The 2025 Santa Barbara International Film Festival has announced the lineup for its 40th anniversary event, with 52 percent of the films directed by women. The 12-day extravaganza will raise funds for Los Angeles wildfire relief to help the community that has been devastated by the deadly infernos.
Sbiff will run from Feb. 4 to Feb. 15 — that’s one day longer than usual in honor of its four-decade mark. The festival will showcase movies from 60 different countries, including 33 world premieres and 74 United States premieres, and a majority come from female directors. In addition, there will be tributes to talented artisans, panel discussions, and free community education and outreach programs.
“As the tragic events in our sister city of Los Angeles were unfolding, we debated about moving forward with Sbiff,” said Roger Durling, Sbiff executive director. “Film has always been a conduit for comfort and renewal, and film festivals play a vital role in fostering a sense of connection.
Sbiff will run from Feb. 4 to Feb. 15 — that’s one day longer than usual in honor of its four-decade mark. The festival will showcase movies from 60 different countries, including 33 world premieres and 74 United States premieres, and a majority come from female directors. In addition, there will be tributes to talented artisans, panel discussions, and free community education and outreach programs.
“As the tragic events in our sister city of Los Angeles were unfolding, we debated about moving forward with Sbiff,” said Roger Durling, Sbiff executive director. “Film has always been a conduit for comfort and renewal, and film festivals play a vital role in fostering a sense of connection.
- 1/17/2025
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Following last month's announcement of the first inaugural American Manga Awards event, the full list of nominees has been revealed. The nominees span six of the eight main categories, including Best New Manga, Best Continuing Manga Series, Best New Edition of Classic Manga, Best Translation, Best Lettering and Best Publication Design. 30 nominees have been revealed in total. On top of that, it was announced that translator and author Frederik L. Schodt ( Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics ) will be the first recipient of the Manga Publishing Hall of Fame Award for his contributions to the growth and popularity of manga in America. There will also be a Mangaka Hall of Fame award granted to a notable Japanese manga creator. Let's take a look at the nominees for six key categories: Best New Manga The Darwin Incident by Shun Umezawa Publisher: Kodansha Editor: Daniel Joseph Translator: Cat Anderson #Drcl midnight children by Shin’ichi Sakamoto,...
- 7/16/2024
- by Joseph Luster
- Crunchyroll
Yesterday, the supporting cast of Yasuhiro Kawamura’s Akko’s Secret was revealed to Japanese media via press release.
The film is a live-action adaptation of Fujio Akatsuka’s classic “Himitsu no Akko-chan” manga series (1962-1965) about a 10-year-old girl who receives a magical mirror which lets her transform into whatever she wishes. In this live-action version, Haruka Ayase stars as Akko-chan after using the mirror to transform herself into a 22-year-old woman.
It was previously known that Masaki Okada would play Naoto Hayase, an elite employee of a cosmetics company Akko-chan begins working for.
The newly-announced additions include Teruyuki Kagawa as the spirit of the magical mirror, Shosuke Tanihara and Kazue Fukiishi as fellow company employees, Muga Tsukaji as a security guard who befriends Akko-chan, and Ren Osugi as the company’s former president.
Smaller supporting roles include Riko Yoshida as 10-year-old Akko-chan, Keiko Horiuchi as her mother, Shungiku Uchida...
The film is a live-action adaptation of Fujio Akatsuka’s classic “Himitsu no Akko-chan” manga series (1962-1965) about a 10-year-old girl who receives a magical mirror which lets her transform into whatever she wishes. In this live-action version, Haruka Ayase stars as Akko-chan after using the mirror to transform herself into a 22-year-old woman.
It was previously known that Masaki Okada would play Naoto Hayase, an elite employee of a cosmetics company Akko-chan begins working for.
The newly-announced additions include Teruyuki Kagawa as the spirit of the magical mirror, Shosuke Tanihara and Kazue Fukiishi as fellow company employees, Muga Tsukaji as a security guard who befriends Akko-chan, and Ren Osugi as the company’s former president.
Smaller supporting roles include Riko Yoshida as 10-year-old Akko-chan, Keiko Horiuchi as her mother, Shungiku Uchida...
- 4/13/2012
- Nippon Cinema
A wild, stylized, music video gorefest starring J-pop renditions of iconic horror.
When it comes to American horror, there has always been a relatively straightforward formula that filmmakers have adhered to. Certainly, over the years, there have been adjustments and tweaks to that very simple equation and those shifts from the norm either propel a feature to a singular stardom or the oblivion that bad movies go to after they die upon release.
And after watching the legendary Japanese director Yoshihiro Nishimura's Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl, i can honestly say that Japanese horror does not nor ever will compartmentalize itself to these standards. Sprung from the twisted mind behind Machine Girl, Suicide Club, and Mutant Girl Squad, VGvsFG plays in a field of all new insanity.
The Setup
The films follows new transfer student Monami (yes, no pun intended) as she sweeps into her new high school virtually unnoticed.
When it comes to American horror, there has always been a relatively straightforward formula that filmmakers have adhered to. Certainly, over the years, there have been adjustments and tweaks to that very simple equation and those shifts from the norm either propel a feature to a singular stardom or the oblivion that bad movies go to after they die upon release.
