know him personally, repeated news of his suicide attempts on TV have subconsciously grown in her mind which now is leading her to seek him. Jin has no visitors and normally would not agree to meet a complete stranger, but hearing that it’s a woman, he accepts her request out of curiosity. Their first encounter is awkward. Yeon treats Jin like an old friend whereas Jin doesn’t open up so easily. To Jin’s surprise, Yeon comes back for a second visit…One day her husband follows her to the prison and witnesses an intimate exchange between Yeon and Jin. The jealous husband drags her home and tries to separate the new couple. While forced to be apart, time winds down for Jin’s execution. But the two are already attached to one another more than her husband assumed – more than life and death. And desperate Yeon finds a way to elude her husband and help Jin out of his misery.

GANTZ (English Subtitled Version)
Saturday, 2/19 at 7:15pm – ONE NIGHT ONLY!
Tickets: $12.00 (attendees will also receive a special GANTZ poster)
(Directed by Shinsuke Sato, Japan, 129min, 2011, Digital, Japanese with English subtitles)

GANTZ is based on a hit manga series created by Hiroya Oku and stars leading Japanese actors Kazunari Ninomiya (Letters from Iwo Jima) and Kenichi Matsuyama (Death Note, Detroit Metal City). The film tells the story of two childhood friends that are accidentally killed while trying to save another man’s life. Rather than find themselves in the hereafter, however, they awaken in a strange apartment in which they find a mysterious black orb they come to know as “GANTZ.” Along with similar abductees, they are provided with equipment and weaponry and manipulated into playing a kind of game in which they are sent back out to the greater world to do battle with alien beings, all while never quite knowing whether this game is an illusion or their new reality.

VIZ Cinema at NEW PEOPLE is the nation’s only movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.

VIZ Cinema to Screen Two Evangelion Films

VIZ CINEMA BEGINS 2011 WITH SCREENINGS OF EVANGELION 1.0: YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE AND EVANGELION 2.0: YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE

Director Hideki Anno’s Feature Film Adaptations Of One Of The Most Celebrated Anime Properties Of All Time To Screen In January

VIZ Cinema, the nation’s only movie theatre dedicated to Japanese film, opens 2011 with just-announced screenings of director Hideki Anno’s EVANGELION 1.0 YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE, playing Tuesday, January 18th thru Wednesday, January 19th, and EVANGELION 2.0 YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE, playing Friday, January 21st thru Thursday January 27th. Screenings times and ticket information are also available at www.vizcinema.com.

EVANGELION 1.0: YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE: Monday, 1/17 – Thursday, 1/20; Tickets: $10.00
(Directed by Hideaki Anno, Japan, 2009, 98mins, Digital, Japanese with English subtitles)

There was no foreseeable warning before it happened – a catastrophe of unparalleled scale and magnitude overwhelmed the entire globe. This event, recorded in history as “The Second Impact,” caused half the population of the Earth to perish and devastated the world. All that remains of Japan is Tokyo-3, a city that is now being attacked by giant creatures that seek to destroy mankind. These creatures are called Angels.

Fourteen year old Shinji Ikari is called to Tokyo-3 by his father who he hasn’t seen in more than eight years. He is asked to come to the NERV headquarters to meet his father. His father reveals to him a gigantic humanoid weapons system that the special governmental agency has secretly developed to fight the Angels and then orders Shinji to pilot the giant artificial human Evangelion Unit One. With the fate of the world resting on his shoulders, how will the 14 year old boy Shinji fight? What is the truth behind “The Human Instrumentality Project,” an operation somehow related to the “Second Impact?” And who is the true enemy? The Angels, NERV, the mysterious SEELE, or the demons held within the hearts of the people involved? Gendō Ikari, a man who holds many answers to these questions, watches silently and attentively as his son fights a desperate battle…

EVANGELION 2.0: YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE: Friday 1/21 – Thursday, 1/27; Tickets: $12.00

The landmark anime property evolves, reaching new heights of intensity in the new feature film, EVANGELION 2.0. In an explosive new story full of brutal action and primal emotion, a group of young pilots maneuver their towering, cyborg Eva Units into combat against a deadly and disturbing enemy. In the battle to prevent the apocalyptic Third Impact, Shinji and Rei were forced to carry humanity’s hopes on their shoulders. Now, as the onslaught of the bizarre, monstrous Angels escalates, they find their burden shared by two new Eva pilots: the fiery Asuka and the mysterious Mari. In this thrilling new experience for fans of giant robot action, the young pilots fight desperately to save mankind – and struggle to save themselves.

Animation and film director Hideki Anno is best-known for his work on the hugely popular anime television series Neon Genesis Evangelion, which ran on TV Tokyo in the mid 1990’s. Anno had been involved in the production of amateur films from his days in high school and began his film career as an animator in numerous commercial projects including Hayao Miyazaki’s landmark 1984 film Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind. Later that year, Anno helped found the animation production studio Gainax – a group that rose from the independent film production company Daicon Film – with others he had met while enrolled in Osaka University of Arts. In 2006, he established the film development and production company, Studio Khara. Anno is currently involved in the production of a new series of Evangelion films, the latest of which is EVANGELION 2.0: YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE.

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s only movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.


About NEW PEOPLE
NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: http://www.newpeopleworld.com/.

VIZ Cinema Wraps Up 2010 with Films from China and Japan

PERCEPTIONS OF REALITY ARE EXPLORED IN DECEMBER FILMS AT VIZ CINEMA  
More Than 20 Films Present Engaging Documentaries, Anime, Romantic Comedies, A Special New Year’s Samurai Celebration, And A Free Screening For Seniors
 
VIZ Cinema wraps up 2010 with a December roster of screenings that introduce various ways to look at reality. Trailers, screening times and tickets are available at http://www.vizcinema.com/. VIZ Cinema is located inside NEW PEOPLE at 1746 Post Street in San Francisco’s Japantown.

December offers more than twenty films, featuring new titles as well as encore presentations of some of the most popular movies to play at the theatre this year. Included will be a pair of unique film festivals - the 8x8x8 Film Festival presented by The Hub, and also China Underground, which offers a range of documentaries that focus on a variety of controversial topics such as homosexuality, the role of women in society, the forced relocation of citizens which preceded the 2008 Beijing Olympics, drug use, and the inner workings of Chinese law enforcement, are examined in unflinching detail in 7 documentaries. Also scheduled for December is Mifune x Kurosawa, a mini-festival offering 8 films directed by the great Akira Kurosawa and starring the incomparable Toshiro Mifune. Included will be a special New Year’s screening of the classic Seven Samurai.

Anime is always a favorite and VIZ Cinema is proud to offer encore screenings of the fast-paced, futuristic racing film, Redline, as well as a live-action adaptation of the popular The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Also not to be missed is the romantic comedy Cast Me If You Can, which was featured as “Japan’s answer to Woody Allen” in Metropolis magazine. Director Atsushi Ogata’s globetrotting comedy combines wit, humor, romance and family relations. Finally, VIZ Cinema welcomes San Francisco’s senior community for a special free showing of Ping Pong, a charming comedy built around the sport of table tennis.

8x8x8 Film Festival Presented By The Hub; Thursday, 12/2 at 7:00pm, San Francisco Premiere!
The Hub presents the 8 x 8 x 8 Film Festival screening 8 short films, supported by Schmaltz Brew Company and Dynamo Donuts. Films are curated by the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival.

Reception / Food: 7:00 pm • Screening: 8:00 pm • Tickets: $12.00

China Underground; Friday, 12/3 – Sunday, 12/5, San Francisco Premiere!
This series focuses on a new vanguard of Chinese independent filmmakers, whose innovative uses of digital filmmaking deliver provocative insights into the world’s largest nation. All of the documentary films to be shown at the festival were made outside the official Chinese film system – unauthorized, uncensored, and totally independent. These groundbreaking films introduce a new generation of filmmakers who represent the future of Chinese cinema, using new technology to present a vision of China as never seen before.

