Making a splash in Okinawa

Vimukthi Jayasundera pitches CIFF at Okinawa Film Festival:

The seventh Okinawa International Movie Festival was held in Okinawa recently against the backdrop of its turquoise blue ocean and skies that symbol the beauty of the southernmost island archipelago of Japan.

This year, the four-day event screened movies and events with a special focus on Asian productions and artistes, a thrust that represents the growing presence of the Yoshimoto Kogyou company, the main sponsor of the festival, in the Asia.

Yoshimoto Kogyou is a leading entertainment company in Japan and produces top class comedians and entertainment, including television shows and films, for more than a century. Gracing the event in Okinawa was internationally well known Sri Lankan film director, Vimukthi Jayasundera, who was invited to present the Sri Lankan film industry and plans for the second Colombo International Film Festival (CIFF) scheduled to be held in September this year. Vimukthi is the current head of the Sri Lanka Film Directors Guild.

"The CIFF this year is part of a new chapter in the country. Against a new political landscape in Sri Lanka we hope to make the event a landmark in the South Asian film world by inviting premier films and artistes from the region," he told the Japanese and international audience in Okinawa. CIFF is poised to be a new landmark in Yoshimoto's expanding Asian strategy. Yoshimoto, the main sponsor of the CIFF last year, has also plans to be involved this year.

The company together with other established Japanese businesses is already an important player in China and Taiwan. Recently it has launched new ventures in South East Asian countries such as Thailand and Indonesia to build a dynamic local entertainment industry. For example, collaboration with companies in those countries target local malls and cinemas in cities have already started. On the cultural front, Yoshimoto comedians plan to spend more than a year with youth in Asia to share comedy development in the countries.

Yet another important project is Yoshimoto's role in the Tokyo sponsored Cool Japan initiative that aims to spread Japanese soft power such as its popular animation and fashion in Asia.

"Sri Lanka can be a crucial gateway to expose Japanese entertainment and youth power in South Asia.

"Moreover, given the island's natural beauty that is shared with Okinawa, we look forward to planning CIFF together again," explained Hiroshi Osaki, managing director of Yoshimoto Kogyo Company.