The Japanese Film Festival is a film festival held in

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

and dedicated to

Japanese cinema The has a history that spans more than 100 years. Japan has one of the oldest and largest film industries in the world; as of 2021, it was the fourth largest by number of feature films produced. In 2011 Japan produced 411 feature films that ea ...

. It was held annually from 1999 to 2016, and curated with Singapore audiences in mind, led by local programmers with a wide-ranging programme of film classics, Japanese independents and commercial releases. There was no festival in 2017. Under new direction from 2018 from the

Japan Foundation The was established in 1972 by an Act of the National Diet as a special legal entity to undertake international dissemination of Japanese culture, and became an Independent Administrative Institution under the jurisdiction of the Ministry o ...

in Tokyo, it has shifted its focus to screening mainly commercial releases from Japan.

2014 (26 June to 12 July)

The Japanese Film Festival was held from 26 June to 12 July at the

National Museum of Singapore ms, Muzium Negara Singapura ta, சிங்கப்பூரின் தேசிய அருங்காட்சியகம் , native_name_lang = , logo = , image = 2016 Singapur, Museum Planning Area, Narodowe Muzeum Singapuru (02) ...

Film programme

Currents * Leaving on the 15th Spring / 旅立ちの島唄～十五の春～ (2012) by Yoshida Yasuhiro / 吉田康弘 (PG) *

Homeland A homeland is a place where a cultural, national, or racial identity has formed. The definition can also mean simply one's country of birth. When used as a proper noun, the Homeland, as well as its equivalents in other languages, often has ethni ...

/ 家路 (2014) by Kubota Nao / 久保田直 (M18) * Homesick / ホームシック (2012) by Hirohara Satoru / 廣原暁 (PG) * Maruyama, The Middle Schooler / 中学生円山 (2012) by Kudo Kankuro / 宮藤官九郎 (NC16) *

Survive Style 5+ ''Survive Style 5+'' is a 2004 Japanese film directed by Gen Sekiguchi and produced by Hiroyuki Taniguchi. It stars Tadanobu Asano, Kyōko Koizumi, Reika Hashimoto, Jai West, Sonny Chiba and Vinnie Jones. Synopsis The film follows five simultane ...

(2004) by Sekiguchi Gen / 関口現 (NC16) * The Tale of Iya / 祖谷(いや)物語　おくのひと (2013) by Tsuta Tetsuichiro / 蔦哲一朗 (PG) * The Mole Song / 土竜の唄 (2013) by

Miike Takashi is a Japanese film director, film producer and screenwriter. He has directed over one hundred theatrical, video, and television productions since his debut in 1991. His films run through a variety of different genres, and range from violent an ...

/ 三池崇史 (M18) Retrospective (Ichikawa Kon) * Alone Across the Pacific / 太平洋ひとりぼっち (1963) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG) *

An Actor's Revenge , also known as ''Revenge of a Kabuki Actor'', is a 1963 Japanese film directed by Kon Ichikawa, based on a novel by Otokichi Mikami. Plot Japan in the late Edo period: Three men — Sansai Dobe, Kawaguchiya and Hiromiya — are responsible fo ...

/ 雪之丞変化 (1963) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG) * Bonchi / ぼんち (1960) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG) * Crammed Streetcar / 満員電車 (1957) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG) * Hakai / 破戒 (1962) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG) * Harp of Burma / ビルマの竪琴 (1956) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG) * I Am Two / 私は二歳 (1962) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG) * Kokoro / こころ (1955) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG) * Nihonbashi / 日本橋 (1956) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG) *

Nobi ''Nobi'' were members of the slave class during the Korean dynasties of Goryeo and Joseon. Legally, they held the lowest rank in medieval Korean society. Like the slaves, serfs, and indentured servants of the Western Hemisphere, ''nobi'' wer ...

/ 野火 (1959) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG) *

Odd Obsession is a 1959 Japanese drama film directed by Kon Ichikawa. It was entered into the 1960 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize. It was based on the novel '' The Key'', by Japanese novelist Junichirō Tanizaki. Plot A man who suspects ...

/ 鍵 (1959) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG) * Punishment Room / 処刑の部屋 (1956) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG) *

Ten Dark Women ''Ten Dark Women'' (, literally "ten black women") is a 1961 Japanese film directed by Kon Ichikawa. Plot A married television executive has many mistresses. Nine of the mistresses and his wife band together and plan to kill him. His wife tells h ...

/ 黒い十人の女 (1961) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG) * The Wanderers / 股旅 (1973) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG13) *

The Makioka Sisters is a novel by Japanese writer Jun'ichirō Tanizaki that was serialized from 1943 to 1948. It follows the lives of the wealthy Makioka family of Osaka from the autumn of 1936 to April 1941, focusing on the family's attempts to find a husband fo ...

/ 細雪 (1983) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG)

2013 (26 June to 8 July)

The Japanese Film Festival was held from 26 June to 8 July at the Alliance Francaise and the

. There will be a focus on films from the 80s as well as a retrospective on Shindo Kaneto and Yoshimura Kozaburo, in addition to a showcase of the best in Japanese current films.

Festival highlights (Inspire)

Film programme

Around the 80s * Muddy River / 泥の河 (1981) by Oguri Kohei / 小栗康平 (PG13) * Mahjong Horoki / 麻雀放浪記 (1984) by Wada Makoto / 和田誠 (NC16) * I Are You, You Am Me / 転校生 (1982) by Obayashi Nobuhiko / 大林宣彦 (NC16) *

Farewell to the Land is a 1982 Japanese drama film directed by Mitsuo Yanagimachi. It was entered into the 32nd Berlin International Film Festival. Cast * Jinpachi Nezu as Yukio Yamazawa * Kumiko Akiyoshi as Junko * Jirō Yabuki as Akihiko Yamazawa (as Jirō Yab ...

/ さらば、愛しき大地 (1982) by Yanagimachi Mitsuo / 柳町光男 (R21) * Violent Cop / その男、凶暴につき (1989) by

Kitano Takeshi is a Japanese comedian, television presenter, actor, filmmaker, and author. While he is known primarily as a comedian and TV host in his native Japan, he is better known abroad for his work as a filmmaker and actor as well as TV host. With th ...

/ 北野武 (M18) * Rikyu / 利休 (1989) by Teshigahara Hiroshi / 勅使河原宏 (PG) *

Fall Guy Fall guy is a colloquial phrase that refers to a person to whom blame is deliberately and falsely attributed in order to deflect blame from another party. Origin The origin of the term "fall guy" is unknown and contentious. Many sources place ...

/ 蒲田行進曲 (1982) by Fukasaku Kinji / 深作欣二 (R21) *

The Catch The Catch may refer to: Film and television * ''The Catch'' (U.S. TV series), 2016-2017 American mystery television series * ''The Catch'' (UK TV series), 2023 British family drama television series * ''The Catch'' (1961 film), 1961 film by Nagisa ...

/ 魚影の群れ (1983) by Somai Shinji / 相米慎二 (R21) * No More Easy Going / もう頬づえはつかない (1979) by Higashi Yoichi / 東陽一 (M18) *

Preparation for the Festival is a 1975 Japanese film directed by Kuroki Kazuo. Plot Tateo (Jun Etô), a mother-dominated young man who realizes that he must leave the place he loves, finding it too closed and constricting. With great affection and insight, Kuroki character ...

/ 祭りの準備 (1975) by Kuroki Kazuo / 黒木和雄 (R21) *

The Man Who Stole the Sun ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

/ 太陽を盗んだ男 (1979) by Hasegawa Kazuhiko / 長谷川和彦 (PG) *

The Family Game is a 1983 Japanese movie directed by Yoshimitsu Morita. ''The Family Game'' received several awards including the best movie of the year as selected by Japanese critics. Although the movie missed the Japan Academy Prize for the Best Picture (lo ...

/ 家族ゲーム (1983) by Morita Yoshimitsu / 森田芳光 (NC16) Retrospective (Shindo Kaneto and Yoshimura Kozaburo) *

A Ball at the Anjo House is a 1947 Japanese drama film directed by Kōzaburō Yoshimura. The film won the 1947 Kinema Junpo Award for Kinema Junpo Award for Best Film of the Year, Best Film. Plot After Japan's defeat in the Pacific War, the wealthy Anjō family have to ...

