Program
Competition
Laugh Category ／ Peace Category
Feature-length movies made in line with the theme of "making people laugh, or making people feel happy after viewing"are to be categorized into two, Laugh-category and Peace-category, and ten to twelve movies in total for the two categories are to be screened. Judges selected nationwide from members of the public as well as the theater audience will vote for the best movie for each category as:
"Laugh-category Grand Prize for the Uminchu Award" and "Peace-category Grand Prize for the Uminchu Award".
Also, fair reviews by a panel of special judges who play active roles internationally in various fields will award, as the Special Recognition Award, a movie among all the entries in the two categories the "Golden Shisa Award (the Golden Okinawan Lion Statue Award)".
This year, Sadao Nakajima, a veteran director of Memoir of Japanese Assassins (1969), Japanese Godfather series and The Yakuza Wives series, and also a member of the Kyoto International Film and Art Festival Preliminary Committee will head the jury. Other jury members are Gary Tang, a TV director at TVB in Hong Kong, Etsuko Higa, a singer and Director at Ginowan City Museum, Yoko Narahashi, producer and casting director, and LiLiCo, a film commentator.
The Jury
Jury President Sadao Nakajima Movie Director
Congratulations on the holding of the Okinawa International Movie Festival.
As I recall, I !rst visited Okinawa almost a half century ago, for some location !lming. "at was when a passport was still required for entry into the country. Since then, I have visited some ten times to make movies and for sightseeing, and with the invitation to serve on the jury for this Movie Festival I feel a real connection.
International movie festivals are a place where we can meet people from around the world that love movies, and be introduced to new !lms. In particular, as I participate on the jury of the Okinawa International Movie Festival, it is my hope that I will be able to come across some great new talent.
Jury Gary Tang Movie, Drama Director, Producer
I’ve been watching Japanese movies since I was a little child. From “Ultraman” to the movies directed by Akira Kurosawa, Japanese movies were a big influence on me.
With a rising passion toward movies I have entered into this industry, and it has already been 30 years since then. I feel honored that I can be a part of the 6th Okinawa International Movie Festival hosted by YOSHIMOTO KOGYO.
“Laugh & Peace” a theme the festival used from its beginning is very sim- ple yet wonderful. Despite the fairly familiar words it is expressed with, it actually has deep meaning. I truly hope that “Laugh & Peace” will spread to the whole world from here in Okinawa.
Jury Yoko Narahashi United Performers’Studio
What a great title – “Laugh and Peace”!!!
I take great pleasure in attending the Okinawa International Movie Festival! First as film is my first love, with laugh and peace following closely after!! I look forward to seeing many wonderful films and know as a filmmaker too the work that goes behind each and every one of these films. I think every film carries a great dramatic story BEHIND the mak- ing of the film and hopefully we can feel it when we watch the films.
I do hope that this festival is a strong action towards opening up Japan to our international friends and that through this medium of film, we can communicate with more expression to reach for “Laugh and Peace”!!
Jury Etsuko Higa Ginowan City Museum commission director Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts Part-time Lecturer
I’ve been honored with the opportunity to serve as judge at the Okinawa International Movie Festival. Judging in the “Laugh” and “Peace” catego- ries, I’m already very excited to be taking part in such interesting genres. I’ve always been a big movie buff. Although I haven’t seen every single one, I’m fairly confident I’ve seen the ones that were all the buzz.
“Allthingsgreatinalltheislands!”Tojudgeinternationalfilmsatasmall location like Okinawa and send it out to the world; I think this is awe- some! With everybody gathering in Okinawa, I hope we can all have fun and do “all things great” for the future together.
Jury LiLiCo Movie commentator
This movie festival in warm Okinawa is one of the events I look forward to every year. Including myself and the staff covering the event, the partici- pating actors and comedians all have a different expression, or air, about them when they’re here. Everything about this event is close and cozy!
I will be serving as a judge this year. There’s sure to be new talents discov- ered and many works filled with new ideas. All who gather here are com- ing because they love movies, so amazing bonds will definitely be made. And the strongest bonds are tied here.
Creator's Factory
At the last year's event, no constraints such as category, genre, or running time had been established as long as the entry was a movie. Among those various staff who had been involved with the production of the entries, including directors, cameramen, actors, and musicians, "Creator's Factory Best New Creator Award", "Creator's Factory Best Actor Award", and "Creator's Factory Best Actress Award" were elected.
The winner(s) of the Best New Creator Award will be fully supported by Yoshimoto Kogyo for the production of next work.
Nibichi Movie Festival
At the "Nibichi Movie Festival", the world-first of this kind and opens with a set phrase " Omedetai Korakoso Medachitai!(We want to stand out because it's joyous!)", contestants compete for the best picture of wedding reception entertainments.