TICAD IV (4th Tokyo International Conference on African Development) will be held in Yokohama in May 2008. Co-hosted by the United Nations and the World Bank, members of the global community and African nations will come together to discuss issues relating to African development during this international conference. On this special occasion, BankART 1929 Yokohama is hosting an exhibition entitled "Africa - the Land of Hope" with the cooperation of Nikkei National Geographic Inc., introducing the abundance and wealth of Africa's natural resources as well as the continent's future potential. In Africa, the possibility for a "bright future" blessed with abundant nature, coexists in uneasy company with the possible "dark future" haunted by issues of global warming, poverty and AIDS. This exhibition will reveal the true face of Africa, with exquisite photographs and films from National Geographic.

Perhaps few people know of "Panda Kopanda (kid panda)," a film created by the duo Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki 36 years ago focusing on "carefully drawing daily life, with nothing special." This incomparably happy film about the strange life shared between an active young girl and a grown an baby panda is scheduled to be re-released in theaters this spring. This exhibition gearing up to the theater release displays Hayao Miyazaki's original image boards for the film in a bamboo forest. Miyazaki's belief in "portraying 'everyday life' as entertainment" and connections with the duo's later works are of interest. Location: Ghibli Museum, Mitaka, 2F Gallery Curation and Design: Goro Miyazaki *Please contact the museum for more details. [Image: Hayao Miyazaki From the 'Panda Kopanda' image board ©TMS]

This series of screenings presents films that were recently discovered and restored. This is the 6th edition of the series, shedding light on the significance of film as a cultural treasure. This edition presents the oldest Japanese animation "Namakura Sword" (1917), the digitally remastered "Taro Urashima" (1918), and many other masterpieces. The screening consists of 28 programs, presenting 96 works in total. The Film Center aims to fill the gaps in the history of Japanese film by serving as a center for preservation and archiving these works of art. Please check the NFC's website for details and screening schedule.

Kawasaki City Museum has been a pioneer in researching new genres of art, such as photography, comics, graphics, film and image, while also collecting valuable materials as civic resources. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Museum is hosting "Collection Pickup - Curators' Picks" Exhibition, in which curators will pick up some works from the Museum collection and introduce them from their own perspectives. Location: Art Gallery

The National Film Center was established in 1952 as the first film department in a national institution in Japan. Entering the second century since the birth of film, the Center's task to protect the accumulated items from over 50 years as historically and culturally significant documentation and heritage is becoming increasingly more important. The collection includes 30,000 films, 20,000 books, 30,000 scripts, 42,000 posters and 372,000 still photos. This exhibition presents a selection of rare items from the collection including historical equipment, mementos of prominent figures in the film industry and newly discovered films, as well as the achievements of past film restorations to trace the history of the Japanese film conservation movement.

Isabelle Adjani as an enigmatic woman who disappears after killing a wealthy man.

The Embassy of the Republic of Argentina and Instituto Cervantes of Tokyo invite you to the exhibition "Quino". World renowned cartoonist exhibits for the first time in Tokyo. The collection contains drawings of the characters he is most known for, like Mafalda, along with examples of his socio-political strips. For fans of original animations there are multiple short films for viewing in the projection room during regular gallery hours. Opening: May 22nd (Thu), 19:00- To attend the opening, please make a reservation via email at info@cervantes.jp or fax at 03-5210-1811.

Julie Delpy plays a girl whose parents were killed in an accident on their way to a summer resort. She tries to uncover the truth and track down the culprit...