ACF 1251: Japanese Pop Fashions and Products sale for the holidays at NEW PEOPLE, The Store in S.F.

NEW PEOPLE Store Interior

NEW PEOPLE is kicking off the 2011 holiday shoppingseason with a variety of special sales and promotions that will take placethroughout the venue beginning on Black Friday, November 25th.

NEWPEOPLE, The Store will offer severalThanksgiving Weekend Shopping Specials on select items in the store on sale for30%-50% off! Visit NEW PEOPLE’s very on retail location, located in the venue’slobby, and explore a vast collection of fun and inventive products inspired byJapanese pop culture. Shoppers can browse a fantastic selection ofcarefully selected Japanese products that include apparel, accessories, books,toys, DVDs, music, and design items for the home and office.

Alsoannounced is a special DVD pre-order promotion for the upcoming release of the DOCUMENTARYof AKB48 to be continued, whichtraces the incredible rise to international stardom of AKB48, one of Japan’shottest pop idol groups. Pre-orders are now being accepted for the new film,which will be sold exclusively online for $19.99through the NEW PEOPLE store at: store.newpeopleworld.com. For alimited time, NEW PEOPLE, The Store is offering a FREE bonus DVD title from itscatalog to all pre-order purchasers. The film will be released December 1st.

NEW PEOPLE’s newestapparel boutique, the edgy Goth fashion brand, h. NAOTO, will also hold a sale with items available for between30% and 50% off. The sale runs thru November 27th. The first 50customers that purchase over $100.00 of merchandise will also receive a specialinvitation to attend h. NAOTO’s Holiday Party on December 10th Moredetails are available at the boutique.

Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, the renowned Japanese Lolita fashion brand, will have aspecial sale with over 250 items marked 30% to 50% off. Shoppers are invited totake advantage of some of the best deals of the season on hand-craftedLolita-inspired baby doll dresses and accessories.

Finally, Japanese Tabishoe manufacturer SOU • SOUwill hold a Holiday Sale beginning November 25th thru November 27th.SOU • SOU hasdeveloped a unique line of Japanese classic “Tabi” shoes based on a designoriginally favored by Japanese construction workers. SOU • SOU’s combination of form-fitting soles and colorful graphic patternshas attracted a huge following, from dancers to the sneaker-obsessed. Duringthe sale, shoppers that purchase at least $100.00 of SOU• SOU products will receive a free pair of Tabi socks. Offer applies toin-store purchases only; limit one pair of socks per customer. SOU • SOU willalso offer free shipping to online purchases over $75.00. (U.S. shipping only)

ACF 1126: Vocaloid music phenomenon to be major centerpiece at J-Pop Summit

NEW PEOPLE WELCOMES ZANEEDS

AND DANCEROID AS GUESTS OF HONOR

TO SHOWCASE VOCALOID MUSIC PHENOMENON

AT J-POP SUMMIT



New Musical Genre Inspired By Japanese Pop Culture

To Be Focus Of J-Pop Summit VOCALOID Music Conference

And Features ZANEEDS, DANCEROID Dancers,

And DJ Amaya At Annual Bay Area 2-Day Event

NEW PEOPLE will be tapping the latest dazzling musical trend from Japan – vocaloid music – a new genre of electronic arts and music that originated from Japanese pop culture. The style notably blends catchy pop melodies and technology-inspired vocals with captivating anime-influenced imagery and will be a major centerpiece of the 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival and its theme of “Fashion, Music & Technology.”



The 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, August 27th- 28th across the city’s Japantown and will host the VOCALOID Music Conference, highlighted by a variety of free interactive activities, panel discussions, DJ dance parties, and live performances from several notable Guest of Honor artists. A dedicated web site is now available at J-pop.com and features regular updates.



Hosted by Brian Zesk, the founder of S.F. Music Summit that takes place in September in Japantown, the J-Pop Summit x SF Music Tech present the VOCALOID Conference: The Voice of Future Music at 2:00pm, Sunday, August 28th. Tickets and more info on the conference are available here.



The conference will feature ZANEEDS, the vocaloid creative team that produces the work of several virtual pop idols such as Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Rin and Megurine Luka. The team will explore the evolution of this phenomenon and screen several music videos and discuss work they have done with many Miku-inspired creators and animators.



The main panel topic will be, "The creative explosion caused by internet platforms and vocaloid Hatsune Miku, and how it's affecting the future of music.” Furthermore, ZANEEDS and Danceroid will share latest videos and reveal behind the scene stories from the production process!



The conference also features Ikura and Kozue from Danceroid, a vocaloid dance unit that has become an international musical dance sensation with their performances choreographed to popular Vocaloid songs. The group’s videos have been played more than 100 million times online.



Danceroid also takes over Japantown’s Peace Plaza to perform on Saturday, August 27th. The spunky pair of dancers also joins the Vocaloid Dance Workshop, also set for Sunday, August 28th and will serve as judges at the Vocaloid Dance Contest the same day.



DJ Amaya returns to the J-Pop Summit Festival and will again turn Peace Plaza into a massive dancehall as he did in 2010. This year, he will feature mixes of top vocaloid artists and challenges at ZANEEDS at MIKU MIX DJ BATTLE on Saturday, August 27th!



Last year, NEW PEOPLE became the first outlet in North America to present the vocaloid phenomenon when it premiered a live concert film for virtual pop idol Hatsune Miku at the 2010 J-Pop Summit Festival. Miku has since become one of the most visible and popular vocaloid performers. A fun new hybrid of the pop star and Sanrio’s Hello Kitty – MIKU KITTY – will be a prominent character mascot at the 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival.





Other Vocaloid-Inspired Interactive Activities:



Saturday August 27th



Vex Mode

DJ and musical artist Vex Mode started producing video game music in 2005 under the name David Nereus. Vex Mode will joins the 2011 J-Pop Summit with his pulsating Japanese Rave music (J-CORE) remixes that will kick off this year’s festival!



Miku Mix DJ Battle

L.A. meets Tokyo in San Francisco! DJ Amaya and ZANEEDS rocked thousands of fans at the Nokia Theater during this year’s Anime Expo and come together again on the J-Pop Summit’s Main Stage in Peace Plaza to take turns mixing up some mean Miku remixes!



Sunday August 28th



Vocaloid Dance Contest

Vocaloid fans hit the stage to dance and lip-sync in front of a huge audience! Bay Area anime organization Animation on Display is the host and guest performers Danceroid will judge the performances. Winners will be awarded DVDs of Danceroid and a variety of Hatusne Miku prizes!





