vlad.tribnet.com / Issue #527 / Arts and Ideas / Reading article...

125 films from 21 countries will be featured at the upcoming fourth International Pacific Meridian Film Festival to be held in Vladivostok at the end of August, a press statement from the festival organizing committee reported.

The annual festival, scheduled from August 25 - 31, will include a greater number of films as compared to the last year’s event.

The movies, chosen by the committee, include works of various genres by directors from Australia, S. Korea, China, USA, Japan, Thailand, Canada, Singapore, New Zealand, India, Germany and others.

The festival’s contest agenda will feature 12 full-length and nine short movies by filmmakers from 15 countries, the genres varying from drama to comedy. Russia will introduce two full-length movies, which were chosen by the committee out of 67 films by Russian directors.

Along with the scheduled films, the audience will see works by both Russian and foreign noted and new directors shown in ten non-competitive programs, such as ‘Panorama’, ‘Russia’s Cinema’, ‘Canada’s Cinema Today’ and others.

Among the non-contest programs are ‘Electric Shadows – China In Focus’ featuring movies by Chinese filmmakers, and ‘In Short’ which will introduce short-length films by directors from different countries. The program ‘Retrospective’ which will present classic movies by renowned American actor and director Charlie Chaplin will be displayed as well as films by the noted Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-Hsien.

The program ‘Special Event’ will feature the documentary ‘The Last Leopard’ made by Japanese director Tatsuhiko Kobayashi. The documentary was filmed in Primorye’s Khasansky County over a two year period.

The jury, consisting of members from Canada, Australia, Thailand and China, will be headed by Russia’s director and scriptwriter Ivan Dykhovichny. Russian actor Sergei Stepanchenko was chosen this year’s festival president.

The Pacific Meridian Film Fest prizes total $105,000, a press statement from the region’s administration said.

The festival, initiated by Primorye Governor Sergei Darkin, the honored president and chairman of the organizing committee, is coordinated with assistance from Russia’s Ministry of Culture and Russia’s Cinematographers Association.

Pacific Meridian was first held in September 2003 and since then has become a regular and enjoyable experience for both local residents and movie professionals. Last year, the festival’s grand prize went to the Peruvian movie 'Dias De Santiago' ('Days of Santiago') directed by Josue Mendez.