Sometimes the most beautiful flowers bloom in your own backyard -- this duo of Japanese gay films represents the vitality, diversity and artistic merit of gay film in Japan today. First off, Zipper & Tits, the new work from Shirakawa Koji and a favorite of Vancouver International Film Festival programmer Tony Rayns, is a two-part work exploring feelings of loss as experienced by a young gay man and a prostitute respectively. Shirakawa skillfully captures the characters' unease, and the feeling that "I have nothing" when faced with the uncertainties of everyday life -- anything but an exclusively gay emotion.And for something completely different ... Tadashi, hero of Addicted to Love, harbors secret feelings for his school friend Kota, but Kota shuns by his pal when Tadashi becomes the target of name-calling by his peers. When a disheartened Tadashi happens across a gay couple getting intimate on the train one day, he decides to follow them...

Addicted to Love features a script by Koichi Imaizumi (Habakari Tenshi (Angel In The Toilet)), screened previously at the 8th TLGFF), exquisite cinematography, and a realistic picture of lovesick youth interwoven with clever dialogue that will strike a chord with everyone.

Zipper & Tits -Special Edition-
Dir. Koji Shirakawa
(2001/Japan/Digital Video/60min)

http://www.raidway.ne.jp/~zoo/movie.html

Addicted to Love
Dir. Yumi Yoshiyuki
(1999/Japan/35mm/60min)

"Zipper & Tits" -Special Edition-

"Addicted to Love "