/ 安城家の舞踏会 (1947) by Yoshimura Kozaburo / 吉村公三郎 (PG) * The Disguise / 偽れる盛装 (1951) by Yoshimura Kozaburo / 吉村公三郎 (PG) * Sisters of Nishijin / 西陣の姉妹 (1952) by Yoshimura Kozaburo / 吉村公三郎 (PG) * Undercurrent / 夜の河 (1956) by Yoshimura Kozaburo / 吉村公三郎 (PG) *

Children of Hiroshima is a 1952 Japanese drama film directed by Kaneto Shindō. It was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival. Plot Takako Ishikawa ( Nobuko Otowa) is a teacher on an island in the inland sea off the coast of post-war Hiroshima. During her summer ...

/ 原爆の子 (1952) by Shindo Kaneto / 新藤兼人 (PG) *

Epitome An epitome (; gr, ἐπιτομή, from ἐπιτέμνειν ''epitemnein'' meaning "to cut short") is a summary or miniature form, or an instance that represents a larger reality, also used as a synonym for embodiment. Epitomacy represents "t ...

/ 縮図 (1953) by Shindo Kaneto / 新藤兼人 (PG) *

The Ditch ''The Ditch'', also known as ''Goodbye Jiabiangou'', is a 2010 film produced and directed by Wang Bing, an independent Chinese filmmaker better known for his work on documentaries. The film, on the subject of Chinese forced-labour camps during ...

/ どぶ (1954) by Shindo Kaneto / 新藤兼人 (PG) * Lucky Dragon No. 5 / 第五福竜丸 (1959) by Shindo Kaneto / 新藤兼人 (PG) * The Island / 裸の島 (1960) by Shindo Kaneto / 新藤兼人 (PG) *

Mother ] A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given childbirth, birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the cas ...

/ 母 (1963) by Shindo Kaneto / 新藤兼人 (PG) *

A Last Note is a 1995 Japanese comedy-drama film directed by Kaneto Shindo. It was the last film of actresses Haruko Sugimura and Nobuko Otowa. Plot Yoko Morimoto, an aged but still active widowed actress, takes a rest from rehearsals and the hot temperatur ...

/ 午後の遺言状 (1995) by Shindo Kaneto / 新藤兼人 (M18) Currents * GFP Bunny / タリウム少女のプログラム (2012) by Tsuchiya Yutaka / 土屋豊 (R21) * Japan Lies / ニッポンの嘘　報道写真家福島菊次郎90歳 (2012) by Hasegawa Saburo / 長谷川三郎 (M18) * Japan's Tragedy / 日本の悲劇 (2012) by Masahiro Kobayashi / 小林政広 (PG13) * Rent a Cat / レンタネコ (2012) by Ogigami Naoko / 荻上直子 (PG) * Shady / かしこい狗は、吠えずに笑う (2012) by Watanabe Ryohei / 渡部亮平 (NC16) * See You Tomorrow Everyone / みなさん、さようなら (2013) by Nakamura Yoshihiro / 中村義洋 (NC16) *

Our Homeland is a 2012 Japanese drama film about a Korean man's visit to his family in Japan after a long exile in North Korea. This is the feature debut of Yang Yong-hi, a second-generation ethnic Korean living in Japan who based the film on her family ...

/ かぞくのくに (2012) by Yang Yong-hi / ヤン・ヨンヒ (NC16) Undercurrents * Canary / カナリア (2005) by Shiota Akihiko / 塩田明彦 (M18) *

Villain A villain (also known as a "black hat" or "bad guy"; the feminine form is villainess) is a stock character, whether based on a historical narrative or one of literary fiction. ''Random House Unabridged Dictionary'' defines such a character a ...

/ 悪人 (2010) by Lee Sang-il / 이상일 (R21)

2012 (1 to 8 July)

The Japanese Film Festival was held from 2 to 8 July at the

. Besides showcasing the best of current Japanese films, one segment of the festival focused on documentaries examining the undercurrents and post-trauma effects of the tsunami in Japan in March 2011, while another segment focused on the celebration of the

Nikkatsu is a Japanese entertainment company known for its film and television productions. It is Japan's oldest major movie studio, founded in 1912 during the silent film era. The name ''Nikkatsu'' amalgamates the words Nippon Katsudō Shashin, literally ...

Centennial.

Festival highlights (Action)

Film programme

Tsunami Documentaries * Fukushima Memories of a Landscape / 相馬看花第一部奪われた土地の記憶 (2011) by Matsubayashi Yojyu / 松林要樹 (PG) * No Man's Zone / 無人地帯 (2012) by Fujiwara Toshi / 藤原敏史 (PG)

Centennial - Celebrating 100 Years of

Studio * Stolen Desire / 盗まれた欲情 (1958) by Imamura Shohei / 今村昌平 (PG) * Endless Desire / 果てしなき欲望 (1958) by Imamura Shohei / 今村昌平 (PG) *

Unholy Desire is a 1964 Japanese drama film by director Shōhei Imamura. Plot Sadako, a corpulent young woman, lives with her common-law husband Koichi, a librarian who has an ongoing affair with his colleague Yoshiko. Although she looks after Koichi's little ...

/ 赤い殺意 (1964) by Imamura Shohei / 今村昌平 (PG) *

The Pornographers is a 1966 satiric Japanese film directed by Shōhei Imamura. It is based on the novel ''Erogotoshitachi'' by Akiyuki Nosaka. Plot ''The Pornographers'' tells the story of porn filmmaker Mr. Subuyan Ogata, whose business is under threat from thie ...

/ エロ事師たちより　人類学入門 (1966) by Imamura Shohei / 今村昌平 (M18) * Nishi Ginza Station / 西銀座駅前 (1958) by Imamura Shohei / 今村昌平 (PG) *

The Insect Woman is a 1963 Japanese drama film directed by Shōhei Imamura. It was entered into the 14th Berlin International Film Festival, where Sachiko Hidari won the Silver Bear for Best Actress award. It was also awarded numerous national film prizes. Plot ...

/ にっぽん昆虫記 by Imamura Shohei / 今村昌平 (PG) *

Juvenile Jungle , also known as ''Juvenile Jungle'', is a 1956 Japanese Sun Tribe film directed by Kō Nakahira. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Shintaro Ishihara, the older brother of cast member Yujiro Ishihara,Marc Moha"Crazed Fruit: Th ...

/ 狂った果実 (1956) by Nakahira Kō / 中平康 (PG) *

Gate of Flesh is a 1964 Japanese film based on a novel by Taijiro Tamura and directed by Seijun Suzuki. Plot In an impoverished and burnt out Tokyo ghetto of post-World War II Japan, a band of prostitutes defend their territory, squatting in a bombed-out b ...

/ 肉体の門 (1964) by Suzuki Seijun / 鈴木清順 (M18) * Red Handkerchief / 赤いハンカチ (1964) by Toshio MasudaMasuda Toshio / 舛田利雄 (PG) *

The Woman with Red Hair The Nikkatsu ''Roman Porno'' films were a series of theatrical Japanese softcore pornographic films produced by the movie studio Nikkatsu from November, 1971, until May, 1988. The Japanese word 'roman' refers to novels, and derives from the Latin ...

/ 赫い髪の女 (1979) by Kumashiro Tatsumi / 神代辰巳 (R21) * Bakumatsu Taiyoden / 幕末太陽傳 (1957) by Kawashima Yuzo / 川島雄三 (PG) Japanese Currents * Life Back Then / アントキノイノチ (2011) by Zeze Takahisa / 瀬々敬久 (PG13) * About the Pink Sky / ももいろそらを (2011) by Kobayashi Keiichi / 小林啓一 (NC16) * Death of a Japanese Salesman / エンディングノート (2011) by Sunada Mami / 砂田麻美 (PG) *

I Wish I WiSH was a Japanese pop group consisting of two members, Ai Kawashima and nao. Ai is responsible for the vocals and occasionally plays the piano also with nao on the keyboard or piano. Their most notable track is and was in the Oricon ranking ...

