The Zipangu Fest Welcomes CUEAFS

Director Tetsuaki Matsue (right) and his interpreter

A night of live Japanese music and two documentaries welcomed the Coventry University East Asian Film Society in Cafe 1001 in Brick Lane, London this Thursday, November 25th. The event was part of the Zipangu Film Festival, organised by Japanese film expert Mr. Jasper Sharp, which launched its first ever edition on Tuesday.

The night was dedicated to Japanese music and the first film, Rock Tanjo: The Movement 70s by director Akihiro Morakane had its UK premiere. The film depicts the birth of Japanese New Rock movement in the 70s and includes appearances by major figures from that period, such as Yuya Uchida – Japanese actor and musician, who worked with the Beatles, Frank Zappa and in his solo career produced the Flower Travellin’ Band. Writes Antoniya Petkova…

Filming of the interview

Kanta Maeno and Yuki Yoshida

Among the celebrity guests to the event was director Tetsuaki Matsue, whose first documentary, an autobiographical film called Annyong Kimchee was screened in Coventry University just a month ago. His documentary Live Tape, telling the story of the “Bob Dylan of Japan” – a Japanese street musician Kenta Maeno – was the second UK premiere of the night. The film was an unconventional approach in documentary film-making and was a one tape-one take piece of filming, as the director edited only 10 seconds of the original footage.

After a short question and answer session with Tetsuaki Matsue, the Zipangu Fest organisers had a surprise for the guests – they were filming their own Live Tape, as musician Kenta Maeno entered the venue and began his live set of vibrant rock and folk songs with an accompaniment of the haunting melody of an erhu – a Chinese harp, played by Yuki Yoshida, while being filmed by Matsue.

The CUEAFS Production Team

With a production theme on the scene – two journalists and three photographers – CUEAFS was more than prepared for action. In addition to filming the director’s presentation and the Q&A session, CUEAFS had an interview with Tetsuaki Matsue, conducted by founder Spencer Murphy, and a group picture with the director.

To find out more about CUEAFS’s past and present activities and upcoming events, join the Facebook group CUEAFS and check the official website www.cueafs.com and the YouTube channel www.youtube.com/user/CUEAFS.

Photographs courtesy of Oliver Sharpe and Antoniya Petkova