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The News
from DIGITAL MEME
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| 03-11 March, 2011 |
Australia
Silent Film Screening Tour with live benshi narration
Starting at Adelaide Film Festival followed
by 3 more shows at Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra!
All benshi performances by Mr. Ichiro Kataoka
□ 3rd Mar
Adelaide Filml Festival
□ 5th Mar
Melbourne（Australian Centre for the Moving Image)
□ 6th Mar
Sydney Opera House
□ 9th Mar
Canberra (The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia)
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| 21 January 2010 |
Japanese
“Silents”: Benshi Narration of the Sword-Fighting Film Serpent
Indiana University's East Asian Studies Center presented a special
performance of the film "Orochi"
(Serpent), featuring benshi Raiko
Sakamoto, followed by a discussion with CEO Larry Greenberg.
For more information, click
here
Please click here
to
see the flyer.
"Orochi" (Serpent)
[Date&time] 21st Jan 7:00pm
[Place] Room "Fine Arts 015" @ Bloomington Campus, Indiana University
in Bloomington,Indiana (US)
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| 11 December 2009 |
Japanese
Anime Classic Collection was screened at "Nippon Koma Festival 2009"
Japanese
Anime Classic Collection was screened at “
Nippon Koma
Festival
2009” (12.07-12.12) in Lisbon, Portugal.
All the 13 titles from the second disc of Japanese Anime Classic
Collection were screened at Nippon Koma, which features
Japanese Films.
[Date&time] 11th Dec 6:30pm
[Feature Animation 1931～1933]
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| 27 November 2009 |
Japanese
Anime Classic Collection was screened at "19ème Festival de Films
pour Éveiller les Regards"
Anime from
Japanese Anime Classic Collection was screened at a
children's film festival held in Aubervilliers, France, called Festival
de Films
pour
Éveiller les Regards.
[Date&time] Nov. 27, 2009, from 20:30
[The anime below was screened]
Momotaro the Undefeated;
The Stolen Lump;
The Bat;
The
Monkey Sword Masamune;
Tiny
Chibisuke’s Big Adventure;
Swim,
Monkey, Swim!
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| 15 November 2009 |
“Orizuru
Osen” screened in Seattle
Talking Silents 2 “Orizuru
Osen” was screened at SIFF
Cinema in Seattle on 15th, with live music from the Aono
Jikken Ensemble.
Aono Jikken Ensemble is music performance group whose 'main areas of
endeavor are creating innovative new works for the stage and original
live scores for classic Asian silent films'
(from the Aono
Jikken
Ensemble website).
"Orizuru Osen" Nov. 15 / 19:00 @SIFF Cinema
http://www.siff.net/cinema/
For more information, see the website of the Aono
Jikken Ensemble
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29 October,
3 November 2009 |
"Talking
Silents" at VIENNALE 2009
TS1 "Taki
no Shiraito
" and TS2 "Orizuru
Osen" was screened at the 47th annual The Viennale-the
Vienna
International Film Festival.
This film festival has been held since 1960 and is 'one of the oldest
and best-known festivals in the German-speaking world' (from
the
VIENNALE website). We are honored to have our film showed
such a historic event.
The films were screened with benshi narration by Ms. Midori Sawato.
VIENNALE 2009
"Taki no Shiraito" Oct. 29 /15:30 @Stadtkino
http://www.viennale.at/en/programm/filme/3309.shtml
"Orizuru Osen" Nov. 3 /13:00 @Stadtkino
http://www.viennale.at/en/programm/filme/3294.shtml
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| 10 October 2009 |
“Recalling
Kurama Tengu – Live Benshi performance at Takada Sekaikan”
A silent film screening with benshi Mr. Raiko Sakamoto was held in
Jyoetsu, Niigata at the Takada Sekaikan, which will be celebrating its
100th anniversary in 2011. The film title was “ Kurama
Tengu,” one of
the most popular titles from our Talking Silents series. The screening
was organized by the Committee for the Rebirth of Town Theaters.
http://www.baba-law.jp/sekaikan/sakamoto_live.pdf
(Japanese)
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| 5 October 2009 |
Classic
Japanese Anime and Films accompanied by Mr.
Greenberg’s Lecture on “The Roots of Japanese Cinema and Anime
Preserving Katsuben : Unique Performance Art”
CEO Larry Greenberg did a lecture on Japanese silent films, silent
anime, and benshi at the
Culture Club in Muscat, Oman on October 5. The event was organized
by Embassy of Japan in the Sultanate of Oman.
At the lecture, there were screenings of selected animations
from Japanese
Anime Classic Collection and Talking
Silents.
Time: October 5(MON) / 7:00PM START
Place: Cultural Club – Qurm, Muscat
For more details click
here
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| 31 July 2009 |
Japanese
Silent Film Showing & Lecture
at University of the Philippines Film Institute
CEO Larry Greenberg did a lecture on Japanese silent films at the
University of the Philippines on July 31. The event was organized
by The Japan
Foundation, Manila.
