Review by Leonard Schoppa

A great review of CAMPAIGN (SENKYO) appeared on Winter 2008 issue of Newsletter from Asian Educational Media Service. It is written by Leonard Schoppa, professor of politics at the University of Virginia. Here are some of the quotes from the review:

"the documentary does an excellent job of drawing viewers into the story and the experience of campaigning in Japan by inviting
them to relate to the campaign from Yamauchi’s own perspective."

"The documentary is full of scenes that will help students in classes on Japanese politics, Japanese culture and society, or broader comparative politics classes that include a section on Japan, gain a better understanding of what politics there is really like."

To read the whole article, please visit here.
To go directly to the PDF file of the newsletter, please click this.

Screenings coming up 最新上映情報

『選挙』のこの冬の海外映画祭、上映会は以下の通りです。僕も参加する予定です。
This winter, CAMPAIGN will come to the big screen as follows.
I'm planning to attend.

RENCONTRES CINEMA DE MANOSQUE (France, 1/29-2/3)
Saturday Feb 2 @ 14:00

AUSTIN FILM SOCIETY (Austin, Texas, USA)
Wednesday, Feb 13, 7pm at the Alamo Ritz on 6th St

PUNTO DE VISTA (Spain, 2/15-23)
Friday Feb 15 @ 10:30 (only for Press)
Saturday Feb 15 @ 17:00

TETOUAN FESTIVAL FOR MEDITERRANEAN CINEMA (Morocco)
3/29-4/4

NHKで再放送 Rerun on NHK

「３３カ国共同制作　民主主義 (Why Democracy?) 」シリーズで、『選挙』短縮版（５２分）が放映されます。
NHK総合　１月６日（日）深夜(＝７日午前) 1:00-1:55

映画として公開された１２０分フルバージョンは、紀伊国屋書店からDVDで好評発売中。

山さんの新書『自民党で選挙と議員をやりました』も好評発売中！

Happy New Year from Times SQ

　NY在住１４年半にして初めて、タイムズスクエアでのカウントダウンに参加しました。スクエアに面するビルに、お知り合いの方がオフィスを持っており、そのパーティーに招かれたのです。
　特等席とは、まさにこのこと！カウントダウンとともに降りてくる光るボールがすぐ目の前にあり、眼下には豆のように小さい人々が…。そして２００８年になった瞬間には花火と紙吹雪の嵐。いやー、こんなに迫力あるものだとは思いませんでした。日本のあの渋くてしっとりとした年越しとは正反対の、アメリカらしい派手でカラフルな年越しでした。
　僕は人込みが苦手なので、実はちょっと尻込みしていたのですが、一昨年このパーティに参加されたHさんが「想田さん、冥土の土産に経験しておいた方がいいですよ」とおっしゃるので、カミさん共々お邪魔したのでした。これでいつ死んでも手ぶらであの世に行くことはないなあ。

I've lived in NY for the past 14 years, but I had never attended the world famous count down event at the Times Square until this year. We finally experienced it this year because I and my wife were invited to a party being held in an office space which faces the square.

In fact, the room was THE PLACE to experience the event. The shining ball was right in front of us, and we saw thousands of little people below us... And at the end of the count down, the storm of fireworks and confetti! It was more powerful than I expected.

Actually, I hesitated to join it because I do not like crowded places. But I decided to go because a friend of mine who experienced it before said, "Soda, you've got to experience it so you can take it to heaven as a souvenir." Well, she was right. Now, I have a perfect souvenir when I die.