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Although manga and animes aren't mentioned in the outline of this research project, it is certainly comprehended in the field being investigated, which is Japanese cinema. After all, animation is such an important element of Japanese audiovisual entertainment that it might be worth to propose topics about it.

Widescreen aesthetics and technologies have been analysed almost exclusively in relation to American cinema practices. The proposed studentship will redress this imbalance by offering an in-depth analysis of the adoption, development, use and interpretation of widescreen cinema by Japanese studios and significant filmmakers. The 'mixed' nature of this area of Japanese film production will be apparent in comparisons drawn between Hollywood and Japanese productions and technologies, and the emergence of a culturally-specific response to the representational qualities of the widescreen frame.

I'll definitely try to go to this festival this year. If anyone is interested and is unfamiliar with Switzerland, please, let me know. I'll be happy to help. Most people (at lease those involved in Tourism) in Ticino speak English, but they are more comfortable with Italian or French.

Manga Impact, in collaboration with the Cinema Museum of Torino (Italy), is a program incorporated within the next International Film Festival of Locarno (Swizterland), which will propose a retrospective of Japanese animation since its early inception in the 1940's. It will cover a wide range of genres and types, from the most commercial productions to auteurs' works. If you've never been to the Locarno festival, I highly recommend it. But you have to make your reservation asap, because Ticino, the Swiss-Italian region where Locarno lies, is small and doesn't have so many hotels or accomodation opportunities. And they'll be all very quickly taken as this event is reknown worldwide. The Festival will take place 5-15 August 2009.

By William Ashbaugh, in "Imag(in)ing the War in Japan: Representing and Responding to Trauma in Postwar Literature and Film"

WildGrounds.com is a France-based website dedicated to Asian Cinema, since 2006.