/ 奇跡 (2011) by Koreeda Hirokazu / 是枝裕和 (PG) * Tokyo Oasis / 東京オアシス (2011) by Matsumoto Kana / 松本佳奈 and Nakamura Kayo / 中村佳代 (PG) * Chronicle of My Mother / わが母の記 (2011) by Harada Masato / 原田眞人 (PG)

2011 (2 to 10 July)

The Japanese Film Festival was held from 2 to 10 July at the

. The festival theme was Journey.

Festival highlights (Journey)

Opening Film: * Mother Water / マザーウォーター (2010) by Matsumoto Kana / 松本佳奈 (PG) Closing Film: *

Sketches of Kaitan City is a 2010 Japanese drama film directed by Kazuyoshi Kumakiri and starring Mitsuki Tanimura and Ryo Kase. Cast * Mitsuki Tanimura as Honami Ikawa * Pistol Takehara as Futa Ikawa * Ryo Kase as Haruo Meguro * Masaki Miura as Hiroshi Hagiya * Takash ...

/ 海炭市叙景 (2010) by Kumakiri Kazuyoshi / 熊切和嘉 (PG) Director in attendance: * Kumakiri Kazuyoshi / 熊切和嘉

Film programme

Tribute to Takamine Hideko / 高峰秀子 * Hideko the Bus Conductress / 秀子の車掌さん (1941) by

Naruse Mikio was a Japanese filmmaker who directed 89 films spanning the period 1930 to 1967. Naruse is known for imbuing his films with a bleak and pessimistic outlook. He made primarily shomin-geki ("common people drama") films with female protagonists, ...

/ 成瀬　巳喜男 (PG) *

Lightning Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electric charge, electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the land, ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous ...

/ 稲妻 (1952) by

/ 成瀬　巳喜男 (PG) * Yearning / 乱れる (1964) by

/ 成瀬　巳喜男 (PG) *

When a Woman Ascends the Stairs is a 1960 Japanese drama directed by Mikio Naruse. Plot Keiko (called "Mama" by the other characters), a young widow approaching 30, is a hostess at a bar in Ginza. Realizing she is getting older, she decides after talking to her bar manager, Ko ...

/ 女が階段を上る時 (1960) by

/ 成瀬　巳喜男 (PG) * The Munekata Sisters / 宗方姉妹 (1950) by Ozu Yasujirō / 小津　安二郎 (PG) *

Immortal Love ''Immortal Love'' ''Bitter Spirit'' ( ja, 永遠の人, Eien no hito, The eternal person) is a 1961 Japanese drama film written and directed by Keisuke Kinoshita. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Masakazu Tam ...

/ 永遠の人 (1961) by

Kinoshita Keisuke was a Japanese film director and screenwriter.Ronald Berganbr>"A satirical eye on Japan: Keisuke Kinoshita" ''The Guardian'', 5 January 1999. While lesser-known internationally than contemporaries such as Akira Kurosawa, Kenji Mizoguchi and Ya ...

/ 木下　恵介 (PG) Focus on Gosho Heinosuke / 五所　平之助 * The Young Women of Izu / 伊豆の娘たち (1945) by Gosho Heinosuke / 五所　平之助 (PG) *

Where Chimneys Are Seen , also titled ''Four Chimneys'', is a 1953 Japanese comedy-drama film directed by Heinosuke Gosho. It was entered into the 3rd Berlin International Film Festival. Based on a novel by Rinzō Shiina, ''Where Chimneys Are Seen'' is regarded as on ...

/ 煙突の見える場所 (1953) by Gosho Heinosuke / 五所　平之助 (PG) * Woman of the Mist / 朧夜の女 (1936) by Gosho Heinosuke / 五所　平之助 (PG) Focus on Kumakiri Kazuyoshi / 熊切和嘉 *

/ 海炭市叙景 (2010) by Kumakiri Kazuyoshi / 熊切和嘉 (PG) * Antenna / アンテナ (2004) by Kumakiri Kazuyoshi / 熊切和嘉 (R21) * Green Mind, Metal Bats / 青春☆金属バット (2006) by Kumakiri Kazuyoshi / 熊切和嘉 (M18) Japanese Currents * Mother Water / マザーウォーター (2010) by Matsumoto Kana / 松本佳奈 (PG) *

Strawberry Shortcakes is a 2006 Japanese film by director Hitoshi Yazaki. The film, based on the Japanese manga of the same name by Kiriko Nananan, concerns the life of four girls, as they deal with their own insecurities while living in the metropolis of Tokyo. Thi ...

/ ストロベリーショートケイクス (2006) by Yazaki Hitoshi / 矢崎仁司 (R21) * Birthright / 臍帯 (2010) by Hashimoto Naoki / 橋本直樹 (PG) * Megane / めがね (2007) by Ogigami Naoko / 荻上直子 (PG) * Kamome Diner / かもめ食堂 (2005) by Ogigami Naoko / 荻上直子 (PG) * The Days After / 後の日 (2010) by Koreeda Hirokazu / 是枝裕和 (PG) * Pool / プール (2009) by Omori Mika / 大森美香 (PG) Others * Till We Meet Again / また逢う日まで (1950) by Imai Tadashi / 今井正 (PG) * The Straits of Hunger / 飢餓海峡 (1964) by Uchida Tomu / 内田　吐夢 (PG)

2010 (19 to 29 August)

In 2010, the Japanese Film Festival was held from 19 to 29 August at the

. The festival theme was Youth.

Festival Highlights (Youth)

Opening Film: * ''

Boy A boy is a young male human. The term is commonly used for a child or an adolescent. When a male human reaches adulthood, he is described as a man. Definition, etymology, and use According to the ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary'', a boy is "a ...

'' / 少年 (1969) by Ōshima Nagisa / 大島渚 (PG) Closing Film: * ''Sweet Little Lies'' / スイートリトルライズ (2010) by Yazaki Hitoshi / 矢崎仁司 (NC16) Director in focus: Ōshima Nagisa / 大島渚
Director in attendance: * Yoshida Kota / 吉田浩太

Film Programme

Focus on Japanese New Wave and Oshima Nagisa * ''

'' / 少年 (1969) by Ōshima Nagisa / 大島渚 (PG) * ''

Diary of a Shinjuku Thief is a 1969 Japanese New Wave film directed by Nagisa Ōshima. Synopsis The film centers around Birdie, a young Japanese book thief who is caught by a store clerk named Umeko. As their encounters grow increasingly fraught with tension and desire ...

'' / 新宿泥棒日記 (1968) by Ōshima Nagisa / 大島渚 (R21) * '' Sinner in Paradise'' / 帰って来たヨッパライ (1968) by Ōshima Nagisa / 大島渚 (NC16) * '' Sing a Song of Sex'' / 日本春歌考 (1967) by Ōshima Nagisa / 大島渚 (NC16) * ''Good for Nothing'' / ろくでなし (1960) by Yoshida Yoshishige / 吉田喜重 (PG) * '' Bloody Thirst'' / 血は乾いてる (1960) by Yoshida Yoshishige / 吉田喜重 (PG) * '' Hogs and Warships'' / 豚と軍艦 (1961) by Imamura Shohei / 今村昌平 (PG) * ''

A Man Vanishes is a 1967 Japanese pseudo documentary film by director Shōhei Imamura about a film team's search for a man reported missing. Plot Tadashi Oshima, a 32-year-old salesman from Naoetsu, Niigata prefecture, is reported missing. Together with Oshima ...

'' / 人間蒸発 (1967) by Imamura Shohei / 今村昌平 (PG) * '' A Flame at the Pier'' / 涙を、獅子のたて髪に (1962) by Shinoda Masahiro / 篠田正浩 (PG) * '' Ototo'' / おとうと (1960) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG) Focus on PIA Film Festival * ''A Stranger of Mine'' / 運命じゃない人 (2004) by Uchida Kenji / 内田けんじ (PG) * ''

Water Flower is a Japanese film which was released on 5 August 2005. Synopsis Minako is a quiet junior high school student being raised by her overworked single father. This movie is a portrait of the relationship between Minako and Yu, Minako's younger half ...

