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The JET alumni community already has a great reputation for writers such as Bruce Feiler, Roland Kelts and James Kennedy among others. And now we’re starting to make our mark on the world of film as well.
JET alum Aaron Woolfolk‘s film The Harimaya Bridge, starring starring Ben Guillory, Saki Takaoka, Misa Shimizu, and Danny Glover (who is also the Executive Producer), is making its New York debut on Sunday December 6 (with Q&A and cocktail reception to follow) and Sunday December 13 as part of the African Diaspora Film Festival.
(Editor’s Note: I already bought my ticket for the Dec 6 date!)
The film had a nationwide theatrical release in Japan beginning in June, and the response from audiences and critics was fantastic. (There was also a showing in Los Angeles back in June that a number of JETAA Southern California JET alums attended.)
The film will be showing in New York:
- Sunday, December 6 @ 5:30PM – Thalia Cinema, Symphony Space (95th & Bway) – GALA SCREENING. Followed by a Q&A with director and catered reception
- Sunday, Dec. 13 @ 7:30PM- Thalia Cinema, Symphony Space (95th & Bway)
This looks to be a big event for the JET alum community, so get your tickets now and hope to see you there.
Here’s the trailer for the film:
Photos: JET alum Aaron Woolfolk’s 5-week Japan promotional tour for “The Harimaya Bridge”
Celebrity, Photography, Uncategorized, Writers 
Comments Off on Photos: JET alum Aaron Woolfolk’s 5-week Japan promotional tour for “The Harimaya Bridge”
JET alum Aaron Woolfolk‘s film The Harimaya Bridge, starring starring Ben Guillory, Saki Takaoka, Misa Shimizu, and Danny Glover, is making its New York debut on Sunday December 6 (with Q&A and cocktail reception to follow) and Sunday December 13 as part of the African Diaspora Film Festival. (See the JetWit post about the upcoming event here for details and ticket info.)
The film had a nationwide theatrical release in Japan beginning in June, and Aaron was involved in a five-week promotional tour in Japan for the film. What is it like for a former JET to go on a five-week promotional tour in Japan? Well, Aaron captured much of it in photographs available on Facebook along with informative and entertaining captions. (FYI, you don’t need to have an account to view the pictures.)
Here’s the link: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=124235&id=833564815&l=9d23bf0eb9
And here’s Aaron’s intro commentary on the photos along with a couple samples of what you’ll see:
Five weeks in Japan in May and June of 2009, traveling all around the country doing promotion in the run-up to the June 13th nationwide opening of “The Harimaya Bridge.” Most days were spent doing loads of media interviews and promotional appearances. This here is just a small sampling, as I wasn’t able to come anywhere close to capturing everything with a camera. It was hectic and exhausting…but talking to the media and connecting with audiences only reaffirmed my desire to live my life telling stories via film, television and theater. :-)
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Via JETAA Southern California:
JET Alum Movie Premieres in Japan: “The Harimaya Bridge”, starring Danny Glover , Harry Lennix, Misa Shimizu, JET Alum Mike Coleman, and more!
Synopsis: After the sudden death of his estranged son, an English Language teacher in rural Kochi prefecture, an American man must go there to claim some important family items. While there, he discovers some secrets his son left behind. The Harimaya Bridge takes place in Kochi, Shikoku, where traditional customs remain strong and the ancient bridge of the title still exists. The bridge is a fitting metaphor for the film, which addresses the connections-and conflicts-between past and present, fathers and sons, insiders and outsiders, Japanese and Americans.
Directed by JET Alum Aaron Woolfolk, with supporting cast consisting of: Margaret Avery (The Color Purple), Viola Davis (Doubt), Harry Lennix (Ray, The Matrix Revolutions, The Matrix Reloaded), Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon series, Dreamgirls), Ben Guillory (The Color Purple, Maid to Order, The Tuskegee Airmen), Misa Shimizu (The Eel/ Palm d’Or – Cannes Film Festival, 1997), Saki Takaoka (A Long Walk/Best Picture – Toronto Int’l Film Festival, 2006), Julius Tennon (Dazed and Confused, Small Soldiers, Lonesome Dove)
Coverage: http://nagoya.usconsulate.gov/wwwhn-20090121-aw.html
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0902982/
http://www.e-fccj.com/node/4473
JET alum Aaron Woolfolk (right) on the set of "The Harimaya Bridge"
