PRESS RELEASE N0: JPNEMPAK 10-041

Islamabad: 21st September 2010

The Japanese Film Festival as a part of the “Japanese Cultural Events 2010-2011” is running in Islamabad from 21st to 23rd September, 2010 with four movies to be screened during the three days. The festival was inaugurated by Mr. Chihiro Atsumi, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan on Tuesday, 21st September at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) with “Nodo-Jiman”, showcased as an inaugural film. “Nodo-Jiman” is a hit comedy depicting the dreams and struggles of Japanese singers and would-be singers.

            The Japanese Film Festival is among one of the popular cultural events held under the auspices of the Embassy of Japan in collaboration with the Pakistan National Council of the Arts, Pakistan-Japan Cultural Association (Islamabad), MEXT Alumni Association of Pakistan and this time the National University of Modern Languages. The festival deems to introduce Japanese society and culture to the people of Pakistan through Japanese contemporary films.

            This Japanese film festival is open to school children and the public on 22nd September, 2010 at the National Art Gallery Auditorium (PNCA), Islamabad upon contacting the Embassy of Japan. The Embassy of Japan, in collaboration with the National University of Modern Languages (NUML), has also arranged a showing of the film “Linda Linda Linda” at the university auditorium on 23rd September 2010. NUML’s Japanese Language Department helped make this showing possible, for the first time at their university.

            While speaking at the occasion, Ambassador Chihiro Atsumi expressed his heartfelt sympathies and condolences with those affected by the recent heavy floods in the country. He hoped that this calamity will be over soon and that normalcy will be restored and that the Film Festival would provide entertainment as well as enchant the audience into the world of ordinary Japan.

            The Ambassador added, that the Embassy has presented the film festival in Pakistan for years to provide an opportunity for the people of Pakistan to see different aspects of life in Japan, its culture and society and introduced “Sumo do, Sumo don’t” and “Tokyo-Tower” to be screened at the PNCA tomorrow. (END)