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Online Film School in Honor of Akira Kurosawa Launched with All-Star Tribute and Japanese Cultural Extravaganza

Posted on: Thursday, 26 March 2009, 04:34 CDT

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., March 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Anaheim University Akira Kurosawa School of Film, a pioneering online film school, celebrated its launch with a tribute to the late Academy Award-winning Filmmaker Akira Kurosawa (March 23, 1910-September 6, 1998) on Monday, March 23rd, 2009 at the Beverly Hills Hotel's legendary Crystal Ballroom. The launch and tribute were part of The Cherry Blossom Gala, a black-tie extravaganza of culture and the arts hosted by television announcer/actor Shadoe Stevens.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090326/DC89427 )

The tribute to the late film legend included personal video tributes from Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Martin Scorsese who were unable to attend but congratulated Anaheim University for launching the Akira Kurosawa School of Film and expressed their best wishes to those in attendance celebrating what would have been Kurosawa's 99th birthday. As Scorsese remarked in his video speech many of today's films are directly inspired by Kurosawa's masterpieces including such modern classics as Star Wars, A Fistful of Dollars, the Magnificent Seven, Last Man Standing, A Bug's Life, and Vantage Point.

The Japanese-themed entertainment featured over 150 performers specially flown in from Japan for the evening. Amongst these was the Jane Aiko Yamano Kimono Show performed by Tokyo's Yamano Beauty College whose beautiful models looked stunning in their traditional outfits against the backdrop of the cherry blossoms that adorned the room. The audience was also treated to live singing and 40 traditional "Awa" dancers as they brought the carnival atmosphere of the East to Beverly Hills. The entertainment didn't stop there as the Kurokawa tribute was beautifully staged with a stirring film concert / abridged screening of his award-winning film "Ran" by the Young Musicians Foundation Orchestra conducted by globally acclaimed Japanese female conductor Tomomi Nishimoto which was met with a standing ovation from the guests. There was also an emotional tribute to the late American TV and Film Actress and Star of the 1988 film Tokyo Pop Ms. Carrie Hamilton (daughter of Actress and Comedienne Carol Burnett), as well as others who influenced and contributed to the film school's development.

Part of the evening saw the Anaheim University Akira Kurosawa School of Film holding its first film award ceremony developed to recognize environmentally and socially responsible filmmakers. The "Pioneer in Edutainment Award" was presented to Ms. Halle Stanford, Executive Vice-President of Children's Entertainment at the Jim Henson Company, for the pioneering efforts of Sesame Street and Muppet Show creator Jim Henson to make learning fun by combining Education and Entertainment.

The Gala was organized by Anaheim University, the Academia Foundation and the AK100 Project, sponsored by Japan Airlines and endorsed by the Consulate-General of Japan in Los Angeles, the Japan Foundation and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California.

About Anaheim University

Anaheim University is a nationally accredited online institution of higher learning headquartered in Anaheim, California.

http://www.anaheim.edu/gala

SOURCE Anaheim University

Source: PR Newswire

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