August at Akiko’s (2018)

  • Hawaii International Film Festival Announces 2018 Lineup, Opens with Zhang Yimou’s SHADOW

    [caption id="attachment_32166" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Shadow, Zhang Yimou Shadow, Zhang Yimou[/caption] The 38th edition of the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) will present 187 films from over 35 countries, from November 8 through November 18, 2018.  The festival will open with highly anticipated new film from Zhang Yimou (House of Flying Daggers; Hero; Curse of the Golden Flower), Shadow, which stars Chao Deng (The Mermaid; Detective Dee: Mystery of the Phantom Flame), Li Sun (Fearless; Empresses in the Palace), and Ryan Zheng (The Great Wall; Back in Time), is based storied the “Three Kingdoms” Chinese legend. Shadow had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, where audiences were wowed by Zhang’s masterful direction of this unique action-epic. HIFF’s Closing Night Presentation will be the world premiere of Moananuiākea: One Ocean. One People. One Canoe, directed by Na’alehu Anthony. This documentary looks at the latest worldwide voyage of Hōkūleʻa, four decades after its maiden voyage sparked the Hawaiian Renaissance and continues to inspire a new generation of navigators and voyagers to gather their courage and sail beyond the horizon of the Pacific. This year’s Centerpiece Presentation is Green Book, which world premiered at the Toronto Film Festival; where it won the coveted TIFF 2018 People’s Choice Award, an early barometer of being an Oscars favorite. The drama, follows Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen), a bouncer from the Bronx, is hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley (Oscar winner Mahershala Ali), a world-class Black pianist, on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South, they must rely on “The Green Book” to guide them to the few establishments that are safe for African Americans. Green Book won the coveted Audience Award at the recent Toronto Film Festival. Produced by Jim Burke (The Descendants, HIFF 2012), who will be in attendance at HIFF, and directed by Peter Farrelly (There’s Something About Mary), Green Book infuses heartfelt drama in an unlikely friendship that stood the test of time. HIFF audiences will critically acclaimed titles in the Awards Buzz section; which presents high profile films straight from major festivals like Cannes, Venice, Toronto and more. These must-see films are major players in the awards season, including: the Mexican drama Roma, directed Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity); If Beale Street Could Talk, directed by Barry Jenkins (Moonlight); Iranian director Asghar Farhadi’s (A Separation) Spain-set thriller Everybody Knows starring Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz; and Natalie Portman’s new film Vox Lux, directed by Brady Corbet. This year HIFF presents a special spotlight on world renowned auteur Wong Kar-wai with the Filmmaker in Focus series. HIFF is proud to present In The Mood For Love (2000), Happy Together (1997), and Chungking Express (1994). A special extended Q&A with Director Wong Kar Wai will follow the screening of Chungking Express. In Special Presentations, HIFF will present the West Coast premiere of Wake, a comedy/drama directed by Cyrus Mirakhor. Wake follows a widowed mortician, struggling with agoraphobia, who receives a birthday gift from her mother and daughter as a joke. The gift, a life-size male doll named Pedro, goes from funny to fantastical, complicating her ties with her family and friends.  Wake stars James Denton (TV Series Good Witch), Caroline Lagerfelt (TV Series The Blacklist), and features the acting debut of Filipino-American stand-up comedian, Jo Koy. The popular comedian will attend the screening, and join director Mirakhor for the post-screening Q&A. The always popular Sound x Vision category offers must-see films for music fans and cinephiles. HIFF will host the North American premiere of The Legend of the Stardust Brothers, directed by Macoto Tezuka. This fascinating musical narrative, made in 1985, begins when Macoto Tezuka (son of the great manga artist Osamu Tezuka) met musician and TV personality Haruo Chicada who had made a soundtrack to a movie which didn’t actually exist: The Legend of the Stardust Brothers. With Chicada as producer, Tezuka then adapted this “fake soundtrack” into the real movie story of “The Stardust Brothers”. Tezuka assembled a cast of some of Japan’s most famous musicians of the time, including such greats as Kiyohiko Ozaki, ISSAY, Sunplaza Nakano and Hiroshi Takano, alongside many famous names in Manga such as Monkey Punch (Lupin the 3rd), Shinji Nagashima (Hanaichi Monme), Yosuke Takahashi (Mugen Shinsi) and even many upcoming film directors of the time such as Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Tokyo Sonata) and Daihachi Yoshida (The Kirishima Thing). The resulting film The Legend of the Stardust Brothers is the exact definition of a cult film. Despite the huge array of talent on board with a large budget, the film is totally unknown even to this day in both Japan and worldwide. More than 30 years since its release, The Stardust Brothers will finally make itself known worldwide with a new master and a brand new Director’s Cut. For the first time, the festival will present the HIFF VR Lounge; bringing together a selection of exciting contemporary Virtual Reality projects from around the world to SALT At Our Kakaako. Free and open to the public November 10th through 12th, the HIFF VR Lounge will feature virtual reality technologies bring us closer to the action than ever before, face-to-face with some of the most vital issues and stories in the world today. Audiences can visit the lounge and experience: Age Of Sail (Dir.: John Kahrs), Chasing Coral: The VR Experience (Dir.: Jeff Orlowski), Finding Haka (Dir.: James Hedley) and Songbird (Dir.: Lucy Greenwell).

