WORLD CUP SEMI-FINAL LINE-UP: CHINA V JAPAN

(since we are all full of questions)

When will the WC page be updated, and when will the site provide some God damn publicity for the greatest thing going on right now!?

I think they must be having problems to get hold of the remaining film stills some of which can´t be find online in the right format. It would be nice if those who own a print version of any 1/2 films that aren´t in the database could send a still to T, Efe or support so that they might be able to upload the page. And I don´t know why the thread didn´t appear in the world cup section, hopefully it´s going to be included soon.

I’ve just received the last needed playlist from Myra, and streaming links to watch all six films (free, for non-commercial use, naturally) in the China/Japan battle are now on my profile. Myra also sends apologies for the image quality of Two Stage Sisters. The Xie Jin film has been difficult to find at all for us North Americans. Even her own Chinese copy has colo(u)r issues and may not reflect the trademark operatic lushness of Xie as much as we could hope. But I think it looks pretty good myself. And tomorrow, I’ll be sure to have the exciting, unpredictable India-Africa links up too. Right now you can enjoy several films which even festivalgoers in L.A. are unlikely to see anytime soon from China and Japan. Yuan’s Scenes of City Life is public-domain, too. :)

Off topic: Myra managed, against the odds of a broken DVD player and slow Internet service, to upload for us Hou’s extremely-hard-to-find-for-norteamericanos A Summer at Grandpa’s_, which she says is her favo(u)rite Hou film- the highest recommendation. Just in case anyone besides me is unlucky enough not to have seen it yet, or anyone feels like spending some beautiful moments with Hou to remember the fallen comrades of Team Taiwan… please enjoy responsibly.list?p=8F1312DA7D2E5794

“to upload for us Hou’s extremely-hard-to-find-for-norteamericanos A Summer at Grandpa’s”

and for Grecos too Paul ;)

That goes for us Pacific Islander’s too Dimitris. Thanks Paul.

Regarding picking “After the Rain”

People on the Bridge
-———— Wisława Szymborska

Strange planet and strange people on it.
They yield to time, but they don’t want to recognize time.
They have their ways of expressing resistance.
They make pictures such as this:

Nothing in particular at first glance.
One can see water,
one river bank,
a narrow boat strenuously moving upstream.

One can see a bridge over the water
and people on the bridge.
People are clearly picking up the pace,
as rain starts whipping down from a dark cloud.

The point is, nothing happens further.
The cloud changes neither shape nor color.
The rain neither stops nor picks up.
The boat moves without moving.
The people on the bridge run
precisely where they ran before.

It is hard to get by without a commentary:
This is not an innocent picture.
Time was stopped here,
its laws no longer consulted.
It was denied impact on the developing events,
disregarded and dishonored.

Thanks to a rebel,
one Hiroshige Utagava
(a being who, by the way,
passed away, as is proper, long ago)
time stumbled and fell.

Perhaps it is only a prank without much meaning,
a whim on the scale of just a few galaxies,
but in any case
let’s add what happens next:

Here it is considered in good taste
to hold this painting in high esteem,
to praise it and be greatly moved by it for generations.

For some, even this is not enough.
They hear the patter of rain,
feel the chill of raindrops on necks and shoulders,
they look at the bridge and people
as if they saw themselves there, in that never ending race
along the endless road, to be traveled for eternity
and they have the audacity to believe
that it is real.

ah very interesting, i’ve not read that before but i know the Hiroshige print from his 100 views of Edo (maybe his most famous, and copid by Van Gogh)- he’s great at capturing rain and snow in prints. I like the nature, the sounds and music as well as the greenery in After the Rain.

I hope Two Stage Sisters doesn’t suffer too much with loss of its fresh colours. Big thanks once again to Marvellous Myra (stepping into the ring as fearsome an opponent as Marvellous Marvin Hagler) for all her sterling work with uploads and her wonderful channels. Yes, i look forward to seeing the Hou film

My two favorite Japanese films of all time in the lineup. I may have to vote in this one.

from what you’ve just said, i think you should yes!

i’ve sent Efe a list again of the remaining films not in database, but yes if we can send some decent images- check the size wanted with him or T- then that would help. The missing films are listed on the World Cup Films list

i know this may sound somehow typical but i fear this game will have a larger attendance than the India vs Africa one.

i fear because once again,a team Africa match will receive a low average of attendance just like it happened in most rounds so far! (India’s were 50-50 until the Germany match)

ANNOUNCEMENT

Both semi-finals will now be played from 15th-16th December. Selections for the final must be in by 3pm GMT,17th December. The final wil kick off on 21st or 22nd Dec, finishing the next day (to be decided later)

Now I finished seeing all films of the Cina versus japan first semi final. Only one pairing is easy to vote for me, the other two pairings will be very tight, if I ever will come to a choice in this life.

>Only one pairing is easy to vote for me

This, right? – Scenes of City Life (Yuan Muzhi) v Sound of the Mountain (Naruse)

Just saw the first part of Scenes of City Life. Very interesting sound effects so far! Not sure how easy it is to vote against Sound of the Mountain though but will watch more to find out!

the “easiest” pairing by far is Two Stage Sisters vs After the Rain.

both films draw in a certain momentum,a tranquility at times,particularly in Koizumi’s pallet,and Xie loves manipulating characters…
so i won’t reveal my vote until the matches set-off,har har har.

Well i’m expecting that to be the crucial pairing, and both something of an unknown quantity for many, so it’s all mysterious and nail-biting. Anyway, i hope you liked Miyazaki in it, Dimitris (Yoshiko not Hayao that is)- don’t answer that at this stage

You should give people until December 26th to vote on the final; a lot of people will up to their eyes in turkey and mulled wine. Those few days before Christmas Day are killer busy for a lot of us (I would imagine).

Well, I can imagine that it would be even more difficult for most to watch the selected films between December 24th and 26th, so that the additional time wouldn´t really help. We´re now allowing a viewing time between December 17th and 22nd for the finals (a total of 6 films out of which some people may have even seen the half before), so I think that voters should be able to manage.

Just a bump to remind everyone that both WC semifinal matches will be voted on over two days, 15th and 16th. Please watch these 6 gems from East Asia in between your shopping sessions and vote!

If Japan advances, I hope to see Pom Poko in the final. :P

You´re not the only one who hopes that, Paul.