CHICAGO JAPAN FILM COLLECTIVE festival is coming May 25th - 31st

Japanese Film Festival Comes to the Midwest
Chicago Japan Film Collective | May 25th – 31st, 2021

Coyote Sun Productions and Mar Creation announced the inaugural Chicago Japanese Film Collective, the first ever Japanese film festival to be held in the Midwest. The virtual festival will feature nine films (seven narrative features and two documentaries), including two North American premieres.

Organized by SAKAMOTO Yuki (President of Coyote Sun Productions) and KONO Hiroshi (President of Mar Creation), the Chicago Japanese Film Collective will take place from May 25th – 31st, 2021.

“We’re excited to bring the best of contemporary Japanese cinema to the Midwest,” said Sakamoto, adding that “Our festival is designed to bring the American Midwest into conversation with Japanese culture.”

Supported by CATCH US Performing Arts (CUPA) and the Japan Foundation New York, the festival will use the Eventive platform for ticketing and screenings and is intended to spark conversations about culture and to facilitate understanding between Japan and the Midwest region.

According to Kono Hiroshi, “With the ongoing pandemic, we hope the Chicago Japanese Film Collective can provide a space where people from diverse backgrounds come together to appreciate art and to focus on our shared humanity.”

Among the festival's highlights is Hayashi Kaizo’s BOLT, a drama about the immediate aftermath of the earthquake that rocked Japan and resulted in the Fukushima nuclear disaster starring Nagade Masatoshi. Also, All About Chiaki Mayumura (provisional), a genre-bending drama about a musical celebrity who is much more than meets the eye. Other films include VIDEOPHOBIA, a black and white cyber thriller; Yan, shot on location in Japan and in Taiwan; The House of Seasons, a family drama about a teenager who overcomes her mental health challenges; and The Manga Master, a film about the life of manga artist pioneer Kitazawa Rakuten. In documentaries, the festival will feature Alone Again in Fukushima, a deeply human story about a man who stayed in the evacuation zone in order to care for animals left behind following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, and Prison Circle, which provides an intimate look into one of Japan’s most notorious prisons.

The Chicago Japan Film Collective introduces the best in contemporary Japanese films—that would otherwise be inaccessible—to Midwestern audiences. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the inaugural edition will be held virtually, however plans are in motion to hold future festivals in person.

Details:
- Tuesday, May 25, 2021 - Monday, May 31, 2021, 23:59 (Central Time, USA)
- Virtual screening U.S. nationwide
- Watchsite Registration Fee: May 5th, 2021 on sale
- Early Bird: US $13 for all access, US$8 for one film (May 5th - 15th)
- Regular: US $15 for all access, US$10 for one film (May 16th - 31st)
- Student discount codes and promotional discount code are available
- Film Festival Platform: EVENTIVE
- Official Website: https://www.cjfc.us
- Audience Award: Votes for the Audience Award will be cast through Eventive and the award will be announced at the conclusion of the festival.

TAKOYAKI STORY reviewed

  Takoyaki Story

Directed by Sawako Kabuki

Japan, 2018, 1’35”

 

Takoyaki Story is an animated short about a girl who is attracted to takoyaki and who eventual overcomes her hesitancy to eat them. Takoyaki is translated into English as octopus balls. But let's be absolutely clear:  they are not the genital sacks of male octopuses!  Rather, takoyaki is a famous and very delicious Japanese street food snack made of ball-shaped cakes containing pieces of chopped octopus and sundry other items.

Takoyaki Story is colorful, fun and delightful. Made me think of the Beatles' animated film Yellow Submarine, only it's a short and features dancing octopuses instead of Blue Meanies.

AsianCineFest rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars; very highly recommended.

Takoyaki Story is one of the fourteen short films showing online at this year's New York Japan CineFest which ends today, Sunday, November 22nd.
 

