Zipangu Film Festival 2012

I'm back from a summer away from blogging, refreshed after a post-free month or so!

I bring you news of the upcoming Zipangu Film Festival.  This year the festival will be at the lovely Cinema Museum in good ole South London, which I first visited for an Anna May Wong screening last year.  The Festival is on for a brief weekend only and has a superb selection - curated by writer and Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp.  So stock up on iced matchas and get yourself ready for a weekend of Japanese celluloid pleasure from 14th - 16th September!

Crossways

Last year at Ziapngu I had the pleasure of watching the rarely seen 30's horror film The Ghost Cat and the Mysterious Shamisen.  This year another vintage gem is on offer with the 1928 film Crossways dir by Kinugasa (one of the first Japanese films ever seen in the West, with a new score by Minima).

My picks of the festival are both showing on the opening night Fri 14th:

• A short animated film by Atsushi Wada The Great Rabbit 

The Great Rabbit

Somi - The Taekwon-do Woman

• Somi - The Taekwon-do Woman which has never before been shown in the West, co-production between Japan and North Korea, made in 1997.  The film  promises lush, epic martial arts action with a kick ass female lead in Ri Mi Yang (apparently an amateur who was chosen by the North Koreans "because they thought that the Japanese might like her face").
• But there's aso a cat themed movie I should mention!  Chat Noir Lucy which looks fabulously colourful and fun (see pic below).

You really are spoilt for choice, such a great line up.  A connoisseur's festival for sure.
All the details and how to book: http://zipangufest.com/