    Additional highlights at the 2018 Hawaii International Film Festival

    The world premiere of Eating Up Easter Island (Chile, United States), directed by Sergio M. Rapu. This documentary reveals the nuance of life on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), and straddles the fault line between local identity and the opportunities presented by globalism. As the local economy is subjugated by the demands of tourism, locals must contend with the contrasting expectations of indigenous culture and Western industrial capitalism amidst the fear that old practices are not valued or protected unless performed for visitors. Eating Up Easter Island screens as part of the Pacific Showcase lineup. Maui’s Hook (New Zealand), a documentary feature directed Paora Te Oti Takarangi Joseph, is one of the most original and stirring films released this year. Psychologist and filmmaker Paora Joseph journeys New Zealand’s North Island with families who lost someone close to them to suicide. Seamlessly combining scripted narrative sections with interviews of five brave families mourning the loss of a loved one, Joseph blurs the divide between documentary and drama to make a profound statement about suicide and the people left behind. This will be the film’s International Premiere. Shoplifters (Japan), directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, is Japan’s official submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2019 Academy Awards. This Cannes Palme d’Or winner tells the story of a poor family who, after a shoplifting run, find a little girl freezing in the cold. Although initially reluctant, they welcome her into their home. Though happy together, an unforeseen incident begins to unravel hidden secrets and test the bonds that unite them. From Palme d’Or-winning director Hirokazu Kore-eda, Shoplifters tells a breathtaking story of family and love told across four seasons on the streets of contemporary Tokyo. The International Premiere of Still Human (Hong Kong), a drama directed by Oliver Siu Kuen Chan, explores the world of paralyzed and disgruntled Cheong-wing (Anthony Wong), who has gone through quite a few caretakers. When he gets new Filipino domestic helper, Evelyn (Crisel Consunji), they both realize that Evelyn does not speak a word of Cantonese. Somehow as the unlikely duo begin to warm up to each other, a bond forms that may transcend stereotypes and change them both in ways they never imagined. In Southeast Asian Showcase, HIFF presents the North American Premiere of Memories of My Body. This drama for Indonesia, directed by Garin Nugroho, follows Juno; a child who was recently abandoned by his father.. Alone now, he joins a dance center where men shape their feminine appearance and movement. But the sensuality and sexuality that come from dance and bodies, mixed with the violent social and political Indonesian environment, force Juno to move from village to village. Even if on his journey Juno receives love from his those around him, he still has to face the battlefield that his body is becoming. The United States Premiere of Sink or Swim (France), directed by Gille Lellouche. This hilarious crowd-pleaser, which world premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, follows a group of 40-something guys, all on the verge of a mid-life crisis, decide to form their local pool’s first ever synchronized swimming team – for men. Braving the skepticism and ridicule of those around them, and trained by a fallen champion trying to pull herself together, the group set out on an unlikely adventure, and on the way will rediscover a little self-esteem and a lot about themselves. Sink or Swim will screen as part of the European Showcase lineup. The United States Premiere of The Witch (South Korea), directed by Park Hoon-jung, is a Sci-Fi thriller set in rural South Korea, where a young girl flees a government facility. 10 years later a now teenage Ja-yoon has no recollection of her past, and knows only the elderly couple who have taken her is as her parents. But soon Ja-yoon discovers that she has some incredible talents, she is so talented in fact that she lands on national television. However shortly after her appearance, ominous figures show up, threatening to turn her peaceful life upside down. The Witch will screen as part of the Spotlight On Korea lineup HIFF welcomes Harry Shum Jr. Shum, who has won a Screen Actors Guild award for his performance on Glee, numerous awards and accolades for his role on Shadowhunters, and most recently has appeared on the blockbuster hit Crazy Rich Asians, will be part of the Future Filmmaker Luncheon and Panel. The panel, which will take at WaiWai Collective, will also be a destination for the student filmmaker finalists in the new short film contest presented by HIFF in partnership with the Daniel K. Inouye Institute. The partnership, launched in June, encouraged middle and high school students statewide to create films inspired by Senator Inouye’s historic speech at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

    2018 Hawaii International Film Festival Honorees

    Ever year, HIFF hosts a prestigious awards ceremony to honor the competition titles at the fest and to celebrate luminaries in the filmmaking community. Past recipients include: Taika Waititi, Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, Samuel L Jackson, Ang Lee, Maggie Cheung, Koji Yakusho. HIFF is proud to bestow awards on this year’s honorees. The Halekulani Maverick Award is given to an international cinema artist who has a unique and eclectic career trajectory, contributing to international cinema and the filmed arts in an innovative way. This year, HIFF will present the award to present to actor/producer Steven Yeun (Okja; TV series The Walking Dead; Burning, South Korea’s official entry to Oscars foreign language category). The Halekulani Maverick Award will also be presented to Awkwafina (Crazy Rich Asians; Ocean’s Eight). During the festival, Awkwafina will participate in an exclusive and intimate conversation about her career. IN CONVERSATION WITH AWKWAFINA, the wildly popular rapper turned actress, will discuss her humble beginnings in Queens, NY, and her stratospheric rise from working in a vegan bodega to hosting Saturday Night Live. The PIC Trailblazer Award is given to a cinema artist of Pacific Islander heritage who broadens the scope of Pacific Islander stories onto the world stage, producing award winning work in independent and global cinema, becoming a trendsetter in their field and a cultural ambassador that shines a spotlight on Pacific islander culture in mainstream media. This year HIFF will honor Heperi Mita as the current torchbearer for his mother Merata Mita’s legacy and work. Heperi continues to be a beacon for Maori and indigenous filmmakers and media, as a both a filmmaker and archivist, perpetuating this legacy for generations to come. The Halekulani Career Achievement Award is bestowed to an artist who has reached the career pinnacles very few have achieved via industry awards and accolades and a body of work that is known globally. This year HIFF is proud to present the Halekulani Career Achievement Award to actress Moon So-ri (Oasis; A Good Lawyer’s Wife). During the festival audiences can watch Moon So-ri’s directorial debut, The Running Actress.

    Made In Hawaii Feature Film Award Nominees:

    This year’s competition lineup continues to amplify the voice of local filmmakers. The Made In Hawaii competition film awards celebrate the dynamic and flourishing local independent film scene that strives onward here in the Hawaiian Islands. Fiction, Non-fiction and short films that are made by locally-based filmmakers or involve locally-based stories are eligible for the following awards—Best Made In Hawaii Feature and Best Made In Hawaii Short Film. This year’s competition films are: August At Akiko’s – This narrative feature, directed by Christopher Makoto Yogi, features cosmopolitan musician Alex Zhang Hungtai (Dirty Beaches, Last Lizard), who returns home to the Big Island having been away for nearly a decade. Amidst possessed sax solos and brooding strolls, Alex stumbles upon a Buddhist bed & breakfast run by a woman named Akiko (Akiko Masuda). Hungtai’s wild sax and Akiko’s Buddhist bells form the base for a rich soundtrack that wraps around the audience like a sonic web surrounding the unexpected new friendship. Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable – This documentary feature directed by Aaron Lieber, is the untold story of the fearless athlete and her resilience against all odds to become one of the leading professional surfers of our time. Moananuiākea: One Ocean. On People. One Canoe – This documentary feature, directed by Na’alehu Anthony, looks at the latest worldwide voyage of Hōkūleʻa, four decades after its maiden voyage sparked the Hawaiian Renaissance and continues to inspire a new generation of navigators and voyagers to gather their courage and sail beyond the horizon of the Pacific. My Hero’s Shadow – A biographical documentary directed by Justin Young, begins when Shane Stant made international news when he struck Nancy Kerrigan’s knee the day before the 1994 US National Figure Skating Championships. He’s a different man today, but still has to deal with memories of his mistakes. Told by Stant’s sister Maile, MY HERO’S SHADOW is a compassionate look at trauma, poor choices and the redemptive value of family. Stoke – Directed by Zoe Eisenberg and Phillips Payson, this narrative feature Jane is an attorney based in Los Angeles and she’s clinically depressed. While channel flipping, she sees footage of Kilauea in full eruption. She buys a one-way ticket to the Big Island, and along the way, runs into two local guys who sell themselves as tour guides. What transpires is a road movie that captures some of the unique sub-cultures of Hawaii Island from hippie enclaves, and spiritual sanctuaries, to Native Hawaiians trying to make ends meet, and midnight ravers looking for their next hit. T-Shirt Theatre Presents: Kipuka – This documentary feature directed by Jeremiah Tayao, chronicles the work of the students in the company, as they address bullying, cyberbullying, and teen suicide prevention, all written and performed by the students (aged 13-18). Their 2017-2018 performance of “Kīpuka” – an oasis in a lava field – is reflective of the T-Shirt Theatre mantra that one smile, one word, one friend can make all the difference for someone in turmoil and contemplating tough decisions.

    Made In Hawaii Short Film Award Nominees:

    Mauka to Makai – Directors: Alika Maikau and Jonah Okano Hae Hawaii – Director: Ty Sanga Kalewa – Director: Gerard Elmore Kaumakaiwa – Director: Bradley Tangonan The Moon and the Night – Director: Erin Lau Shoreline (‘Ae Kai) – Director: Brandi Martin. Six Hundred Lux – Director: Koa San Luis Surfing To Cope – Director: Katie Walsh This and Nothing Else: Red Bull Wa’a – Directors.: Marc Levy, Justin Mitchell, Marc

    Kau Ka Hōkū Filmmaker Award nominees :

    HIFF was an annual stop for the Pulitzer winning film critic Roger Ebert, who hailed the festival as “a showcase for emerging filmmakers from the Asia and Pacific Rim.”. This year, HIFF will launch the Kau Ka Hōkū Filmmaker Award, which will be given to emerging directors with their 1st or 2nd feature film. Both fiction and non-fiction feature films will be nominated by the festival programmers and adjudicated by an international jury. August At Akiko’s – Director: Christopher Makoto Yogi Grit – Directors: Sasha Friedlander, Cynthia Wade House of My Fathers – Director: Suba Sivakumaran The Hungry Lion – Director: Takaomi Ogata Last Child – Director: Shin Dong-Seok Leiti’s In Waiting– Directors: Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu Maui’s Hook – Director: Paora Te Oti Takarangi Joseph People’s Republic of Desire – Director: Hao Wu The Third Wife – Director: Ash Mayfair Transmilitary – DIrectors: Fiona Dawson, Gabe Silverman

    NETPAC award nominees

    The NETPAC award is presented annually at international film festivals in Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Rotterdam, Pusan, Singapore, Taiwan, Yamagata, Amiens and Hawaii. HIFF is the only film festival in North America granted the distinguished honor of presenting the NETPAC award. This year’s NETPAC nominees are: Adulthood (South Korea) – Director: In-seon Kim Emu Runner (Australia) – Director: Imogen Thomas Gatao: The Rise of the King (Taiwan) – Director: Yen Cheng-Kuo House of My Fathers (Sri Lanka) – Director: Suba Sivakumaran Last Child (South Korea) – Director.: Shin Dong-Seok Long Time No Sea (Taiwan ROC) – Director: Heather Tsui Sir (India) – Director: Rohena Gera Song Lang (Vietnam) – Director: Leon Le Still Human (Hong Kong) – Director: Oliver Siu, Kuen Chan Wrath of Silence (China) – Director: Yukun Xin

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  • Indie Memphis Film Festival Announces 2018 Lineup

    [caption id="attachment_31953" align="aligncenter" width="1170"] MR. SOUL![/caption] This year’s 2018 Indie Memphis Film Festival is promising to be a very exciting and wildly varied one, with a lineup featuring five World Premiere screenings and one U.S. Premiere screening, as well as Special Presentations such as CABIN BOY with Chris Elliott in attendance and Barbara Loden’s feminist masterpiece WANDA presented by Amy Seimetz (Showtime’s “The Girlfriend Experience”), as well as a retrospective of the recent films of filmmaker Hong Sangsoo. The Opening Night film is Melissa Haizlip and Samuel D. Pollard’s MR. SOUL!, a documentary chronicling Ellis Haizlip, the host of a groundbreaking weekly TV show called SOUL! that aired from 1968-1973, Barry Jenkins’ IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK as the Centerpiece Presentation, and Andrew Bujaski’s SUPPORT THE GIRLS as the Closing Night selection, followed by Bujalski presenting the “Indie Memphis Actor of the Year” award for an unforgettable role by a promising new performer to one of the film’s stars, Shayna McHayle (aka Junglepussy). As previously announced, SORRY TO BOTHER YOU filmmaker Boots Riley will be the festival’s keynote speaker for the Black Creatives Forum as well as presenting BRAZIL (1985, Terry Gilliam). The festival also includes 165 short films and over 50 music videos. This year’s festival should prove to be a very diverse one, as fifty percent of the films in the Narrative Competition are directed by female-identifying filmmakers and fifty percent are directed by people of color; in the Documentary Competition, forty-three percent are directed by women and seventy-one percent by people of color. In addition to films from the United States, the festival also boasts titles from Spain, France, South Korea, Israel, Germany, Australia, Zambia, United Kingdom, Portugal, Canada, and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    2018 Indie Memphis Film Festival Slate

