Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Japanese film “Survival Family” was screened at the Japanese Film night at the Garden Residence of Japan Consul General Masayuki Miyamoto here to bring down the curtain on the 11th Asian Film Festival organized by the Asian Consuls-General Club (ACGC), which consists of 13 Asian countries. About 300 invitees including diplomats, Saudi dignitaries and movie lovers attended.

At the start of the night, guests enjoyed traditional Japanese Sushi, then acting Consul-General of Korea, and the ACGC coordinator for this year YounHo Kang, delivered the festival’s closing speech.

Miyamoto then spoke and he extended his gratitude to all Consuls General of the Club for their cooperation, in particular the Consulate-General of Korea, the Coordinator of the ACGC, for this year’s efforts in holding the Film Festival.

He said that “The purpose of holding annual ACGC Film Festival is to show our culture and to enhance mutual understanding and friendship among the people living and stationed here in Jeddah, especially for the Saudi people to get acquainted with different Asian cultures and lifestyles, especially that this year’s festival coincides with the decision of opening of cinemas in the Kingdom.”

He gave a brief introduction about the Japanese feature film, directed by Shinobu Yaguchi, winner of Best Screenplay Award of Yokohama Film Festival in 2005 for his film Swing Girls.

The theme of the film is the generational divide and the impact of the modern life and smart devices on our life through the Suzuki family that consist of father, mother, a son and a daughter.

When a sudden, unexplained power cut wipes out everything from electrical and utility services to mobile phones and even cars, families across Japan are forced to abandon their homes in search of help.

The Suzuki family ultimately decides to travel south in hope of finding a place that isn’t affected by the blackout and to join other members of their family who are living by the coast in an epic road trip filled with laughs and harsh lessons.

The eleventh ACGC film festival began on Jan. 22 and concluded on Feb. 11.