Queer China, ‘Comrade’ China, Friday, 12/3 at 7:15pm
(Directed by Cui Zi’en, China, 2008, 60min, Mandarin with English subtitles)

China’s most prolific queer filmmaker opens the festival with a comprehensive historical account of the queer movement in modern China. Unlike any before, this film explores the historical milestones and ongoing advocacy efforts of the Chinese LGBT community. Preceded by a screening of Digital Underground in the People’s Republic (18 mins, Dir: Rachel Tejada), a look at the Chinese independent film scene as documented firsthand by dGenerate Films. The screening will include a Q&A session with several guest speakers and an after-party that will immediately follow. Tickets are $15.00.

Super, Girls! Saturday, 12/4 at 1:00pm
(Directed by Jian Yi, China, 2007, Documentary, 73min. Mandarin with English subtitles)

SUPER, GIRLS! follows ten teenagers on their quest to become superstars on China’s biggest tv show. Through candid interviews and footage of nail-biting auditions, SUPER, GIRLS! offers a fascinating look inside what the Chinese media have dubbed “the Lost Generation.” Tickets are $10.00.

Meishi Street, Saturday, 12/4 at 2:45pm
(Directed by Ou Ning, China, 2006, Documentary, 85min, Mandarin with English subtitles)

MEISHI STREET shows ordinary citizens taking a stand against the planned destruction of their homes for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Acclaimed at over two dozen museums and galleries around the world, Meishi Street, by renowned visual artist Ou Ning, works as both art and activism, calling worldwide attention to lives being demolished in the name of progress.

Tickets are $10.00.

Using, Saturday, 12/4 at 4:45pm
(Directed by Zhou Hao, China, 2008, Documentary, 105min, Mandarin with English subtitles)

A twisted relationship develops between an urban Chinese couple struggling with heroin and a filmmaker chronicling their addiction, in this provocative documentary on drug abuse, filmmaking and friendship. Zhou’s unflinching depiction of his friends’ repeated attempts to quit blurs the line between filmmaker and subject, and raises provocative questions about the ways in which each uses the other. Tickets are $10.00.

Ghost Town, Saturday, 12/4 at 7:15pm
(Directed by Zhao Dayong, China, 2008, Documentary, 169min, Mandarin, Nu, & Lisu dialects with English subtitles)

Zhiziluo is a town barely clinging to life. Tucked away in a rugged corner of Southwest China, the village is haunted by traces of China’s cultural past while its residents piece together a day-by-day existence. “Directed with scrupulous attention to detail” (Manohla Dargis, New York Times), Ghost Town, which debuted at the New York Film Festival, “is one of the most important films to have emerged from the booming (but still unexplored) field of Chinese independent documentaries (Dennis Lim, Moving Image Source).Tickets are $10.00.

1428 Sunday, 12/5 at 1:00pm
(Directed by Du Haibin, China, 2009, Documentary, 117min. Mandarin and Sichuan dialects w/ English subtitles)

Du Haibin’s award-winning documentary of the earthquake that devastated China’s Sichuan province in 2008 explores how victims, citizens and government respond to a national tragedy. Du depicts a world in chaos, both material and moral. “Without judgment but with a deep compassion for their subjects, the filmmakers of 1428 bring us a myriad of individual stories of absurdity, confusion and grief.”(Cherise Fong, CNN). Tickets are $10.00.

Crime and Punishment, Sunday, 12/5 at 3:30pm
(Directed by Zhao Liang, China, 2007, Documentary, 122min, Mandarin with English subtitles)

“Zhao’s artistry is instantly apparent.” (Robert Koehler, Variety)

A prime example of how independent documentaries are on the vanguard of Chinese cinema, Crime and Punishment is an unprecedented look at the everyday workings of law enforcement in the world’s largest authoritarian society. With penetrating camerawork, Zhao Liang (Petition, 2009 Cannes Film Festival) patiently reveals the methods police use to interrogate and coerce suspects to confess crimes – and the consequences when such techniques backfire.

Tickets are $10.00.

Before the Flood, Sunday, 12/5 at 5:45pm
(Directed by Li Yifan and Yan Yu, China, 2005, Documentary, 147min. Mandarin and Sichuan dialects with English subtitles)

A landmark documentary following the residents of the historic city of Fengjie as they clash with officials forcing them to evacuate their homes to make way for the world’s largest dam. Shot over two years, Before the Flood is a breathtaking achievement in verité-style documentary filmmaking. This profound film shows the human effects of one of history’s grandest social engineering projects, reflecting on the loss of both home and heritage. Tickets are $10.00.

Redline, Monday, 12/6 – Thursday 12/9
(Directed by Takeshi Koike, 2010, 100 min, Digital, English Subtitles)

Redline is a racing film created by studio Madhouse (Paprika, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars). The toughest and the most destructive underground car race in the universe, REDLINE, has just begun! JP is a reckless driver oblivious to speed limits, and Sonoshee, one of his competitors with whom JP is secretly in love with, is a hot girl determined to do whatever it takes to stand on the winner’s podium. They’re up against the craziest drivers with their heavily armed and awesome road-tearing vehicles. On top of that, during the race, they have to avoid military crackdown by the government because the race is actually prohibited in Roboworld. The only help JP wants is the engine obtained and custom tuned by his long time buddies, Frisbee the mechanic and Mogura Oyaji the junk shop. While cars crash and burn into flames, the race course becomes a merciless hell and JP whips his ride into a dead heat. Who will survive to win in this mass-destruction race? Tickets are $10.00.

Cast Me If You Can, Friday, 12/10 – Sunday, 12/19
(Directed by Atsushi Ogata, 2010, 97min, Digital, Japanese with English subtitles)

A sold-out film at Mill Valley Film Festival and a charming romantic comedy written and directed by Atsushi Ogata, Cast Me If You Can comes to VIZ Cinema for a special Bay Area limited theatrical release, following its popular recent theatrical run in Japan.

Featured as “Japan’s answer to Woody Allen” in Metropolis magazine, globetrotting comedy director Atsushi Ogata combines wit, humor, romance and family relations, in collaboration with veteran Japanese star actors and an international crew, to present a romantic comedy which transcends national and cultural borders. Cast Me If You Can is Ogata’s feature film debut.

Premiering at the 13th Shanghai International Film Festival in June, Cast Me If You Can also screened at festivals in California, New York, Indiana, Korea and India, won prizes for “Best Title Sequence” and “Best Original Score” in Los Angeles, and has also been adapted into a novel and published in Japan by Takeshobo Co. Ltd. Tickets are $10.00.

The Disappearance Of Haruhi Suzumiya, Friday, 12/17 at 7:15pm
(Directed by Jun-ichi Mori, 2010, 163min, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

Don’t miss the special encore screening of mega hit anime movie “The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya” in association with Bandai Entertainment! Ten days before Christmas, Haruhi came up with another one of her crazy ideas to hold a Christmas party in the club room. The next day, however, Kyon woke up to a world in which Haruhi didn’t exist and no one besides him had any memory of her. How can someone like Haruhi Suzumiya who’s supposed to be the center of the universe just vanish? Tickets are $10.00.

Mifune x Kurosawa, Saturday, 12/18 – Thursday 1/6

Toshiro Mifune graced Japanese cinema with his good looks, fierceness, and charisma. VIZ Cinema brings you Akira Kurosawa’s films featuring Mifune at his finest moments. Tickets are $10.00.

Red Beard, Saturday, 12/18 – Sunday, 12/26
(1965, 185 minutes, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

Red Beard (Akahige) chronicles the tumultuous relationship between an arrogant young doctor and a compassionate clinic director. Toshiro Mifune, in his last role for Kurosawa, gives a powerhouse performance as the dignified yet empathic director who guides his pupil to maturity.