Saturday August 27th & Sunday August 28th



Featured Performers:



ZANEEDS

The composers of this year’s J-Pop Summit Festival theme song, “Tokyo Beat.” ZANEEDS works as five “crews” that include: Music by ZANIO, Illustration by CHAN*CO, Design by PPRP, Movies by Ippai Attenya and Direction by Torinos. The group brings a Japanese aesthetic and the sense of beauty into their music which is inspired by Acid Jazz, Deep House and Electronica. More info at: http://zaneeds.com/.



Danceroid

Danceroid is a group of four girls that have become an international musical dance sensation with their performances choreographed to popular Vocaloid songs. The group’s videos have been played more than 100 million times online on Nico Nico. More info at: www.danceroid.jp.



DJ Amaya

DJ Amaya has been performing and producing his own original tracks and remixes since 2002. He is best known for his underground remixes of the Japanese Superstar Ayumi Hamasaki, and his podcast “Hitsuzen Radio” that features the best in Japanese remixes, and dance music from around the world. His latest CD, “Angel at Dawn,” is available now. More info at: www.djamaya.com.



NEW PEOPLE opened in 2009 and has become a unique must-see attraction of San Francisco’s cultural landscape. The 20,000 square foot contemporary venue features the latest examples Japanese popular culture expressed though film, art, fashion, and a variety of specialty boutiques and ongoing monthly events. NEW PEOPLE is located at 1746 Post Street in the city’s Japantown.

ACF 1123: h. Naoto, Japanese fashion designer, to be at J-Pop Summit Festival in San Francisco on August 27th & 28th

NEW PEOPLE WELCOMES
JAPANESE FASHION DESIGNER h. NAOTO
TO 2011 J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL

Edgy Designer Inspired By Gothic, Lolita And Punk
Will Run A Fashion Show Showcasing New Work,
Screen A Tokyo Collection Film, And
Preview New Store To Open In October
At NEW PEOPLE

NEW PEOPLE, San Francisco’s dynamic entertainment destination showcasing the latest examples of Japanese popular culture, welcomes edgy fashion label h. Naoto to its 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival, happening in the city’s Japantown for two days – Saturday and Sunday, August 27th and 28th. A dedicated web site is now available at J-pop.com and features regular updates.

h. Naoto will open his long waited U.S. debut flagship store in October and will showcase new designs for sale in a special pop-up boutique during the J-Pop Summit. The brand will also host several events including a fashion show on Saturday, August 27th inside NEW PEOPLE’s SUPERFROG Gallery, and screen footage from the brand’s latest Tokyo Collection fashion show on Sunday, August 28th in NEW PEOPLE’s cinema. h. Naoto will also appear to participate in a Q&A session immediately following the film

Tickets to fashion show and film screening will be given to shoppers with over $100 purchase at the h. Naoto pop-up boutique on the first come, first served basis while supplies last. Seating is limited.

In preparation for these events, h;.NAOTO has also issued a public call for volunteer models, hair and make-up artists. Information is available at www.newpeopleworld.com, and applications may be sent to: h.naoto@newpeoplesf.com.

h. Naoto is the essence of Gothic-Lolita and Punk fashion and represents the type of innovative fashion forward design for which Japan is known worldwide. The label’s one-of-a-kind unique designs, inspired by punk and goth, are widely sees in Tokyo, and are now gaining a new market in the United States. With inventive ensemble and separates, h. Naoto is poised to bring a new side of Japanese fashion and pop culture couture to North America. More information on the brand and its collections are available at: www.s-inc.com/hnaoto.

“h. Naoto incorporates the essence of the Gothic and punk-inspired styles and synthesizes an ultra-modern look that delivers the latest in Harajuku fashion to a new U.S. audience,” says Seiji Horibuchi, President of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. “The launch of their first U.S. retail store is very exciting and J-Pop Summit attendees will get a sneak preview of their latest designs and even be able to participate in the fashion show! More events will be announced shortly and are sure to make the 2011 J-Pop Summit celebration the best one we’ve done yet!”

NEW PEOPLE opened in 2009 and has become a unique must-see attraction of San Francisco’s cultural landscape. The 20,000 square foot contemporary venue features the latest examples Japanese popular culture expressed though film, art, fashion, and a variety of specialty boutiques and ongoing monthly events. NEW PEOPLE is located at 1746 Post Street in the city’s Japantown.

ACF 1104: New People launches Kickstarter Project for 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival

NEW PEOPLE LAUNCHES
A KICKSTARTER FUNDING PROJECT
FOR THE 2011 J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL

Fundraiser Supports The Expansion of
Annual Bay Area Pop Culture Event
Featuring MIKU-KITTY As A Main Character!
Donators Invited To Special VIP Party

NEW PEOPLE, San Francisco’s dynamic entertainment destination showcasing the latest examples of Japanese popular culture, has launched a Kickstarter Funding Project for the 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival, which expands to two days – (Sat/Sun) August 27th & 28th – across the city’s Japantown. A Kickstarter page with complete project details is available here.

The J-Pop Summit Festival is a unique gathering of creative trendsetters and artists whose styles influence people around the world. With the theme of “Fashion, Music & Technology,” the 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival celebrates its 3rd year with edgy new multimedia content from Japan and also blends work and products from innovative local artists and merchants to become a one-of-a-kind event that reflects the essence of “pop culture.”

A dedicated web site is now available at J-pop.com and will feature regular updates on programming, talent and events! The site features “Tokyo Beat,” the theme song for this year’s festival produced by Popular Vocaloid Unt Zanneeds, who will attend as a guest of honor.

The Kickstarter project seeks to raise awareness of this unique event as well as fund the increased costs incurred with expanding the event to 2 days, while still keeping it free to attend.

All the J-Pop Kickstarter Project Supporters Are Invited Summit Festival VIP parties.

• $20.00 Donation - A General Pass to VIP After Party on Saturday, 8/27where a special limited edition MIKU-KITTY novelty keychain will be given as a gift for attendee’s donations.
• $100.00 Donation (only 50 tickets available) - A VIP pass to VIP After Party valid on Saturday 8/27with exclusive entry to VIP Lounge with; Key special photo opportunities with guests and celebrities from Japan; and a special limited edition MIKU-KITTY novelty keychain as a gift for donating

The Summit Festival VIP party will also include "TOKYO FRESHLY SQUEEZED: THE HOTTEST MUSIC VIDEOS FROM JAPAN!,” a series of music videos, supported by MUSIC ON! TV (www.m-on.jp) from Japan, featuring the hottest J-Pop bands and artists performing Visual Kei, J-rock, anime songs, and more to be screened inside NEW PEOPLE’s cinema on its THX®-certified sound system. All party attendees are invited to check out the latest musical acts topping the Japanese pop, rock and modern charts!

This year, MIKU-KITTY, a special character collaboration of Hatune Miku and Hello Kitty, will be featured at the J-Pop Summit. The marriage between pop culture icon Hello Kitty and the fast-rising virtual vocaloid idol, Hatsune Miku, is a true mix of J-Pop culture and sure to be an attraction for fans.

