YEREVAN, JULY 6, ARMENPRESS. The guest of honor of the 20th Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival is Takeshi Kitano –the renowned Japanese director, actor, comedian, screenwriter, artist, TV presenter, poet and painter, recipient of the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival, organizers announced Thursday.

The festival will feature a public talk with Kitano, the screening of the master's latest film “Kubi”, which premiered at Cannes, and also together with another guest of honor of Golden Apricot - British producer Jeremy Thomas - Nagisa Oshima's "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" starring David Bowie, as Kitano's first major film role and as a tribute to composer Ryuichi Sakamoto.

Takeshi Kitano will be given the honorary Pharajanov’s Thaler award for his outstanding contribution to the world of cinema.