The Embassy of the United States of America, UNIJAPAN, and the 25th Tokyo International Film Festival are pleased to co-host the “U.S.-Japan Film Academy,” a film screening and discussion event, at Roppongi Hills on October 22, 2012.
Jim Whitaker, executive producer of ROBIN HOOD(2010) and other acclaimed films, will present an insider’s perspective on various aspects of filmmaking. Drawing on his experiences, he will discuss what it takes for a filmmaker to succeed in the United States, how to produce a competitive film and manage funding and distribution, and what opportunities U.S. film schools have to offer for future filmmakers. The discussion will be followed by a screening of REBIRTH, a documentary film directed by Mr. Whitaker, which captures the healing processes of those affected by the September 11, 2001 attacks.
We invite all film enthusiasts and future filmmakers to join this rare opportunity to meet and discuss with one of Hollywood’s most prominent filmmakers.
Event title: U.S.-Japan Film Academy
Date: Monday, October 22, 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Venue: Roppongi Academyhills 49F, Tower Hall
Hosted by: Embassy of the United States of America/UNIJAPAN/25th Tokyo International Film Festival
Admission: Free (RSVP required)
Online registration (for participants): here (Japanese only)
*Simultaneous interpretation will be provided.
Rebirth
projectrebirth.org
Director/Producer: Jim Whitaker
projectrebirth.org/bios/jim_whitaker
*Project Rebirth‘s Peabody Award winning film, REBIRTH, is a full-length documentary that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January of 2011. It is the result of a decade-long process by director Jim Whitaker and is a riveting journey into living history. It is also an act of personal witness to one of the most profound events in American history and the healing that has come in its wake. From early 2002 through 2009, the REBIRTH film crew chronicled the lives of five people directly affected by 9/11. The participants include a survivor from an impact floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center (WTC); a firefighter who survived the collapse of the WTC but lost his best friend; a high school student who lost his mother; a young woman who lost her fiancé; and a construction worker who lost his brother, assisted with recovery efforts, and is presently helping to build the Freedom Tower. Their narratives are the thread of recovery and resiliency from grief, loss and trauma that comprise the unique message of the film. REBIRTH also simultaneously tracks – via unprecedented multi-camera time-lapse photography with 14 cameras – the evolution of the former WTC and the entire rebuilding of the site. Philip Glass composed the REBIRTH original score.
About the Director
Jim Whitaker is the founder and director of Project Rebirth. When he visited Ground Zero shortly after September 11, 2001, he was struck by the determination and resolved that he witnessed in the first responders and volunteers, and felt strongly that the process of rebuilding and recovery should be captured on film. He hopes REBIRTH can help audiences to understand and appreciate how people cope and recover from trauma and disaster. Mr. Whitaker is currently the Chairman and Producer of Whitaker Entertainment at Walt Disney Studios. Previously, he was the President of Motion Pictures at Imagine Entertainment and completed notable films, including 8 MILE, AMERICAN GANGSTER, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, and many others. He began his career as a documentary filmmaker to raise money for nonprofit organizations. He wrote and directed LOADED, an award-winning public service announcement against drinking and driving, in memory of a Georgetown University classmate.
American Film Showcase, a partnership between the U.S. Department of State and the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, brings award-winning American films, including documentaries, feature films and animated shorts, to foreign audiences through events worldwide. Filmmakers and film experts will discuss the films and conduct workshops and master classes on a variety of issues related to filmmaking and film scholarship. Mr. Whitaker’s visit and the screening of REBIRTH in Japan will be carried out as part of the American Film Showcase.
