This concludes my Dubai International Film Fest 2010 recap.
Before the closing ceremony, I was excited to meet the star of Lee Chang Dong's POETRY, Yun Jeong-Hee, seen here with her husband, the renowned pianist Paik Kun-Woo.
NORWEGIAN WOODS director Tran Anh Hung and his wife Tran Nu Yen-Khe (who had appeared in all his films except Norwegian Woods) were there too, with their children. I actually met him earlier, last month, the day before the Norwegian Woods gala screening in Waseda University. Really nice guy.
He pointed out that it was funny two of the Japanese representatives in the festival (me and him) were non-Japanese.
Jonny Greenwood would later win a Best Film Score award for his work in the film.
Now I will just fastforward to after the award ceremony.
So yup, THE EARRINGS director Nargiza Mamatkulova of Kyrgyzstan won the Best Short Film Award for the AsiaAfrica category. We actually met last year at the Berlinale Talent Campus. You go, gal!
Park Jong-Chul got the second prize for UNFUNNY GAMES. We are going to meet again at February's Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, this time I would be bringing INHALATION, instead of EXHALATION.
Jury prize went to Taiwanese short SLEEP WITH HER by Wen Chih-Yi. No photo of her though. :(
Ariane Astrid Atodji of Cameroon won second prize for her documentary KOUNDI AND THE NATIONAL THURSDAY, she was overwhelmed by emotions when she went on stage. I would have too, with such a massive cash prize, haha.
And here's me with PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB director Mohsen Abdolvahab of Iran, with his producer Mohammad Ahmadi (also a filmmaker). He won an award for Best Screenplay under the AsiaAfrica Feature category. I actually met Mohsen earlier as well, at Pusan Film Fest in OCtober.
Me with Epy Quizon and Hou Chi-Jan. I have encountered Hou Chi-Jan in 3 film festivals in since October.
We competed against each other at the Pusan International Film Fest, then a week later his short JULIET'S CHOICE, which was originally part of the omnibus film JULIETS, was played at the Tokyo International Film Fest, where my short INHALATION was played together with THE TIGER FACTORY as well.
Earlier this month in Cinemanila Film Fest, where INHALATION + THE TIGER FACTORY were also screening, I saw JULIETS too (and caught the film there).
Then Dubai.
On Facebook, Nargiza commented on this photo: "Why were my eyes like that??"
My reply was: "No worries, mine were the same too."
I wondered why we were both half-squinting. Hmm.
After that, most of us short film directors headed off to The Noodle Shop for dinner. (we couldn't go to the after-party in the middle of the desert cos' we had to catch an early flight :( My flight, and the other Japanese brethren, was 3am, so were the other Korean dudes, and the Taiwanese folks)
Video
Duck noodles was delicious.
Then I said another goodbye to Dubai.
Next stop.
Rotterdam.
Before the closing ceremony, I was excited to meet the star of Lee Chang Dong's POETRY, Yun Jeong-Hee, seen here with her husband, the renowned pianist Paik Kun-Woo.
NORWEGIAN WOODS director Tran Anh Hung and his wife Tran Nu Yen-Khe (who had appeared in all his films except Norwegian Woods) were there too, with their children. I actually met him earlier, last month, the day before the Norwegian Woods gala screening in Waseda University. Really nice guy.
He pointed out that it was funny two of the Japanese representatives in the festival (me and him) were non-Japanese.
Jonny Greenwood would later win a Best Film Score award for his work in the film.
Now I will just fastforward to after the award ceremony.
So yup, THE EARRINGS director Nargiza Mamatkulova of Kyrgyzstan won the Best Short Film Award for the AsiaAfrica category. We actually met last year at the Berlinale Talent Campus. You go, gal!
Park Jong-Chul got the second prize for UNFUNNY GAMES. We are going to meet again at February's Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, this time I would be bringing INHALATION, instead of EXHALATION.
Jury prize went to Taiwanese short SLEEP WITH HER by Wen Chih-Yi. No photo of her though. :(
Ariane Astrid Atodji of Cameroon won second prize for her documentary KOUNDI AND THE NATIONAL THURSDAY, she was overwhelmed by emotions when she went on stage. I would have too, with such a massive cash prize, haha.
And here's me with PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB director Mohsen Abdolvahab of Iran, with his producer Mohammad Ahmadi (also a filmmaker). He won an award for Best Screenplay under the AsiaAfrica Feature category. I actually met Mohsen earlier as well, at Pusan Film Fest in OCtober.
Me with Epy Quizon and Hou Chi-Jan. I have encountered Hou Chi-Jan in 3 film festivals in since October.
We competed against each other at the Pusan International Film Fest, then a week later his short JULIET'S CHOICE, which was originally part of the omnibus film JULIETS, was played at the Tokyo International Film Fest, where my short INHALATION was played together with THE TIGER FACTORY as well.
Earlier this month in Cinemanila Film Fest, where INHALATION + THE TIGER FACTORY were also screening, I saw JULIETS too (and caught the film there).
Then Dubai.
On Facebook, Nargiza commented on this photo: "Why were my eyes like that??"
My reply was: "No worries, mine were the same too."
I wondered why we were both half-squinting. Hmm.
After that, most of us short film directors headed off to The Noodle Shop for dinner. (we couldn't go to the after-party in the middle of the desert cos' we had to catch an early flight :( My flight, and the other Japanese brethren, was 3am, so were the other Korean dudes, and the Taiwanese folks)
Video
Duck noodles was delicious.
Then I said another goodbye to Dubai.
Next stop.
Rotterdam.