The Idiot, Saturday, 12/18 – Thursday, 12/23
(1965, 185 minutes, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

The Idiot, an adaptation of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s nineteenth-century masterpiece about a wayward, pure soul’s reintegration into society—updated by Kurosawa to capture Japan’s postwar aimlessness—was a victim of studio interference and, finally, public indifference.

The Lower Depths, Sunday, 12/19 – Monday, 12/27
(1957, 125 minutes, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

Mifune and Kurosawa transform Maxim Gorky’s classic proletariat play The Lower Depths in their own way firmly situated in the postwar world. Remaining faithful to the original with its focus on the conflict between illusion and reality, their film making styles converge to create unique masterpieces.

High And Low, Monday, 12/27 – Thursday, 1/6
(1957, 125 minutes, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

Toshiro Mifune is unforgettable as Kingo Gondo, a wealthy industrialist whose family becomes the target of a cold-blooded kidnapper in Akira Kurosawa’s highly influential High and Low, a compelling race-against-time thriller and a penetrating portrait of contemporary Japanese society.

Stray Dog, Tuesday, 12/28 – Thursday, 1/6
(1949, 122min, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

When a pickpocket steals a rookie detective’s gun on a hot crowded bus, the cop goes undercover in a desperate attempt to right the wrong. Kurosawa’s thrilling noir probes the squalid world of postwar Japan and the nature of the criminal mind.

Drunken Angel, Wednesday, 12/29 – Wednesday, 1/5
(1948, 98min, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

In this powerful early noir from the great Akira Kurosawa, Toshiro Mifune bursts onto the screen as a volatile, tubercular criminal who strikes up an unlikely relationship with Takashi Shimura’s jaded physician.

Seven Samurai, Sunday, 1/2 at 1:30pm
(1954, 207 minutes, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

Kick-off 2011 with one of the most thrilling movie epics of all time, Seven Samurai! This three-hour ride featuring Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura tells the story of a sixteenth-century village whose desperate inhabitants hire eponymous warriors to protect them from the invading bandits. Screening will include a special New Year’s reception party.

VIZ Cinema’s last SENIOR FREE MOVIE DAY of the year is our all-time-favorite film Ping Pong!

Ping Pong ; Wednesday, 12/22 at 1:30pm
(Directed by SORI, 2002, 114min, Digital, Japanese with English Subtitles)

Best friends Peco and Smile have been playing ping pong since they were little kids. While the unique and brazen Peco plays to win and loves the sport, the quiet and introverted Smile thinks of it as just a way to kill time with friends, but plays only because he looks up to Peco as his hero. And though Smile is the more talented player, he frequently and intentionally loses to Peco out of a misguided sense of friendship

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s only movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.


About NEW PEOPLE
NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: http://www.newpeopleworld.com/.

TokyoScope Talks About the Ninja

TOKYOSCOPE TALK AT VIZ CINEMA EXPLORES THE HIDDEN & DEADLY WORLD OF THE NINJA NEXT WEEK

 

NEW PEOPLE and VIZ Cinema offer an intriguing exploration of Japan’s famed shadow warriors of legend in the next TokyoScope Talk film event. TokyoScope Talk, Vol. 7 – NINJA ATTACK! will commence on Saturday, November 20th at 7:15pm. Tickets are $10.00.

Presented by host Patrick Macias (Editor, Otaku USA) and produced in association with Matt Alt, co-author of the new book Ninja Attack! True Tales of Assassins, Samurai, and Outlaws (published by Kodansha International), this lecture will explore the historical and pop culture legacy of the original men (and women!) in black. All attendees will be entered into a raffle to win free copies of the Ninja Attack! book, which will also be for sale in the NEW PEOPLE retail store.

TokyoScope Talk will also discuss elements from the new ninja action film Kamui Gaidian, which opens at VIZ Cinema on Friday, November 19th and runs thru Wednesday, December 1st (Tickets are $10.00). Based on the legendary 1970’s manga comic by Sampei Shirato, Kamui Gaidan boasts one of the biggest budgets in the history of Japanese film. Set in 17th Century Japan, Kamui, an outcast from society who dreams of escaping his miserable existence, trains to become a deadly ninja and embarks on a bloody adventure to find eventual redemption. NEW PEOPLE will host a special opening party for the Kamui Gaidan premiere on Friday, November 19th at 7:15pm.

Gasp in amazement as Macias offers rare clips from other assorted movies, anime, and TV programs such as Shinobi no Mono, Red Mask, Shogun Assassin, Dagger of Kamui, and Alien vs. Ninja reveal the over-the-top skills, weapons, and deadly techniques of these fearsome martial artists!

In the new book, Ninja Attack! True Tales of Assassins, Samurai, and Outlaws (Kodansha International), Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt introduce dozens of real-life ninja straight out of the annals of Japanese history. Ninja Attack! chronicles the true stories of Japan’s most famous – and feared – fighters. The book covers ninja ranging from clan leaders to solo artists, occult masters, warlords, and vicious assassins, presented with full-page illustrations along with detailed descriptions and anecdotes about their lives, weapons, weaknesses… and how each met his doom. The book includes “The Illustrated Ninja,” a guide that explains the weapons, tools, tricks and techniques of these legendary warriors; and includes a ninja tour of Tokyo. Yoda and Alt also discuss clothing styles, tools and the basics of the ninja diet.

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s first movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.


About NEW PEOPLE
NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: http://www.newpeopleworld.com/.

VIZ Cinema to Screen "Live from Tokyo" for One Night Only

VIZ CINEMA TAKES AUDIENCES ON A SONIC TRIP TO EXPLORE TOKYO’S UNDERGROUND MUSIC CULTURE IN LIVE FROM TOKYO – PLAYING FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY!

Documentary Blends Live Performances And Interviews To Offer New Insights On Unique Music Culture; VIZ Cinema Screening Event To Feature A Live Simulcast Of Performances By Saijanu, Kirihito, And Others From The Forest Limit Club In Tokyo

VIZ Cinema, the nation’s only movie theatre dedicated to Japanese film, takes audiences on a sonic tour through Tokyo’s vibrant and varied underground music culture in LIVE FROM TOKYO, a new documentary directed by Lewis Rapkin. After a sold out premiere at the Asia Society in New York City, LIVE FROM TOKYO’s San Francisco premiere opens at VIZ Cinema for a one-night-only showing and special event beginning at 7:15pm. Tickets, trailers and more information are available at: www.vizcinema.com.

Immediately following the screening, VIZ Cinema and goforaloop Gallery are proud to present a special simulcast of performances from the bands Kirihito, Sajjanu, Yudaya Jazz, and Onnacodomo (all featured in the film), streamed live from the Forest Limit club in Tokyo.

Tokyo’s reputation as a media-saturated hub for global information and cutting-edge innovation makes it the perfect setting for addressing a new outlook on music culture. LIVE FROM TOKYO takes the viewer through the back streets in Shinjuku, the intersections of Shibuya, narrow alleys in Koenji, and all over the city, as it highlights the innovative musicians who create this multi-faceted artistic culture. The film features interviews and live performances by DMBQ, Tenniscoats, Shugo Tokumaru, Nisennenmondai, PARA (ex-Boredoms members), Kirihito, d.v.d., and many more.


Bands and artists featured in Live From Tokyo include:

Saijunu
Sajjanu is a ripping new unit from Tokyo that performs incredibly complex through-composed compositions with few if any repetition. Combining the intensity of the Ruins with the quirkiness of the Boredoms and the compositional integrity of Zappa, Zorn and more, Sajjanu is creating a new Japanese music of infinite possibilities. In addition to releases in Japan, Sajjanu’s album Pechiku!! was released in 2009 on John Zorn’s New York-based Tzadik label.