'' / 水の花 (2005) by Kinoshita Yusuke / 木下雄介 (PG) * '' Fourteen'' / 14歳 (2006) by Hirosue Hiromasa / 廣末哲万 (PG) * ''ASYL - Park and Love Hotel'' / パーク　アンド　ラブホテル (2007) by Kumasaka Izuru / 熊坂出 (PG) * ''MIME-MIME'' / マイムマイム (2008) by Sode Yukiko / 岨手由貴子 (M18) Directions – Focus on NDJC 2007 * ''The Bus to Heaven'' (2007) by Gunjigake Masayuki (PG) * ''Good bye, George Adamski'' (2007) by Kodama Kazuto (PG) * ''Seismic Girl'' (2007) by Tatenai Kenta (PG) * ''Babin'' (2007) by Hirabayashi Isamu (PG) * ''Restaurant UFO'' (2007) by Yamaguchi Satoshi (PG) Directions – Focus on NDJC 2008 * ''A Lying Woman's Daybreak'' (2008) by Kumagai Madoka (PG) * ''Bloom'' (2008) by Tanaka Tomofumi (PG) * ''The Sparkling Amber'' (2008) by Nakako Ryota (PG) * ''Kudan'' (2008) by Yoshii Kazuyuki (PG) * ''The Third Skin'' (2008) by Wajima Kotaro (PG) Japanese Currents * ''

Air Doll is a 2009 Japanese drama film directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda. It is based on the manga series ''Kuuki Ningyo'' by Yoshiie Gōda, which was serialized in the seinen manga magazine ''Big Comic Original''. It stars Bae Doona as an inflatable sex dol ...

'' / 空気人形 (2009) by Koreeda Hirokazu / 是枝裕和 (R21) * ''Bare Essence of Life'' / ウルトラミラクルラブストーリー (2009) by Yokohama Satoko / 横浜聡子 (PG) * ''Fish Story'' / フィッシュストーリー (2009) by Nakamura Yoshihiro / 中村義洋 (PG) * ''LALAPIPO - A Lot of People'' / ララピポ (2009) by Miyano Masayuki / 宮野雅之 (R21) * ''Live Tape'' / ライブテープ (2009) by Matsue Tetsuaki / 松江哲明 (PG) * '' Yuriko's Aroma'' / ユリ子のアロマ (2010) by Yoshida Kota / 吉田浩太 (M18)

2009 (25 to 30 August)

The Japanese Film Festival 2009 was a showcase of some of the finest in Japanese horror, mystery and supernatural cinema that year. The festival was held from 25 to 30 August at the

Festival Highlights (Horror)

Audience Award: * '' Strange Circus'' / 奇妙なサーカス (2006) by Sono Shion / 園子温 (R21)

Film Programme

* ''

House A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

'' / ハウス (1977) by Obayashi Nobuhiko / 大林宣彦 (NC16) * ''The Blind Beast'' / 盲獣 (1969) by Masumura Yasuzo / 増村保造 (R21) * '' Manji'' / 卍　(1964) by Masumura Yasuzo / 増村保造 (R21) * '' Onibaba'' / 鬼婆 (1964) by Shindo Kaneto / 新藤兼人 (M18) * ''The Ghost Story of Yotsuya'' / 東海道四谷怪談 (1959) by Nakagawa Nobuo / 中川信夫 (PG) * '' Kichiku: Banquet of the Beasts'' / 鬼畜大宴会 (1997) by Kumakiri Kazuyoshi (R21) * '' Strange Circus'' / 奇妙なサーカス (2006) by Sono Shion / 園子温 (R21) * ''Rampo Noir'' / 乱歩地獄 (2005) by Jissoji Akio / 実相寺昭雄, Kaneko Atsushi, Sato Hisayasu / 佐藤寿保 and Takeuchi Suguru (R21) * ''

A Snake of June ''A Snake of June'' ( ja, 六月の蛇, ''Rokugatsu no hebi'') is a 2002 Japanese film directed by Shinya Tsukamoto. His seventh film, it is notable for its monochrome blue cinematography tinted in post production. It won the Kinematrix Film Awa ...

'' / 六月の蛇 (2003) by Tsukamoto Shinya / 塚本晋也 (R21)

2008 (22 to 31 August)

In 2008, the Japanese Film Festival was held from 22 to 31 August 2008 at the

, and was a pre-event of the Japan Creative Centre, which was launched in mid November 2009. The festival theme focused on femininity in Japanese Cinema, as exemplified by the festival theme: "Jyo-yuu" (女　優). The festival showcased works by Master director

and acclaimed actress-director

Tanaka Kinuyo was a Japanese actress and film director. She had a career lasting over 50 years with more than 250 acting credits, but was best known for her 15 films with director Kenji Mizoguchi, such as ''The Life of Oharu'' (1952) and ''Ugetsu'' (1953). ...

. Works of award-winning young director Kawase Naomi and two other independent directors of the current indie movement Matsuoka Naomi and Matsue Tetsuaki were also featured.

Festival highlights ("Jyo-yuu" 女優)

Director in focus:

/ 成瀬巳喜男
Directors in attendance: * Kawase Naomi / 河瀨直美 * Matsuoka Naomi * Matsue Tetsuaki

Film programme

Free-Admission Component * ''

Sansho the Bailiff is a 1954 Japanese period film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. Based on a 1915 short story of the same name by Mori Ōgai (usually translated as "Sanshō the Steward" in English), which in turn was based on a folktale, it follows two aristocratic ch ...

'' / 山椒大夫 (1954) by

Mizoguchi Kenji was a Japanese film director and screenwriter, who directed about one hundred films during his career between 1923 and 1956. His most acclaimed works include '' The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums'' (1939), ''The Life of Oharu'' (1952), ''Uge ...

/ 溝口健二 (PG) * ''

Ginza Cosmetics is a 1951 Japanese drama film directed by Mikio Naruse. It is based on a novel by Tomoichirō Inoue. Plot ''Ginza Cosmetics'' follows the life of hostess Yukiko, single mother of a young boy, in the lively Tokyo quarter of Ginza. Cast * Kinuyo ...

'' / 銀座化粧 (1951) by

/ 成瀬巳喜男 (PG) * ''

'' / おかあさん(1952) by

/ 成瀬巳喜男 (PG) * ''

A Wanderer's Notebook , also known as '' Her Lonely Lane'', is a 1962 black-and-white Japanese drama film directed by Mikio Naruse, starring Hideko Takamine. It is based on the autobiographical novel of the same title by writer Fumiko Hayashi and its stage adaptation ...

'' / 放浪記 (1962) by

/ 成瀬巳喜男 (PG) * ''

Floating Clouds is a 1955 Japanese drama film directed by Mikio Naruse. It is based on the novel of the same name by Japanese writer Fumiko Hayashi, published just before her death in 1951. The film received numerous national awards upon its release and remai ...

'' / 浮雲 (1955) by

/ 成瀬巳喜男 (PG) * ''Love Letter'' / 恋文 (1953) by

/ 田中絹代 (PG) * ''The Eternal Breasts'' / 乳房よ永遠なれ (1955) by

/ 田中絹代 (NC16) * ''

A Hen in the Wind is a 1948 Japanese drama film directed by Yasujirō Ozu, starring Kinuyo Tanaka and Shūji Sano. Plot The film is set in immediate postwar Japan, Tokyo. Tokiko (Kinuyo Tanaka), a twenty-nine-year-old mother of a young boy of four, is waiting f ...

'' / 風の中の雌鳥　(1948) by Ozu Yasujirō / 小津安二郎 (PG) * ''Actress'' / 映画女優 (1987) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 (PG) * ''Harmful Insect'' / 害虫 (2001) by Shiota Akihiko (PG) * ''The Milk Woman'' / いつか読書する日 (2005) by Ogata Akira (PG) Paid Screenings Component * '' Shara'' / 沙羅双樹　(2003) by Kawase Naomi / 河瀨直美 (PG) * ''

The Mourning Forest is an 2007 Japanese film directed by Naomi Kawase. It won the Grand Prix at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. It tells the story of a nurse (played by Machiko Ono) who is grieving for her dead child. She works at a nursing home and grows close to ...

