On Friday I was able to go to the opening night of the Shinsedai Cinema Festival held at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.  The movie started at 7pm but I arrived at 6:35 because I was told that there would be a small reception starting at 6pm with drinks and appetizers.  The tickets to the show were 12 dollars but I was able to get in for free because a friend of mine got a few of us free tickets to the show.  Upon arrival I received two tickets for 2 alcoholic beverages (CrazyC would probably have thought of what I thought of – going back to get more tickets for alcohol because the ticket was not stapped or ripped to show that you received tickets).   There were some sushi rolls (2 per plate), edamae and seaweed salad.  I got there around 6:30 and the food was gone by 6:35.  If you plan to go to the festival next year go earlier in order to get your free appetizers. 

At 7pm the doors opened to the Kobayashi Hall, the screen and the risers were set up for the movie.  Two Subaru cars were placed in the front as well.  The hall was surprisingly nicely set up.  The movie I saw was titled “Kakera: A Piece of Our Life”.  It is around a university student (girl) who meets a young lady who tells her that she’s not interested in women but is interested in certain people.  The young lady is a lesbian while the university student has lost her way with having a boyfriend who is the stereotypical Japanese man and is curious with her sexuality.  All of my friends did not enjoy the movie.  The lesbian was desperately in love with a straight girl trying to convert her and was acting like a stalker.  The university girl was quite confused like a high school teenager.  The movie was slow paced.  This is a low budget film and the actors were all wearing the same clothes every single day.  Some of my comments from my friends were “I want 2 hours of my life back!” “Is that why they served alcoholic beverages?” “If that is the best movie of the festival I don’t want to see another”.  Although the movie was not the best I would recommend supporting up and coming directors and film makers. 

At the end of the movie the director of the movie Momoko Ando flew in from Japan and she spoke to us about the movie and she also had a question and answer period.  She also talked about James Iha (previously in the band The Smashing Pumpkins) was in charge of the music in the movie. 

For a free night of 2 alcoholic beverages and some appetizers, well worth it if you have nothing to do.