Kirihito:
"With a reputation for furious, hypnotic live performances, and a sound that evades all attempts to pin it down with the usual genre clichés, Tokyo-based duo Kirihito have gradually carved themselves a position as legends in the underground-music scene." - The Japan Times

Yudaya Jazz:
As a video artist, Yudaya Jazz, juxtaposes multi-media in a way most people cannot imagine. He synchronizes the images and sounds on an audio/visual platform outfitted with a set of turntables, a laptop, video camera, microphone, multiple projectors and sometimes a piano.

Onnacodomo:
"DJ Codomo, Yasuko Seki and Ruka Noguchi perform in real time using a video camera to capture their spontaneous creations. Shimmering projections are created using water, mirrors and an array of lights, while a world of fantastic images is constructed with found photos, kitchen utensils, toys, stationary, and improvised artwork. Kaleidoscopic, absurd and unreal, Onnacodomo takes you into a slightly-unhinged world that is absolutely original in its conception."

d.v.d
This electronic art trio blends Japanese technology and artistic innovation in a band. Visual artist Ymg was a CG game developer for Namco, Itoken has provided soundtracks for popular Playstation video games and Jimanica has been a professional drummer in both Tokyo and New York City. Their interactive “live installation” blurs the borders of visual art and music, leaving audiences wondering if they are at a concert, video arcade or art exhibit.

Shugo Tokumaru
Shugo Tokumaru is a multi-instrumentalist claiming to play over 100 instruments on his most recent release and one of today’s most talked-about Japanese musicians. With three albums under his belt, Shugo made his US debut in September of 2009, touring with the Magnetic Fields and performing with members of the National and Beirut. Shugo has also been featured twice on NPR in an in-studio performance and on the World Café.

NISENNENMONDAI
This all-female rock trio from Tokyo has been making noisy, technically challenging, experimental rock for the past decade. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed, as reputable American bands such as Prefuse 73, Lightning Bolt, Battles, and No Age have all shared the stage and spoken outwardly of their admiration for Nisennenmondai.

DMBQ
Drawing heavily from Western rock and roll, garage and noise influences, DMBQ’s high-energy performances and several international tours have made them one of Tokyo’s most lauded underground acts. They have also appeared in SPIN magazine.

Tenniscoats
Tenniscoats is an avant-garde folk duo made up of Saya and Takashi Ueno. Since 2000, Tenniscoats have released albums and also collaborated with a variety of other artists, both Japanese and foreign. In 2008, Tenniscoats collaborated with US-based Indie band Deerhoof in a project called OneOne. Most recently, Tenniscoats collaborated with long-running Scottish band The Pastels on an album called Two Suns.

Tokyo Pinsalocks
Tokyo Pinsalocks is an all-female electro-pop trio who has toured the UK and US including the 2009 US Anime Fest in Boston. They curate and headline Spoon Market, an event series that features “the coolest of female artists – be they musicians, fashion designers, visual artists, or cooks.”

Other featured acts include: Kuruucrew, PARA, The Lady Spade, Makoto Oshiro, Sexy-Synthesizer, Umi No Yeah!, Samm Bennett, Shintaro Miyazaki, W. David Marx, Dr. Jennifer Matsue, Suishou no Fune, Plugdead + Yudaya Jazz, Secai, Nu Clear Classmate, Kelly Churko, Cal Lyall, Kenichi Fumoto, The Muzenji Monk, Taguchi Fumihito, Tayutau, My Pal Foot Foot, Elevation, The Lady Spade, Makoto Oshiro, Henrytennis, Mahiruno, ECD & DJ Illicit Tsuboi, Uhnellys, The Fadeaways and more...


VIZ Cinema is the nation’s only movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.

About NEW PEOPLE
NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: http://www.newpeopleworld.com/.

VIZ Cinema is Passionate This Fall

THE THEMES OF PASSION & PROWESS USHER IN THE FALL SEASON AT VIZ CINEMA

Passion For Spirituality, Food, Music, Love And More Among The Topics Featured In New Films At NEW PEOPLE Movie Theatre This Month

VIZ Cinema makes November’s cinema programming about the theme of prowess. Passion turns into expertise as one's art and expression matures. It could simply save a soul, become a powerful weapon, or even lead a popular movement. Tickets, screening times and complete details for each film are available at: http://www.vizcinema.com/.

The month begins as the theatre proudly presents the opening night of the San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival 2010 on November 3rd with the premiere of Journey from Zanskar, a new film from the producers of Hoop Dreams that follows a group of monks and children across the breath-taking and dangerous Himalayas. Heavy metal comedy is up next with a special one-night-only show on November 4th of Detroit Metal City, to celebrate the film’s brand new DVD release from VIZ Pictures. The New Media Film Festival and S.F. Bay Area Market & Forum will be held this month at the venue, featuring work from innovative creators using the latest technology to develop visionary content.

Then work up an appetite for the premiere of Chef of the South Polar, based on the hilarious autobiographical essay of a chef on an Antarctic research team who brings gourmet cuisine to one of the most inhospitable place on earth. Live From Tokyo next takes audiences to the backstreets of Japan’s capital to sample the city’s burgeoning underground music scene. This screening will be complemented by a simulcast of a live set from the band Sajjunu (also featured in the film) broadcast from the Super Deluxe club in Tokyo. Anime fans won’t want to miss special screenings of Patlabor The Movie, and Patlabor The Movie 2, presented in partnership with Bandai Entertainment, and also a premiere showing of Kamui Gaidan, based on the legendary 1970’s Japanese comic book by Sampei Shirato.

Director Yuki Tanada’s Electric Button then brings erotic flavors to audiences and manages to be as sweet as it is unsentimental, while effortlessly dancing across the lines of comedy, drama, romance and eroticism. And don’t miss the return of the TokyoScope Talk film discussion series as it holds a special Saturday afternoon session on ninja cinema! The month wraps up with a special film retrospective on removed Japanese actor and author Yukio Mishima.

Journey from Zanskar, Wednesday, 11/3 at 7:20pm San Francisco Premiere!
(Directed by Frederick Marx, 2009, 90mins, English, Tibetan, and Hindi with English subtitles)

Oscar-winning filmmaker Frederick Marx follows a group of monks and children across the breath-taking and dangerous Himalayas as they journey from Zanskar, one of the most isolated places on earth, to a Buddhist school in Manali (India).

Detroit Metal City, November 4th 7:00pm, One Night Only!!!
(Directed by Toshio Lee, 2008, 104min, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

Detroit Metal City takes the zany rock antics inspired by films like Spinal Tap to hilarious new extremes in this story, based on a popular manga comic created by Kiminori Wakasugi that has sold more than 4.5 million copies in Japan and features notable appearances by Gene Simmons from the legendary band, KISS, and Marty Friedman of Megadeth.

In the film, Soichi Negishi (played by Kenichi Matsuyama) is a sweet and shy young man who dreams of becoming a trendy singer songwriter. But for some reason, he is forced into joining the devil worshiping death metal band “Detroit Metal City” (DMC). In full stage make-up and costume, he transforms into Johannes Krauser II the vulgar-mouthed lead vocalist of the band. Against Negishi’s will, DMC rises to stardom. Things get even more complicated when the legendary king of death metal, Jack IL Dark (played by Gene Simmons), challenges DMC to a duel in the film’s climatic finale. What will be the fate of innocent Negishi as he climbs to the top of the death metal world?

NEW MEDIA FILM FESTIVAL SF BAY AREA MARKET & FORUM
Friday, 11/5 & Saturday 11/6

Join as VIZ Cinema brings together several leaders and content creators in film, TV, games, publishing, web, mobile technology and screen mobile, webisodes and mobile series, shorts, animation, and much more. Film screenings include selections from Sundance, Cannes, Los Angeles Film Festival premieres as well as work by the best local Bay Area talent working in New Media. Competition Judges are industry professionals from Industrial Light & Magic, Pixar, Summit Entertainment, Creative Convergence and United Talent Agency.