“Vocaloid” music has become the latest pop phenomenon sweeping Japan and the trend has spread fast to the U.S. with the advent of personalities like Hatsune Miku, who has become the world’s first true virtual pop star. The J-Pop Summit, where made her first film concert debut last year, will return for 2011 with even more exciting projects and products featuring Hatsune Miku!

The J-Pop Summit Festival also brings back many popular attractions such as movie premieres, live bands, fashion shows, and J-Pop artist and celebrity interviews, that have made the annual event a must-attend for fashion, film, anime and music fans as well as hipsters, pop culture enthusiasts, Bay Area residents, and as legions of tourists visiting the city. NEW PEOPLE will also help raise funds during Summit Festival for Japan’s ongoing disaster recovery efforts with a “Hope for Japan’s Recovery,” drive.

NEW PEOPLE opened in 2009 and has become a unique must-see attraction of San Francisco’s cultural landscape. The 20,000 square foot contemporary venue features the latest examples Japanese popular culture expressed though film, art, fashion, and a variety of specialty boutiques and ongoing monthly events. NEW PEOPLE is located at 1746 Post Street in the city’s Japantown.

ACF 1066: J-Pop group Supercell's digital release featuring Hatsune Miku debuts tomorrow

Hatsune Miku © Crypton Future Media Inc.

Japanese Group Pop Group Supercell Features
The World’s First Virtual Pop Singer
– Hatsune Miku –
And Releases Full-Length U.S. Debut On June 21st

Supercell Blends Tech-Inspired Vocals With Catchy Pop
Sensibilities And Debuts New Album On Sony Music Direct

Japanese pop group Supercell sees the digital release of its self-titled full-length major label debut in North America tomorrow – Tuesday, June 21st – from Sony Music Direct (Japan), Inc., a division of Sony Music Entertainment Japan, Inc. Supercell Featuring Hatsune Miku will be available exclusively on iTunes and Amazon.

Supercell blends catchy pop melodies and technology-inspired vocals with captivating anime-influenced imagery and notably features the world’s first virtual pop star, Hatsune Miku. The group’s new record features 12 upbeat tracks, driven by the singer’s bright vocals and backed by lush electronic, pop and rock-inspired melodies.

Supercell is a group of multimedia creators and artists led by composer/lyricist Ryo. Hatsune Miku, whose name means, “first sound of the future,” is a digital female avatar and the most popular of the Vocaloid Character Series software originally created by Crypton Future Media using Yamaha’s Vocaloid 2 engine to create synthesized vocal tracks.

The record’s first single, THE WORLD IS MINE, was released in North America on May 10th on iTunes and Amazon and placed as high as Number 4 on the iTunes World Music charts.

In Japan, Hatsune Miku is a major national phenomenon appearing in many popular video games and music videos. She’s also played several sellout “concerts,” where she performed on stage as a 3D hologram backed by a live band. Her international notoriety is spreading to North America, where she’s currently featured in a new commercial for the 2011 Toyota Corolla. Hatsune Miku is also scheduled to perform her first U.S. concert, MIKUNOPOLIS in LOS ANGELES, at the 2011 Anime Expo in Los Angeles, CA July 1-4. Information on the concert is available at: http://mikunopolis.com.

More information on Supercell is available at: http://www.facebook.com/supercell.JPN.

ACF 682: VIZ Pictures presents Detroit Metal City & related events in Sat Sept18th

VIZ PICTURES PREMIERES THE ZANY HEAVY METAL HIJINKS
OF DETROIT METAL CITY FOR J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2010

Live Air Guitar Performance, Special Cosplay Award And Panel Discussion Highlight The VIZ Cinema Theatrical Premiere Of Live Action Comedy That Features Appearances By Gene Simmons And Marty Friedman

VIZ Pictures brings the zany heavy metal comedy of Detroit Metal City (DMC) for an exclusive theatrical premiere at VIZ Cinema at 7:00pm during the J-Pop Summit Festival, taking place tomorrow, Saturday, September 18th in San Francisco. Tickets for the premiere are $15.00. A pre-show reception with snacks and beverages will be held in the cinema lobby beginning at 6:00pm.

To further celebrate the J-POP Summit Fest premiere event, at 5:00pm on the outdoor NEW PEOPLE stage, VIZ Pictures will stage a performance by San Francisco air guitar champion Matthew "Cold Steel Renegade" Feldstein and also invites fans to a “Let’s Talk DMC” panel discussion led by Patrick Macias, Editor of Otaku USA magazine, and two other special guests.

A cos-play contest hosted by San Francisco anime convention Anime On Display will award free tickets for the premiere to contestants dressed as a Detroit Metal City character.

The Top DMC cos-players will each win a free ticket to the movie premiere at 7:00pm, and the Top 2 DMC cos-players will re-appear on the NEW PEOPLE stage at 5:00pm to battle for a Grand Prize package that includes a $50 gift card to VIZ Cinema, a Death Note Collection Blu-ray and more. Fans may pre-register for contest at www.aodsf.org or simply visit the Animation On Display booth at the J-Pop Summit Festival.

Detroit Metal City takes the zany rock antics inspired by films like Spinal Tap to hilarious new extremes in this film directed by Toshio Lee and based on the popular manga comic created by Kiminori Wakasugi. It features notable appearances by Gene Simmons from the legendary band, KISS, and Marty Friedman of Megadeth, and stars Kenichi Matsuyama, one of the most adored actors in Japan today and also known widely for his role as 'L' in the Death Note films (also available from VIZ Pictures).

In the film, Soichi Negishi (played by Kenichi Matsuyama) is a sweet and shy young man who dreams of becoming a trendy singer songwriter. But for some reason, he is forced into joining the devil worshiping death metal band “Detroit Metal City” (DMC). In full stage make-up and costume, he transforms into Johannes Krauser II the vulgar-mouthed lead vocalist of the band. But he must keep this a secret from his crush, Yuri Aikawa, who despises death metal. What would she think if she found out? But against Negishi’s will, DMC rises to stardom. Things get even more complicated when the legendary king of death metal, Jack IL Dark (played by Gene Simmons), challenges DMC to a duel in the film’s climactic finale. What will be the fate of innocent Negishi as he climbs to the top of the death metal world?

Detroit Metal City will continue to play at VIZ Cinema until September 30th. Tickets are $10.

Visit www.DMCtheMovie.com or VIZ-Pictures.com for more information about the film.

