WHOA!!
My anticipation for the upcoming International Film Festival Rotterdam (which starts in about three weeks time) just skyrocketed. The IFFR just released a press statement listing several world premieres for this year's festival, and while I will write an overview later today there is one item on the list I must share immediately.
Miike Takashi's latest film "Ace Attorney" will have its official world premiere in Rotterdam as part of the festival. "Ace Attorney" is based on the "Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney" series of videogames for the Nintendo DS, in which fledgling lawyer Phoenix Wright needs to solve the murders his clients are accused of and win court cases against vile, corrupt, and far more experienced opponents. Things turn weird and personal however when his mentor gets killed in a case with a supernatural slant...
Given Miike's friendly past with the Rotterdam Festival (and us crazy Dutch audiences) it is extremely likely he will be present in person. In 1999 Miike was lauded for "Audition", in 2000 he brought four films with him to Rotterdam, with "Ichi the Killer" ending up scoring the highest audience rating. In 2004 "Zebraman" had its world premiere in Rotterdam and last year Miike, while unable to visit the festival himself due to problems in the post-production of "Harakiri", helped Rotterdam get a screening of the longer Japanese cut of "13 Assassins".
Fingers crossed the "Ace Attorney" premiere will likewise be an event to remember.
See the full press statement at the IFFR website here (link).
My anticipation for the upcoming International Film Festival Rotterdam (which starts in about three weeks time) just skyrocketed. The IFFR just released a press statement listing several world premieres for this year's festival, and while I will write an overview later today there is one item on the list I must share immediately.
Miike Takashi's latest film "Ace Attorney" will have its official world premiere in Rotterdam as part of the festival. "Ace Attorney" is based on the "Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney" series of videogames for the Nintendo DS, in which fledgling lawyer Phoenix Wright needs to solve the murders his clients are accused of and win court cases against vile, corrupt, and far more experienced opponents. Things turn weird and personal however when his mentor gets killed in a case with a supernatural slant...
Given Miike's friendly past with the Rotterdam Festival (and us crazy Dutch audiences) it is extremely likely he will be present in person. In 1999 Miike was lauded for "Audition", in 2000 he brought four films with him to Rotterdam, with "Ichi the Killer" ending up scoring the highest audience rating. In 2004 "Zebraman" had its world premiere in Rotterdam and last year Miike, while unable to visit the festival himself due to problems in the post-production of "Harakiri", helped Rotterdam get a screening of the longer Japanese cut of "13 Assassins".
Fingers crossed the "Ace Attorney" premiere will likewise be an event to remember.
See the full press statement at the IFFR website here (link).
For those with an i-Phone or an i-Pad who are interested in the games, a compilation of the first five can be bought in the Apple i-Store for just a few bucks. And they're fun. Just saying...