Japan Film Festival Los Angeles Short Film Screening this Saturday

Source: The Japan America Media Association Special thanks to Andrea Prieto The Japan America Media Association— presenter of Japan Film Festival– Los Angeles 2009— in conjunction with Royal/T Café, a fusion café/shop/art space, will present the Special Short Film Screening. Featuring Japanese culture and young Japanese filmmakers, this event is set to take place Saturday, March 14th at Royal/T Café in Culver City, starting at 7pm (8910 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232); admission is $5. Japan Film Festival–Los Angeles 2009 (JFFLA) sent out the call for submissions in January and more than 30 films have been submitted. JFFLA aims to support young filmmakers, full of potential, by offering opportunities for their films to be shown in the center of the entertainment industry—Los Angeles. All of the submitted films were either directed, produced, or written by Japanese filmmakers, or the theme was related to Japan if the filmmakers were not Japanese. JFFLAs goal is to enlighten the Los Angeles community to Japanese traditions, modern culture and subculture, and encourage an open communication between American and Japanese society. The organizers will be screening 3 shorts; RIVER, THE FIARY OF DOROBO and ROSE-COLORED FREEWAY. The audience will vote for their favorite and the winner will be screened at this years festival. They will also be showing THE 8TH SAMURAI, which was very popular at the Butterfly Event Screening on March 1st. It recently won 3 awards at the Show Off Your Shorts Film Festival 2009; Best Student Film, Best Director and Best Actor. About Royal/T Café Royal/T, the stunning new Culver City concept store fusing art exhibitions, unique retail, and the first Japanese inspired “cosplay” café in Los Angeles County, previewed to a glowing reception in October 2007. The concept store and art space has been open to the public since December 2007, and the café opened April 12, 2008. The inaugural exhibition, Just Love Me, examined cuteness in contemporary art with works by Japanese artists including Takashi Murakami and Yoshitomo Nara as well as recognized international artists. The concept for the Royal/T shop is Kawaii Kills, which explores the notion of the overwhelmingly “kawaii” (cute) and its transformation via excess to the grotesque. The Royal/T Café takes direction from maid cafes popular in Tokyo’s Akihabara district and follows the trend of “cosplay” (costume play). Royal/T servers are dressed in Akihabara-style maid costumes, with a Lolita-esque touch. The menu is Japanese comfort food and beverages with a healthy twist for California audiences. For more information, please visit royal-t.org.