And after watching the legendary Japanese director Yoshihiro Nishimura's Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl, i can honestly say that Japanese horror does not nor ever will compartmentalize itself to these standards. Sprung from the twisted mind behind Machine Girl, Suicide Club, and Mutant Girl Squad, VGvsFG plays in a field of all new insanity.
The Setup
The films follows new transfer student Monami (yes, no pun intended) as she sweeps into her new high school virtually unnoticed.
- 5/1/2011
- Cinelinx
A wild, stylized, music video gorefest starring J-pop renditions of iconic horror.
When it comes to American horror, there has always been a relatively straightforward formula that filmmakers have adhered to. Certainly, over the years, there have been adjustments and tweaks to that very simple equation and those shifts from the norm either propel a feature to a singular stardom or the oblivion that bad movies go to after they die upon release.
And after watching the legendary Japanese director Yoshihiro Nishimura's Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl, i can honestly say that Japanese horror does not nor ever will compartmentalize itself to these standards. Sprung from the twisted mind behind Machine Girl, Suicide Club, and Mutant Girl Squad, VGvsFG plays in a field of all new insanity.
The Setup
The films follows new transfer student Monami (yes, no pun intended) as she sweeps into her new high school virtually unnoticed.
When it comes to American horror, there has always been a relatively straightforward formula that filmmakers have adhered to. Certainly, over the years, there have been adjustments and tweaks to that very simple equation and those shifts from the norm either propel a feature to a singular stardom or the oblivion that bad movies go to after they die upon release.
And after watching the legendary Japanese director Yoshihiro Nishimura's Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl, i can honestly say that Japanese horror does not nor ever will compartmentalize itself to these standards. Sprung from the twisted mind behind Machine Girl, Suicide Club, and Mutant Girl Squad, VGvsFG plays in a field of all new insanity.
The Setup
The films follows new transfer student Monami (yes, no pun intended) as she sweeps into her new high school virtually unnoticed.
- 5/1/2011
- Cinelinx
Year: 2009
Directors: Yoshihiro Nishimura & Naoyuki Tomomatsu
Writers: Naoyuki Tomomatsu & Shungiku Uchida (manga)
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Review by: projectcyclops
Rating: 5.5 out of 10
Leave it to the Japanese to take a simple spoof premise, in this case a vampire battling a reanimated corpse, and turn it into something almost incomprehensibly crazy. Vg-vs-fg is a fast moving, joke a minute film, flashily directed and full of bizarre pop-culture references that, while somewhat lost on the English audience I saw it with, probably appeal to the average Japanese horror/comedy fan. Thing is, some of it was just... well... creepy.
The story concerns a young student; an incredibly handsome young man who attends Tokyo High School. The local preppy girls are obsessed with him, but in the corner of the classroom sits another girl, quiet and curious, she is of course a vampire. It’s not long before our hero is turned to...
Directors: Yoshihiro Nishimura & Naoyuki Tomomatsu
Writers: Naoyuki Tomomatsu & Shungiku Uchida (manga)
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Review by: projectcyclops
Rating: 5.5 out of 10
Leave it to the Japanese to take a simple spoof premise, in this case a vampire battling a reanimated corpse, and turn it into something almost incomprehensibly crazy. Vg-vs-fg is a fast moving, joke a minute film, flashily directed and full of bizarre pop-culture references that, while somewhat lost on the English audience I saw it with, probably appeal to the average Japanese horror/comedy fan. Thing is, some of it was just... well... creepy.
The story concerns a young student; an incredibly handsome young man who attends Tokyo High School. The local preppy girls are obsessed with him, but in the corner of the classroom sits another girl, quiet and curious, she is of course a vampire. It’s not long before our hero is turned to...
- 10/31/2009
- QuietEarth.us
Year: 2009
Directors: Yoshihiro Nishimura & Naoyuki Tomomatsu
Writers: Naoyuki Tomomatsu & Shungiku Uchida (manga)
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Review by: Ben Austwick
Rating: 10 out of 10
I have to confess to being a Yoshihiro Nishimura virgin, having missed Tokyo Gore Police, and furthermore haven't seen any other contemporary Japanese exploitation splatter - films like Noburo Iguchi's Machine Girl - of the genre he is associated with. So forgive me if I start to gush about this beautiful, crazy film that hit me round the head like a hammer made out of Lsd, as it was something quite new to me, and I think it represents something quite new and exciting for horror cinema.
A high school soap opera set up has the class heart-throb Mizushima, good looking but familiarly bland and wet - it's the girls who run this film - caught between the attentions of class bully Keiko, a spoilt Gothic Lolita...
Directors: Yoshihiro Nishimura & Naoyuki Tomomatsu
Writers: Naoyuki Tomomatsu & Shungiku Uchida (manga)
IMDb: link
Trailer: link
Review by: Ben Austwick
Rating: 10 out of 10
I have to confess to being a Yoshihiro Nishimura virgin, having missed Tokyo Gore Police, and furthermore haven't seen any other contemporary Japanese exploitation splatter - films like Noburo Iguchi's Machine Girl - of the genre he is associated with. So forgive me if I start to gush about this beautiful, crazy film that hit me round the head like a hammer made out of Lsd, as it was something quite new to me, and I think it represents something quite new and exciting for horror cinema.
