The annual Zushi Beach Film Festival held in Zushi for 11 days from April 28 (Thursday) until May 8 (Sunday), provides a variety of content such as music and food, and not only film screenings. As well as an giving an overview of the film festival, there is also a short interview with Kan Takagi who will be appear alongside Hiroshi Fujiwara as ‘Tiny Panx’.

Photo, Copyright © ZUSHI BEACH FILM FESTIVAL All Rights Reserved | Text, Yusuke Osumi | Edit, Issey Enomoto

11 special days once-a-year, where it’s more fun watching movies.

Watching films indoors has become the accepted norm. Probably due to the demands of transporting equipment as well as the culture that developed alongside the development of the theatre. Although you could once watch films at drive-in theatres from your car, it is hard to say whether this was a pure open-air viewing experience, with its background in being comparatively convenient (compared with traditional theatres being full of screaming children).

In recent years, film media equipment has become much smaller, and as a result the number of open-air screenings across Japan has risen. In this respect, ‘Zushi Coast Film Festival’ is also considered something of a pioneering event.

Watching films in a free and open environment puts you in a completely different state of mind and gives an altogether different experience. While a different environment is also a factor, it could also be said to be the result of having a difference sense of place and time, among a different group of people, more than just simply watching a film.

It’s rare to watch a movie at any large-scale film festival while sitting down in the best location, facing the sky and open horizon. Production is by local creative team ‘Cinema Caravan’. The culture they collect as they travel are presented as a venue, held once every year at “Zushi Coast Film Festival”.

The concept is something similar to “not only ‘watching’ a film with eyes but experiencing it fully with all the bodily senses”. Activities are not restricted to films and also include music and food, with a talk show ‘Caravan Radio’ hosting with a variety of guests, and DJ’s, all colouring the Zushi coast for 11 days of Golden Week.

Things like produce are sold at a ‘bazaar’ in relation to ‘Cinema Caravan’.

A carousel also features and the unexpected dream space broadens the Zushi coast.

From this point on, we feature a short interview with Kan Takagi who appears on Radio Caravan, on the first day April 28 (Thursday) and April 30 (Saturday) alongside Hiroshi Fujiwara as ‘Tiny Panx’. Regardless of how either conversation or DJ session develop, it will be fun. At any rate, ‘Tiny Panx’ reforming is something not to be missed. Whatever you’re doing, be sure not to miss either day.

The mini-radio station ‘Radio Caravan’, appears on the beach with different artists and DJs supplying wonderful music.

The reason behind reviving ‘Tiny Panx’?

——First of all, can you explain the circumstances and reasons that led to your involvement with the film festival.

Takagi : I got to know the people in and around the Zushi area around 10 years ago, in Hayama, with the young guys cultivating seaweed in Kamakura, where the vibes is really good, and feel like I became involved with nature after sending a lot of time hanging out with those guys.

Cinema, literature, outdoor lifestyle, music, food, drink, the air … I enjoy them collectively. I might have had that sort of think some time before, as my time around junior high school was spent in Zushi but felt they were separate somehow. However, now I enjoy the atmosphere at the same time. It’s symbolic of the Zushi Film Festival, and the collective group that make up Kamakura’s ‘Root Culture’ (Kamakura-led NPO Creative Team)

——I understand your appearing as Tiny Panx on Radio Caravan (April 30), what kind of things will you try, and what are the kind of things have you been discussing with Hiroshi Fujiwara?

Takagi : I always wanted to have something like a ‘Tiny Panx PRESENTS’ Day at Zushi Coast Film Festival, but for the time being this is the first event from the Radio Show.

I had fun last year doing Radio Caravan with Naoto Takenaka, and we will do that again this year but I definitely wanted to do with Hiroshi. Both wrote in magazines about films they really liked back in the day, and also because I knew Hiroshi loves film music. With the favourite film music of two poeple discussed a radio show that focuses on music used in movies sounds like a good thing as well.

—— It’s been a long time since you appeared under the name Tiny Panx, but could you tell us what the aim and intention is this time, if any.

Takagi : Certainly, besides being in Tiny Panx appearing in public together, and performing live at Club Asia on my own before Hitoshi quite DJing, the last time together might have been 20 years ago.​ ​

Tiny Panx was introduced as a Rap group, but though it was a lot of fun, how people picked-up on things, or spread the word … meaning that, by doing stuff we were also doing TV and radio.

Tiny Panx really owes everything to the culture that existed back then in the late ‘80s, the fan magazines, going out in the middle of the night … that kind of thing. I didn’t really think about it that seriously, about what it means to do this now, but the location seemed really appealing and wondered what kind of impression could I give now to someone who’s coming … so suggested the idea. On top of which, one screening is a film about Hiroshi’s hometown, Ize (‘Between seamount’, Saturday, April 30) What happens though is something else entirely.

I was fascinated by 007, the film score is really interesting.

—— Could you tell us some of your favourite movies?

Takagi : If by films you mean something recent, they could be ‘Gattaca’ (Thursday, Apr. 28) and ‘The Boat That Rocked’ (Friday, April 6).

If films in general, ‘007’ during the Sean Connery years. I was shocked when I saw ‘Doctor No’ at a revival around the time I was in elementary school. Because up until that point I loved Japanese heroes.

——Do you also like the music used in ‘Doctor No’?

Takagi : Of course.

——So, what is it that makes the soundtracks so distinctive?

Takagi : Because music is made to match the the screen while dealing with scenes as they happen, but the feeling that comes from when both scene and score fit perfectly is irresistible. Of course, when the opposite happens and they don’t work ate all, it all becomes nauseating (laugh) Re-listening to old soundtracks now its really interesting, listening to the whole thing together.

——What makes the soundtracks so interesting?

Takagi : It has to be John Barry in ‘007’ (everyone has heard the theme song tailored to suit 007, along with the thrilling music arranged by Monty Norman)

Theme song arranged by John Barry comes to symbolise 007. After his second arrangement ‘From Russia with Love’ he served as music director.

——Other than ‘Doctor No’, what other films do you like?

Takagi : ‘Doctor No’, ‘Goldfinger’, ‘From Russia with Love’, ‘Thunderbolt’, ‘You Only Live Twice’, ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’, ‘Diamonds Are Forever’, ‘Live and Let Die’. Only ‘Live and Let Die’ is being shown. What George Martin did (Music, and The Beatles producer), is a masterpiece.

‘Live and Let Die’ theme song, written by Paul McCartney & Wings

7th Zushi Coast Film Festival

Venue: Zushi Coast, Kanagawa Prefecture

Date: April 28 (Thurs.) – May 8 (Sun.) Opening times: 11am – end of last screening

• April 28 (Thurs.) Kan Takagi & Naoto Takenaka talk event, from 18:00 ~ • April 30 (Sat.) Tiny Panx talk event, 16:30–18:00 ~

Film screenings: 19:00 ~ ( April 28, May 2 & 6 doors open 17:00)

Admission: ¥1,500 (general)

• Free (High School or thereafter) • ¥500 (On presentation of Zushi residence card) For screening schedules, check the website

http://zushifilm.com/