6th Okinawa International Movie Festival

On Sunday, 23^rd March, day 4 of the 6^th Okinawa International Movie Festival, “Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa” nominated in the Competition’s Laugh Category had its screening and cast greeting. The main actor Johnny Knoxville and comedians Kenta Tokui and Takashi Yoshimura of Heisei Nobushi Kobushi appeared on the stage.

The movie is based on the legendary American TV show “Jackass” in which actors like Knoxville create jokes using physical actions. The story of the comedy involves a 86-years-old lecherous man and his cheeky 8 years old grandson as they start to travel to look for the child’s father.

Knoxville, who plays the 86-year-old man in the movie, is actually 43 years old. The impressive quality of the special make-up enables him to appear as an old man. Because the film includes the reactions of the general public after various tricks, the staff needed to hide carefully the true identity of Knoxville.

When Knoxville came up to the stage, he began the greeting by saying “Hello, I am glad to be here… Women in Okinawa are very beautiful!” in fluent Japanese, mimicking the lecherous character in the movie.  

The show “Jackass” have become successful in Japan for its physical performance and black jokes. Knoxville is known as a Japanophile, and he has shot before in Japan. He told the audience “Jokes using physical actions and erotic lines are universal,” adding “if I can come back here as the old man in the movie, I will be happy!”