Month: June 2021

Praise for Sakura

by Nill Newt, posted in Awards

Best Film: The Real Thing by Koji Fukada ; Best Director: Hikari for 37 Seconds ; Best Actress: Komatsu Nana for her performances in Sakura and Ito (aka Tapestry)…these are some of the winners at the 30th Japanese Professional Movie Awards/日本映画プロフェッショナル大賞. Sakura made it into the jury’s Top Ten movies for 2020.

The Japanese Professional Movie Awards (Japanese wiki page) were established in 1991 by journalist and film critic Hiroo Otaka. Backed by a group of film industry professionals, the main aim of the Awards is to provide recognition to films that sometimes fall under the radar because of lack of publicity or/and funding.

JPMA Links: Twitter – Facebook – Site – Hiroo Otaka

Sources: Yahoo News Japan – Natalie Music – Theatertainment – Sakura Movie (on Twitter) – Tokyo Sports

Coziki Island

by Nill Newt, posted in Magazines

Iki Island is the biggest island of a small archipelago west of Kyushu, South West Japan. Though it is part of the Nagasaki Prefecture, the shortest way to get there is taking the ferry from Fukuoka or Karatsu, Saga Prefecture.

On top of magnificent landscapes, the volcanic Iki Island is rich with ancient mythology and traditions which are a source of inspiration for Coziki Magazine, a publication that offers photography, cultural articles and manga series based on the island’s mythological characters.

Actress and model Komatsu Nana, whose father was born in the Saga Prefecture, went there in Spring 2019 to promote issue #2 of the magazine, a mag which is available either on the island itself or at cultural events throughout Japan.

See and watch more: pics, clip, links