'' / 殯の森　(2007) by Kawase Naomi / 河瀨直美 (PG) * ''Shadow of Sand'' / 砂の影　(2008) by Kaida Yusuke (PG) * ''Katatsumori'' / かたつもり (1994) by Kawase Naomi / 河瀨直美 (PG) * ''See Heaven'' / 天、見たけ (1995) by Kawase Naomi / 河瀨直美 (PG) * ''The Setting Sun'' / 陽は傾ぶき (1996) by Kawase Naomi / 河瀨直美 (PG) * ''Broken Blossom'' / 花の鼓 (2003) by Matsuoka Naomi (R21) * ''Pathos'' / 背骨のパトス (2008) by Matsuoka Naomi (R21) * ''Birth / Mother'' /　垂乳女 (2006) by Kawase Naomi / 河瀨直美 (R21) * ''Summer Vacation with Naomi Kawase'' / 2002年の夏休み　ドキュメント沙羅双樹 (2003) by Matsue Tetsuaki (PG) * ''Every Japanese Woman Makes Her Own Curry'' / カレーライスの女たち (2003) by Matsue Tetsuaki (PG) * ''Embracing'' / につつまれて (1992) by Kawase Naomi / 河瀨直美 (PG) * ''Sky, Wind, Fire, Water, Earth'' / きゃからばあ (2001) by Kawase Naomi / 河瀨直美 (PG) * ''

Sakuran , is a Japanese manga series by Moyoco Anno. The manga is about a girl who goes through different names throughout the story and becomes a , or high ranking (courtesan). North American publisher Vertical Inc published it in English in July ...

'' / さくらん (2006) by Ninagawa Mika / 蜷川実花 (R21)

2007 (15 to 23 September)

The 2007 festival theme was True. Romance and the festival was held at the

Festival Highlights (True.Romance)

Director in focus: Imamura Shohei / 今村昌平
Director in attendance: * Ichikawa Jun / 市川準 Actress in attendance: * Yoshiyuki Kazuko

Film Programme

Imamura Shohei Retrospective * '' Black Rain'' / 黒い雨 (1989) by Imamura Shohei / 今村昌平 * '' The Ballad of Narayama'' / 楢山節考 (1983) by Imamura Shohei / 今村昌平 * '' Vengeance Is Mine'' / 復讐するは我にあり (1979) by Imamura Shohei / 今村昌平 * '' Eejanaika'' / ええじゃないか (1981) by Imamura Shohei / 今村昌平 * '' Nianchan'' / にあんちゃん (1959) by Imamura Shohei / 今村昌平 Ichikawa Jun Showcase * ''Dying at a Hospital'' (1993) by Ichikawa Jun / 市川準 * ''Tokyo Marigold'' (2001) by Ichikawa Jun / 市川準 * ''How to Become Myself'' (2007) by Ichikawa Jun / 市川準 Other films * ''

Inochi is a 2002 Japanese movie directed by Shinohara Tetsuo starring Esumi Makiko and Etsushi Toyokawa. It is based on a memoir of the same title by the Korean-Japanese author Yu Miri. Plot summary Yu Miri (Esumi) is a writer who's just become p ...

'' / 命 (2002) by Shinohara Tetsuo / 篠原哲雄 * ''

The Sting of Death is a 1990 Japanese film directed by Kōhei Oguri and based on the novel by Toshio Shimao. It tells the story of a writer with a wandering eye and his jealous wife. The film was selected as the Japanese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at ...

'' / Shi no toge (1990) by Oguri Kohei / 小栗康平 * ''The Strange Tale of Oyuki'' / Bokuto Kidan (1992) by Shindo Kaneto / 新藤兼人 * '' Faraway Sunset'' / Toki rakujitsu (1992) by Koyama Seijiro * ''

Hachikō Monogatari is a 1987 Japanese drama film directed by Seijirō Kōyama and starring Tatsuya Nakadai, Kaoru Yachigusa, Mako Ishino and Masumi Harukawa. The film depicts the true story of Hachikō, a loyal Akita dog who continued to wait for his owner, Profess ...

'' / ハチ公物語 (1987) by Koyama Seijiro * ''Lost in the Wilderness'' / 植村直己物語 (1986) by Sato Junya / 佐藤純彌 * ''Appassionata'' / Jo no mai by Nakajima Sadao * ''Oriume'' by Matsui Hisako * ''Gabai Granny'' / 佐賀のがばいばあちゃん (2006) by Kurauchi Hitoshi * ''Life Can Be So Wonderful'' / Sekai wa tokidoki utsukushii (2007) by Minorikawa Osamu * ''Moon and Cherry'' / Tsuki to Cherry (2004) by Tanada Yuki * '' Abduction: The Megumi Yokota Story'' / Megumi hikisakareta kazoku no sanjyuunen (2006) by Patty Kim and Chris Sheridan

2006 (21 to 29 October)

Friendship was the theme of the 2006 Japanese Film Festival.

Festival Highlights (Friendship)

Director in focus

/ 北野武
Director in attendance: * Ogigami Naoko

Film Programme

Kitano Takeshi Retrospective * ''

Kids Return is a 1996 Japanese film written, edited and directed by Takeshi Kitano. The film was made directly after Kitano recovered from a motorcycle wreck that left one side of his body paralyzed. After undergoing extensive surgery and physical therapy, h ...

'' / キッズ・リターン (1996) by

/ 北野武 * ''

Fireworks Fireworks are a class of Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a l ...

'' / はなび (1997) by

/ 北野武 * ''

Kikujiro ''Kikujiro'' () is a 1999 Japanese road drama film starring, written, and directed by Takeshi Kitano. Its score was composed by Joe Hisaishi. The film was entered into the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. ''Kikujiro'' tells the story of a young boy sea ...

'' / 菊次郎の夏 (1999) by

/ 北野武 Ogigami Naoko Showcase * ''Yoshino's Barber Shop'' by Ogigami Naoko * ''Kamome Diner'' / Kamome Shokudo by Ogigami Naoko Other films * ''

Final Fantasy VII Advent Children is a 2005 Japanese List of computer-animated films, computer-animated film directed by Tetsuya Nomura, written by Kazushige Nojima, and produced by Yoshinori Kitase and Shinji Hashimoto. Developed by Visual Works and Square Enix, ''Advent Child ...

'' / ファイナルファンタジーVII アドベントチルドレン (2005) by Nomura Tetsuya / 野村哲也 and Nozue Takeshi * '' Captain Harlock in Arcadia'' / わが青春のアルカディア (1982) by Katsumata Tomoharu / 勝間田具治 * ''Robocon'' (2003) by Furumaya Tomoyuki * ''

A Class to Remember is a 1993 Japanese film directed by Yōji Yamada. It was chosen as Best Film at the Japan Academy Prize ceremony. Synopsis A cantankerous but loveable high school teacher teaches a night school in a poor neighborhood for adult students on the ...

'' / 学校 (1993) by Yamada Yoji / 山田洋次 * ''A Class to Remember II'' (also known as ''The Learning Circle'') / 学校 II (1996) by Yamada Yoji / 山田洋次 * ''A Class to Remember IV'' (also known as ''Fifteen'') / 学校 IV (2000) by Yamada Yoji / 山田洋次 * ''Scarred Angels'' / Kizu Darake no Tenshi (1997) by Sakamoto Junji / 阪本順治 * '' Free and Easy Special Version'' / 釣りバカ日誌 (1994) by Morisaki Azuma / 森崎東 * ''Dixieland Daimyo'' / Jazz Daimyo (1986) by

Okamoto Kihachi was a Japanese film director who worked in several different genres. Career Born in Yonago, Okamoto attended Meiji University, but was drafted into the Air Force 1943 and entered World War II, an experience that had a profound effect on his late ...