ACF 681: Hatsune Miku, Japan's Biggest Virtual Idol, making U.S. debut @ J-Pop

Japan’s virtual idol Hatsune Miku

J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2010 WELCOMES JAPAN’S BIGGEST VIRTUAL IDOL – HATSUNE MIKU – FOR HER EXCLUSIVE U.S. DEBUT

Internet Sensation’s Live Concert To Be Premiered
With THX® Audio As Part Of
All-Day Japanese Pop Culture Celebration On September 18th

NEW PEOPLE, in cooperation with Tokyo Kawaii Magazine, are proud to present the official North American debut of virtual idol Hatsune Miku as part of the J-Pop Summit Festival 2010, taking place in San Francisco’s Japantown. In her first-ever appearance outside Japan, Hatsune Miku ‘performs’ in a special film concert at VIZ Cinema at NEW PEOPLE tomorrow, Saturday, September 18th at 3:00pm. Tickets for the screening are $20.00.

Miku Hatsune is a virtual pop idol that has taken Japan by storm. She was born as the premiere product in the Vocaloid2 Character Vocal Series developed by Crypton Future Media. The technology, originally designed for professional musicians, enables users to synthesize singing by inputting lyrics and a melody. In Japan, Vocaloid singers have become the hottest new trend in the pop culture landscape. Miku Hatsune features a singing voice based on samples of voice actress Saki Fujita.

This VIZ Cinema premiere will present a recorded live performance with stunning THX® audio that was originally held in Tokyo on March 9th, 2010. The concert featured Miku Hatsune backed by a “live” band called the 39S Members. She performed 39 songs while being projected on a transparent screen set up on the stage, making her look like a living-sized hologram playing with a live band.

The J-Pop Summit Festival 2010 will present a variety of fun Japanese pop-inspired attractions including fashion shows, a theatrical film premiere, live art performances, and mini-concerts by some of Japan’s hottest bands. The celebration is complemented by innovative artists and companies from the Bay area and Japan that will join in with an array of products for sale in open air displays on both sides of Post Street and a food court highlighting Japanese cuisine will further complement the celebration. More details are available at: www.J-Pop.com.

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s first movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.

About Tokyo Kawaii Magazine

Tokyo Kawaii Magazine is a digital magazine app for iPhone. It provides the latest news of Japanese pop culture from Tokyo known as the holy place of Kawaii to the world. Tokyo Kawaii Magazine has not only the latest news on Japanese animation and manga but also Kawaii stuff such as Lolita fashion, street fashion, cosplay, costumes, games, Japanese food, idols, visual-kei bands and internet culture, and popular districts such as Akihabara, Harajuku or Shibuya are also included in every issue.

About NEW PEOPLE

NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: www.NewPeopleWorld.com.

ACF 680: Screening of 77 Boadrum is part of special nightly J-Pop events in S.F.

The 77 Boadrum performance at Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn, NY

NOISE POP MEETS J-POP IN A MUSICAL SCREENING OF 77 BOADRUM AS A SPECIAL WEEK OF NIGHTLY EVENTS CONTINUES AT NEW PEOPLE

J-Pop Week Offers 5 Nights Of Pop Culture Inspired Film, Fashion, Music
And Anime Events That Culminate In J-Pop Summit Festival
On Saturday September 18th

Still more news about J-Pop Festival in San Francisco. I love being in New York, with all the Asian film and cultural events it offers, but what's been coming out about this festival has really made me wish I could be there. Lucky for all you who can make it.

NEW PEOPLE teams up with Noise Pop, organizers of the leading independent music festival in the Bay Area, for a special theatrical presentation of 77 Boadrum today, Thursday, September 16th at 7:30pm at VIZ Cinema. A pre-screening reception begins at 6:00pm, hosted by Shochu distiller Haamomii.

77 Boadrum is a documentary of the Japanese free-rock group the Boredoms’s astounding concert that took place July 7th, 2007 at 7:07pm in the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn, NY and featured 77 drummers performing simultaneously. The film will be preceded by a music video screening of Cornelius’ Synchronized & Sensurround. General admission tickets for the film screening are $10.00.

Boredoms founder Eye Yamataka

The Boredoms are one of Japan’s most iconoclastic experimental musical acts. Formed in Osaka in 1986 by Eye Yamataka, along with frequent collaborator Yoshimi, the Boredoms acknowledge no limits of genre or form, there are no boundaries, and no ceiling on the possibilities of experience and expression. For more than 20 years, the band has redefined the concept of noise and experimentation within pop, punk, and psychedelic music.

For a pre-event reception beginning at 6:00pm, NEW PEOPLE will offer J-Pop gift bags and present inventive spirits and beverages provided by Bay Area Shochu distiller, Haamonii. Haamonii is a new low calorie Japanese spirit created from over 400 years of tradition that mixes like vodka but with far less calories and a very smooth, floral-inspired taste. Haamonii, which means harmony in Japanese, also won a gold medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute.

J-Pop Week continues at NEW PEOPLE every night through Friday, September 17th with a variety of events celebrating Japanese and Asian film, anime, fashion design, music and other forms of pop culture. Special gift bags containing a variety of fun premiums will be given to all ticket holders each night. Check www.J-Pop.com for a complete list of nightly events.

The J-Pop Summit Festival 2010 takes place Saturday, September 18th in San Francisco’s Japantown and will present a variety of fun Japanese pop-inspired attractions including fashion shows, a theatrical film premiere, live art performances, and mini-concerts by some of Japan’s hottest bands. Innovative artists and companies from the Bay area and Japan will join in with an array of products for sale in open air displays on both sides of Post Street and a food court highlighting Japanese cuisine will further complement the celebration. Complete details are available at: www.J-Pop.com.

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s first movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.

About Noise Pop

Established in San Francisco in 1993, Noise Pop started as a yearly festival of independent music that featured the best local bands the city had to offer. Over the last 16 years it has grown into a widely respected brand. Noise Pop prides itself on bringing exposure to emerging artists, many of whom have gone on to widespread acclaim, including the White Stripes, Modest Mouse, The Flaming Lips, Death Cab for Cutie, The Shins, Bright Eyes, The Donnas, Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco) and Silversun Pickups. More info at: www.noisepop.com.

About NEW PEOPLE

NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: www.NewPeopleWorld.com.

ACF 679: Exhibit by artist Ken Hamazaki to run Sept 17th to Oct 24th in S.F.

POP CULTURE AND JAPANESE TRADITION COLLIDE IN NEW EXHIBIT BY ARTIST KEN HAMAZAKI OPENING AT THE SUPERFROG GALLERY FOR J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2010

Grateful Red Exhibition Twists Japanese Tradition And Ancient Rituals
To Explore New Worlds Of Experience And Imagination

NEW PEOPLE and the SUPERFROG Gallery are proud to welcome Osaka-based artist, Ken Hamazaki, who will open his exhibit Grateful Red during the J-Pop Summit Festival 2010. The exhibit runs from September 17th to October 24th.

