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Interview with Hariki Yasuhiro director Fukuoka “Focus on Asia”
International Film Festival at 13th International Film Festival of Kerala, 2008 (12-19 December, 2008) by film critic Lalit Rao

Lalit Rao:Good Morning.My name is Lalit Rao.I am the editor of www.cinema-poet.com web site. Today I have a special guest with me from Fukuoka, Japan : Mr Hariki Yasuhiro. Yasuhiro Saan is the director of Fukuoka : Focus on Asia International Film Festival. It is my pleasure to talk to Mr.Hariki about the festival.

Lalit Rao : Mr. Hariki. Can you please tell something about Fukuoka. What kind of city is it ?

Hariki Yasuhiro: Fukuoka is a big city in Japan. In japan we have four big islands. Fukuoka is in Kyushu island. It is the biggest city in Kyushu island. Kyushu is located in the southern part of Japan as Trivandrum is located in the southern part of India. Fukuoka is the center city of Kyushu island.

Lalit Rao : Since 1991 you are doing this festival Fukuoka “Focus on Asia” International Film Festival. Can you please tell me more about your festival ? What has it achieved over the years ? What are its achievements ?

Hariki Yasuhiro: Fukuoka “Focus on Asia” International Film Festival was created to introduce Asian cinema to Japanese audience.Through Fukuoka “Focus on Asia” International Film Festival,we have been able to bring many Asian films for Japanese audience.We not only show Asian films to Japanese audience but also stock them. So we have many rare Asian films in our library.

Lalit Rao : So at your festival you not only show Asian films but also maintain a library of Asian films which are given to others festivals to see.

Hariki Yasuhiro: Yes. Sometimes we provide packages of Asian films to other festivals. Our primary task is to maintain the treasure of Asian cinema. A film can be destroyed. Our main job is to preserve the film.

Lalit Rao : So all the Asian films which are shown at your festival are kept in the library ?

Hariki Yasuhiro: Not all the Asian films are kept in the library because it all depends on the distributors. So we cannot conserve all the films into the library.

Lalit Rao : Hariki Saan,in Japan there are some important film festivals. There is Tokyo International Film Festival, Pia Film Festival, Yamagata International documentary film festival. How different is your festival from these festivals ?

Hariki Yasuhiro: Our festival is mainly for Asian films only. So this is the big difference. So the films which we show at our festival are different from other film festivals in Japan.

Lalit Rao : What is the response of Japanese media to your festival ? When your festival is held, how much do the TV, Internet and newspapers cover it ?

Hariki Yasuhiro: I think that it is a very weak reaction. In Japan cinema is popular but it is not considered high culture.

Lalit Rao : So there is not much demand ? What about the local press,local media ? Do they cover it ?

Hariki Yasuhiro: The response from local press, local media is good.

Lalit Rao : Before you joined as the director of Fukuoka, Focus on Asia International Film Festival, the festival was run by Mr. Sato Tadao, a renowned film critic. When he left the festival you started to work for the festival. So what are the changes you have seen since you joined the festival.

Hariki Yasuhiro: There have not been many changes since Mr. Sato Tadao left the festival. I like popular films very much. Mr. Sato preferred art films very much. I also like art house films but I also have a taste for popular films. For example : Bollywood Films. We have shown Shahrukh Khan’s films. In the times of Mr. Sato this would never have been possible. It is a big difference.

Lalit Rao : So it is a big difference of taste !

Lalit Rao : No festival can survive or make progress without the help of local authorities. So how are the local authorities/local administration helping you in the running of Fukuoka, Focus on Asia, International Film Festival ?

Hariki Yasuhiro: Yes. This is true. Our festival is organized by Fukuoka city government. It is a very good thing. Fukuoka city wants to be an important place for Asian culture. So we feel cinema is an important aspect of culture.

Lalit Rao : Hariki Saan , you have come over here to International Film Festival of Kerala. What are your impressions of this festival ? How do you find the festival ? How do you find the audience in Kerala ? How do you find the films you have seen ? Kindly share your thoughts ?

Hariki Yasuhiro: That is a very very difficult question. It is a good thing that a lot of spectators have come to see films in cinema halls. It is a nice thing that there are a lot of young people who have come to see films. In Japan the audience who comes to see films at film festival is old.

Lalit Rao : young people in Japan don’t like cinema ?

Hariki Yasuhiro : Yes but ……….

Lalit Rao : Hollywood Cinema.

Hariki Yasuhiro : At this festival, there are too many films to watch. As Indian films are not shown in Japan, I have come to this festival to watch mainly Indian films, Sri Lankan films. I think that the selection of films is good here at this festival compared to other film festivals. So I like International Film Festival of Kerala very much.

Lalit Rao : Hariki Saan, one last question for you. In Tokyo, I have heard of a place called Iwanami Hall where they show art house films. Is there any collaboration between your festival and them to shown good films. With which film festivals does your festival have collaboration ?

Hariki Yasuhiro : In Fukuoka, there is no organization like Iwanami Hall. We have a library of film. We have a museum of Asian art. So we have no relationship with other cinema halls.

Lalit Rao : Hariki Saan, do you also show Japanese films at your festival for Japanese audience ?

Hariki Yasuhiro : Yes. Very, very few. This is because our festival is created mainly to show Asian films to Japanese audience. As Japanese films are shown in Japan, so we don’t need to show them at our film festival.

Lalit Rao : The films which are shown at your festival, are they shown in original language or are they dubbed in Japanese or are they subtitled ?

Hariki Yasuhiro : All the films are subtitled in Japanese and English.

Lalit Rao : This is done by the festival or how is it done ? Is the subtitling in Japanese done by the festival ?

Hariki Yasuhiro : This costs a lot of money. Once the subtitling process is over, the film goes to the library.

Lalit Rao : What kind of films do you show at your festival ? Are they feature films, documentary films or animation films ?

Hariki Yasuhiro : Most of the films shown at Fukuoka, “Focus on Asia” International Film Festival are feature films. Sometimes documentary films are also shown. We don’t show any animation films.

Lalit Rao : How big is the audience at your festival ? How many delegates/How many people attend your festival ?

Hariki Yasuhiro : There are around 20,000 delegates who attend the festival. There may be around 30 guests.

Lalit Rao : Hariki Saan, you festival happens in which month ?

Hariki Yasuhiro : Every year during September, mid September.

Lalit Rao : Do you prepare the whole year for the festival ?

Hariki Yasuhiro : Yes. I work the whole year but I have another profession. I am a professor at the university. So this is a parallel work. After my festival in September is over, I go to Pusan, Tokyo, Kerala, Rotterdam …..

Lalit Rao : Rotterdam International Film Festival in January ?

Hariki Yasuhiro : Hong Kong International film Festival, Korea. May be at the end of May the selection process is over. So I must use the whole year.

Lalit Rao : Thank you very much Hariki Saan for sharing your valuable thoughts and hope to see you soon at Fukuoka festival and see you again at Kerala festival also.

Hariki Yasuhiro : I come to Kerala every year.

Lalit Rao : I hope that you like this festival and get chance to see more nice films. Thank you very much.

Hariki Yasuhiro : Thank you very much.

Lalit Rao : Domo Arigato

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