    OPENING NIGHT

    MR. SOUL! (Dirs. Melissa Haizlip, Samuel D. Pollard) Before Oprah – Before Arsenio – there was Mr. SOUL! Ellis Haizlip makes television broadcast history with SOUL!, America’s first “black Tonight Show.” Featuring archive footage of Sidney Poitier, Patti LaBelle, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Harry Belafonte, among others. Filmmaker Melissa Haizlip in attendance. 2018, 90 min, Documentary

    CENTERPIECE

    IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK (Dir. Barry Jenkins) After her fiancé is falsely imprisoned, a pregnant young woman in Harlem sets out to clear his name and prove his innocence. 2018, 117 min, Drama

    CLOSING NIGHT

    SUPPORT THE GIRLS (Dir. Andrew Bujalski) The general manager at a highway-side ”sports bar with curves” has her incurable optimism and faith, in her girls, her customers, and herself, tested over the course of a long, strange day. Filmmaker Andrew Bujalski will present “Indie Memphis Actor of the Year” award to Shayna McHayle (aka Junglepussy). 2018, 94 min, Comedy

    NARRATIVE COMPETITION

    CLARA’S GHOST (Dir. Bridey Elliott) Set over the course of a single evening in the Reynolds family home in suburban Connecticut, Clara’s Ghost tells the story of Clara Reynolds who, fed up with constant ribbing from her self-absorbed showbiz family, finds solace in and guidance from the supernatural force she believes is haunting her. Filmmaker Bridey Elliott in attendance. Actors Abby Elliott, Chris Elliott, and Paula Niedert Elliott in attendance. 2018, 98 min, Comedy/Drama JINN (Dir. Nijla Mumin) A shape-shifting, pepperoni-loving, black teenage Instagram celebrity explores her identity and sexuality in the midst of her mother’s conversion to Islam. Filmmaker Nijla Mumin in attendance. 2018, 92 min, Drama JOBE’Z WORLD (Dir. Michael Bilandic) – World Premiere Jobe is a roller-blading delivery dude in NYC who, one endless night, delivers drugs to his favorite actor, Royce David Leslie. Filmmaker Michael Bilandic in attendance. 2018, 67 min, Comedy NEW MONEY (Dir. Jason B. Kohl) A struggling woman abducts her estranged father after he cuts her out of his will. 2018, 85 min, Drama/Thriller SEPULVEDA (Dirs. Jena English, Brandon Wilson) An existential urban road movie about three best friends who decide to drive L.A.’ s longest street. Filmmaker Brandon Wilson in attendance. 2016, 82 min, Comedy/Drama SHOOT THE MOON BETWEEN THE EYES (Dir. Graham Carter) – World Premiere Jerry and Carl have conned their way from one small Texas town to another. The plan for their final con goes haywire when one of them falls in love with Maureen, all while there’s a bumbling P.I. out for vengeance and hot on their trail. Filmmaker Graham Carter in attendance. 2018, 73 min, Comedy/ Drama /Musical/Romance SOLACE (Dir. Tchaiko Omawale) A 17-year-old orphan named Sole is shipped off to her estranged grandmother (Lynn Whitfield from EVE’S BAYOU) in Ladera Heights, Los Angeles. Sole plots her escape to New York while navigating a foreign environment, new friendships and a hidden eating disorder. Filmmaker Tchaiko Omawale in attendance. 2018, 127 min, Drama

    DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

    ENTRIALGO (Dir. Diego Llorente) – World Premiere A beautiful and meditative study of rural Asturias, Spain. Life goes on with a different pace in Entrialgo. Rubén and Aitor grow with this rhythm. Their life swifts between the solitude of the courtyards of their house, the games mixed with the work of the adults and the school where they interact with their equals. Game, solitude and animals are witnesses and companions of a year in the life of these children. Filmmaker Diego Llorente in attendance. 2018, 65 min, Documentary HALE COUNTY: THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING (Dir. Ramell Ross) Composed of intimate and unencumbered moments of people in a community, HALE COUNTY: THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING allows the viewer an emotive impression of the Historic South — trumpeting the beauty of life and consequences of the social construction of race, while simultaneously a testament to dreaming — despite the odds. Filmmaker RaMell Ross in attendance. 2018, 76 min, Documentary KINSHASA MAKAMBO (Dir. Dieudo Hamadi) Christian, Ben and Jean-Marie are fighting for political change of power and free elections in their country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But the incumbent President refuses to relinquish power. Kinshasa Makambo immerses us in the combat these three activists are engaged in, a combat that neither bullets, nor prison, nor exile seem able to stop. 2018, 74 min, Documentary SHAKEDOWN (Dir. Leilah Weinraub) From 2002 to 2015, filmmaker Leilah Weinraub documents explicit performances in an underground black-lesbian club in Los Angeles. Filmmaker Leilah Weinraub in attendance. 2018, 82 min, Documentary/LGBTQ SPEAK UP! (Dir. Amandine Gay) – US Premiere An exploration of the intersections of discrimination, art and blackness, featuring interviews with black women in France and Belgium. Filmmaker Amandine Gay in attendance; this screening in collaboration with “Blackness in French and Francophone Film” at Columbia University. 2018, 122 min, Documentary THIS ONE’S FOR THE LADIES (Dir. Gene Graham) The Dojo, which is a children’s karate school by day, becomes a male strip joint on Thursday nights where hundreds of women convene for a potluck fundraiser, a sense of community, and the opportunity to throw singles at the New Jersey Nasty Boyz. Filmmaker Gene Graham in attendance. 2018, 82 min, Documentary WRESTLE (Dir. Suzannah Herbert) An intimate and nuanced documentary that follows the wrestling team at J.O. Johnson High School in Huntsville, which has been on Alabama’s failing schools list for decades. Filmmaker Suzannah Herbert in attendance. 2018, 99 min, Documentary

