Main Cast Announced Omnibus Film Production Project

The Japan Foundation Asia Center and the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) jointly launched the omnibus film co-production project Asian Three-Fold Mirror in 2014, to deepen interactions between neighboring countries within Asia, as well as enriching cultural understanding and providing chance for people to search identity and ways of life as individuals in Asia.

Three directors selected for its first implementation, Brillante Ma. Mendoza (Philippines), Isao Yukisada (Japan), and Sotho Kulikar (Cambodia), announced the synopses of their productions and their main cast. Having actors represent their own countries, the directors will portray life stories of people in Japan, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Malaysia under the theme “Live together in Asia.”

The omnibus film will have its world premiere at the 29th edition of the Tokyo International Film Festival, held from October 25 to November 3, 2016, and will then hopefully be shown on the international film festivals.
All shootings will be completed by the end of April 2016, and then the three directors will work at Imagica South East Asia in Malaysia during post-production of their films.

■Episode directed by Brillante Ma. Mendoza

Lou Veloso (Philippines)
Photo:Troy Espiritu

Lou Veloso is a Filipino actor, comedian, director and politician. He is known for his supporting roles in over 30 popular comedy films. In 2009, Veloso appeared in Colorum which earned him nominations for numerous awards and won for five other Best Actor awards including at FAMAS (The Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards) and the Brussels International Independent Film Festival. Veloso also established a community theatre in Santa Ana, Manila where he teaches professionals, dropout students, and children who want to be actors. In 2010, Veloso received the Lou Salvador Sr. Memorial Award from FAMAS for his great career and astounding comedic prowess on screen and in 2012, he achieved even greater success when he appeared in the Hollywood film The Bourne Legacy. Veloso has worked with director Brillante Ma.Mendoza in Kinatay (2009) and Mendoza’s latest feature film, Trap (2015).Comment:
I am proud to participate in theAsian Three-Fold Mirror Project, and am especially happy to come to Japan, where the landscapes have beauty and discipline. It is my favorite country.

■Episode directed by Isao Yukisada

TSUGAWA Masahiko (Japan)

Born in Kyoto in 1940. Tsugawa made his debut in 1956, starring in a Nikkatsu film Crazed Fruit directed by Ko Nakahira. He is known for his wide range portraying both leading men and villains, appearing in works including Kichitaro Negishi’s Hitohira no Yuki (1985), Juzo Itami’s A Taxing Woman (1987), Kaneto Shindo’s The Strange Tale of Oyuki (1992), Kinji Fukasaku’s Crest of Betrayal (1994), Shunya Ito’s Pride (1998), and Momoko Ando’s 0.5 mm (2014).

Comment:
It’s a wonderful script. I think it depicts a wonderful contrast between the way of the pigeon and the way of the old man. In the end, the old man entrusts the pigeon with everything. Whether the pigeon will meet the old man’s expectations is for everyone to see.

NAGASE Masatoshi (Japan)

Nagase is a Japanese actor and best known in the West for his roles in Jim Jarmusch's Mystery Train (1989) and Fridrik Thor Fridriksson's Cold Fever (1995). Nagase has also starred in films such as Sion Sono's Suicide Club (2001), Shinji Aoyama's Mike Yokohama: A Forest with No Name (2002), Yoji Yamada's The Hidden Blade (2004), and Naomi Kawase’s An (2015).

Sharifah Amani (Malaysia)

Sharifah Amani is an award-winning Malaysian actress, director, and writer, and is best known as the late famed Malaysian film director Yasmin Ahmad's muse in Sepet(2004), Gubra(2006), Mukhsin(2006) and Muallaf(2007). Amani's film roles also include Psiko : Thief of Hearts (Dir: Namron), which won her third Best Actress award after Gubra and Muallaf; Terbaik Dari Langit(2009) and the yet to be released, Pekak. She has also starred in a Japanese film, Redemption Night(2013), directed by Takato Hosoi.

Comment:
To be part of this short film is such an honor for me. I love Japan and its rich culture. I have been blessed to be able to visit, work, and learn from some wonderful people there. The Japanese people have embraced Yasmin Ahmad films with much love and appreciation. For that I am eternally grateful. It was a pleasure to be part of Redemption Night and I can't wait to be part of Isao Yukisada's Pigeon. May our two countries continue to work together in the future.

■Episode directed by Sotho Kulikar

KATO Masaya (Japan)

Kato started his career as a model for fashion magazine MEN'S NON-NO and the Paris Collection. He has enjoyed a wide-ranging career appearing in numerous television programs, theater productions, and Japanese and international films including Takeshi Kitano’s Brother(2000), Takashi Miike’s Agitator(2002), Tung-Shing Yee’s Shinjuku Incident(2009), Gordon Chan’s Okinawa Rendez-vous(2000), and Christophe Gans’ Crying Freeman(1996). The latest film he appears, Takashi Miike’s Terra Formars, will be released in April 2016.

Comment:
I am very happy to have the opportunity to team up with a Cambodian filmmaker for the first time. I hope to bring a certain pathos and sadness to Sotho Kulikar’s film as she brings her unique vision to a story about two lovers of different countries and tongues. Much like Fukuda, the protagonist in the film, I shall strive to build a bridge of friendship between the filmmaking communities of Japan, Cambodia, and Asia through this endeavor. I am already looking forward to working on set with our Cambodian crew.

Chumvan Sodhachivy (Cambodia)
Photo by Takahiro Watanabe

Sodhachivy began practicing Cambodian classical dance in 1994 focusing mainly on the male role of the all-female classical court form but is also proficient in Cambodian folk dance and shadow puppetry. She was accepted into Robert Wilson’s Watermill Center 2006 International SummerArts Program. Since then, Sodhachivy has participated in numerous contemporary dance workshops around the world and has been a featured dancer in works toured internationally. Sodhachivy has choreographed many of her own works and most recently was a featured dancer in Stravinsky’s Persephone directed by Peter Sellars at the Teatro Real in Madrid.

Comment:
It is a great thrill and honor to have this opportunity to play in the international film. As a Cambodian classical and contemporary dancer, I feel this story is somewhat connected to my life, as we can see a piece of Khmer history that formed our today. I will be playing a strong Cambodian woman who is a genuine Khmer that knows the beauty of her own country and the significance art has in our world.

Main Cast Announced Omnibus Film Production Project "Asian Three-Fold Mirror 2016"

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