At the lecture, there were screening of selected animations
from Japanese
Anime Classic Collection and Talking
Silents 2 & 8: "Orizuru Osen" (The Downfall
of Osen), and "Kodakara Sodo" (Kid Commotion).
Time: July 31(FRI) / 7:00PM START
Place: University of the
Philippines Film Institute
For more details click
here
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| 15 June 2009 |
33rd Katsuben in Gakushikaiza
On June 12, "33rd Katsuben in
Gakushikaiza" was held, a screening
of classic film planned and managed by Digital Meme. Two works were
shown as a special feature on the master director Maurice Tourneur,
"The Last of the Mohicans" and "Trilby." Thanks to everyone who came
out and made the event a huge success!
The event, "Katsuben in Gakushikaiza" has reached the finale on October
30. Thank you all for coming.
Please click
here for a press release about the event.
|
| 31 October 2008 |
Digital Meme’s
collaboration with smart.fm, a website that helps users
learn languages
A
new kind of SNS, smart.fm helps users learn languages for free.
Smart.fm offers online Japanese language courses to
English-speaking users. Digital Meme, with its unique Japanese content,
has provided one of its anime to smart.fm for inclusion in a Japanese
language course. We are keen for users to see our anime as a way to
learn the Japanese language. Right now, a section of “Oira
no Yakyu” (Our Baseball Match), from our Japanese
Anime Classic Collection,
is available on smart.fm. By sharing a venerable animation, our hope is
that users will enjoy experiencing the Japanese culture of that era
while they learn the language.
“Oira no Yakyu” (section only) from the
Japanese Anime Classic Collection:
http://smart.fm/goals/22027-oi-tou-no-yakyuu
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| 22-24 October 2008 |
Digital Meme at TIFFCOM
The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF)
is Japan’s largest film festival. The TIFFCOM content market runs
alongside TIFF, attracting more than 4,000 visitors from 40 countries
and regions. It is a content market that has gained tremendous
attention, both locally and abroad.
Digital Meme has participated in
TIFFCOM from year 2008, where we hope to share the magnificence of
classic
Japanese films with a wider audience while introducing our products and
projects.
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|
| April 1, 2008 |
The spring edition of the Newsletter of the
Friends of Silent Film Association Katsukichi features an article by
Ms. Aya Nagasawa of the Film Department of the Japan Society New York
entitled "Dawn of Japanese Animation: a screening with katsuben by Ms.
Midori Sawato in New York." The newsletter also carries an essay by Ms.
Midori Sawato entitled “My performance in New York.”
Click
here to view the article by Ms. Aya Nagasawa
Click
here to view the essay by Ms. Midori Sawato
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| 13 - 16 Feb 2008 |
Dawn of Japanese Animation
Four days of animations screened with
live benshi narration, at the Japan Society, New York.
The Japan Society, which commemorated its
centenary anniversary in 2007, held various events introducing
Japan. This event, Dawn of Japanese Animation, was held for each
theme below featuring mainly animated films from Japanese
Anime Classic Collection, a DVD collection
released by Digital Meme in 2007. Thirty-eight animated films was
shown at the event and it was the first time ever such a large
number of prewar Japanese animated films is shown overseas. Many of the
featured non-animated films were also never shown overseas and we
received great response for them. Each screening was accompanied
with a live benshi narration by Ms. Midori Sawato.
» 13 February (Wed) 2008 at
7:00
p.m.
PART 1: CHAMBARA ACTION & ADVENTURE
Featured films:
Twelve animations, including Issun-boshi: Chibisuke
Monogatari (Tiny Chibisuke's Big Adventure), Komori
(The Bat), Dobutsu Sumo Taikai (Animal Sumo).
Soutou Ashuragai
(Fighting in Ashura Town)
1938, Daito Eiga
Directed by: Takeshi Yashiro
Starring: Hideto Hayafusa, Kaido Ooka, Momoyo Okawa, Eiichi Takamura,
Mitsuo Matsumura
» 14 February (Thu) 2008 at
7:00
p.m.
PART 2: HORROR & COMEDY
Featured films:
Six animations, including Oira no Yakyu (Our
Baseball Match), Sanko to Tako: Hyakuman-ryo Chinsodo
(Sanko and the Octopus: A Fight Over a Fortune), Dekobo no
Jidosha Ryoko (Dekobo the Big Head's Road Trip), Hinomaru
Taro: Musha Shugyo no Maki (Taro's Early Training Days).
Kodakara Sodo (Kid
Commotion)
1935, Shochiku Kamata Studio
Directed by: Torajiro Saito
Starring: Shigeru Ogura, Yaeko Izumo
» 15 February (Fri) 2008 at
7:00
p.m.