Making his way to San Francisco from Burning Man, Hamazaki performs his avant-garde Red Tea Ceremony -YOU ARE GOD in the SUPERFROG Gallery on September 18th for the exhibit grand opening and as of the day-long J-Pop celebration. During Summit Festival he will also perform his art of “teeth-making” in a special public performance of Get Bit: HAGATA-MAN from 1:00pm-2:00pm in Buchanan Mall. A performance of the Red Tea Ceremony is also set for the Asian Art Museum on September 11th at 12:00pm leading up to the festival, and again on the day after on September 19th at 2:00pm, at SUPERFROG.

A special reception party hosted by the artist will be held at the SUPERFROG Gallery at 11:00am on Saturday, September 18th during J-Pop Summit Festival. The public is invited to RSVP to attend the reception to www.newpeopleworld.com/rsvp/rsvp-ken-hamazaki.

Taking the exhibition’s name from the free-spirited Bay Area band, the Grateful Dead, Hamazaki uses this sense of freedom to twist traditional Japanese ceremonies and ancient techniques to other worlds of imagination and experience. As the tea ceremony ritual demonstrates the pinnacle of Japanese Zen, its delicacies, and form, Hamazaki channels them through his own pop guise and serves up recipes for titillation.

Red paintings depicting Grateful Dead symbols reflect the concert experience providing an intimate and raw interaction. A life-size magnet painting will also be made on-site for the exhibition. A technique that Hamazaki has cultivated since childhood, the work reflects the sentiment of sand paintings from India as ephemeral moments skillfully rendered and easily transitory. Ken Hamazaki will also present a video collaboration with artist Hiroaki Katayama will be projected in unexpected places throughout the Gallery to kinetically activate the space.

Eclectic elements like a denim canvas by Evisu will be also transformed into Scrolls of Frolicking Animals and Humans. Vividly colored scrolls like these historically provided inspiration for manga imagery. The Japanese word manga, literally translated, means "whimsical pictures" whose genre includes a broad range of subject matter including fantasy, mystery, horror, and sexuality.

With his shaved head, red body paint, and vivid crimson costumes, Ken Hamazaki is known in Osaka’s Minami Senba district as “The Red Man.” When he was 20 years old, Hamazaki traveled to England and after returning to Japan, he opened a gallery in 1992to display his artwork. In 1997, he moved the gallery to Minami Senba, painted the exterior and interior completely red and named it the Ken Hamazaki Museum of Contemporary Art, a title that, in Japanese, has the aggrandizing secondary meaning of the Hamazaki Prefectural Museum of Contemporary Art. In addition to holding exhibitions, his gallery sells interior decorative items and accessories, suggesting a fusion of art and lifestyle. For more information, visit www.kenhamazaki.jp/e/.

The J-Pop Summit Festival 2010 takes place Saturday, September 18th in San Francisco’s Japantown and presents variety of Japanese pop-inspired attractions including fashion shows, theatrical film premieres, live art performances, video game demos, panel discussions, and an outdoor concert featuring bands and artists from Japan and the Bay Area. More details are available at: http://www.j-pop.com/.

About NEW PEOPLE
NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located in San Francisco at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is available at: http://www.newpeopleworld.com/.

ACF 678: J-Pop All-Day Celebration in San Francisco on Saturday, September 18th

J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL 2010

Sample The Diverse Sides Of Japanese-Inspired Pop Culture
With Art, Music, Gaming, Anime, Fashion And Film Events
At All-Day Celebration On Saturday, September 18th

NEW PEOPLE, a dynamic entertainment destination bringing the latest examples of Japanese popular culture to North American shores, has announced a captivating roster of activities and events for the J-Pop Summit Festival, taking place Saturday, September 18th across the whole of San Francisco’s Japantown.

The all-day celebration begins at 11:00am with a traditional Kagami-wari (breaking of a celebratory sake barrel) at the NEW PEOPLE’s entrance located at 1746 Post Street. A variety of Japanese pop-inspired attractions including fashion shows, theatrical film premieres, live art performances, video game demos, panel discussions, and an outdoor concert featuring musical talents from Japan and the Bay Area are scheduled.

Innovative artists from the Bay Area and Japan will also join in with an array of products for sale in open air displays on both sides of Post Street and a food court highlighting Japanese cuisine will further complement the celebration. More details are available at www.J-Pop.com.

Complete program details and times for each event are available at: www.newpeopleworld.com/festival/festival-programs.

ART & PERFORMANCE

Red Man Ken Hamazaki

“The Red Man” Ken Hamazaki Performance & Exhibition

Osaka-based artist, Ken Hamazaki uses a sense of freedom to twist traditional Japanese ceremonies and ancient techniques to other worlds of imagination and experience. Coming to Summit Fest from Burning Man, Hamazaki will perform 2 breathtaking performances – “Red Tea Ceremony - YOU ARE GOD,” and shows the art of teeth-marking in “Get Bit: HAGATA-MAN.” As these performances demonstrate the pinnacle of Japanese Zen, its delicacies, and form, Hamazaki channels them through his own pop guise and serves up new recipes for titillation.

Mori Chack Is Here

Sit in for an insightful interview panel with ultra-hip Japanese artist and graphic designer Mori Chack, internationally known for his his character, Gloomy Bear. Be among the first 50 people to get exclusive Gloomy Bear shirt autographed by creator at NEW PEOPLE, The Store.

Graffiti Artist Estria

Witness Bay Area graffiti artist Estria create 4 original canvases – live! Artworks to be auctioned to highest bidders!

Vinyl Village Marketplace

A unique market offering a colorful and inventive collection of designer vinyl toys and other pop culture collectables, directly from the creators themselves!

Artist’s Alley by Bazaar Bizarre S.F.

A handmade market created by local artists opens in the adjacent Buchanan Mall and offers a mix of Western and Asian-inspired goods and artwork.

GAMING & ANIME

The SEGA® Experience

Videogame manufacturer SEGA takes over VIZ Cinema for a captivating multimedia event and introduces their latest new titles on the theatre’s massive screen and with THX® sound. Come play the latest SEGA games in a way you’ve never done before!

Anime Lane by Anime On Display

The organizers of Anime on Display (AOD), San Francisco’s annual anime convention, assemble a variety of vendors offering unique anime and manga products.

Anime On Display Cos-play Contest

AOD presents the creative flair and charisma of the best anime cos-players in a unique contest.

MUSIC & FILM

J-Rock band Jinny Oops

Girls Rock Explosion 2010

Once again girl-power takes over the Pagoda Stage at Peace Plaza to rock the Summit Festival

Scheduled performers include, Hopie Spitshard, a performer presented by MYX-TV who is breaking the female rapper stereotype, Excuses For Skipping, a San Francisco indie rock quartet with soaring melodies, Jinny Oops!, an all-girl rock trio from Sakai City, Osaka and finally DJ Amaya, who will offer J-Pop diva remixes of popular female artists. Come dance the afternoon away to cool new sounds!

