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Crit Cine, the SE Asian online film magazine, has a really great interview with Thai film critic, Kong Rithdee, in which he discusses the Bangkok International Film Festival and the state of the Thai industry.

And then three years of programming a huge whomping mass of Japanese movies at the New York Asian Film Festival pays off as Variety gives special coverage to Japan. According to Mark Schilling, it's at its highest level in 30 years with 356 movies produced in 2005 and domestic releases accounting for a whopping 41% of the local boc office.

There's also coverage of the careers of Koki Mitani and Jo Odagiri (SHINOBI) and another piece with coverage of a bunch of folks, including Kenji Uchida (whose STRANGER OF MINE is in this year's New York Asian Film Festival).