PART 3: PROPAGANDA
Featured films:
Eleven animations, including Kokka Kimigayo (The
National Anthem Kimigayo), Sora no Momotaro
(Momotaro's Sky Adventure), Norakuro Nitohei: Kyoren no
Maki/Enshu no Maki (Private 2nd Class Norakuro), Dobutsu-mura
no Daisodo (The Animal Village in Trouble).
Kenkoku no Haha: Yasukuni Jinja no
Megami (Mother of the Nation)
1936, Godo Eiga
Directed by: Shiro Nakagawa
Starring: Namiko Kawashima, Yasuhisa Takeshita, Kunimatsu Ogawa
» 16
February (Sat) 2008 at 5:00 p.m.
PART 4: MUSIC & DANCE
Featured films:
Nine animations, including Kuro Nyago (The Black
Cat), Kobu-tori (The Stolen Lump), Mura
Matsuri (Harvest Festival), Cho no Sainan
(The Unlucky Butterfly).
Oshidori Utagassen
(Singing Lovebirds)
1939, Nikkatsu
Directed by: Masahiro Makino
Starring: Chiezo Kataoka, Ryosuke Kagawa, Takashi Shimura
SPECIAL SCREENING at 7:30 p.m.
Orochi (Serpent)
1925, Bantsuma Production
Directed by: Buntaro Futagawa
Starring: Tsumasaburo Bando, Misao Seki, Utako Tamaki
* Live benshi performance in English by Leon
Ingulsrud, based in New York.
Japan Society
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|
| 12 Dec 2007 |
An
article about Digital Meme was published in the December 11th
evening edition of the Mainichi Shimbun. Click here to view the full
article.
You can order Digital Meme DVD products from our website. These
masterpieces of classic Japanese cinema could be the perfect Christmas
gift for your loved ones.
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| 20 Nov 2007 |
Friends
of Silent Film Association 593th Screening
The 19th Sawato Midori’s katsuben recital commemorating her 35th
anniversary as a benshi narrator
Wings, the film that won the
First Academy Award for Best Picture and ranked fifth in the top ten
foreign movies chosen by Kinema Junpo in 1928, was shown with
professional katsuben performance. The director William A. Wellman used
to be in the army as pilot, and he brought to the silver screen his
experience about air combat by directing Wings
and other films, such as The Legion of the Condemned
and The High and the Mighty.
Movie title: Wings
Produced by Paramount Pictures, U.S.A., 1927
138 minutes (with break)
Director: William A. Wellman
Cast: Clara Bow, Charles Rogers, Richard Arlen, Jobyna Ralston, Gary
Cooper, El Brendel
Date: 29 December 2007 (Sat) from 6:00
p.m.
Venue: Kinokuniya Hall in Shinjuku
(From Shinjuku Station East Exit or Tokyo Metro Shinjuku-Sanchome
Station, on the fourth floor of Books Kinokuniya, in front of
Mitsukoshi.)
Admission:
General: 1,800 yen
Student: 1,600 yen
Advanced reservation: 1,500 yen
Members: 1,000 yen
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| 14
Nov 2007 |
Thank you for the high
number of orders from Japan and various other countries for Talking
Silents 1 & 2 since their release on October 24. An
American film director interested in silent films came to our office to
purchase these DVDs. As you can see, silent films are gaining
overwhelming support by cinema fans and people from the film industry.
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| 20
July 2007 |
Benshi
Performance at Osian's Cinefan, 9th Festival of
Asian & Arab Cinema
At Osian's Cinefan, 9th Festival of Asian
& Arab Cinema held from July 20 in New Delhi, India, Director
Kenji Mizoguchi's Taki no Shiraito (The Water
Magician), a masterpiece of the silent film era, was shown. Ms. Yuko
Saito, a student of Ms. Midori Sawato, acted as benshi
for this film, and Digital Meme coordinated her performance.
In addition, film critic Mr. Tadao Sato was invited to this film
festival, and there was a discussion on Japanese film.
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| Larry
Greenberg (Digital Meme, CEO) appeared on Okamura Yoichi
Cinema Street (Kawasaki FM) |
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Larry Greenberg (Digital Meme, CEO) appeared
on Okamura Yoichi's radio show Cinema Street
(Kawasaki FM). The show is scheduled to air on June 24.
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| 28 Apr
2007 |
24th
Revival of Japanese Films Award Ceremony
View more
»
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| 16 Mar
2007 |
Digital Meme Posts Online
Preview of Rare Classic Anime Collection
View more
»
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| 14 Feb
2007 |
Digital Meme's Details on Japanese
Anime Classic Collection
View more
»
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| 31 Jan
2007 |
Digital Meme - Website
View
more » |
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| 12 Jan
2007 |
Digital Meme - Release
of Rare Classic Anime on DVD
View more
» |
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