    SPOTLIGHT

    Narrative: DIAMANTINO (Dirs. Gabriel Abrantes, Daniel Schmidt) Diamantino, the world’s premiere soccer star loses his special touch and ends his career in disgrace. Searching for a new purpose, the international icon sets on a delirious odyssey where he confronts neo-fascism, the refugee crisis, genetic modification, and the hunt for the source of genius. 2018, 92 min, Comedy/Drama/Fantasy I AM NOT A WITCH (Dir. Rungano Nyoni) Shula is the first child taken to a traveling witch camp, where she is told that should she cut the ribbon and attempt to escape, she will be cursed and transformed into a goat. 2017, 93 min, Drama MADELINE’S MADELINE (Dir. Josephine Decker) A theater director’s latest project takes on a life of its own when her young star takes her performance too seriously. 2018, 93 min, Drama/Thriller NOTES ON AN APPEARANCE (Dir. Ricky D’ambrose) A young man leaves behind an obscure cache of letters, postcards, and notebooks when he disappears. Actor Keith Poulson in attendance. 2018, 60 min, Drama SORRY ANGEL (Dir. Christophe Honoré) Jacques is an older writer from Paris. Arthur is a young student in Rennes. They instantly fall in love. But they’ll have to face rejection and sickness to keep it that way. 2018, 133 min, Drama/LGBTQ TYREL (Dir. Sebastián Silva) Tyler goes to an isolated cabin in the Catskills for a raucous all-dude weekend birthday party for a friend. He finds he is the sole black person there and grows increasingly uncomfortable. 2018, 86 min, Comedy/Thriller WILD NIGHTS WITH EMILY (Dir. Madeleine Olnek) Dramatization of the little known side of the writer Emily Dickinson’s life, in particular her relationship with another woman. Actor Amy Seimetz in attendance. 2018, 84 min, Comedy Documentary: A BETTER MAN (Dirs. Attiya Khan, Lawrence Jackman) Filmmaker Attiya Khan documents her meetings with an abusive ex-boyfriend to show the healing and revelation that can happen for everyone involved when men take responsibility for their abuse. A fascinating and necessary exploration into restorative justice. 2017, 79 min, Documentary DIVIDE AND CONQUER: THE STORY OF ROGER AILES (Dir. Alexis Bloom) Director Alexis Bloom charts the rise and fall of the late Republican Party booster and controversial Fox News mogul who went down in flames amid multiple sexual harassment allegations. 2018, 107 min, Documentary THE GOSPEL OF EUREKA (Dirs. Michael Palmieri, Donal Mosher) Love, faith, and civil rights collide in the south as evangelical Christians and drag queens step into the spotlight to explore the meaning of belief. Gospel drag shows and passion plays intermix in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. 2018, 75 min, Documentary MATANGI / MAYA /M.I.A (Dir. Stephen Loveridge) Drawn from a never before seen cache of personal footage spanning decades, Stephen Loveridge creates an intimate portrait of the Sri Lankan artist and musician known as M.I.A. 2018, 96 min, Documentary MINDING THE GAP (Dir. Bing Liu) Three young men bond together to escape volatile families in their Rust Belt hometown. As they face adult responsibilities, unexpected revelations threaten their decade-long friendship. 2018, 93 min, Documentary

    DEPARTURES

    AUGUST AT AKIKO’S (Dir. Christopher Makoto Yogi) Armed with just his suitcase and a sax, cosmopolitan musician Alex Zhang Hungtai (DIRTY BEACHES) returns home to the Big Island of Hawai‘i having been away for nearly a decade. 2018, 75 min, Experimental Drama BLACK MOTHER (Dir. Khalik Allah) Filmmaker Khalik Allah offers a portrait of Jamaica, the home of his maternal grandparents. He interviews people and edits the audio as if it were music (as much for rhythm as content), exploring various themes while accompanied by his unique visual style. Filmmaker Khalik Allah in attendance. 2018, 77 min, Experimental Documentary LIFE IS FARE (Dir. Sephora Woldu) An experimental musical film exploring wildly different perspectives on the East African nation of Eritrea. Filmmaker Sephora Woldu in attendance. 2018, 62 min, Experimental/Musical THE WASHING SOCIETY (Dir. Lynne Sachs) Filmmaker Lynne Sachs and playwright Lizzie Olesker document the disappearing neighborhood laundromats and the labor that is associated with them. Filmmaker Lynne Sachs in attendance. 2018, 44 min, 2018, Documentary Screening with: “I Am Somebody” (Dir. Madeline Anderson) A short political documentary by Madeline Anderson about black hospital workers on strike in Charleston South Carolina. 1970, 30 min, Documentary

    SOUNDS

    BETTY: THEY SAY I’M DIFFERENT (Dir. Philip Cox) A creative documentary exploring the extraordinary story of Betty Davis (former wife of Miles Davis) as legendary funk pioneer and a woman who championed the road for all independent female artists who followed. 2017, 54 min, Documentary THE DREAMER’S FIELD (Dir. Noam Stolerman) The heartfelt journey of three childhood friends who wish to escape their boring life in the kibbutz and become London’s hottest rock band. THE DREAMER’S FIELD is a bitter-sweet journey of three misplaced and misguided individuals coming to terms with the real world. 2017, 65 min, Documentary MILFORD GRAVES FULL MANTHIS (Dir. Jake Meginsky) The first ever feature-length portrait of renowned percussionist Milford Graves, exploring his kaleidoscopic creativity and relentless curiosity. 2018, 95 min, Documentary MR. SOUL! (Dirs. Melissa Haizlip, Samuel D. Pollard) Before Oprah, Before Arsenio, there was Mr. SOUL! Ellis Haizlip makes television broadcast history with SOUL!, America’s first “black Tonight Show.” Featuring archival footage of James Baldwin, Nikki Giovanni, Sidney Poitier, Patti LaBelle, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Harry Belafonte, among others. Filmmaker Melissa Haizlip in attendance. 2018, 90 min, Documentary

