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EVENTS Japan

Europeans Spruce Up Conference Line-Up in Tokyo

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As part of its bid to become more of an international event, the 24th Tokyo International Film Festival (October 22-30), and its market arm, TIFFCOM, have scheduled a number of European entertainment executives to take part in their extensive conference line-up this year.

The program, supported by UniJapan, opened on Sunday with the British producer Jeremy Thomas, and the Iranian director, Amir Naderi, presenting "Working with Japan: The International Perspective." Naderi's 2010 film Cut was filmed in Japan and opened the Venice International Film Festival last year. Thomas has made a number of films in Japan, including Hara-kiri: Death of a Samurai, which played in Cannes in 2010 and his 13 Assassins, which played in Venice.

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"You need an understanding of the different systems of communication and the fact that you are coming as a visitor," said Thomas, who is based in London.

"You need to find someone sympathetic to you - someone with an equal brain who will help you integrate. No man is an island. You can't do it all yourself," he added.

"I'm obsessed with Japanese culture and cinema but it's a big challenge to work here. It is almost impossible," said Naderi. "America is multicultural. After one or two weeks, you can find people like yourself. Here that isn't the case and there is too much of a system, order, details and rules. Money isn't the issue. The issue is if they can trust you."

Naderi said he got his film made only after a young Japanese producer trusted him and opened doors.

"For 20 years, I have been teaching and talking about Japanese cinema," said Naderi.

"I'm always looking at it. This country has almost forgot it's past. But I had an idea for eight years. I wanted to make a Japanese film. I talked to some people about it. Some of them believed me. After a producer believed me then it became possible. This film is about me. But what is important is how the team tried to help me to make the film Japanese. It is the story of a young film-maker in incredible debt, after his brother borrows money from the Yakuza."

"I'm not sure if they will like the film in Japan," said Naderi, adding that the film opens here December 18th. "But they liked it in Venice."

Other European panelists this week include Christian Jeune, the deputy general delegate of the Cannes International Film Festival, Cristophe Terhechte, the head of the Berlinale's Forum section, and Gertjan Zuilhof, a programmer at the Rotterdam International Film Festival and Sabrina Baracetti of Italy's Udine Far East Film Festival. They will take part in Monday's summit entitled Film Festival Programmers' Summit.

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