May 11, 2007

Mamoru Oshii's Tachigui: The Amazing Lives of the Fast Food Grifters (original title: Tachiguishi Retsuden) has been included in the film programme of State of the World (O Estado do Mundo), the cultural forum patronized by the prestigious Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (Fundacao Calouste Gulbenkian) in Lisbon. This screening also marks the movie's Portuguese premiere.

Started in October 2006 in celebration of the Foundation's 50th Anniversary, State of the World is a transverse cultural programme which includes major conferences, lectures, performances and cinema. As in the words of the event General Curator, Antonio Pinto Ribeiro, State of the World "is the hub of cultural production evaluation, a space for critical review that goes beyond the surface and the passive acceptance of a one way cultural market, and a centre of discussion of themes and problems of the present day, some of which are yet vague and uncharacteristic. In brief, this State of the World is meant to be the place of delivery of all that is 'new' in the cultural context, created through a series of discussions designed to devise a complementary programme of performances, exhibitions and cinema sessions, featuring the state of the world we live in."

The film section has been selected by Jacob Wong, curator of the Hong Kong International Film Festival, and delegate of the Berlinale and the Festival Internazionale del Film di Locarno in Asia.
In presenting his selection, Wong explains, "The films in this programme are many voices from many places. They inform us on issues that are close to us, physically, morally and aesthetically, about war, family, borders, friendship, as well as the act and art of looking and articulating."

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is a Portuguese private institution of public utility whose statutory aims are in the fields of arts, charity, education and science. Created by a clause in Armenian businessman and philanthropist Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian (1869-1955)'s will, the Foundation's statutes were approved in 1956.

Screening schedule:
Date: June 1, 2007 (Fri)
Time: 21:30
Place: Sala Polivalente, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon

Screening schedule may change. Please refer to the State of the World official website:
http://www.estadodomundo.gulbenkian.pt/

Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation official website:
http://www.gulbenkian.pt/home.asp

© 2006 MAMORU OSHII, Production I.G / TACHIGUISHI RETSUDEN Committee