Friday, October 27, 2017

"Boys for Sale" called "one of the standout documentaries of the year"

Following our North American Premier in Outfest in Los Angeles in July where the film was awarded (STORY), it was a huge honour to represent "Boys for Sale" at the East Coast Premier in  Outfest's sister festival, NewFest in NYC (INFO).

The screening was well-attended and as we were in the last screening block of the night, there was a lot of time for the post-screening Q&A during which the audience asked many great questions.






Ahead of the screening, it was awesome to be included in Time Out New York's "The best LGBT things to do in New York this week" and in Film Journal International's screening blog (READ).

Following the screening, two great reviews were published as well. The Diva Review called Boys for Sale "one of the standout documentaries of the year" (READ) while James Wegg Review said "First-time director-editor Itako has done the world a huge favour by thoughtfully and unabashedly chronicling the lives of the 'urisen'" and gave the film 4.5 stars (READ).


This week, "Boys for Sale" will be screening in Edmonton's Rainbow Visions Film Festival (Nov 4), Taichung's TIQFF 台灣國際酷兒影展 (Nov 4), Buenos Aires's Asterisco Festival Internacional de Cine LGBTIQ (Nov 5) and Kansas City's Kansas International Film Festival!  More information can be found on the SCREENINGS page of the film: http://boysforsale.com/

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

"Boys for Sale" awarded Best Documentary at African Premier!

As the executive producer of "Boys for Sale" (WEBSITE), I am so honoured the film received the award for Best Documentary at the African Premier in the 2017 Durban Gay and Lesbian Film Festival!

This month we have screenings in Atlanta, Taipei, Berlin and NYC (where I will be present at the screening on the 22nd) INFO.  I am so proud of our team, and I think this is a really awesome film!  But don't take my word for it- here's what they're saying about us:

Friday, October 13, 2017

9 more screenings annouced for "Boys for Sale"!

"Boys for Sale" (WEBSITE), the documentary I produced that premiered earlier this year in Germany (STORY) just announced another NINE screenings (!) in festivals around the world from Canada to Romania, including 4 festivals that will be screening the Spanish-subtitled version of the film. 

A full list of upcoming festivals can be found on the SCREENINGS page of the film's website (HERE).











This brings the total number of screenings in international film festivals so far to 22!

I am honoured to help represent the film in the upcoming East Coast Premier in NYC's NewFest (screening info HERE) on October 22.  Thank you for your support and hope to see some of you there!


Thursday, October 12, 2017

"Dying at Home" to be re-broadcast

***** UPDATE October 31, 2017 *****

"Dying at Home" is available to watch for free On Demand until November 13, 2017. LINK


***** END UPDATE *****

Last year, on January 28, I was extremely honoured to have my first documentary commissioned by NHK World broadcast around the world (STORY).  Meeting and documenting Dr. Konta, her amazing team of nurses, and her beautiful patients and their families, was a life-changing time for me.

The lessons that one of those patients, Mr. Hata, taught me about life, family and death, in just a few short months will continue to influence the work I will do in the remainder of my career.  I wrote about my friendship with Mr. Hata on my blog HERE and in this front page article for 2016 year-end Number One Shinbun, the magazine of the Foreign Corespondents' Club of Japan HERE.

I am extremely honoured that NHK World will be re-broadcasting for the second time "Dying at Home" on October 30.  Screening 4 times through the day on the NHK World Channel and (free) app, the times listed are for the timezone in which the website is accessed (HERE).

Thank you all of your support and for watching.

Tuesday, October 03, 2017

Noise and Boys in London

Several of the films that were screening in Camera Japan (STORY), went on to screen in London's Raindance Film Festival, including "Boys for Sale" and "Noise", so on Monday, I traveled with the "Noise" crew to London.  Our trip included such adventures as running for the plane, getting stopped at the border, one person losing a train ticket, with time for a few drinks along the way; and with two of the "Noise" members never having left Japan and none of them able to converse in English, I was really glad I could be there to help out!  Thinking about it, there's a film in there somewhere... 

Arriving safely in London, we checked in to the festival the next day (the 26th), where I also met up with Adrian "Uchujin" Storey, the DOP/ Producer of "Boys for Sale", whom I hadn't seen since he moved back to the UK from Tokyo last year.  It was wonderful to see him and have a proper catch up, ahead of attending the UK premier together.

This was my third time to attend Raindance; the first was in 2013 with my film "A2-B-C" (STORY) and the second was the following year with my film "-1287" (STORY).  And it was such an honour to be back, this time as a producer.


Described by Abigail Smith in the Raindance Film Festival catalogue as "a punch between the eyes... storytelling you daren't turn away from" (LISTING), our main screening on the the 28th was completely sold out by the Sunday before (the 24th).  The Q&A, led by Gay Times editor, William J Connolly (WEB), was awesome and offered so much context to the sold-out crowd- I am kicking myself for not having recorded it...

As a result of selling-out our main screening and demand for tickets, Raindance scheduled an additional screening of "Boys for Sale" for Saturday morning at 11:00.  It was an honour and a privilege to be able to present the film again, complete with a Q&A with Adrian and me.


In between screenings, it was wonderful to be able to see several close London-based friends as well as to watch many great films (my favourite-- as well as the most disturbing-- was "The Family I Had" INFO).

I then spent the weekend in North Wales with some dear family friends and visiting my mom's grave.  Although it was too short, it was a perfect end to this trip.  

I am now at Heathrow airport in London, getting ready to board the plane home to Tokyo...

Thank you also so very much for your support, thoughts, and encouragement.
Much Peace,
Ian
London, UK