More details and tickets are available at: www.newmediafilmfestival.com/newmediatickets.php

The Chef of South Polar Monday, 11/ 7 – Thursday, 11/12
(Directed by Shuichi Okita, 2009, 125mins, Japanese with English subtitles)

Based on the hilarious autobiography by the chef of an Antarctic research team!

Eight men join a research expedition to the Dome Fuji Station in Antarctica – an environment so cold that even viruses cannot exist, let alone living creatures. Jun Nishimura’s job is to cook for the members every day. He prepares the meals with the greatest care, sometimes with fine delicacies, and takes pleasure in watching everyone sitting down together and enjoying his food. In far away Japan, Nishimura has a family including a new-born son. The assignment lasts a year and a half and while his thoughts are with his family 14,000 kilometers away, the ultimate mission away from home must continue. Antarctic life is unlike anything in Japan. But as long as there is good food, it gives the team the strength to go on. Though the film is set in the coldest climate in the world, The Chef of South Polar will warm viewers up from the center of their hearts. Good food and human drama, full of laughter and love.

Live From Tokyo; Friday, 11/12 at 7:15pm
(Directed by Lewis Rapkin, 2010, 79min, HDCam, Japanese with English Subtitles,)

“Live From Tokyo” is a documentary film about underground music culture in Tokyo. The city’s reputation as a media-saturated hub for global information and cutting-edge innovation makes it the perfect setting for addressing a new outlook on music culture. This documentary takes the viewer through the back streets in Shinjuku, the intersections in Shibuya, the alleys in Koenji, and all over Tokyo, as it highlights the innovative musicians who create this multi-faceted artistic culture. The film features interviews and performances by DMBQ, Tenniscoats, Shugo Tokumaru, Nisennenmondai, PARA (ex-Boredoms members), Kirihito, d.v.d., and many more.

After the film screening, the band Sajjanu (featured in the film) will simulcast a live performance from Tokyo!

Sajjanu is a ripping new unit from Tokyo that performs incredibly complex through-composed compositions with few if any repetition. Combining the intensity of the Ruins with the quirkiness of the Boredoms and the compositional integrity of Zappa, Zorn and more, Sajjanu is creating a new Japanese music of infinite possibilities. In addition to releases in Japan, Sajjanu’s album Pechiku!! was released in 2009 on John Zorn’s New York-based Tzadik label.

Patlabor The Movie, November 13th (Subtitled) & 14th (Dubbed)
(Directed by Mamoru Oshii, 1989, 99min, Digital, Japanese with English Subtitles)

Set in an alternate 1999 in Tokyo where advanced robotic vehicles called Labors are heavily relied on to reshape the city, a maverick team of the Metropolitan Police force tries to uncover and thwart a devilish computer crime aimed at the heart of the Labor industry. As a powerful typhoon approaches the city and the schemes of a mad genius start to take full effect, time is running out for the team of Special Vehicles Section 2 to act on the offensive, or risk citywide devastation by eight thousand Labors gone berserk!

Patlabor The Movie 2, November 13th (Subtitled) & 14th (Dubbed)
(Directed by Mamoru Oshii, 1993, 113min, Digital, Japanese with English Subtitles)

Set three years after the first film, PATLABOR 2 draws police commanders Ki'ichi Gotoh and Shinobu Nagumo into the hunt for Tsuge, a rogue officer of the Japan Self-Defense Forces connected with an escalating wave of terrorist attacks. But the investigation into the plot is guarded by secrets both personal and political, as the awakening fear of terror in Tokyo is slowly answered by the dream-like fade of democracy into martial law... Ominous, beautiful, suspenseful, and poetic, Patlabor 2 deserves the term visionary in every sense of the word.

Electric Button (Moon & Cherry), Saturday, 11/13 – Thursday, 11/18, San Francisco Premiere!

Recalling the traditional “Pink Film” in form – but radically different in the particulars, Yuki Tanada’s ELECTRIC BUTTON manages to be as sweet as it is unsentimental, while effortlessly dancing across the lines of comedy, drama, romance and eroticism.

21 year-old Kenichi Tadokoro (Tasuku Nagaoka) has finally been accepted into a university after his third try at the entrance exam. One day he is virtually shanghaied into joining an erotic fiction writing club by an odd character who seems much too old to be a proper student (veteran film actor Akira Emoto). The club is populated by an odd assortment of characters, including the sole female member, Hazuki Mayama (Noriko Eguchi), who, under a male nom de porn, is also the club’s only published member. When the group engages in a sexually explicit round of shop talk, Tadokoro regales them with his expertise. Mayama, however, to Tadakoro’s horror, easily identifies him as a virgin – out loud, casually, and in front of everyone.

Kamui Gaidan, Friday, 11/19 – Wednesday, 12/1, San Francisco Premiere!
(Directed by Yoichi Sai, 2009, 120min, Digital, Japanese with English subtitles)

Based on the legendary 1970’s Japanese comic book by Sampei Shirato, Kamui Gaidan boasts one of the largest budgets in the history of Japanese film history. Taking you on a journey by land and by sea, Kamui Gaidan is sure to capture the attention of audiences world-wide with its amazing action and colorful story. Set in 17th Century Japan, Kamui Gaidan tells the story of Kamui, an outcast from society who dreams of someday escaping his miserable existence. Feeling that he is left with no alternative, Kamui trains to become a deadly Ninja, killing just to survive. A life of that revolves around kill after kill starts to get to the warrior. Kamui grows to despise the lethal rules that govern the Ninja, prompting him to leave the only world he knows. Now a fugitive from his former clan, Kamui goes on the run towards an uncertain future. The Ninja’s view on life changes after an incident brings him to a fisherman’s family. It is there he finally starts to open up to other people. Meanwhile, those hunting him are setting their trap.

TokyoScope Talk, Vol. 7 – NINJA ATTACK! Saturday, 11/20 at 12:15pm

The ninja – Japan’s famed shadow warriors of legend – are the subject of the next TokyoScope Talk film event.

Presented by host Patrick Macias (Editor, Otaku USA) and produced in association with Matt Alt, co-author of the new book Ninja Attack! True Tales of Assassins, Samurai, and Outlaws (published by Kodansha International), this presentation will explore the historical and pop culture legacy of the original men (and women!) in black.

Gasp in amazement as rare clips from assorted movies, anime, and TV programs such as Shinobi no Mono, Red Mask, Shogun Assassin, Dagger of Kamui, and Alien vs. Ninja reveal the over-the-top skills, weapons, and deadly techniques of these fearsome martial artists!

All attendees will be entered into a raffle to win free copies of the Ninja Attack! book!

Mishima Retrospective: 11/26 Fri – 12/1 Wed
To honor the 40th anniversary of the death of renowned actor Yukio Mishima on November 25th, 1970, VIZ Cinema proudly presents the Mishima Retrospective which showcases three films inspired by his novel, his life and his work as an actor.

Ken
Directed by Kenji Misumi, 1964, 94min, Japanese with English subtitles)

Based on Yukio Mishima's short story published in 1963, the story revolves around the story of the captain of a university kendo club – Kokubu – and his relationships with other members of the club, his family, women, and modern society in general.

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
(Directed by Paul Schrader, 1985, 120min, Japanese with English subtitles)

A visually stunning, collage-like portrait of acclaimed Japanese author and playwright Yukio Mishima (played by Ken Ogata), this film investigates the inner turmoil and contradictions of a man who attempted an impossible harmony between self, art, and society. Taking place on Mishima’s last day, when he famously committed public seppuku, the film is punctuated by extended flashbacks to the writer’s life as well as by gloriously stylized evocations of his fictional works.