Registration: $1 service fee plus suggested donation
Official Festival site: http://watch.nyjcf.com
Official Website: http://nyjcf.com

NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL 2020 going virtual August 28th

THE NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FOUNDATION,

FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER, 

and SMART CINEMA USA
ANNOUNCE

OPENING FILM, COMPETITION and MAIN LINEUP
for

THE 19th NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL,
August 28 – September 12, 2020

The 19th edition of the annual NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL will be a special virtual edition from August 28 to September 12, 2020.

Whether online or offline, the festival continues to highlight women both behind and in front of the camera, and features a specific FOCUS on women filmmakers: WOMEN TRANSFORMING FILM, starting with:

The OPENING FILM - the North American Premiere of The Girl and the Gun (Babae at Baril), directed by Rae Red, led by a superb performance by actress Janine Gutierrez, and produced by Iana Celest Bernardez (in a first-time producing role) and Bianca Balbuena.

The Festival’s programming team went the extra mile to spotlight female talent. There is much more to Asian cinema than the male-dominated films shown at Cannes and the Oscars. NYAFF is proud to spotlight an exciting lineup of titles directed and led by women:

Heavy Craving from Taiwan, Lucky Chan-sil and Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 from South Korea, My Prince Edward from Hong Kong, and Victim(s) from Malaysia, among others.

The CENTERPIECE film marks both a departure from genre as well as the festival’s embrace of an ever-expanding range of films: They Say Nothing Stays the Same by Odagiri Joe, one of Japan’s best-known actors, who makes a remarkable feature debut behind the camera. Odagiri is joined by a no less remarkable cast and crew: cinematographer Christopher Doyle; veteran actor Emoto Akira, who leads a star cast including Nagase Masatoshi, Asano Tadanobu and Aoi Yu, plus a rare appearance by musician Hosono Haruomi; Oscar-winning costume designer Wada Emi; and a fabulous score courtesy of Armenian jazz pianist Tigran Hamasyan.

A generous share of the program is devoted to new filmmakers, including striking directorial debuts and sophomore efforts. Integral to NYAFF’s mission is showcasing the Asian cinema vanguard that emerges largely from new talent and fresh voices. This edition reflects today’s particularly kinetic innovations, much informed by social media and the hyper information highway. An impressive cross-section of work highlights new ideas in storytelling and tackles social mores and personal demons, including Philippines’ John Denver Trending, Korea’s Beauty Water and Taiwan’s Detention and IWeirDo, just to name a few.

In regional terms, South Korea is front and center in this year’s selection. Faithful to tradition, the Festival presents a balance of arthouse and genre titles with an emphasis on outstanding storytelling and accessibility: Secret Zoo, Hitman Agent Jun, Moving On.

As the boundaries between what is strictly film and TV blur, NYAFF has found, in its tireless search for exciting, new content, an extraordinary example of the convergence of both formats in SF8, a series of eight stand-alone 52-minute science fiction films that will make their International Premiere at this first virtual edition. Each film is directed by prominent Korean filmmakers, and the knowledgeable viewer will recognize the names of Min Kyu-dong, Jang cheol-su, Noh Deok.

The series, first shown on Korea’s version of Netflix, Wavve, has been praised locally and has drawn comparisons with Black Mirror.

The Festival continues to champion the work of new directors and filmmakers that have not yet received international recognition with its “Uncaged” Competition section, which includes five films by first and second-time directors: (IWeirDo, Moving On, Legally Declared Dead, Victim(s) and They Say Nothing Stays the Same.)

The Hong Kong Panorama, the point of origin of the Festival, has a specific emphasis on Cantonese-language stories and the new generation of filmmakers at a turning point in the history of the Special Administrative Region.The selection features the following: the World Premiere of Hell Bank Presents: Running Ghost, the North American premieres of Memories to Choke on, Drinks to Wash Them Down; The Grand Grandmaster, Legally Declared Dead, Unleashed, the East Coast premiere of the previously mentioned My Prince Edward, and Witness Out of the Blue, one of the few and best representatives of a genre that put Hong Kong cinema on the map: the crime thriller.

