SDAFF 2017: “Birds Without Names” – One might do anything to protect their nest Faith Orcino January 13, 2018 Anime and Film, Articles, Events, Reviews Director Kazuya Shiraishi adapts Mahokaru Numata’s 2006 novel “Birds Without Names” into a dismal drama for the silver screen. Towako (Yu Aoi, “Tokyo Ghoul”) lives with the clumsy but kind...
SDAFF 2017: “Before We Vanish” – Humanity’s greatest weapon lies within Faith Orcino January 13, 2018 Anime and Film, Articles, Events, Reviews Last year’s film “Creepy” director Kiyoshi Kurosawa returned to the San Diego Asian Film Festival in the form of his latest work “Before We Vanish”. The film took its audience on a journey of...
SDAFF 2017: “Love and Goodbye and Hawaii” – Relationships can be far from those fabled happy endings Faith Orcino January 12, 2018 Anime and Film, Articles, Events, Reviews The latest film from Director Shingo Matsumura is a showcase of rarer versions of modern romance. Rinko (Aya Ayano, “Shimotsukare Girl”) is a young office lady who dreams of going to Hawaii. As she...
SDAFF 2017: “A Beautiful Star” – Intervention from above doesn’t always go as planned Faith Orcino January 11, 2018 Anime and Film, Articles, Events, Reviews Festival organizers brought the strange dark comedy “A Beautiful Star” from director Daihachi Yoshida for the first time in the U.S. Based off of the 1962 novel by Yukio Mishima, the film followed...
SDAFF 2017: “COCOLORS” – A search can reveal other hidden secrets of the heart Faith Orcino January 10, 2018 Anime and Film, Articles, Events, Interviews, Reviews The San Diego Asian Film Festival brought over Toshihisa Yokoshima's award-winning film "COCOLORS" for animation fans to enjoy. Fuyu is a very frail child, but it doesn't stop him from creating unique...
SDAFF 2017: “Shinjuku Swan II” – Severed ties can reopen old wounds Faith Orcino January 9, 2018 Anime and Film, Articles, Events, Reviews The cast and crew of Director Sion Sono’s 2015 “Shinjuku Swan” return to bring fans the continuation of their adaptation of Ken Wakui’s 2005 manga series. Business is good for Tatsuhiko...
SDAFF 2017: “Kita Kita (I See You)” – True love is in the eyes of the beholder Faith Orcino December 21, 2017 Anime and Film, Articles, Events, Reviews “Kita Kita (I See You)” is the latest from Filipino director Sigrid Andrea Bernardo that breaks away from some rom-com conventions within the beauty of Sapporo, Japan. Lea (Alessandra de Rossi,...
SDAFF 2017: “Close-Knit” – Life weaves people into each other’s’ lives many ways Faith Orcino December 20, 2017 Anime and Film, Articles, Events, Reviews Viewers followed 11-year old Tomo (Rin Kakihara, “Erased”) who was a girl that had to grow up faster than her body could. Her mother Hiromi (Mimura, “One Missed Call 2”) abandoned her from time to...
SDAFF 2017 brought out the beauty in the small things Faith Orcino December 19, 2017 Anime and Film, Articles, Events, Reviews Each year, organizers of the San Diego Asian Film Festival pride over their compilations of the short submissions. This year has ten that focuses on certain themes. Here we feature some relating to Japanese...
SDAFF 2016 – Pac Arts packed festival with wonderful films Faith Orcino November 27, 2016 Articles, Events Pacific Arts Movement (Pac Arts) recently wrapped up its 17th annual San Diego Asian Film Festival. Many flocked to its six different locations across the city, including its main venue the Mission Valley...
