Early 2013 Activity: Rotterdam, Picks of 2012, RIP Donald Richie, Shinsedai

Hello all. I come to you today with a gathering of pieces, most of which I wrote, that have been recently posted:

· My report on the 42nd International Film Festival Rotterdam, which I attended in January and February, has just been posted in Senses of Cinema's 66th issue. In it, I talk about a healthy portion of the films I saw, from The Master, Stoker, and the Kaurismäki-Costa-Erice-de Oliveira-directed omnibus film Centro Histórico to such pleasant surprises as Manuela Morgaine's Foudre, Carlos Lechuga's Melaza, Alex Pitstra's Die Welt, Sebastián Hofmann's Halley, and Anand Gandhi's Ship of Theseus.

Sebastián Hofmann's Halley

Anand Gandhi's Ship of Theseus

Aki Kaurismäki's segment from Centro Histórico

· I was kindly invited to join a few of my other colleagues in Japanese cinema studies, including Chris MaGee and Julian Ross, in sharing my thoughts on the passing of Donald Richie, who was truly legendary for his contributions to writing on Japanese film and culture. Click here to view the group obit.

· The 2013 edition of the Shinsedai Cinema Festival, which has been showcasing independent Japanese films in Toronto every summer for the past four years, and which I have been personally involved with for just as long, has been officially cancelled due to a shortage of funds and sponsors. Read the announcement from Chris, the festival director, here.

· Finally, at both Senses of Cinema and Midnight Eye, I listed and wrote about my favourite films of 2012.

Thanks for reading - and happy first day of spring!