Afraid to Die
(Directed by Yasuzo Masumura, 1960, 96min, Japanese with English subtitles)

Yukio Mishima stars in this New Wave cult film playing the role of Takeo, a youthful yakuza who turns back to his criminal ways after leaving prison. Takeo finds himself embroiled in the business of assassinations, revenge and violence, and must struggle to keep alive for the love of his family and girlfriend, Yoshie.

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s only movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.


About NEW PEOPLE
NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: http://www.newpeopleworld.com/.

VIZ Cinema Schedule in October

MUSE MY MUSE AND THE POWER OF INSPIRATION DRIVES OCTOBER’S THEME AT VIZ CINEMA

New Anime Racing Feature Redline, Virtual Pop Idol ‘Concert’ By Hatsune Miku, Romantic Drama Sayonara Itsuka, Taiwan Film Fest, And Two Film Retrospectives Of Classic Japanese Directors Are Announced

VIZ Cinema, the nation’s only movie theatre dedicated to Japanese film, makes October a month full of premieres, special events and mini film festivals with a compelling new roster of just-announced screenings.

The month begins with an encore screening of the acclaimed World War II documentary 442: Live With Dignity, Die With Honor, to be followed by a presentation of director John H. Lee’s (A Moment to Remember) newest romantic drama Sayonara Itsuka – Goodbye, Someday.

Anime and pop culture fans shouldn’t miss the new animated racing action of Redline, premiering at VIZ Cinema the same week of its release in Japan, as well as a one-day-only rare encore screening of Hatsune Miku U.S. Live, which presents a live film ‘concert’ by Japan’s most popular virtual idol. This event will also feature a rare personal appearance by Hatsune Miku creator Hiroyuki Ito.

Branching out to include other aspects of Asian film, VIZ Cinema is also proud to partner with the San Francisco Film Society to present Taiwan Film Days, which offers six films that includes the U.S. premiere of Let’s Fall In Love, Seven Days In Heaven and Tears. Finally, the theatre has also scheduled a pair of retrospectives celebrating the works of two of Japan’s most legendary film directors: Yasujiro Ozu and Kenji Mizoguchi.

Advance tickets, screening times and more details are available at: http://www.vizcinema.com/.

442: Live With Honor, Die With Dignity, October 1st – October 7th
(Directed by Junichi Suzuki, 2010, 100min, HD, English Language)

VIZ Cinema is pleased to announce encore screenings of 442: Live for Honor, Die with Dignity by popular demand!

In World War II, the 442nd was an infantry regiment composed mostly of Japanese Americans that fought not only the Nazis in Europe, but also battled domestic prejudice, facing severe racial discrimination at home. The film features what are likely the final interviews with surviving 442nd veterans, many of whom are now in their mid 80’s and 90’s. The soldiers were in an ironic predicament, fighting for a country that initially branded them as enemies but went on to became one of the most decorated regiments in the history of the United States military. General admission tickets for the film screening are $13.00.

Sayonara Itsuka – Goodbye Someday, October 1st – October 7th
(Directed by John H. Lee, 2010, 133min, Digital, English Subtitles)

Regarded as an ‘Asian collaborated masterpiece,’ Sayonara Itsuka - Goodbye, Someday is based on a novel by Tsuji Hitonari and directed by John H. Lee (A Moment to Remember). Known as the “good guy,” Yutaka is engaged to marry the daughter of the founder of an airline that he works for. While he is transferred abroad to the Bangkok branch, he meets Toko, a mysterious woman. They quickly develop a lustful relationship spending days in passion. For Yutaka’s wedding they choose to separate, but 25 years later they meet again and realize their love for each other remains, but reality continues to pull them apart.

General admission tickets are $10.00.

Redline, October 8th – October 14th
(Directed by Takeshi Koike, 2010, 100min, Digital, with English Subtitles)

More than 5 years in the making, Redline is a pedal to the floor anime racing film created by studio Madhouse (Paprika, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time) and was written by Katsuhito Ishii (Director of The Taste of Tea, Funky Forest, Shark Skin Man & Peach Hip Girl) and directed by Takeshi Koike, (“World Record” segment of Animatrix).

The toughest and the most destructive underground car race in the universe, REDLINE, has just begun! JP is a reckless driver oblivious to speed limits, and Sonoshee, one of his competitors with whom JP is secretly in love with, is a hot girl determined to do whatever it takes to stand on the winner’s podium. In order to win the finals, they’re up against the craziest drivers with their heavily armed and awesome road-tearing vehicles. While cars crash and burn into flames, the race course becomes a merciless hell and JP whips his ride into a dead heat. Who will survive to win in this mass-destruction race? General admission tickets are $10.00.

Hatsune Miku U.S. Live, October 11th One Night Only!!!
(Directed by Takeshi Koike, 2010, 100min, Digital, with English Subtitles)

Following a sold-out performance at NEW PEOPLE at the J-Pop Summit Festival 2010, Hatsune Miku returns to VIZ Cinema for one night only! By extremely popular demand, the virtual idol comes back, this time with a special guest, Hiroyuki Ito, the man behind the creation of Hatsune Miku! Don't miss this rare chance to see this virtual phenomenon on the big screen and purchase one of a very limited supply of Japanese First Edition Blu-ray disc sets in the New People Store!

Miku Hatsune is a virtual pop idol that has taken Japan by storm. She was born as the premiere product in the Vocaloid2 Character Vocal Series developed by Crypton Future Media. Originally designed for musicians, Vocaloid enables users to synthesize singing by inputting lyrics and a melody. In Japan, Vocaloid singers have become the hottest new trend in the pop culture landscape The filmed concert features Miku Hatsune backed by a “live” band called the 39S Members. For the concert performance, she sang 39 songs while being projected on a transparent screen set up on the stage, making her look like a living-sized hologram playing with a live band. General admission tickets for the film screening are $20.00.

OZU AND HIS MUSE: SETSUKO HARA October 15th – October 21st

Yasujiro Ozu is one of the most influential film directors of the 20th Century and his classic film, Tokyo Story, is consistently is ranked among the Top 10 films of all time. Now catch an opportunity to screen four more of the director’s groundbreaking works in a special series. General admission tickets for each film screening are $10.00.

Late Spring
(1949, 108min, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

One of the most powerful of Ozu’s family portraits, Late Spring tells the story of a widowed father who feels compelled to marry off his beloved only daughter. Ozu's muse, actress Setsuko Hara, commands this poignant tale of love and loss in postwar Japan

Tokyo Twilight
(1947, 141min, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

One of Ozu’s most piercing portraits of family strife, Tokyo Twilight follows the parallel paths of two sisters contending with an absent mother, unwanted pregnancy, and marital discord.

Late Autumn
(1960, 128min, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

Setsuko Hara plays a mother gently trying to persuade her daughter to marry in this glowing portrait of family love and conflict – a re-working of Ozu’s 1949 masterpiece Late Spring.

Early Summer
(1954, 125min, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

The Mamiya family is seeking a husband for their daughter, Noriko (played by Setsuko Hara), but she impulsively chooses her childhood friend, at once fulfilling her family’s desires while also tearing them apart.

TAIWAN FILM DAYS October 22nd – October 24th

Celebrate Opening Night for Taiwan Film Days, a new film series at NEW PEOPLE! A limited number of tickets are also available for an exclusive reception directly after the first screening of Monga on October 22nd, with sponsored drinks and delicious hors d’oeuvres.

Tickets are only available at www.sffs.org and are $15.00 per screening for SFFS members and $20.00 per screening for non-members.

Monga, Friday, October 22nd at 6:15pm & 9:40 pm
(Directed by Niu Doze, 2010,141min, Digital, Chinese with English Subtitles)
Niu Doze’s uncompromising gangster epic fictionalizes the real-life ascension of organized crime in Taipei’s rough-and-tumble Wanhua district during the 1980s.