/ 岡本喜八 * ''The All-Out Nine-Field of Nightmares'' / Gyakkyo Nine (2005) by Hasumi Eiichiro * '' We Shall Overcome Someday'' / Pacchigi! (2004) by Izutsu Kazuyuki / 井筒和幸 * '' The Professor and His Beloved Equation'' / 博士の愛した数式 (2006) by Koizumi Takashi / 小泉堯史 * ''Dead Run'' / Shisso (2005) by Sabu / サブ * ''

Linda Linda Linda is a 2005 Japanese film directed by Nobuhiro Yamashita. It stars Bae Doona, Aki Maeda, Yu Kashii, and Shiori Sekine (of the band Base Ball Bear) as teenagers who form a band to cover songs by the Japanese punk rock band the Blue Hearts; the ...

'' (2005) by Yamashita Nobuhiro / 山下敦弘

2005 (28 September to 9 October)

Adaptations was the theme of the 2005 Japanese Film Festival.

Festival Highlights (Adaptations)

Directors in focus: * Nomura Yoshitaro / 野村芳太郎 * Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑

Film Programme

Nomura Yoshitaro Retrospective * ''

Zero Focus is a 1961 Japanese mystery film directed by Yoshitaro Nomura and is based on a novel by Seicho Matsumoto. Plot One week into newlywed Teiko Uhara's marriage, her husband, ad agency manager Kenichi, leaves on a short business trip to Kanazawa a ...

'' / ゼロの焦点 (1961) by Nomura Yoshitaro / 野村芳太郎 * ''

Castle of Sand is a 1974 Japanese police procedural film directed by Yoshitarō Nomura, based on the novel '' Suna no Utsuwa'' by Seicho Matsumoto. Plot Yoshitaro Nomura's 1974 film of Seicho Matsumoto's immensely popular detective story tells the tale of two ...

'' / 砂の器 (1974) by Nomura Yoshitaro / 野村芳太郎 * ''The Incident'' / 事件 (1978) by Nomura Yoshitaro / 野村芳太郎 Ichikawa Kon Retrospective * ''

Conflagration A conflagration is a large fire. Conflagrations often damage human life, animal life, health, and/or property. A conflagration can begin accidentally, be naturally caused (wildfire), or intentionally created (arson). A very large fire can produc ...

''/ 炎上 (1958) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 * ''

I Am a Cat is a satirical novel written in 1905–1906 by Natsume Sōseki about Japanese society during the Meiji period (1868–1912), particularly the uneasy mix of Western culture and Japanese traditions. Sōseki's title, ''Wagahai wa Neko de Aru'', us ...

'' / 吾輩は猫である (1975) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 * ''The Phoenix'' / Hi no Tori (1978) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 * ''

'' / 細雪 (1983) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 Other films * ''

Tony Takitani is a 2004 Japanese film directed by Jun Ichikawa, based on the short story by Haruki Murakami. Inspiration Haruki Murakami was intrigued by the name Tony Takitani when, at a garage sale on Maui, he found a yellow T-shirt that said, "Tony Takitan ...

'' / トニー滝谷 (2004) by Ichikawa Jun / 市川準 * ''The Laughing Frog'' / 笑う蛙 (2002) by Hirayama Hideyuki / 平山秀幸 * ''L'Amant'' (2004) by Hiroki Ryuichi / 廣木隆 * ''

Josee, the Tiger and the Fish is a 1984 Japanese short story by author Seiko Tanabe. It was first published in the June 1984 issue of ''Monthly Kadokawa''. It was later included alongside various stories in the short story collection ''Josee, the Tiger and the Fish'', whi ...

'' / Joze to Tora to Sakana Tachi (2003) by Inudo Isshin * ''Letter from the Mountain'' / 阿弥陀堂だより (2002) by Koizumi Takashi / 小泉堯史 * '' The Tragedy of W'' / Wの悲劇 (1984) by Sawai Shinichiro / 澤井信一郎 * ''

And Then ''And Then...'' is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Joe. It was released through Jive Records on December 2, 2003 in the United States. A breakaway from his previous album '' Better Days'' (2001), the album saw Joe consultin ...

'' / それから (1985) by Morita Yoshimitsu / 森田芳光 * '' When the Rain Lifts'' / 雨あがる (1999) by Koizumi Takashi / 小泉堯史 * '' Poppoya - Railroad Man'' / 鉄道員 (1999) by Furuhata Yasuo / 降旗康男

2004 (24 September to 3 October)

Tokyo Stories was the theme of the 2004 Japanese Film Festival.

Festival Highlights (Tokyo Stories)

Directors in focus: * Yamada Yoji / 山田洋次 * Ichikawa Jun / 市川準

Film Programme

Yamada Yoji Retrospective * ''

It's Tough Being a Man (Am I Trying) (Tora-san Our Lovable Tramp) is a 1969 Japanese comedy film directed by Yoji Yamada and starring Kiyoshi Atsumi. It is the first entry in the popular, long-running ''Otoko wa Tsurai yo'' series. Plot Torajiro Kuruma returns for th ...

'' / 男はつらいよ (1969) by Yamada Yoji / 山田洋次 * ''

Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset a.k.a. ''Torasan and the Painter'' and ''Tora-san's Sunset Glow'' is a 1976 Japanese comedy film directed by Yoji Yamada. It stars Kiyoshi Atsumi as Torajirō Kuruma (Tora-san), and Kiwako Taichi as his love interest or "Madonna". ''Tora-san's S ...

'' / 男はつらいよ寅次郎夕焼け小焼け (1976) by Yamada Yoji / 山田洋次 * ''

The Yellow Handkerchief The Yellow Handkerchief or Yellow Handkerchief may refer to: * ''The Yellow Handkerchief'' (1977 film), Japanese film *''Yellow Handkerchief'', 2003 television program broadcast by Korean Broadcasting System * ''The Yellow Handkerchief'' (2008 fil ...

'' / 幸福の黄色いハンカチ (1977) by Yamada Yoji / 山田洋次 * ''

My Sons is a 1991 Japanese film directed by Yōji Yamada. It was chosen as Best Film at the Japan Academy Prize ceremony. Synopsis The children of old-fashioned patriarch of a family in Iwate Province gather to observe the first anniversary of their mo ...

'' / 息子 (1991) by Yamada Yoji / 山田洋次 Ichikawa Jun Retrospective * '' BU.SU'' (1987) by Ichikawa Jun / 市川準 * '' Tsugumi'' (1990) by Ichikawa Jun / 市川準 * ''Tadon and Chikuwa'' (1998) by Ichikawa Jun / 市川準 * ''Osaka Story'' / Osaka Monogatari (1999) by Ichikawa Jun / 市川準 Other films * ''

Tokyo Drifter is a 1966 ''yakuza'' film directed by Seijun Suzuki. The story follows Tetsuya Watari as the reformed yakuza hitman "Phoenix" Tetsu who is forced to roam Japan avoiding execution by rival gangs. Plot An old ''yakuza'' boss named Kurata decides ...

'' / 東京流れ者 (1966) by Suzuki Seijun / 鈴木清順 * ''

Scoutman is a 2000 Japanese film written and directed by Masato Ishioka. Plot Twenty-year-old Atsushi and his seventeen-year-old girlfriend Mari arrive in Tokyo from the suburbs with plans to marry despite their parent's objections but they are soon pull ...

'' / ペイン (2000) by

Masato Ishioka is a Japanese director, screenwriter and business executive who had an early career as an adult video (AV) director. Life and career Masato Ishioka was born in 1960 in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. He attended Meiji University, graduating in 1983 ...

* ''

Edo Porn ''Edo Porn'' ( ja, 北斎漫画, Hokusai manga) is a 1981 Japanese biographical drama film written and directed by Kaneto Shindō. It is based on Seiichi Yashiro's stage play on the life of Japanese artist Hokusai. Plot Tetsuzō is an unsuccess ...

'' / 北斎漫画 (1981) by Shindo Kaneto / 新藤兼人 * ''

The Taste of Tea is the third film by Japanese writer and director Katsuhito Ishii. It has been referred to as a " surreal" version of Ingmar Bergman's '' Fanny and Alexander'' (1982). It was a selection of the Cannes Film Festival. Synopsis The film follows the ...

