This year marks 40 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and Qatar. To celebrate this anniversary, DFI presents a showcase of Arab cinema as part of Qatar Week: Ferjaan in Tokyo at Roppongi Hills Arena. The programme features the Japanese premiere of two acclaimed Arab films from the 2011 festival circuit: the award-winning ‘Where Do We Go Now?’ by Lebanese director Nadine Labaki, and the tender ‘Sea Shadow’ by Nawaf Al-Janahi of the United Arab Emirates. Also included is a fascinating programme of shorts from the Arab world, which proved extremely popular at the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia earlier this year. The programme is presented as part of the Qatar Japan 2012 initiative.
Japanese Premiere
Screening Times:Saturday, 29 September at 3:00 PM, 9:10 PM
Directed by Nadine Labaki
Lebanon, France, Italy, Egypt
2011 / 110 minutes / HDCAM
Language: Arabic with Japanese subtitles
Winner of the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival and
the Audience Award for Best Narrative Film at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival in 2011
In a Middle Eastern village that is isolated by mines, the women, both Christian and Muslim, hatch plans to stop the news of a distant war from seeping into the village, and to prevent their menfolk from quarreling. With sass and ingenuity, they manage to distract the men of the village – until the day that events take a dramatic turn… A heartwarming, charming follow-up feature to director Labaki’s widely successful ‘Caramel’.
Japanese Premiere
Screening Times: Saturday, 29 September
at 1:00 PM, 7:05 PM
Directed by Nawaf Al-Janahi
United Arab Emirates
2011 / 98 minutes / HDCAM
Language: Arabic with Japanese subtitles
Set in a small seaside neighbourhood in the United Arab Emirates, ‘Sea Shadow’ follows teenagers Mansour and Kaltham as they struggle with tradition in their journey towards adulthood. Bound by family conventions and deep-rooted values, the pair must find the courage to forge their own paths.
Previously screened at Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2012
Screening Times:
Saturday, 29 September at 11:00 AM, 5:10 PM
Running time: 90 minutes
TOHO CINEMAS Roppongi Hills
Premier Screen
Keyakizaka Complex
6-10-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Winner of Made in Qatar Award at DTFF 2011
Directed by Mohamed Rezwan Al Islam and
Jassim Al Romaihi, Qatar
2011 / 6 minutes / HDCAM
Language: Arabic with Japanese and English
subtitle
Winner of Best Documentary at DTFF 2010
Directed by: Mahmoud Kaabour
Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Qatar
2010 / 48 minutes / HDCAM
Language: Arabic with Japanese and English
subtitles
Directed by Ossama Bawardi
Palestine, Qatar, Jordan
2011 / 18 minutes / HDCAM
Language: Arabic with Japanese and English
subtitles
The first animated short fully produced by DFI
Directed by Rahab El Ewaly, Qatar
2012 / 13 minutes / HDCAM
Language: English with Japanese subtitles
TOHO CINEMAS Roppongi Hills
Premier Screen
Keyakizaka Complex
6-10-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
For ticket sales and more information, please visit www.tohotheater.jp