Let's Fall in Love, North American Premiere
Saturday, October 23rd at 1:30 pm; Sunday, October 24th at 4:10 pm

(Directed by Wuna Wu, 2009, 90 min, Digital, Chinese with English Subtitles)

Welcome to the tragicomic world of matchmaking in modern Taipei, where one documentarian chronicles her frustrating search for Mr. Right.

Seven Days In Heaven, North American Premiere
Saturday, October 23rd at 4:00 pm; Sunday October 24th at 9:10 pm
(Directed by Essay Liu, Wang Yu-lin, 2009, 93min, Digital, Chinese with English Subtitles)

In the wake of her father's death, a resolutely urban woman returns to her backward hometown where she confronts the turbulent spectrum of emotions associated with the passing of a loved one.

Hear Me, Saturday, October 23rd at 6:40 pm
(Directed by Cheng Fen-fen, 2009, 109min, Digital, Chinese with English Subtitles)

Director Cheng Fen-fen has crafted a winning tale of budding romance among the hearing impaired that became Taiwan’s most popular movie of 2009.

Tears North American Premiere
Saturday, October 23rd at 9:30 pm; Sunday, October 24th at 6:40 pm
(Directed by Chen Wen-tang, 2009, 111min, Digital, Chinese with English Subtitles)

A powerful drama about a policeman with a troubled past, Tears represents Director Cheng Wen-tang’s complex and passionate commitment to unearthing Taiwan’s repressive history.

No Puedo Vivir sin Ti, Sunday, October 24th at 2:00 pm
(Directed by Leon Dai, 2009, 92min, Digital, Chinese with English Subtitles)

A widower struggles to reclaim his only daughter in this sharp, emotional feature which casts a magnifying glass on the gray areas of Taiwanese society.

MIZOGUCHI AND HIS MUSE: KINUYO TANAKA October 25th – November 2nd

Director Kenji Mizoguchi’s signature is the expression of strength, sorrow, and fragility of women, and his mastery of the long take and mise-en-scène are legendary. General admission tickets for each screening are $10.00.

Life Of Oharu
(1952, 124min, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

A 1952 historical fiction starring Kinuyo Tanaka as Oharu, a one-time concubine of a daimyō lord who struggles to escape the stigma of having been sold into prostitution by her father.

Women Of The Night
(1948, 74min, Digital, Japanese with English Subtitles)

Two sisters – Fusako, a war widow, and Natsuko, who is having an affair with a narcotics smuggler – along with their friend Kumiko, descend into moral chaos amid the postwar devastation.

Sansho The Bailiff
(1954, 124min, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

When an idealistic governor disobeys the reigning feudal lord, he is cast into exile, his wife and children left to fend for themselves and eventually are wrenched apart by vicious slave traders.

Miss Oyu
(1951, 94min, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

The story concerns a young man who falls in love with the beloved older sister of his intended bride, Miss Oyu played by Kinuyo Tanaka. The three-way relationship takes some tragic turns.

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s only movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.


About NEW PEOPLE
NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: http://www.newpeopleworld.com/.

Hot Anime "Redline" Coming to America

VIZ CINEMA REVS UP THE EXCITEMENT FOR THE U.S. PREMIERE OF ANIME RACING FILM REDLINE

New Film 5 Years In The Making Written By Katsuhito Ishii And Directed By Takeshi Koike And Plays For One Week Only At Bay Area Pop Culture Theatre

VIZ Cinema, the nation’s only movie theatre dedicated to Japanese film, brings on the excitement for October with a very special North American premiere of the anime feature Redline. Creative wizard Katsuhito Ishii has teamed up with spirited director Takeshi Koike for the film, which will screen at the theater – for one week only – October 8th -14th, the same week of its release in Japan. Tickets are $10.00. Screening times, trailers and tickets are available at: www.vizcinema.com.

Written by Katsuhito Ishii (Director of The Taste of Tea, Funky Forest, Shark Skin Man & Peach Hip Girl and the anime segment of Kill Bill Vol.1) and directed by the up-and-coming Takeshi Koike, who participated in the “World Record” segment of Animatrix (2003), Redline was 5 years in the making and proudly demonstrates the new possibilities of 2D animation, amidst the current prominence of 3D.

“The release of Redline has been highly anticipated by fans and we’re very proud to premiere the film at VIZ Cinema,” says Seiji Horibuchi, the founder of NEW PEOPLE and President and CEO of VIZ Pictures. “The kinetic visual action follows a fine tradition of car films like The Fast And The Furious, Death Race and Initial D. We invite import racers, car fanatics, anime and action fans to catch this exciting feature!”

Redline is a racing film created by studio Madhouse (Paprika, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars). The toughest and the most destructive underground car race in the universe, REDLINE, has just begun! JP is a reckless driver oblivious to speed limits, and Sonoshee, one of his competitors with whom JP is secretly in love with, is a hot girl determined to do whatever it takes to stand on the winner’s podium. In order to win the finals, they’re up against the craziest drivers with their heavily armed and awesome road-tearing vehicles. On top of that, during the race, they have to avoid military crackdown by the government because the race is actually prohibited in Roboworld. The only help JP wants is the engine obtained and custom tuned by his long time buddies, Frisbee the mechanic and Mogura Oyaji the junk shop. While cars crash and burn into flames, the race course becomes a merciless hell and JP whips his ride into a dead heat. Who will survive to win in this mass-destruction race?\

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s only movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.


About NEW PEOPLE
NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: http://www.newpeopleworld.com/.

Detroit Metal City Film to Premiere at J-Pop Summit 2010

VIZ PICTURES PREMIERES THE ZANY HEAVY METAL HIJINKS OF DETROIT METAL CITY FOR J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2010

Live Air Guitar Performance, Special Cosplay Award and Panel Discussion Highlight The VIZ Cinema Theatrical Premiere Of Live Action Comedy That Features Appearances By Gene Simmons And Marty Friedman

VIZ Pictures brings the zany heavy metal comedy of Detroit Metal City (DMC) for an exclusive theatrical premiere at VIZ Cinema at 7:00pm during the J-Pop Summit Festival, taking place next Saturday, September 18th. Tickets for the premiere are $15.00 and are available at www.vizcinema.com or the theatre box office. A pre-show reception with snacks and beverages will be held in the cinema lobby beginning at 6:00pm.

To further celebrate the J-POP Summit Fest premiere event, at 5:00pm on the outdoor NEW PEOPLE stage, VIZ Pictures will stage a performance by San Francisco air guitar champion Matthew "Cold Steel Renegade" Feldstein and also invites fans to a “Let’s Talk DMC” panel discussion led by Patrick Macias, Editor of Otaku USA magazine, and two other special guests.

A cos-play contest hosted by San Francisco anime convention Anime On Display will award free tickets for the premiere to contestants dressed as a Detroit Metal City character.

The Top DMC cos-players will each win a free ticket to the movie premiere at 7:00pm, and the Top 2 DMC cos-players will re-appear on the NEW PEOPLE stage at 5:00pm to battle for a Grand Prize package that includes a $50 gift card to VIZ Cinema, a Death Note Collection Blu-ray and more. Fans may pre-register for contest at www.aodsf.org or simply visit the Animation On Display booth at the J-Pop Summit Festival.

Detroit Metal City takes the zany rock antics inspired by films like Spinal Tap to hilarious new extremes in this film directed by Toshio Lee and based on the popular manga comic created by Kiminori Wakasugi. It features notable appearances by Gene Simmons from the legendary band, KISS, and Marty Friedman of Megadeth, and stars Kenichi Matsuyama, one of the most adored actors in Japan today and also known widely for his role as 'L' in the Death Note films (also available from VIZ Pictures).

