Slovenj Gradec - Slovenj Gradec, a town in northern Slovenia which entered into a partnership with the Japanese city of Myoko more than two decades ago, is celebrating Japanese cinema this week as well as marking 30 years of diplomatic ties between Japan and Slovenia. Japanese cherry trees were planted in the town to honour these ties.

The week of Japanese film began in the morning with a screening of Yuya Ishii's Almost a Miracle. The festival, which is held by the Slovenj Gradec cultural centre in cooperation with the Japanese Embassy and Japan Foundation, will also screen Katsuhide Motoki's Iwane: Sword of Serenity, Daihachi Yoshida's A Beautiful Star, and A Banana? At This Time of Night? by Tetsu Maeda.

After the first screening, Japanese Ambassador to Slovenia Hiromichi Matsushima and Slovenj Gradec Mayor Tilen Klugler planted cheery trees next to the cultural centre to mark 30 years of diplomatic ties between Japan and Slovenia.

"At the Slovenj Gradec cultural centre, we strive to offer our audiences the highest quality and most diverse selection of European and world cinema, so we are delighted to be able to bring Japanese culture closer to them once again," said Andreja Gologranc, director of the cultural centre.