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The 20th Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival opened Thursday in Hokkaido's Yubari City. Over the course of the festival, which runs until Monday, a total of 70 movies will be screened, and organizers expect to welcome crowds of over 10,000 people.
Honorary chairman, Mayor Hajime Fujikura, said at the festival opening ceremony, "This festival has taught me that, if all citizens work together, the road before us will open. I want to build a town with the lessons learned here."
Shun Oguri's film "Surely Someday" opened the festival, with the director himself arriving in the evening greeted by fans waving signs saying "Welcome home!"
The festival was expected to be canceled after Yubari City, which was to supply half the funds, went bankrupt, but two years ago, city residents took over organization of the event, ensuring the show went on.
© Japan Today
3 Comments
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Badsey
Enjoy your movies, but I will wait for the melons.
thepro
That town still broke? I went skiing there once and it was a ghost town.
mareo2
The town version of the zombie business. When something is "brain dead" just cut the life support (AKA as subsidies), have some dignity.