    HOMETOWNER

    MEMPHIS MAJIC (Dir. Eddie Bailey) A riveting in-depth look at the city of Memphis through the lens of a 30 year old Memphis-born street dance called “Jookin’.” Filmmaker Eddie Bailey in attendance. 2018, 72 min, Documentary NEGRO TERROR: THE VOICE OF MEMPHIS (Dir. John Rash) – World Premiere A cinematic and musical portrait of a punk band’s role in the vibrant and eclectic underground music community of Memphis, TN. Filmmaker John Rash in attendance; Negro Terror to play live score during the film. 2018, 54 min, Documentary WAITING: THE VAN DUREN STORY (Dir. Greg Carey, Wade Jackson) – World Premiere In the 1970’s, out of the Memphis-Big Star scene came Van Duren, who was tipped to be the next Paul McCartney but instead faded into obscurity. Forty years later, two Australian friends come across his record and set out to discover what went wrong. Filmmakers Greg Carey and Wade Jackson and subject Van Duren in attendance. 2018, 80 min, Documentary RUKUS (Dir. Brett Hanover) A hybrid of documentary and fiction, RUKUS is a queer coming-of-age story set in the liminal spaces of furry conventions, southern punk houses, and virtual worlds. Filmmaker Brett Hanover in attendance. 2018, 87 min, Drama/LGBTQ

    SPECIAL EVENTS

    CABIN BOY with Chris Elliott (Dir. Adam Resnick) A fancy lad (Chris Elliott) en route to Hawaii meets unfriendly fishermen when he mistakenly boards their boat The Filthy Whore instead of a cruise ship to Hawaii. Star Chris Elliott in attendance. 1994, 81 min, Comedy Classic Picks with Boots Riley: BRAZIL (Dir. Terry Gilliam) Low-level bureaucrat Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) investigates a case that led to the wrongful arrest and eventual death of an innocent man instead of wanted terrorist Harry Tuttle (Robert De Niro), and gets caught in a web of mistaken identities, mindless bureaucracy and lies. Introduced by filmmaker Boots Riley (“Sorry to Bother You”). 1985, 143 min, Science Fiction

    Hong Sang-soo Recent Retro:

    Grass (2018, 66 min) In a small Café, Min-hee Kim plays a guest who prefers to observe but not interact with the other guests herself. The Day After (2017, 92 min) When a woman discovers a love poem that was written for her husband, she mistakenly believes that the author is her husband’s new secretary. On the Beach at Night Alone (2017, 101 min) After a publicized affair with her director, an actress leaves South Korea and goes to Hamburg, where she gains insight into the meanings of love and identity. My First Film: Live Cinema w/ Zia Anger Anger will offer live-commentary on previously unseen work, by way of a split screen and text edit, as she attempts to recount the stories behind her lost and abandoned work–including her first feature–and her struggles in an industry often hostile to women filmmakers. Southern Documentary Fund Presents Fresh Docs: Black Genius A free, work-in-progress screening of film by Memphis native Kalimah Abioto, who explores the brilliance of Memphis’ people while also confronting gentrification. This portrait of various Memphis black leaders will be presented by the director, and will be followed by a discussion. Southern Food & Music (Dir. Les Blank + Southern Foodways Shorts) From a Labor Day barbeque in Northern Mississippi with drummer Otha Turner to farm cooking with Texas musician Mance Lipscomb, from Louisiana Cajun cuisine to an award winning pastry chef in Alabama, and even a factory farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, this collection of short films by legendary documentarian Les Blank and Ava Lowrey (Southern Foodways) explores the intersection of music and food in the South. Blues Legend Otha Turner’s Truly Southern Barbecue (Ava Lowrey, 2016, 6 min) A Well Spent Life (Les Blank, 1971, 44 min) Yum! Yum! Yum! A Taste of Cajun and Creole Cooking of Louisiana (Les Blank, 1990, 31 min) Dol (Ava Lowrey, 2018, 6 min) Chicken Real (Les Blank, 1970, 23 min) WANDA (Dir. Barbara Loden) This 1970 independent film was written and directed by actress Barbara Loden, who also plays the title role. Wanda is an abused woman who turns to a life of crime, where she finds more abuse from men. Loden stated she was inspired to write it after reading a newspaper report that a woman had thanked a judge after he sentenced her to prison. Introduced by filmmaker and actress Amy Seimetz (Showtime’s “The Girlfriend Experience”). 1970, 102 min, Drama

