| Jerry Zucker | Somemaru Hayashiya | Gordon Chan | YOU | Bokunen Naka |
Jerry Zucker（Writer, Director）
I send my best wishes to everyone involved in the Okinawa International Movie Festival, and to Yoshimoto Kogyo for promoting the art of comedy filmmaking. I believe comedy is a universal language. I don’t speak Japanese and I hate reading subtitles, as a young child in the United States, my only knowledge of Japan came from going to the movies. As you know, much of the world is going through a period of economic uncertainty and so we need comedy now more than ever! In the United States we say “Laughter is the best medicine”. It is a great honor for me to be invited to the Okinawa International Movie Festival and I look forward to seeing all the films and to many good laughs.
Profile
Jerry Zucker graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1972 with no employable skills, so he decided to move to Hollywood with his brother and try to get into show business. They opened a theater called “Kentucky Fried Theater” where they would entertain audiences with live skits and videotaped satire. They made a film of all their theater sketches and it was released in 1976 as “Kentucky Fried Movie”. After having produced some movies jointly, Jerry Zucker decided to work individually. His directing works are “Ghost,” “First Knight,” and “Rat Race.” He has also produced “My Life,” “A Walk in the Clouds,” and “My Best Friend’s Wedding.”
Somemaru Hayashiya（Comic Storyteller）
When I was a child, there were many movie theaters in the old downtown Osaka where I used to live. My father, who liked watching films, took me to the theater and I was greatly surprised to see “The Ten Commandments” with a film in 70mm width for the first time. You can see all the information of film on a screen while you need imagination to enjoy Japanese traditional comic story telling which I chose as my job. I guess the directors take great pains to decide how they give their message to the audience through the film. Meanwhile they might enjoy making their decision. I hope the films in this festival remind me of my happy childhood. It’s a pleasure for me to wonder how the directors display their originality in a film.
Profile
Born in October 1949. Made his debut under the name of Someji Hayashiya in 1966. Succeeded to the name of forth generation Somemaru Hayashiya in 1991. He is good at storytelling with “mood music”, which is one of the characteristics of rakugo (Japanese traditional comic story telling) in the Kyoto-Osaka area, and his talent for rakugo is regarded as something irreplaceable. For his exclusive pieces, "Ukare no Kuzu yori" "Ko wa Kasugai" are his forte, however, he surely succeeded "Fugu Nabe" "Kagekiyo" "Tabako no Hi" from traditional accomplishments of Kamigata Hayashiya as well. He is an executive director of “Kamigata-Rakugo Kyokai” and a visiting professor of Kyoto University of Art and Design at present. Won the prize for the Person of Cultural Merits of the 43rd Osaka awarding ceremony in 2008.
Gordon Chan（Director）
About ten years ago I went to Okinawa with my friend and shot a movie. It is the most beautiful memory in my movie life. Since then I have wanted to visit Okinawa but the chance had not come around. I was not able to suppress my excitement when I heard that there was a movie festival to be held in Okinawa. My appreciation of Okinawa is so strong that I am very happy to highlight Asian movie culture in this way. I think that Okinawa with a romantic atmosphere is the most suitable place to appreciate movies.
Profile
Born in 1960 is a film director, scriptwriter and producer from Hong Kong. Majored in Geography at University of Toronto, and started his career in the filming industry in 1982 after returning to Hong Kong. He has sent many works out into the world, ‘Beast Cop (1999)’ won as the best director and scriptwriter in the Hong Kong Film Awards. He is honored as the most successful director and writer in Hong Kong. His newest film is ‘Painted Skin (2008)’. He is now the president of Hong Kong Film Directors’ Guild and Hong Kong Film Awards Association, vice president of Hong Kong Screenwriters’ Guild.
YOU（Actress）
Congratulations on the 1st Okinawa International Movie Festival. I’m most honored to be invited to this festival although my film experience is limited. This is a great opportunity for me to enjoy the films I haven’t seen before because I love to watch a film projected on a large screen. I hope that the strong messages from each film leave a deep and lasting impression on me. I also look forward to seeing my favorite comedians in Okinawa. It’s so exciting.
Profile
Born in Tokyo. Formed a band “FAIRCHILD” and sang lead vocal. Started her career as a TV performer after appearing on the TV program “Downtown no gottsu eekanji” (broadcast on Fuji Television). As an actress, she appeared in the films; “Nobody Knows” (in 2004), which was exhibited in the 57th Cannes Film Festival, “The Uchoten Hotel” (in 2000), and “Still Walking” (in 2008). Makes regular appearances on the TV program “The Best House 123” (broadcast on Fuji Television). Displays her all-round ability in contributing articles to magazines and books.
Bokunen Naka（Woodblock Artist）
I heard the cineasts from all around the world will come to do something to enjoy. And that the venue is Chatan-Mihama, Okinawa! I can’t help being excited. I can’t concentrate when watching any super-masterpiece and destructive action-packed movies, because while watching, I always want to complain of such movies. My friend says, “A movie is for entertainment”, but I am not satisfied. This festival has the concept “laugh” so I am looking forward to the opening. I think the essence of comedy, is the ability of turning something sad or bad into laughter, I want to see which type of influence, after laughing heartedly, I will get from this comedies.
Profile
He expresses his woodblock printings by adopting “Urate Saishoku.” The design of the commemorative stamp of the 125th anniversary for the establishment of Okinawa Posts and Telecommunications in 1999, the design of the postcard for the public information of Kyushu-Okinawa Summit 2000, the ambassador of the cultural exchanges in Korea, Spain, and France from September to November 2007. His work was adopted as the poster of “The International Year of the Reef 2008” in 2008.