Keeping continuity with the festival’s roots, this year’s edition also features Chasing Dream, the latest by Johnnie To, Hong Kong cinema’s l’enfant terrible turned patron saint. NYAFF is notable as the first festival and institution to bring the wild cinematic stylings of To and his team to the US with the groundbreaking series, "Expect the Unexpected: Contemporary Urban Cinema from Milkyway Image Productions" back in 2000.

This year’s selection of films from Japan proves as eclectic as ever with a fascinating diversity of styles and themes, by emerging and established creators. There is salient cinematic sophistication in the resonant work of returning filmmakers: Naito Eisuke’s cause-for-alarm cautionary tale Forgiven Children; Otomo Keishi’s hypnotically enigmatic Beneath the Shadow. On the other end of the spectrum is the hilariously uncomfortable cringe-com Beloved Wife; and rounding things out are Sabu’s supernatural dramedy Dancing Mary, Mariko Tetsuya’s shocking manga adaptation Miyamoto, and more.

At a time when Hollywood and the new East Asian superpower go both head to head and hand in hand, the China selection continues to show a wide-ranging selection of titles that reflects the versatility of the mainland’s filmmaking, and puts the spotlight on new directors: Fresh off the massive success of last year’s White Snake, the programming slate includes a brand new title that shows the sudden rise of the Chinese animation sector with recent hit Mr. Miao, Li Lingxiao’s epic directorial debut. Produced by the team behind box office champion Ne Zha, the film, released in China on July 31, has drawn praise and comparisons with Studio Ghibli's productions. Also on the menu is an original take on the scifi genre: Gone with the Light, a strikingly original feature debut by Dong Runnian, who has made a name for himself as the scriptwriter of Mr Six and Crazy Alien. The film, powered by the performances of star actor Huang Bo and an all-star female cast (Bai Baihe, Song Chunli, Wen Qi , Huang Lu), artfully marries an empowering drama with genre tropes. In addition to highlighting new talent, the Chinese selection includes Sixth-Generation director Wang Rui’s most recent work by (and one of its best to date): Mongolian-language drama Chaogtu with Sarula.

“Since the very first day of our launch, our goal is to always promote and screen the latest quality Asian films to international audiences. So it is our great pleasure to work with NYAFF, one of the most prominent Asian film festivals in the world, for their 19th edition, following our successful partnerships with Shanghai International Film Festival and Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. As a technology and data driven platform, we have created a unique, cutting-edge, virtual “Almighty Cinema” ecosystem to accommodate all the various demands from international festivals, distributors as well as traditional exhibitors.” said Jack Gao, founding partner and CEO of Smart Cinema.

“We are honored that NYAFF selected Smart Cinema USA to be their partner as they continue to showcase the best films from all over Asia during this global pandemic. Smart Cinema has become the premiere virtual cinema destination for movies in Asia and we are committed to replicating that success in North America.” said Doris Pfardrescher, President & CEO of Well Go USA and Board Member, Smart Cinema USA.

“At a time when the work of festivals might seem like a rearguard battle, I’m glad to take a leap into the unknown, and search east, not only for the films, but for new ways of exhibiting those films“, said Samuel Jamier, executive director and president of the New York Asian Film Festival & Foundation.

The full lineup currently consists of 51 films. (Note that the program still subject to change).

 

For more information, visit New York Asian Film Festival.

SPECIAL ACTORS will be the Opening Night film of JAPAN CUTS 2020

Japan Society NY

Presents

Special Actors  © 2019 Shochiku Broadcasting Co., Ltd.