'' / 茶の味 (2004) by Ishii Katsuhito / 石井克人

2003 (26 September to 5 October)

Festival highlights (Commemoration - Ozu Yasujiro)

Director in focus: Fukasaku Kinji / 深作欣二
Commemoration: 100th birthday and 40th death anniversary of Ozu Yasujiro / 小津安二郎

Film programme

Fukasaku Kinji Retrospective * '' Lovers Lost'' / 道頓堀川 (1982) by Fukasaku Kinji / 深作欣二 * ''

The Geisha House is a 1998 film directed by Kinji Fukasaku. Plot In 1958, the Anti-Prostitution Law is about to be implemented. A young maiko named Tokiko works at Fujinoya Geisha House under Madam Satoe with the geisha Terucho, Kimiryo, and Somemaru. Over ...

'' / おもちゃ (1999) by Fukasaku Kinji / 深作欣二 * '' Amateur Singing Contest'' / Nodo jiman (1999) by Izutsu Kazuyuki / 井筒和幸 Ozu Yasujiro (Commemoration) * '' I Was Born, But...'' / 大人の見る繪本　生れてはみたけれど (1932) by Ozu Yasujiro / 小津安二郎 * ''

Late Spring is a 1949 Japanese drama film directed by Yasujirō Ozu and written by Ozu and Kogo Noda, based on the short novel ''Father and Daughter'' (''Chichi to musume'') by the 20th-century novelist and critic Kazuo Hirotsu. The film was written and ...

'' / 晩春 (1949) by Ozu Yasujiro / 小津安二郎 * ''

Tokyo Story is a 1953 Japanese drama film directed by Yasujirō Ozu and starring Chishū Ryū and Chieko Higashiyama about an aging couple who travel to Tokyo to visit their grown children. Upon release, it did not immediately gain international recogniti ...

'' / 東京物語 (1953) by Ozu Yasujiro / 小津安二郎 * ''

Equinox Flower is a 1958 color Japanese film directed by Yasujirō Ozu which is based on a novel by Ton Satomi. Plot Wataru Hirayama (Shin Saburi) is a wealthy Tokyo businessman. When an old schoolmate Mikami ( Chishū Ryū) approaches him for help concerning ...

'' / 彼岸花 (1958) by Ozu Yasujiro / 小津安二郎 * ''

The End of Summer is a 1961 Japanese film directed by Yasujirō Ozu for Toho Films. It was entered into the 12th Berlin International Film Festival. The film was his penultimate; only ''An Autumn Afternoon'' (1962) followed it, which he made for Shochiku Films. P ...

'' / 小早川家の秋 (1961) by Ozu Yasujiro / 小津安二郎 * ''

An Autumn Afternoon is a 1962 Japanese drama film directed by Yasujirō Ozu for Shochiku Films. It stars Ozu regular Chishū Ryū as the patriarch of the Hirayama family who eventually realises that he has a duty to arrange a marriage for his daughter Michiko (Shim ...

'' / 秋刀魚の味 (1962) by Ozu Yasujiro / 小津安二郎 * ''

Tokyo-Ga ''Tokyo-Ga'' is a 1985 documentary film directed by Wim Wenders, about Japanese filmmaker Yasujirō Ozu. An international co-production of the United States and West Germany, the film was shot in spring 1983. Its focus ranges from explicit explorat ...

'' (1985 documentary) by

Wim Wenders Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders (; born 14 August 1945) is a German filmmaker, playwright, author, and photographer. He is a major figure in New German Cinema. Among many honors, he has received three nominations for the Academy Award for Best Docum ...

Other films * ''

Twilight Samurai ''The Twilight Samurai'' is a 2002 Japanese historical drama film co-written and directed by Yoji Yamada and starring Hiroyuki Sanada and Rie Miyazawa. Set in mid-19th century Japan, a few years before the Meiji Restoration, it follows the lif ...

'' / たそがれ清兵衛 (2002) by Yamada Yoji / 山田洋次 * ''

Moonlight Whispers is a 1999 Japan film directed by Akihiko Shiota and based on the manga ''Gekko no sasayaki'' by Masahiko Kikuni. Plot A boy (Takuya) meets a girl (Satsuki), both 17 years of age, and they fall in love. When she discovers his fetishes Satsuki br ...

'' / Gekko no Sasayaki (1999) by Shiota Akihiko / 塩田明彦 * ''

Millennium Actress is a 2001 Japanese animated drama film co-written and directed by Satoshi Kon and produced by Madhouse. Loosely based on the lives of actresses Setsuko Hara and Hideko Takamine, it tells the story of two documentary filmmakers investigating the ...

'' / 千年女優 (2001) by Kon Satoshi / 今敏

2002 (11 to 20 October)

Film programme

* ''

'' / 稲妻 (1952) by

/ 成瀬巳喜男 * '' Flowing'' / 流れる (1956) by

/ 成瀬巳喜男 * ''

Ugetsu , is a 1953 Japanese historical drama and fantasy film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi starring Masayuki Mori and Machiko Kyō. It is based on two stories in Ueda Akinari's 1776 book of the same name, combining elements of the ''jidaigeki'' (peri ...

'' / 雨月物語 (1953) by

/ 溝口健二 * '' Juvenile'' / ジュブナイル (2000) by

Takashi Yamazaki is a Japanese visual effects artist, television producer, director, screenwriter, and actor. He won the Japan Academy Film Prize for Director of the Year, Director of the Year and Japan Academy Film Prize for Screenplay of the Year, Screenplay o ...

/ 山崎貴 * ''First Love'' / Hatsukoi (2000) by Shinohara Tetsuo / 篠原哲雄 * ''Fifteen'' / 学校 IV (2000) by Yamada Yoji / 山田洋次 * ''Ozamu Tezuka's Anime'' by

Tezuka Osamu Osamu Tezuka (, born , ''Tezuka Osamu''; – 9 February 1989) was a Japanese manga artist, cartoonist, and animator. Born in Osaka Prefecture, his prolific output, pioneering techniques, and innovative redefinitions of genres earned him such ...

/ 手塚治虫 - Jumping (1984) / Pictures At An Exhibition (1966) / Broken Down Film (1985)

2001 (29 September to 7 October)

Festival highlights (Kurosawa Retrospective)

Director in focus:

Kurosawa Akira was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. Kurosawa displayed a bold, dynam ...

/ 黒澤明

Film programme

Kurosawa Retrospective * ''

The Bad Sleep Well is a 1960 Japanese crime mystery film directed by Akira Kurosawa. It was the first film to be produced under Kurosawa's own independent production company. It was entered into the 11th Berlin International Film Festival. The film stars Toshiro ...

'' / 悪い奴ほどよく眠る (1960) by

/ 黒澤明 * '' The Quiet Duel'' / 静かなる決闘 (1949) by

/ 黒澤明 * ''

Red Beard is a 1965 Japanese ''jidaigeki'' film co-written, edited, and directed by Akira Kurosawa, in his last collaboration with actor Toshiro Mifune. Based on Shūgorō Yamamoto's 1959 short story collection, '' Akahige Shinryōtan'', the film takes pl ...

'' / 赤ひげ (1965) by

/ 黒澤明 * '' Not Yet'' / まあだだよ (1993) by

/ 黒澤明 * ''

Sanjuro is a 1962 black-and-white Japanese ''jidaigeki'' film directed by Akira Kurosawa and starring Toshiro Mifune. It is a sequel to Kurosawa's 1961 ''Yojimbo''. Originally an adaptation of the Shūgorō Yamamoto novel ''Hibi Heian'', the script w ...

'' / 椿三十郎 (1962) by

/ 黒澤明 * '' Doomed (To Live)'' / 生きる (1952) by

/ 黒澤明 Other films * ''Nowhere Man'' / Muno no Hito (1991) by

Takenaka Naoto is a Japanese actor, comedian, singer, and director from Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, affiliated with From First Production. He is married to idol singer and actress Midori Kinouchi. He is also known as the voice of Samuel L. Ja ...

