Japanese Film Festival delights moviegoers with ‘Kakekomi’

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Morshidi (fourth right), Toyoda (second left), Ohta (third right) and other invited guests at the opening of the Japanese Film Festival.

Morshidi (fourth right), Toyoda (second left), Ohta (third right) and other invited guests at the opening of the Japanese Film Festival.

KUCHING: The Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur launched the last leg of the 12th edition of the Japanese Film Festival on Thursday night at GSC CityOne Megamall, with a special screening of the movie ‘Kakekomi’ by renowned director Masato Harada.

This event was hosted by Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur director Shoichi Toyoda and attended by the foundation’s head of cultural affairs and assistant director Mio Yachita and senior programme officer Kyoko Kugai.

Guests of honour for the event were State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Morshidi Ghani,
GSC chief executive officer Koh Mei Lee and Mitsubishi Corporation Kuala Lumpur general manager Kenji Ohta.

“This is the 12th edition of the Japanese Film Festival in Malaysia and we are very glad to have it here in Kuching with the valuable support by Mitsubishi Corporation and Golden Screen Cinemas,” Toyoda said during the launching ceremony.

“It is also the third year since GSC CityOne Megamall became one of the official venues of the event. The festival has just ended its rounds in the Klang Valley, Penang and Kota Kinabalu to great public response. I’m sure there are now many more Japanese film lovers among Malaysians,” he added.

The opening movie ‘Kakekomi’, Koh revealed, recorded an impressive 73 per cent occupancy so far in Klang Valley, Penang and Kota Kinabalu.

“In celebration of the Japanese Film Festival, GSC has launched a new popcorn flavour – the Seaweed Wasabi – in GSC cinemas nationwide and this new flavour will be available until the end of October,” she said.

Ohta also expressed his joy, saying: “Mitsubishi Corporation is very delighted to sponsor this event for the fourth time. We have enjoyed the long relationship with Malaysia and Sarawak for more than half of a century since 1959, when we first set up our office in this country.”

Meanwhile, Morshidi praised the festival as a great platform to enhance bilateral ties, people-to- people relationships and cultural exchanges.

“Malaysia and Japan have gone a long way in maintaining our relationship since 1957, as our prime pinister at the time had been promoting the ‘Look East’ policy for many years,” he said.

The Japanese Film Festival 2015, which features 13 titles with genres ranging from comedy, romance to drama and animation that cater to audiences of all ages at GSC CityONE Megamall, ends today.

For movie details and more information, visit www.jfkl.org.my and www.gsc.com.my.