Detroit Metal City Film Premiere At VIZ Cinema

Check out the U.S. theatrical premiere in VIZ Cinema of this irreverently funny heavy metal comedy that takes the zany rock antics inspired by films like Spinal Tap to hilarious new extremes in this film directed by Toshio Lee and based on the popular manga comic created by Kiminori Wakasugi. Kiminori Wakasugi. Catch San Francisco’s air guitar champion in a special performance and enjoy a special pre-screening reception party.

Miku Hatsune LIVE!

Catch the first-ever U.S. appearance of Vocaloid virtual pop sensation at VIZ Cinema! Miku Hatsune's digital film concert! This is a dynamic synthesis of technology and human creativity for the 21st Century!

FASHION

BLACK PEACE NOW Fashionista 2010

See a range of edgy new gothic-inspired fashions from BLACK PEACE NOW. The winner takes home a whole head-to-toe outfit and a fashion photo shoot with The Moholy Ground Magazine photographer. Widely known, worn and celebrated in Japan, BPN clothing has appeared in numerous music videos, films and TV dramas.

Harajuku Kawaii Experience 2010

Join fashion label 6%DOKIDOKI and designer Sebastian Matsuda for a fashion show of the latest designs from Tokyo’s colorful Harajuku fashion district. Also browse 6%DOKI DOKI’s latest designs and products on the fashion floor of the NEW PEOPLE venue.

SOU • SOU Bikers Fashion Show

Come sample new biking-inspired fashions and rugged but stylish “Tabi’ style footwear from Kyoto-based SOU • SOU. Also browse a variety of SOU • SOU products on the fashion floor of the NEW PEOPLE venue.

FOOD & SPIRITS

HAAMONII After-Party (21+ only)

Haamonii is a new low calorie Japanese Shochu spirit created from over 400 years of tradition that mixes like vodka but with far less calories and a very smooth, floral-inspired taste. Find the HAMONII crew around the Summit Festival area to get VIP passes.

Gourmet Food Court

Come savor the delicious flavors of Japan. Snacks and desserts too!

The New People Building in San Francisco

About NEW PEOPLE

NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: www.NewPeopleWorld.com.

ACF 674: Bad Girls & Wild Women kick off J-Pop Events in San Francisco

Actress Meiko Kaji is imprisoned in Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion

BAD GIRLS & WILD WOMEN OPEN A FUN FILLED WEEK OF J-POP INSPIRED EVENTS AT NEW PEOPLE

Shochu Distiller Haamonii Hosts Pre-Show Reception;
TokyoScope DELUXE Is The 1st of 5 Nights Of Pure Japanese Pop Culture Leading Up To The J-Pop Summit Festival 2010

On September 18th

Here's some more exciting info about the J-Pop Summit Festival 2010 in San Francisco:

NEW PEOPLE and VIZ Cinema have announced a very special session of the popular TokyoScope Talk DELUXE film lecture series with a look at sexy cinematic vixens in Bad Girls & Wild Women on Monday, September, 13th at 6:00pm.

The evening will be complemented by a rare theatrical screening of the classic “pinky violence” prison film Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion. Adults only due to mature subject matter; 18+ General admission tickets for the discussion and film screening are $20.00.

TokyoScope Talk DELUXE: Bad Girls & Wild Women finds hosts Patrick Macias (Editor, Otaku USA), delving into the dark world of Stray Cats, Female Prisoners, Delinquent Bosses and other sexy bad girl roles from Japanese cult cinema. For the “DELUXE” session of the series, Macias will introduce the history of classic pinky violence, followed by director Shunya Ito’s film, Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion (1972), which is based on a manga comic series by Toru Shinohara, and epitomized the exploitation film genre that was popular in Japan the 70s. This event will also be followed by an after-party and Q&A.

For the pre-event reception beginning at 6:00pm, NEW PEOPLE will offer J-Pop gift bags and present inventive spirits and beverages from Shochu distiller Haamonii. Haamonii is a new low calorie Japanese spirit created from over 400 years of tradition that mixes like vodka but with far less calories and a very smooth, floral-inspired taste. Haamonii, which means harmony in Japanese, won a gold medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute and is hand‐crafted in small batches in the San Francisco Bay Area.

This lively event also kicks off J-Pop Week, offering five consecutive nights of pop culture inspired events that culminate with the J-Pop Summit Festival 2010, on Saturday, September 18th in San Francisco’s Japantown. Tickets are now available on www.J-Pop.com.

J-Pop Week continues at NEW PEOPLE every night through Friday, September 17th with a variety of events celebrating Japanese and Asian film, anime, fashion design, music and other forms of pop culture. Special gift bags containing a variety of fun premiums will be given to all ticket holders each night. Check www.J-Pop.com for a complete list of nightly events.

The J-Pop Summit Festival 2010 will present a variety of fun Japanese pop-inspired attractions including fashion shows, a theatrical film premiere, live art performances, and mini-concerts by some of Japan’s hottest bands. Innovative artists and companies from the Bay area and Japan will join in with an array of products for sale in open air displays on both sides of Post Street and a food court highlighting Japanese cuisine will further complement the celebration. More details are available at: www.J-Pop.com.

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s first movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.

About NEW PEOPLE:

NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: www.NewPeopleWorld.com.

ACF 669: NEW PEOPLE & VIZ Cinema to host J-Pop Summit Week in San Francisco

Detroit Metal City

J-POP SUMMIT WEEK: Pre-Festival Events + Festival Day
Monday, September 13th – Saturday, September 18th

From September 13th to 17th (Mon-Fri), NEW PEOPLE and VIZ Cinema will host films, anime, fashion, music and other forms of J-pop culture in a series of nightly events! Special gift bags will be given to all ticket holders each night. Details on the J-Pop Summit Festival are available at www.J-Pop.com.

TOKYOSCOPE TALK, Vol. 6: Bad Girls & Wild Women featuring Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion

Monday, September 13th at 7:00pm (Happy Hour starts at 6:00pm)
★ followed by screening of Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion
(Directed by Shunya Ito, 1973, 87min. Japanese with English subtitles)

Join host Patrick Macias (Editor, Otaku USA) for a unique look at sexy Stray Cats, Female Prisoners, Delinquent Bosses and other captivating and sexy bad girl roles from Japanese cinema. The evening will be complemented by a theatrical screening of the lurid prison film Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion. Adults only due to mature subject matter; 18+ General admission tickets for the discussion and film screening are $20.00.