A high school soap opera set up has the class heart-throb Mizushima, good looking but familiarly bland and wet - it's the girls who run this film - caught between the attentions of class bully Keiko, a spoilt Gothic Lolita...
- 9/1/2009
- QuietEarth.us
Not only will our very own London correspondent Ben Austwick be there to cover the fest but it's one of the best lineups ever!
How about the world premier for Pa giant insect comedy Infestation? Check.
Sneak preview of La Horde? Check.
UK premier of Cannes premier Hierro? Check.
The surprisingly good Giallo, the latest from Dario Argento? Check.
The world premier of The Descent part 2? Check!
Full schedule after the break. (Yes we copied Dread Central's post. Thanks UncleCreepy!)
Main Programme - Empire 1
# Thursday 27 August
18.30 Triangle (World Premiere)
The Boat That Shocked! Film4 FrightFest is delighted to open this year’s festival with the first ever showing of British director Christopher Smith’s latest spellbinding horror fantasy. When Jess (Melissa George) hits a seagull driving to her local harbour little does she know it signals a harrowing omen for her yachting trip with friends. From epic ocean vistas to poignantly shocking finale,...
How about the world premier for Pa giant insect comedy Infestation? Check.
Sneak preview of La Horde? Check.
UK premier of Cannes premier Hierro? Check.
The surprisingly good Giallo, the latest from Dario Argento? Check.
The world premier of The Descent part 2? Check!
Full schedule after the break. (Yes we copied Dread Central's post. Thanks UncleCreepy!)
Main Programme - Empire 1
# Thursday 27 August
18.30 Triangle (World Premiere)
The Boat That Shocked! Film4 FrightFest is delighted to open this year’s festival with the first ever showing of British director Christopher Smith’s latest spellbinding horror fantasy. When Jess (Melissa George) hits a seagull driving to her local harbour little does she know it signals a harrowing omen for her yachting trip with friends. From epic ocean vistas to poignantly shocking finale,...
- 7/3/2009
- QuietEarth.us
The UK's most amazing horror film festival Film 4 FrightFest has released what could very well be one of the best horror line-ups we've seen ever for its latest show taking place August 27th - August 31st, brimming with films we've been salivating over Stateside!
If you need any more reasons to fly across the pond check out the schedule below!
Main Programme - Empire 1
Thursday 27 August 18.30 Triangle (World Premiere)
The Boat That Shocked! Film4 FrightFest is delighted to open this year’s festival with the first ever showing of British director Christopher Smith’s latest spellbinding horror fantasy. When Jess (Melissa George) hits a seagull driving to her local harbour little does she know it signals a harrowing omen for her yachting trip with friends. From epic ocean vistas to poignantly shocking finale, Triangle is Smith’s best, polished and most mature work.
95 minutes Director: Christopher Smith UK/Australia 2009
Melissa George...
If you need any more reasons to fly across the pond check out the schedule below!
Main Programme - Empire 1
Thursday 27 August 18.30 Triangle (World Premiere)
The Boat That Shocked! Film4 FrightFest is delighted to open this year’s festival with the first ever showing of British director Christopher Smith’s latest spellbinding horror fantasy. When Jess (Melissa George) hits a seagull driving to her local harbour little does she know it signals a harrowing omen for her yachting trip with friends. From epic ocean vistas to poignantly shocking finale, Triangle is Smith’s best, polished and most mature work.
95 minutes Director: Christopher Smith UK/Australia 2009
Melissa George...
- 7/3/2009
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Fango recently put in a day on the set of Vampire Girl Vs. Frankenstein Girl, an upcoming co-directorial feature from Japanese filmmakers Yoshihiro Nishimura of Tokyo Gore Police and Stacy’s Naoyuki Tomomatsu. The shoot, taking place in the coastal city of Kisarazu in Chiba prefecture, is one of those nonstop, sunrise-to-sunset, high-energy filmmaking marathons typical of Nishimura, whose over-the-top FX work can also be seen in last year's Machine Girl.
The scene Fango witnesses features Vampire Girl Monami as she squares off against three weapon-wielding, zombielike Frankenstein cuties. With Nishimura handling the FX sequences, it’s a good bet that the blood will fly—and sure enough, just before noon, a large trash bin of stage blood is wheeled on set. By the time the last filmable amount of daylight has drained from the sky, the bin is empty, and there is nothing in sight spared from the crimson dye.
The scene Fango witnesses features Vampire Girl Monami as she squares off against three weapon-wielding, zombielike Frankenstein cuties. With Nishimura handling the FX sequences, it’s a good bet that the blood will fly—and sure enough, just before noon, a large trash bin of stage blood is wheeled on set. By the time the last filmable amount of daylight has drained from the sky, the bin is empty, and there is nothing in sight spared from the crimson dye.
- 4/22/2009
- Fangoria
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