In the film, Soichi Negishi (played by Kenichi Matsuyama) is a sweet and shy young man who dreams of becoming a trendy singer songwriter. But for some reason, he is forced into joining the devil worshiping death metal band “Detroit Metal City” (DMC). In full stage make-up and costume, he transforms into Johannes Krauser II the vulgar-mouthed lead vocalist of the band. But he must keep this a secret from his crush, Yuri Aikawa, who despises death metal. What would she think if she found out? But against Negishi’s will, DMC rises to stardom. Things get even more complicated when the legendary king of death metal, Jack IL Dark (played by Gene Simmons), challenges DMC to a duel in the film’s climactic finale. What will be the fate of innocent Negishi as he climbs to the top of the death metal world?

Detroit Metal City will continue to play at VIZ Cinema until September 30th. Tickets are $10.

Please visit http://www.dmcthemovie.com/ or VIZ-Pictures.com for more information about the film.


About VIZ Pictures, Inc.:
Based in San Francisco, California, VIZ Pictures, Inc. licenses and distributes selective Japanese live-action films and DVDs, with focus on Japanese "kawaii (cute) and cool" pop culture. VIZ Pictures strives to offer the most entertaining motion pictures straight from the "Kingdom of Pop" for audiences of all ages, especially the manga and anime generation, in North America. Some titles include DEATH NOTE, 20TH CENTURY BOYS, and TRAIN MAN: DENSHA OTOKO. VIZ Pictures is also the producer of NEW PEOPLE, a part of the J-Pop Center Project, a unique entertainment destination bringing Japanese pop culture through film, art, fashion, and retail products. For more information please visit http://www.viz-pictures.com/ or http://www.newpeopleworld.com/.
The J-Pop Summit Festival 2010 presents a variety of fun Japanese pop-inspired attractions including fashion shows, a theatrical film premiere, live art performances, and mini-concerts by some of Japan’s hottest bands. Innovative artists and companies from the Bay area and Japan will join in with an array of products for sale in open air displays on both sides of Post Street and a food court highlighting Japanese cuisine will further complement the celebration. More details are available at: http://www.j-pop.com/.

Music Documentary "77 Boadrum" at New People

NOISE POP MEETS J-POP IN A MUSICAL SCREENING OF 77 BOADRUM AS A SPECIAL WEEK OF NIGHTLY EVENTS CONTINUES AT NEW PEOPLE

J-Pop Week Offers 5 Nights Of Pop Culture Inspired Film, Fashion, Music And Anime Events That Culminate In J-Pop Summit Festival On Saturday September 18th

NEW PEOPLE teams up with Noise Pop, organizers of the leading independent music festival in the Bay Area, for a special theatrical presentation of 77 Boadrum on Thursday, September 16th at 7:30pm at VIZ Cinema. A pre-screening reception begins at 6:00pm, hosted by Shochu distiller Haamomii.

77 Boadrum is a documentary of the Japanese free-rock group the Boredoms’s astounding concert that took place July 7th, 2007 at 7:07pm in the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn, NY and featured 77 drummers performing simultaneously. The film will be preceded by a music video screening of Cornelius’ Synchronized & Sensurround. General admission tickets for the film screening are $10.00.

The Boredoms are one of Japan’s most iconoclastic experimental musical acts. Formed in Osaka in 1986 by Eye Yamataka, along with frequent collaborator Yoshimi, the Boredoms acknowledge no limits of genre or form, there are no boundaries, and no ceiling on the possibilities of experience and expression. For more than 20 years, the band has redefined the concept of noise and experimentation within pop, punk, and psychedelic music.

For a pre-event reception beginning at 6:00pm, NEW PEOPLE will offer J-Pop gift bags and present inventive spirits and beverages provided by Bay Area Shochu distiller, Haamonii. Haamonii is a new low calorie Japanese spirit created from over 400 years of tradition that mixes like vodka but with far less calories and a very smooth, floral-inspired taste. Haamonii, which means harmony in Japanese, also won a gold medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute.

J-Pop Week continues at NEW PEOPLE every night through Friday, September 17th with a variety of events celebrating Japanese and Asian film, anime, fashion design, music and other forms of pop culture. Special gift bags containing a variety of fun premiums will be given to all ticket holders each night. Check www.J-Pop.com for a complete list of nightly events.

The J-Pop Summit Festival 2010 takes place Saturday, September 18th in San Francisco’s Japantown and will present a variety of fun Japanese pop-inspired attractions including fashion shows, a theatrical film premiere, live art performances, and mini-concerts by some of Japan’s hottest bands. Innovative artists and companies from the Bay area and Japan will join in with an array of products for sale in open air displays on both sides of Post Street and a food court highlighting Japanese cuisine will further complement the celebration. Complete details are available at: www.J-Pop.com.

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s first movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.


About Noise Pop
Established in San Francisco in 1993, Noise Pop started as a yearly festival of independent music that featured the best local bands the city had to offer. Over the last 16 years it has grown into a widely respected brand. Noise Pop prides itself on bringing exposure to emerging artists, many of whom have gone on to widespread acclaim, including the White Stripes, Modest Mouse, The Flaming Lips, Death Cab for Cutie, The Shins, Bright Eyes, The Donnas, Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco) and Silversun Pickups. More info at: www.noisepop.com

About NEW PEOPLE
NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: www.NewPeopleWorld.com.

VIZ Cinema Presents "5 Centimeters Per Second"

J-POP WEEK CONTINUES AS NEW PEOPLE, ANIME ON DISPLAY AND CRUNCHYROLL PRESENT

5 CENTIMETERS PER SECOND FILM EVENT AT VIZ CINEMA

Fans Are Invited To A Week Of Nightly Events Leading Up To The J-Pop Summit Fest 2010

Next Tuesday, September 14th, NEW PEOPLE and VIZ Cinema partner with leading online content provider Crunchyroll and San Francisco’s very own anime convention, Animation On Display (AOD), for a special theatrical event for director Makoto Shinkai's acclaimed anime feature film 5 Centimeters Per Second.

The ANIME NIGHT premiere includes a pre-show reception party as well as a Q&A session about the film, which screens at 7:00pm and 8:45pm. VIZ Cinema is located inside NEW PEOPLE at 1746 Post St. in the heart of San Francisco’s Japantown. General admission tickets for the film screening are $10.00.

All attendees will also receive a special gift bag containing:

1. A re-mastered retail DVD of 5 Centimeters Per Second, courtesy of Crunchyroll.
2. Certificate for a "Buy One, Get One Free" tickets for AOD's upcoming 2011 convention
3. Free one-month Crunchyroll anime membership

Along with a myriad of other great gifts from Pocky, Red Bull and more! A $60 value for only $10!

The first 25 paid attendees for either screening will also receive a FREE one-day pass to Anime On Display 2011, the Bay Area’s largest annual anime convention.

Beginning with the lyrical image of cherry blossoms falling at five centimeters a second, Makoto Shinkai paints a breathtakingly vivid tableau of young love desire loss and hope. Told in three breathtaking chapters, audiences follow the young dreamer Takaki through his life as cruel winters, cold technology, silence, and finally, adult obligations and responsibility converge to crush the delicate petals of true love.

ANIME NIGHT is part of NEW PEOPLE’s J-Pop Week, offering five consecutive nights of pop culture inspired events that culminate with the J-Pop Summit Festival 2010, on Saturday, September 18th in San Francisco’s Japantown. Tickets and more information are now available on www.J-Pop.com.

The J-Pop Summit Festival 2010 presents a variety of fun Japanese pop-inspired attractions including fashion shows, a theatrical film premiere, live art performances, and mini-concerts by some of Japan’s hottest bands. Innovative artists and companies from the Bay area and Japan will join in with an array of products for sale in open air displays on both sides of Post Street and a food court highlighting Japanese cuisine will further complement the celebration. More details are available at: http://www.j-pop.com/.

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s first movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.


About NEW PEOPLE
NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: www.NewPeopleWorld.com.