By Liza Foreman GRAND PLANS FOR OKINAWA: AMERICAN BASES TO BECOMEPOSSIBLE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY VILLAGES?   OKINAWA They say that laughter is the best medicine and thepeople of Okinawa should know. The southern outpost of Japan is famous for the longevityof its inhabitants, many of whom flocked to the 4th OkinawaInternational Movie Festival (March 24 – March 31, 2012), where the core themeswere laughter and peace. The peace section is for good reason. Here o...

Hitoshi Matsumoto on the set of Scabbard Samurai Hitoshi Matsumoto on the set of Scabbard Samurai The film, starring newcomer Takaaki Nomi and Jun Kunimura (Kill Bill: Vol. 1), is produced by Yoshimoto Kogyo, Kyoraku Sangyo and Phantom Film, and goes on theatrical release in Japan next June 11. Highlighting the occasion of the premiere, Festival del film Locarno will pay tribute to Hitoshi Matsumoto with screenings of the director’s two other features to date, Big Man Jap...

Hitoshi Matsumoto's 2nd Midnight Madness film is decidedly amazing and absolutely, without a doubt, hilarious. MIDNIGHT MADNESS! ...

This popular, iconoclastic midnight programme highlights the weird and the wonderful including thrillers, chillers and rockumentaries from directors who prefer to work in genres not usually seen in a festival context. 2007 Programme DAINIPPONJIN Hitoshi Matsumoto THE DEVIL'S CHAIR Adam Mason FLASH POINT Wilson Yip FRONTIÈRES Xavier Gens GEORGE A. ROMERO'S DIARY OF THE DEAD George A. Romero À L'INTÉRIEUR Alexandre Bustillo, Julien Maury STU...