Message from Mr.Toshihiko Tanaka(Councilor)

"I'm making film in Nara."
 

It was in 1995, when Ms. Naomi Kawase visited me at my office in the culture department of the Nara prefectural hall with 3 young men as "Kumie".
I remember that I had lunch with her where she kept telling me, "I want to transmit Nara to the world! I make films for that!"

Passionate!! Girl she is!!

That was my first impression. After that, I call her "Naomi chan" Even she might not like it.

Right after finishing the film "Suzaku" in 1997,
She appeared on the prefectural magazine "Global Nara" No.9 which I was the chief editor of.

"I'll keep making films in Nara because I want to portray not fake feelings, but real ones."-Film director Naomi Kawase.

She won the "Camera d'Or" in Cannes with that film the year after.

In 2005 autumn, she appeared in front of Toshihiko Tanaka, the vice chief librarian of Nara prefectural library and information center which opened in the same year saying,"Toshihiko san! I'll make a new film!"

And "Mogari no Mori-Mourning Forest" was born.

Since then, all the films including the process of making films by director Naomi Kawase started to be distributed to the Nara prefectural library and information center.

I'm ashamed to say that, but I remember as if it was yesterday to have started crying as I heard that she "broke down crying not knowing what she was saying" when she called to tell the staffs who had been waiting for the result of her grand prize in Cannes.

Mystical images she takes fascinate people.
People get into the development called the world of Kawase.
However, anyhow I think people around come into her passion and purity for making films as if they are attracted.
I'm one of them also.
Naomi chan's wish will become true unless she loose her purity.

The year 2010 is the 1300th anniversary year of the first real international city of our country "Heijo Palace" in Nara.
Right now, I'm working for the anniversary project witch just started.
Of course the Nara International Film Festival will be the center piece of the anniversary projects.
How honorable to be aside Naomi Kawase for her each milestones in some ways.
I'd like to try my best to make the 1300th Anniversary of Nara Heijo-kyo Capital to be a follow-up wind for the success of the Nara International Film Festival.

Nara International Film Festival.
"Nara portrayed by her", "excellent sensitivity gathering from the world".
It shouldn't be only me who get shiver and excited by only imagining how they meet in Nara and how they are expressed./p>

Association for Commemorative Events of the 1300th Anniversary of Nara Heijo-kyo Capital
Vice chief of bureau Toshihiko Tanaka
(Councilor of NPO Nara International Film Festival executive committee)

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Message

• Kaori Momoi
• Message from Mr.Toshihiko Tanaka(Councilor)