5th OKINAWA INTERNATIONAL MOVIE FESTIVAL

Okinawa International Movie Festival Organization Committee Vice-Chairman
Mayor of Naha

Takeshi Onaga

Haisai, Gusuyo, Chu-uganabira

I am extremely pleased to see the grand scale on which the 5th Okinawa International Movie Festival will be held.At the opening of the Movie Festival, I would like to deeply thank Yoshimoto Kogyo and others involved in organizing this festival for all of their hard work.As I began, I used the Okinawan word Uchinaguchi, which means “hello everyone”, but in order to make sure that we pass on the important Uchinaguchi culture that we have received from our ancestors in this city, we have begun a movement of greeting with the words “Haisai haitai”. We hope that everyone who comes here, both from around Japan and overseas, will similarly cherish their own language in this way.

As we open this 5th festival, in addition to the 47 prefectures from last time we have had the citizens of the 41 municipalities of Okinawa produce local commercials so that even more people can experience the wonder of film and video, and this festival truly embodies the efforts of this city to promote “urban development through cooperation” with the community. Here in Naha, the second venue for this year’s festival, we have prepared a variety of programs at the Sakurazaka Theatre and International Street, focused around the theme of “Laugh & Peace”. It is our hope that many people will head down to these venues, and enjoy themselves in a way fitting of our city’s catch phrase of “From Good Life to Fun Life”.

Finally, we hope that this Okinawa International Movie Festival will continue to develop, as everyone carries the thoughts of Laugh & Peace from Okinawa to the rest of the world.

Ippeni Hedebitan (Thank you all very much).y