The annual Japanese Film Festival will open in Melbourne on Thursday December 3 with Director Shuichi Okita presenting his mouth-watering culinary sensation The Chef of the South Pole. A light-hearted comedy centred on the lives of eight men positioned in an Antarctic base, based on the personal experience of Author Jun Nishimura who is also a guest of the Festival.

Closing the seven day Festival is the adorable comedy, The Handsome Suit, about awkward and ugly Ohki, who is transformed into an attractive male model when he dons the 'handsome suit'. Featuring glamorous runway scenes, shot on location at Japan's biggest fashion labels 2008 Autumn/ Winter show, this Cinderella-like story is a feel-good comedy for all.

Chef Sth Pole-mainOther highlights include action flicks fresh from Japan; Kamui, a ninja film boasting an all-star cast starring Kenichi Matsuyama (Death Note, Detroit Metal City), Koyuki (The Last Samurai) and Hideaki Ito (Sukiyaki Western Django); while K20: Legend of the Mask sees Takeshi Kaneshiro (Red Cliff, House of Flying Daggers) as an accidental caped crusader in retro-futuristic Japan.