ANIME NIGHT with Anime On Display & Crunchyroll
Tuesday, September 14th at 7:00pm and 8:45pm (Happy Hour and VIP Party starts at 7:30pm)
★ 2 Screenings of 5 Centimeters Per Second at 7pm & 8:45pm

Animation On Display, S.F.’s very own anime convention, joins forces with online content provider Crunchyroll for a theatrical presentation of Makoto Shinkai’s 5 Centimeters Per Second. Come meet other anime fans and join the fun with a special evening celebrating anime! General admission tickets are $10.00.

NOISE POP MEETS J-POP: Film Screening of 77 Boadrum
Preceded by Cornelius’ Music Video – Synchronized & Sensurround
Thursday, September 16th at 7:30pm (Happy Hour starts at 6:00pm)

Join Noise Pop, organizers of the leading independent music festival in the Bay Area, for a special theatrical presentation of 77 Boadrum, the official live documentary of the Japanese free-rock group the Boredoms’s live performance featuring 77 drummers at the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn, NY. General admission tickets for the film screening are $10.00.

J-POP SUMMIT DAY – Saturday, September 18th
Detroit Metal City
San Francisco Premiere
(Directed by Toshio Lee, 2008, Japan, 104min, 35mm, Japanese with English Subtitles)

Based on the #1 death metal comedy manga series by Kiminori Wakasugi. Negishi (Kenichi Matsuyama) is a sweet and shy young man who dreams of becoming a trendy singer songwriter. But for some reason, he is forced into joining the devil worshiping death metal band “Detroit Metal City” (DMC). In full stage make-up and costume, he transforms into Johannes Krauser II (Sir Krauser) the vulgar-mouthed lead vocalist of the band. Against Negishi’s will, DMC rises to stardom. Now the legendary king of death metal Jack Il Dark (Gene Simmons) himself is challenging DMC to a duel. What is the fate of the innocent Negishi as he climbs to the top of the death metal world? Explicit language, viewer and parental discretion advised.

Also screens September 19th – September 30th

(Yours truly, Dr. G., has been fortunate to score and watch a pre-release screener of Detroit Metal City. Now, I'm really not into this type of music at all, and never have been, but I loved, loved, loved this movie. See it at J-Pop if you can. If I can't get my review of it up before the September 18th S.F. Premiere screening, it'll at least be online prior to VIZ's release of the DVD, which is scheduled for this November.)

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s only movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.

About NEW PEOPLE:

NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: www.NewPeopleWorld.com.

ACF 667: VIZ screenings in San Francisco

VIZ CINEMA ANNOUNCES A CLIMACTIC SUMMER ROSTER
WITH SEPTEMBER FILM SCREENINGS

The People I’ve Slept With, Death Note Blu-Ray Celebration,
Detroit Metal City, 9/11 Documentary Festival, & Special Events
For J-POP Summit Week Announced!

Sorry that I'm a bit late with this post and that some of the earliest events have already taken place. But installing my new 21.5" iMac and wireless printer had to be done and will ultimately pay off in better and faster postings. Meanwhile here's all the info about this fine series taking place in San Francisco:

VIZ Cinema, the nation’s only movie theatre dedicated to Japanese film, has announced an intriguing new line-up of films and premiere events set to take place at the venue throughout the month of September.

Also just announced are a range of very special events to kick off the J-Pop Summit Festival 2010, which spotlights Japanese pop culture in a unique all-day celebration that takes over San Francisco’s Japantown on Saturday, September 18th. (I'll have more on this in a post in the near future.)

New films for September include the third installment of the Bay Area Filmmakers Series, which presents the romantic comedy, The People I’ve Slept With, directed by Quentin Lee. A highly anticipated screening of Death Note and Death Note II: the Last name, based on the popular manga/anime series, is next, and will also mark the release of the films in a new Blu-ray collection from VIZ Pictures. A special screening of Satoshi Kon’s anime masterpiece Paprika is also set.

Marking the anniversary of 9/11, VIZ Cinema presents the 9/11 Truth Film Festival which presents several documentaries that explore the tragic events from several new points of view and trace the global impact of the World Trade Center attacks in 2001.

And finally, NEW PEOPLE gets ready to celebrate the 2010 J-Pop Summit Festival with a series of pop culture cinematic events leading up to the premiere of the raucous death metal comedy Detroit Metal City on September 18th. More details on the J-Pop Summit Festival are available at www.J-Pop.com.

Advance tickets, screening times and more details are available at: www.vizcinema.com.

Karin Anna Cheung in The People I've Slept With

The People I’ve Slept With
September 3rd – September 9th
Directed by Quentin Lee
2009, 89 min, Digital, English Language

The People I’ve Slept With is a sexy comedy about a promiscuous woman who finds herself with an unplanned pregnancy and needs to figure out who the baby daddy is…NOW. Film stars Karin Anna Cheung (Better Luck Tomorrow), Wilson Cruz (My So Called Life) and Archie Kao (CSI). Co-sponsored by Frameline. A special Opening Night Event is scheduled for Friday, September 3rd at 7:00pm and will include a reception and Q&A with Director Quentin Lee. Tickets are now available for $15.00. No discounts apply.

Death Note Day: Death Note Collection Blu-ray Release Special Event
September 4th
Directed by Shusuke Kaneko
2006, 120min (Death Note), 140 min (Death Note II), Digital, Japanese with English subtitles

VIZ Pictures celebrates its first Blu-ray release Death Note Collection with Death Note Day showing both Death Note & Death Note II on the brand new Blu-ray version with the vivid high-def visuals and THX sound at VIZ Cinema. Death Note is a psycho thriller film based on the bestselling manga and anime series. Tickets are $10.00 for each film or $15.00 for both screenings. $35.00 Special Blu-ray Package includes tickets to both screenings, the new Blu-ray and poster!

Paprika
September 11th
Directed by Satoshi Kon
2006,Digital, Japanese with English subtitles

In memory of one of the greatest anime directors Satoshi Kon, who passed away at the age of 49 on August 24th, VIZ Cinema celebrates his work with a screening his masterpiece Paprika. This sci-fi epic centers on a new invention called the DC-Mini. With this revolutionary device, psychiatrists are now able to enter a patient's dreams in a therapeutic setting. But when an unknown assailant steals the devices, using them to manipulate people’s minds and the thin line between the conscious and the unconscious begins to blur. Yes Paprika challenges the same theme as Inception over 4 years ahead, but in incredible and breathtaking world of anime. Tickets are $10.00.

9/11 Truth Film Festival
Friday, 9/10 – Sunday 9/12

Join VIZ Cinema for the 9/11 Truth Film Festival and delve into the investigations and efforts to uncover what really happened on September 11, 2001. Tickets are $10.00 for each film.