/ 竹中直人 * ''Beijing Watermelon'' / Pekin Teki Suika (1989) by Obayashi Nobuhiko / 大林宣彦 * '' Tora-san Takes a Vacation'' / 男はつらいよ寅次郎の休日 (1990) by Yamada Yoji / 山田洋次 * ''

'' / 菊次郎の夏 (1999) by

/ 北野武 * ''Adrenaline Drive'' (1999) by Yaguchi Shinobu / 矢口史靖 * ''Don't Look Back'' / Doko Made Mo Ikou by Shiota Akihiko * ''

Nabbie's Love is a 1999 film written and directed by Yuji Nakae about Nanako Agarikinjo (Naomi Nishida) returning to Aguni Island (Okinawa) to visit her grandmother, Nabbie Agarikinjo, played by Tomi Taira. The film score is by Kenichiro Isoda, with two tr ...

'' / ナビィの恋 (1999) by Nakane Yuji / 中江裕司

2000 (7 to 15 October)

Festival highlights (Mizoguchi Retrospective)

Director in focus:

/ 溝口健二

Film programme

Mizoguchi Retrospective * ''

'' / 雨月物語 (1953) by

/ 溝口健二 * ''

'' / 山椒大夫 (1954) by

/ 溝口健二 * '' The Taira Clan Saga'' / 新平家物語 (1955) by

/ 溝口健二 * ''

Street of Shame is a 1956 black-and-white Japanese film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. It is the personal tales of several Japanese women of different backgrounds who work together in a brothel. It was Mizoguchi's last film. The film is based on the novel '' Su ...

'' / 赤線地帯 (1956) by

/ 溝口健二 Other films * ''Wait and See'' / あ、春 (1998) by Sōmai Shinji / 相米慎二 * '' Amateur Singing Contest'' / のど自慢 (1999) by Izutsu Kazuyuki / 井筒和幸 * ''

Give It All "Give It All" is a song by American rock band Rise Against. It was originally recorded for the 2004 compilation album '' Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1'', while a slightly altered version appeared on the band's third studio album ''Siren Song of the ...

'' / がんばっていきまっしょい (1998) by Isomura Itsumichi / 磯村一路 * ''

'' / 細雪 (1983) by Ichikawa Kon / 市川崑 * '' Muddy River'' / 泥の河 (1981) by Oguri Kōhei / 小栗康平 * '' Take Me to the Snowland'' / 私をスキーに連れてって (1987) by Baba Yasuo / 馬場康夫 * '' Free & Easy Special Version'' / 釣りバカ日誌スペシャル (1994) by Morisaki Azuma / 森崎東 * '' Tora-san, My Uncle'' / 男はつらいよぼくの伯父さん (1990) by Yamada Yoji / 山田洋次 * '' The Terrible Couple'' / 翔んだカップル (1980) by Sōmai Shinji / 相米慎二 * '' Diary of Early Winter Shower'' / 時雨の記 (1998) by Sawai Shinichiro / 澤井信一郎 * ''

Memories of You "Memories of You" is a popular song about nostalgia with lyrics written by Andy Razaf and music composed by Eubie Blake and published in 1930. Song history The song was introduced by singer Minto Cato in the Broadway show '' Lew Leslie's Blackbi ...

'' / ラブストーリーを君に (1988) by Sawai Shinichiro / 澤井信一郎

1999

Film programme

* ''

Magnitude Magnitude may refer to: Mathematics *Euclidean vector, a quantity defined by both its magnitude and its direction *Magnitude (mathematics), the relative size of an object *Norm (mathematics), a term for the size or length of a vector *Order of ...

'' / マグニチュード (1998) by Sugawara Hiroshi / 菅原浩志 * ''

Bloom in the Moonlight is a 1993 Japanese biographical drama film directed by Shinichiro Sawai about the life of pianist Rentarō Taki. Cast * Tōru Kazama as Rentarō Taki * Isako Washio as Yuki Nakano * Yuko Asano as Misako * Hiroshi Katsuno as Daikichi Taki * Tak ...

'' / わが愛の譜滝廉太郎物語 (1993) by Sawai Shinichiro / 澤井信一郎 * '' Children of the Island'' / 二十四の瞳 (1997) by Asama Yoshitaka / 朝間義隆 * '' Faraway Sunset'' / 遠き落日 (1992) by Koyama Seijiro / 神山征二郎 * '' Haunted School'' / 学校の怪談 (1995) by Hirayama Hideyuki / 平山秀幸 * ''

'' / キッズリターン (1996) by

/ 北野武 * '' Love Suicide at Sonezaki'' / 曽根崎心中 (1981) by

Midori Kurisaki Midori (みどり, ミドリ, , , ) is the Japanese word for "green" and may refer to: Places * Midori, Gunma * Midori-ku, Chiba * Midori-ku, Nagoya * Midori-ku, Sagamihara * Midori-ku, Saitama * Midori-ku, Yokohama People Given name * Mi ...

/ 栗崎碧 * ''

MacArthur's Children is a 1984 Japanese film. Describing the impact of the United States' occupation of Japan from the perspective of the inhabitants of a small, rural island community, the film featured the big screen debut of actor Ken Watanabe. The film was selec ...

'' / 瀬戸内少年野球団 (1984) by Shinoda Masahiro / 篠田正浩 * '' Many Happy Returns'' / 教祖誕生 (1993) by Toshihiro Tenma / 天満敏広 * '' Musashino High Voltage Towers'' / 鉄塔武蔵野線 (1997) by Nagao Naoki / 長尾直樹 * ''

My Secret Cache ''My Secret Cache'' is a 1997 award - winning Japanese film. Its original Japanese title is . It was directed by Shinobu Yaguchi. Plot The film begins with a prologue that quickly sketches the backstory of the protagonist: since childhood, Saki ...

'' / ひみつの花園 (1997) by Yaguchi Shinobu / 矢口史靖 * ''

A Scene at the Sea is a 1991 Japanese drama film written, edited and directed by Takeshi Kitano starring Claude Maki. Plot A deaf garbage collector happens upon a broken and discarded surfboard. The discovery plants in him dreams of becoming a surf champion. Enc ...

'' / あの夏、いちばん静かな海。 (1991) by

/ 北野武 * '' Takeshi: Childhood Days'' / 少年時代 (1990) by Shinoda Masahiro / 篠田正浩 * '' The Wild Daisy'' / 野菊の墓 (1981) by Sawai Shinichiro / 澤井信一郎

Audience Award winners

{, class="wikitable" , - ! Year , , Film ! Director , , Country of origin , - , rowspan="1", 2012 , , ''About the Pink Sky'' / ももいろそらを , , Kobayashi Keiichi / 小林啓一 , , Japan , - , rowspan="1", 2010 , , ''Fish Story'' / フィッシュストーリー , , Nakamura Yoshihiro / 中村義洋 , , Japan , - , rowspan="1", 2009 , , '' Strange Circus'' / 奇妙なサーカス , , Sono Shion / 園子温 , , Japan

About the Festival

*Organisers: Embassy of Japan in Singapore, Singapore Film Society,

, The Japanese Association of Singapore *Premier Sponsor: Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry *Venue: National Museum of Singapore *Theme: The festival programme focus on a theme each year to highlight strands of Japanese Cinema that exemplifies it. *Language: All films were screened in their original Japanese dialogue with English subtitles. *Ratings: All films are uncut unless otherwise stated. Age limits apply for films rated R21, M18 and NC16. Proof of age is required at the point of purchase and at the point of admission. All films are subject to approval and classification by the

Media Development Authority The Media Development Authority (abbreviation: MDA) was a statutory board of the Singapore Government, under the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI). History MDA was formed on 1 January 2003 by the merger of Singapore Broadcasting ...

, Singapore. **PG - Parental Guidance **NC16 - No children below 16 years old **M18 - Mature 18 for person 18 years and above **R21 - Restricted to persons 21 years and above

External links

Official Website of the Japanese Film Festival in Singapore
Film festivals in Singapore Cinema of Japan Japanese diaspora in Singapore