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  • ‘FOR IZZY,’ ‘CALL HER GANDA,’ ‘PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE’ ‘WARU’ Take Top Awards at 34th LA Asian Pacific Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_29067" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]FOR IZZY FOR IZZY[/caption] The 34th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) announced their filmmaker awards, and “FOR IZZY,” written and directed by Alex Chu, was awarded the LAAPFF Grand Jury Prize for Outstanding North American Narrative Feature, while the Best Director honor for North American Narrative went to Joanne Park for her film “FISH BONES.” Actress Adelina Amosco was selected for a Special Jury prize for Breakout Performance for her work in “THE FEVER AND THE FRET.” A Special Jury prize for Best Cinematography was awarded to Eunsoo Cho for lensing “AUGUST AT AKIKO’S.” In the non-fiction feature section, “CALL HER GANDA” directed by PJ Raval took home the Grand Jury Prize for Outstanding North American Documentary Feature, and Best Director was given to Bing Liu for his personal film “MINDING THE GAP.” The jury gave a Special Jury Mention to “ANOTE’S ARK” from director Matthieu Rytz and honored Nathan Fitch for Best Cinematography for his work on “ISLAND SOLDIER.” The jury awarded the Best Editing Award to Alejandro Valdes-Rochin and Tom Maroney for their outstanding work on “SCIENCE FAIR.” This year, LAAPFF also recognized outstanding international films. In the International Narrative Competition, the Grand Jury Prize for Outstanding International Narrative Feature went to “WARU” co-directed by a group of all female directors – Chelsea Cohen, Ainsley Gardiner, Casey Kaa, Renae Maihi, Awanui Simich-Pene, Briar Grace- Semith, Paula Whetu and Katie Wolfe. The Best Director Award went to Caylee So and Visal Sok for “IN THE LIFE OF MUSIC,” and a Special Jury Mention was awarded to “KISS & SPELL,” directed by the late Stephane Gauger. The Best Acting Award in this competition was given to Timothy Castillo for his performance in “NEOMANILA.” In the International Documentary Feature competition, the jury awarded the Grand Jury Prize for Outstanding International Documentary Feature to “PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE,” directed by Hao Wu. The Special Jury Prize for Best Director was bestowed on Jin Jeon and Moon Chang-Yang for their film “BECOMING WHO I WAS.” That same film and those filmmakers were also given the Best Cinematography Award, and the award for Best Editing was given to Hyewon Jee and Wongjung Bae for “SINGING WITH ANGRY BIRD.” This year, the jury created and gave a Special Jury Mention for Most Urgent and Cautionary Film to “THE CLEANERS,” directed by Hans Block and Moritz Riesewieck. LAAPFF is proud to be an Academy Award® qualifying Festival for the Short Film Awards. Recipient(s) of the Film Festival’s Golden Reel Award for Narrative Short Film will be eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film/Live-Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards®. The film that won this year’s Golden Reel Award and is now eligible to qualify in the Animated Short Film/Live-Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards® is “SILENCE (MAUN),” directed by Priyanka Singh. The jury also gave out a Special Jury Prize for Excellence in Directing to Paris Zarcilla for “POMMEL.” The Golden Reel for Outstanding Documentary Short Film went to “THREE BOYS MANZANAR,” directed by Preeti Deb. The annual Linda Mabalot New Directors/New Visions Award went to director Georgia Fu for her film “MISS WORLD,” presented for demonstrating an innovative and creative use of cinematic language. “Our artists and their films were amazing this year,” said Francis Cullado, Executive Director of Visual Communications. “Their stories and their craftsmanship raised the bar. The dialogue, conversations, and resource-sharing that took place during our panels and presentations were on point and timely. This Festival is once again a great signifier of what is coming and our artists are ready and at the forefront of this sea of change with their films and projects. I’m grateful to them for making cultural connections with all of our communities.” The 34th LAAPFF continues on Friday, May 11 with a free outdoor screening of the Disney® classic animated film “MULAN” in the Park Center at Griffith Park. It will culminate with the Visual Communications Gala PAST//FORWARD: COMING HOME on Saturday, May 12, 2018 to celebrate the organization’s upcoming 50th anniversary in 2020, honoring Doug Aihara, Renee Tajima-Peña, and Comcast NBCUniversal.

    34th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival Award Winners

    NORTH AMERICAN NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION AWARDS

    Grand Jury Award: FOR IZZY, Directed by Alex Chu Best Director: Joanne Park, FISHBONES Breakout Performance: Adelina Amosco, THE FEVER & THE FRET Best Cinematography: Eunsoo Cho, AUGUST AT AKIKO’S

    NORTH AMERICAN DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION AWARDS

    [caption id="attachment_29069" align="aligncenter" width="975"]CALL HER GANDA CALL HER GANDA[/caption] Grand Jury Award: CALL HER GANDA, Directed by PJ Raval Best Director: Bing Liu, MINDING THE GAP Special Mention: ANOTE’S ARK, Directed by Matthieu Rytz Best Editing: Alejandro Valdes-Rochin & Tom Maroney, SCIENCE FAIR Best Cinematography: Nathan Fitch, ISLAND SOLDIER

    INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION AWARDS

    Grand Jury Award: PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE, Directed by Hao Wu Best Director: Jin Jeon & Moon Chang-Yong, BECOMING WHO I WAS Best Editing: Hyewon Jee & Wonjung Bae, SINGING WITH ANGRY BIRD Best Cinematography: Jeon Jin & Moon Chang-yong, BECOMING WHO I WAS Special Jury Mention – Most Urgent and Cautionary Film: THE CLEANERS, Directed by Hans Block & Moritz Riesewieck

    INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE COMPETITION AWARDS

    Grand Jury Award WARU, Directed by Chelsea Cohen, Ainsley Gardiner, Casey Kaa, Renae Maihi, Awanui Simich-Pene, Briar Grace-Smith, Paula Whetu & Katie Wolfe Best Director: Caylee So & Visal Sok, IN THE LIFE OF MUSIC Best Actor: Timothy Castillo, NEOMANILA Special Mention: KISS & SPELL, Directed by Stephane Gauger

    SHORTS NARRATIVE COMPETITION AWARDS

    Golden Reel Award (Excellence in Narrative/Animated Short Film): SILENCE (MAUN), Directed by Priyanka Singh Special Jury Prize for Excellence in Directing: Paris Zarcilla, POMMEL

    SHORTS DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION AWARDS

    Golden Reel Award (Excellence in Documentary Short Film): THREE BOYS MANZANAR, Directed by Preeti Deb

    LINDA MABALOT NEW DIRECTORS/NEW VISIONS AWARD

    Linda Mabalot New Directors/New Visions Award (Innovative Use of Cinematic Language): MISS WORLD, Directed by Georgia Fu

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  • 48 Feature Films Selected for Bright Future Main Program at 2018 International Film Festival Rotterdam

    [caption id="attachment_26231" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]Impermanence Impermanence[/caption] International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) has selected 48 feature film titles for its Bright Future Main Program dedicated to young, emerging film talent. Within this line-up, all feature-length film debuts that are a world or international premiere in Rotterdam are eligible for the Bright Future Award, worth €10,000. Many of them are world premieres. In Impermanence by young Chinese filmmaker Zeng Zeng, three fascinating lost souls – a monk, an innkeeper and a father who has lost his son – are brought together by fate. The German film Ella und Nell by Aline Chukwuedo follows two Berlin women on a hike in the woods. August at Akiko’s is Christopher Makoto Yogi’s dreamy debut about a musician who returns to Hawaii trying to find his ‘ha’`– the spirit that links him to his birthplace. Other nominated world premieres include the harrowing Counting Tiles by Lebanese filmmaker Cynthia Choucair, following a group of clowns who set off for the island of Lesbos to deliver laughter to refugees; The Heart by Swedish filmmaker Fanni Metelius about an invisible conflict stirring between the sheets of two lovers (“If you love me then fuck me!”); and the Egyptian film Poisonous Roses by Ahmed Fawzi Saleh, in which a young man dreams of a life beyond his tannery job in the slums. Also in competition: Argentinian filmmaker Gustavo Biazzi’s charming and melancholy coming-of-ager Los vagos. Other world premieres in the Bright Future Main Program include YEAH by Japanese filmmaker Suzuki Yohei; Jonaki by celebrated Indian filmmaker Aditya Vikram Sengupta, whose Labour of Love screened at IFFR 2015; Permanent Green Light by Dennis Cooper and Zac Farley, about a teenager obsessed with the idea of blowing himself up in public; and La estrella errante by Spanish filmmaker Alberto Gracia about the wandering front man of a Galician underground punk band. Gracia won the FIPRESCI Award with his feature debut The Fifth Gospel of Kaspar Hauser at IFFR 2013.

