'The Spiderwick Chronicles' will close Yubari.
Cult indie event, the Yubari Intl. Fantastic Film Festival, will open with the Japanese preems of Jae-young Kwak's "Cyborg Girl" on March 19 and close with Mark Waters' "The Spiderwick Chronicles" on March 23.
Gaga will release "Girl" in Japan this summer while Paramount Pictures Japan will bow "Chronicles" on April 26.
Among other titles in the 12-pic invitation section are "Juno," "There Will Be Blood," "The Bucket List" and "Shoot 'Em Up."
Fest also features a 14-film competition, with Japanese and foreign helmers vying for a grand prize and jury prize, as well as a 21-pic Forum section devoted to young directors.
The 2007 edition was canceled after a 17-year run when the city government, a main sponsor, went bust. The 18th fest is run by a non-profit org that solicited contributions from supporters around the country.
Launched in 1990, the Yubari fest became known internationally for its mix of popular and indie titles, including many by up-and-coming Japanese and Asian directors. One fan is Quentin Tarantino, who named the girl assassin in "Kill Bill Vol. 1" Go-Go Yubari.
Once a wealthy coal-mining town on the northern island of Hokkaido, Yubari struggled to find its economic feet in the 1990s after the mines closed. But overspending on development projects and cuts in government subsidies spelled financial disaster, forcing the city to declare bankruptcy in June 2006.
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