Opening Night: Double Feature with Q&A
Friday, September 10th

9/11: Press For Truth (Q&A with filmmakers to follow)
Directed by Ray Nowosielski
2006, 75min, Digital, English Language

The political becomes personal in 9/11: Press for Truth, which examines the World Trade Center attacks from the perspective of the families that lost loved ones.

Hypothesis
Directed by Brett Smith
2010, 48 min, Digital, English Language

Hypothesis is a short documentary on Dr. Steven Jones and his 9/11 research on the destruction of the Twin Towers and WTC 7. The film tells Dr. Jones’ story in his own words and reflects the explosive controversy that ensued which resulted in everything from threats and bribes to academic suspension.

Double Feature of 9/11: Press For Truth and Hypothesis will also be screened on Sunday, September 12th.

Zero: An investigation to 9/11
Saturday, September 11th
Directed by Francesco Tre and Franco Fracassi
2007, 104 min, Digital, Italian w/ English subtitles

This feature documentary from Italian production company Telemaco explores the new scientific evidence and reveals dramatic new eyewitness testimony which directly conflicts with the U.S. Government’s account. Featuring presentations from intellectual heavy weights, Gore Vidal, and Nobel Prize winner Dario Fo, the film challenges many assumptions surrounding the attacks.

Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup
Saturday, September 11th
Directed by Dylan Avery
2009, 99min, Digital, English Language

With the departure of the Bush Administration and the arrival of an era of transparency, new information has been disclosed that sheds more light on the events that took place before and after 9/11. Dramatically narrated by Daniel Sunjata of FX’s Rescue Me, and an outspoken advocate for the First Responders, Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup presents a wide array of evidence both known and unknown…until now.

War Promises
Saturday, September 11th and Sunday, September 12th
Edited by Frank Hofer
2009, 75min, Digital, German with English Subtitles

In German documentary War Promises, insiders and whistleblowers try to bring what they know about to the public, including Annie Machon, who was a spy with the British MI5, and Andreas von Bülow and Jürgen Elsässer, who possess enormous insider knowledge from their membership in the parliamentary committee supervising the secret services.

False Flag
Saturday, September 11th and Sunday, September 12th
Edited by Frank Hofer
2007, 75min, Digital, German w/ English subtitles

False Flag focuses on the inconsistencies in the official version of the events and the evidence that has been suppressed regarding 9/11. It also seeks to answer why we still know nothing about it and why we are being deceived – as well as in Europe.

ACF 297: Grand Opening Celebration of NEW PEOPLE in S.F. scheduled for August

VIZ PICTURES PRESENTS THE FIRST ADVENTURE OF THE
J-POP CENTER PROJECT WITH THE GRAND OPENING OF
NEW PEOPLE IN SAN FRANCISCO THIS SUMMER

UNIQUE DESTINATION IN HISTORIC JAPANTOWN BRINGS THE LATEST JAPANESE POP CULTURE, FILM, ANIME, FASHION AND ART TO NORTH AMERICA; OPENING CELEBRATIONS COMMENCE IN AUGUST 2009

VIZ Pictures, a Japanese live-action film distributor and producer of the J-Pop Center Project, adds a captivating new dimension to the city of San Francisco with the opening of a vivid new attraction – NEW PEOPLE – in the heart of the city’s historic Japantown.

This unique entertainment destination will epitomize the latest examples Japanese popular culture expressed though film, art, fashion, and a variety of specialty boutiques and ongoing monthly events. The project, three and a half years in the making, celebrates its Grand Opening this summer with an all day outdoor music and performance event and gala to be held this August. Specific details will be announced shortly.

A dedicated NEW PEOPLE web site is also now available at: http://www.newpeopleworld.com/

NEW PEOPLE is a 20,000 square foot contemporary building located at 1746 Post Street in the city’s Japantown (one of only three remaining in the country), an area steeped in more than a century of history. The structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that invokes a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination for the 21st Century.

With three stories above and a basement cinema below, NEW PEOPLE will offer the latest films, art, and retail brands from Japan. The spacious 143-seat underground cinema space is equipped with cutting edge High Definition digital projection and THX®-certified sound and is the soul of the NEW PEOPLE experience.

Its core focus will be on some of the latest and hottest films from Japan, as well as an incredible legacy of classics, documentaries and anime – making it the only cinema of its type in the United States. These film genres are some of the most recognizable examples of Japanese pop culture and have captured the world’s attention.

Film lineup and details will be announced closer to the Grand Opening date.
NEW PEOPLE will also feature an entire floor devoted to several distinctive, trend-setting clothing labels from Japan including Baby, The Stars Shine Bright (Tokyo), Black Peace Now (Tokyo), 6% DOKIDOKI (Tokyo), and a short-term rotating storefront to showcase a new brand every two to three months

These shops will all mark their retail debut in United States at NEW PEOPLE. Baby, Black Peace Now, and 6% are pioneers of Harajuku street fashion, which has turned this vibrant district of Tokyo into an internationally-respected fashion Mecca of renowned for its unique designers.

NEW PEOPLE will also tout a café featuring organic roast Blue Bottle Coffee and Japanese delicatessen Delica rf-1, an inventive NEW PEOPLE retail store, and a 2,000 square foot art gallery providing an important showcase for a new generation of artists inspired by Japanese pop culture. The opening exhibit is expected to draw worldwide interest not only from anime fans but also serious collectors of Japanese pop art.

Details on the opening art exhibit will be announced in coming weeks.

“NEW PEOPLE is a truly unique space devoted to creativity and self expression, and will become a cultural destination unlike any other in the United States,” says Seiji Horibuchi, the founder and CEO of VIZ Pictures and the founder of VIZ Media as well as the J-pop Center Project.

“NEW PEOPLE will help nurture Japanese pop culture and also connect the public with its diverse creators. As North America continues to embrace a variety of hip trends from Japan, we look forward to expanding the vision of NEW PEOPLE globally through film, art and other multimedia and forging innovative cross-cultural creative partnerships.”

ACF 259: Asian Pop Star BoA's Free Concert at Universal CityWalk

On Saturday, March 21, 2009, Universal CityWalk, Hard Rock Café and KIIS celebrated Asian pop sensation BoA’s first English album release, “BoA”, with a FREE mini-concert performance that featured popular songs from her new album, including “I did it for love” and “Eat you up”.

BoA signed autographs for her fans after her performance and memorabilia that she presented to the Hard Rock Cafe.

Born Boa Kwon in South Korea on November 5, 1986, her performance name reportedly stands for "Beat of Angel." She has enjoyed major success not only in her homeland, but also in Japan and elsewhere in Asia. Multi-lingual, she's now poised to make her mark here in the States.

BoA performing with her back-up dancers

Part of the large crowd gathered to see BoA perform

Some of BoA's excited fans

BoA at Wikipedia
"BoA" audio CD at Amazon.com
"BoA" album MP3 downloads at Amazon.com