Categories
Films Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

Bike Dance in Blossoms

I love this creative stop-motion video “Bike Dance in Blossoms” created by B:C:Clettes during Bike the Blossoms in 2012.

Categories
Films World Umbrella Dance

World Umbrella Dance Official Video

Here’s the World Umbrella Dance Official Video featuring Shiamak Vancouver, Tetsu Taiko and hundreds of umbrella dancers. The dance took place on Saturday April 13 2013 at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Categories
Films World Umbrella Dance

World Umbrella Dance (video)

The World Umbrella Dance took place April 13, 2013, at the Vancouver Art Gallery as part of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival. It featured hundreds of people dancing to the music of Shabop! with Shiamak Vancouver and the beat of Tetsu Taiko.

This video features the second wave of dancers.

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Films

Akebono Snow

Check out this Akebono cherry tree snowing petals on Douglas Justice during the tree talk and walk at UBC. Thanks to Wendy Cutler for sharing the video.

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Films

Cherry petals shower

Cherry petals falling on Georgia street, between Willingdon and Boundary, in Burnaby B.C.

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Films

A walk under cherry blossoms

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPT6VSX5LmA?rel=0&w=420&h=315]

Enjoy this beautiful walk under cherry blossoms shot March 30, 2013.

Location: behind the Madison Centre  (Save-On-Foods) on Rosser Avenue, intersection of Buchanan street, in Burnaby. Two double rows of Akebono cherry trees are in bloom, a short five minute walk from Brentwood skytrain station.  Visit before noon to get the best light. The video was filmed at 11.45am.

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Films

VCBF 2012 media coverage

Longing to see cherry blossoms again? Check out the amazing media coverage of the 2012 Vancouver Cherry Blossom festival!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VB96-Fn4_g?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

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Films

The tsunami and the cherry blossom (movie review)

The tsunami and the cherry blossom is an award-winning documentary by Lucy Walker. A member of our cherry team attended the screening at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival last Sunday and submitted this review.

The movie begins with an unedited 10 minute footage of the tsunami showing the dark wave overtaking everything as people watched from the mountain.

The movie focuses on the devastating effects of the tsunami that took place on March 11, 2011 in Japan. As the recovery efforts continue, cherry trees  (including a one-thousand-year-old cherry tree) start to bloom and bring hope to people hit by the tsunami.

As Japanese people talked about their love for sakura, I’ve learned a lot of things:

  • Sakura (the Japanese word for cherry blossoms) means “beautiful but not showy”
  • Japanese have words to describe the levels of blossoms on the trees:  ichibu (10% of blossoms), Nibu (20%), Sanbu (30%), Gobusaki (50%)
  • The word “maichiru” means that when blossoms fall, they look like they’re dancing.
  • The word “hana ikada” (which means “flower raft”) is used to describe floating petals
  • Tokyo Cherry Blossom Festival was cancelled after the earthquake and they asked people to refrain from hanami (picnic under the blossoms) as a respect for people who lost loved ones.

The movie shows beautiful images of cherry blossoms (courtesy of director of photography Aaron Phillips): the moon through branches, an accelerated visual of a bud turning into a blossom, sunrise on the branches, a wedding under cherry trees, a carp swimming under floating petals.

Some Japanese people blamed the flowers for looking so relaxed after the tragedy, but spring comes when it’s time ; there is always beauty and terror in nature.

The end credits alternates with haiku about cherry blossoms. Among them:

“a beautiful spring night vanished while we looked at cherry blossoms” (Basho)

Categories
Films

The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom will screen at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival on November 4th 2012 at 5.30pm at the Cineplex Odeon International Village Cinemas.

The tsunami and the cherry blossom

The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

TRAILER

DIRECTOR: Lucy Walker  PRODUCERS: Kira Carstensen, Lucy Walker UK | 2011 | Documentary | Blu-ray | Colour | 55 mins | Japanese with English subtitles

Survivors in the areas hardest hit by Japan’s devastating 2011 tsunami find the courage to revive and rebuild as cherry blossom season begins. A stunning visual poem about the ephemeral nature of life and the healing power of Japan’s most beloved flower.

The film was nominated for Best Documentary Short Subject at the 2012 Academy Awards.