    Bright Future Competition

    August at Akiko’s, Christopher Makoto Yogi, USA, 2018, world premiere Musician Alex Zhang Hungtai returns to Hawai‘i after years abroad. His search for home and roots intensifies when he forms a bond with local kupuna Akiko. Azougue Nazaré/Azougue Nazareth, Tiago Melo, Brazil, 2018, world premiere In the sugarcane country of North East Brazil, where Evangelicalism is on the rise, people start to disappear and other strange things start to happen as Maracatu carnival season gets underway. The Bangle Seller, Ere Gowda, India, 2018, world premiere In a small Indian village, Kempanna and his wife Saubaghya are unable to conceive. A scandal seems imminent. Counting Tiles, Cynthia Choucair, Lebanon , 2018, world premiere A group of clowns travel to the Greek island of Lesvos on a mission to bring laughter to the many people escaping war in February 2016. Ella und Nell/Ella & Nell, Aline Chukwuedo, Germany, 2018, world premiere Ella and Nell used to be best friends. Now grown apart and in their forties, they set out on a hike in order to reconnect. The mood changes as old wounds are reopened. The Heart, Fanni Metelius, Sweden, 2018, world premiere Mika and Tesfay. She’s a photographer. He’s a musician. Both are up-and-coming. The first true romance. But an invisible conflict, an unnameable shame, stirs between their sheets. Impermanence, Zeng Zeng, China, 2018, world premiere Fate brings together three fascinating lost souls – a monk with a sack of money, an innkeeper with a heavy conscience and a father who’s lost his son – in young Chinese director Zeng Zeng’s mysterious tale of guilt, punishment and ambiguous redemption. Poisonous Roses, Ahmed Fawzi Saleh, Egypt/France, 2018, world premiere Saqr dreams of a life beyond his tannery job in the slums, but his love for the sister he would leave behind keeps him tied there. Their Remaining Journey, John Clang, Singapore/USA/Taiwan, 2018, world premiere A tale of reincarnation unfolds through the stories of a dead actress, an ex-mistress and an unfaithful husband, somewhere between New York and Singapore. La torre/Tower, Sebastián Múnera, Colombia/Mexico, 2018, world premiere On March 17, 2004 an explosive device was activated at the Piloto Public Library in Medellín, where much of the photographic archive of Colombian history is kept. A photograph is the only evidence of this barbarism. Los vagos/Bums, Gustavo Biazzi, Argentina, 2017, international premiere High school sweethearts Ernesto and Paula return to their hometown, Misiones, for the summer. Ernesto’s rekindled friendship with los vagos (‘the bums’) triggers upheaval for the pair.

    Bright Future premieres

    Ambiguous Places, Ikeda Akira, Japan, 2017, international premiere A series of odd and mysterious dramas unfolds against ordinary backdrops in this new film from Tiger Award winner Ikeda. Blockage, Mohsen Gharaei, Iran, 2017, European premiere Fired from his job at the municipality for making deals on the side, Ghasem is forced to make changes. While is he making plans for his wife’s inheritance, a completely new opportunity arises. La estrella errante/Wandering Star, Alberto Gracia, Spain, 2018, world premiere The punk band Los Fiambres released one cult album in 1984. More than thirty years later, their lead singer, Rober Perdut, wanders around his Galician hometown in this sensory, melancholic film. Hit the Night, Jeong Gayoung, South Korea, 2017, international premiere Under the pretence of research, Ga-yeong pries into the personal and sexual life of a new acquaintance. Despite having a girlfriend, the acquaintance willingly participates. Is he unaware of her desire, or just impressed by her line of questioning? Inferninho/My Own Private Hell, Guto Parente, Pedro Diógenes, Brazil, 2018, world premiere In a bar called Inferninho, the staff dream of escape. A handsome sailor with a dream of finding home arrives. Jonaki, Aditya Vikram Sengupta, India/France/Singapore, 2018, world premiere While Jonaki, an 80-year-old woman, searches for love in a strange world of decaying memories, her lover, now old and grey, returns to a world she is leaving behind. The Pain of Others, Penny Lane, USA, 2018, world premiere A found-footage documentary about Morgellons, a mysterious illness whose sufferers say they have parasites under the skin and a host of other bizarre symptoms that could be taken from a horror film. Permanent Green Light, Dennis Cooper/Zac Farley, France, 2018, world premiere A young disabled guy wants to explode in public. He’s not suicidal or an extremist, he’s purely interested in this act’s effect. That he’ll die is unimportant, he just doesn’t want people to misinterpret the event. Sol alegria, Tavinho Teixeira, Brazil, 2018, world premiere An eccentric family on a mission travel through dictatorial Brazil to save humanity from annihilation. Cheerfully nihilistic film trip takes us past a colourful parade of sailors, whores, generals, corrupt priests and trigger-happy nuns. YEAH, Suzuki Yohei, Japan, 2018, world premiere A young woman, Ako, wanders around a sparsely populated housing estate in a rural city, Mito, where she spends her time speaking to objects and plants.

    Confirmed for Bright Future

    The Gulf, Emre Yeksan, Turkey/Germany/Greece, 2017 Leaving behind a ruined career and a bitter divorce, Selim returns to his hometown, Izmir. While wandering the city he runs into an old friend and finds himself gradually drawn into a new world. Those Who Are Fine, Cyril Schäublin, Switzerland, 2017 Using skills gained working in a call centre, Alice makes a sinister income posing as the granddaughter of Zurich’s many lonely grandmothers. Previously announced titles in the Bright Future Main Program

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