Special Actors

Directed by Shinichiro Ueda

Japan, 2019, 119 minutes

Live virtual Q&A with director on Friday, July 17

Filmmaker Shinichiro Ueda is best known for his breakout indie debut One Cut of the Dead (2017), a low-budget zombie film that was an unexpected box office hit in Japan—where it screened across 340 theaters and surpassed 2 million admissions from word of mouth—and became an international festival sensation. JAPAN CUTS 2020 Opening Night film Special Actors, an ensemble comedy about an oddball acting troupe that infiltrates a cult, is Ueda’s much-anticipated follow-up feature, which had its theatrical run in Japan in late 2019. The film has not yet screened in North America and will make its online streaming debut at JAPAN CUTS.

JAPAN CUTS 2020 Film Festival: First Online-Only Edition, July 17-30, 2020

Japan Sciety NY

Presents

Announcing JAPAN CUTS 2020 Film Festival: First Online-Only Edition

Japan Society NY has announced that, in light of the ongoing situation regarding COVID-19, they are taking North America's largest contemporary Japanese cinema festival out of its usual form and crafting a completely online version of JAPAN CUTS.

Re-imagining this format, they will maintain the festival’s high quality of film offerings and its intimate support of the film community while also finding new ways of engaging with now-nationwide audiences.

Set within both recurring sections and new initiatives, the online festival will offer a diverse slate of around 30 feature films and shorts programs. Live-streamed virtual Q&As, panels and greetings from guest filmmakers will serve as opportunities for in-depth interaction.

The full lineup of films and events will be revealed in late June, and AsianCineFest will be providing updates and additional information.

New York City South Asian Film Festival set for November 15-17

Toyota Motor North America

Presents

New York City South Asian Film Festival (NYC SAFF)

When: November 15th - 17th, 2019

After the roaring success of the 5th annual Dallas-Fort Worth South Asian Film Festival (DFW SAFF), Toyota Motor North America presents its second film festival in the United States, the New York City South Asian Film Festival (NYC SAFF), gearing up to make its debut in mid-November at various venues around Chelsea in Manhattan.

"Cultural diversity is something we celebrate every day at Toyota,” said Vinay Shahani, vice president, integrated marketing operations, Toyota Motor North America. “After the success of our partnership with DFW SAFF, we look forward to continuing the celebration of storytelling at the first-ever NYC SAFF, and we hope that festival-goers are inspired by the films."

Produced by JINGO Media, a NYC and Dallas-based events and public relations company, the inaugural, three-day festival boasts world, U.S. and New York City premieres of more than 25 shorts, documentaries and feature films focused on the unique stories of the South Asian Diaspora and those of our brothers and sisters back home. JINGO Media is also the parent company of DFW SAFF, which was conceptualized and created in 2015.

"We are so proud to create yet ANOTHER platform for world-class independent cinema from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Afghanistan and the Maldives," said Jitin Hingorani, CEO/Principal of JINGO Media, a public relations company that launched in New York City in 2010. "We're coming full circle with this festival because Manhattan is where it all began for us almost 10 years ago. We are certain that the community-at-large will embrace us and celebrate our joyous homecoming."

NYC SAFF has also partnered with The India Center Foundation (ICF), a New York City-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the study of the Indian subcontinent, the promotion of its cultural life and the unique relationship between India and the United States. "To partner with NYC SAFF means that ICF is reaching the audience we wish to serve: contemporary, aware, woke desis and lovers of Indian and Diasporic creativity and storytelling. As a filmmaker whose film was so lovingly received at DFW SAFF, I know we are working with a staff who is dedicated and eager to give New Yorkers the film experience they deserve when it comes to screening South Asian cinema. We are looking forward to partnering on great conversations and panels around the films we see together," said Priya Giri Desai, Founding Director of ICF.

NYC SAFF's exclusive music partner is JioSaavn (founded in 2007 as Saavn), the online music streaming service and a digital distributor of Bollywood, English and other regional Indian music across the world.

“Music has always been an integral part of South Asian culture. We have all experienced a range of it in classical Indian cinema to contemporary Bollywood to regional films to completely new and independent genres. We look forward to the next generation of visual arts conceived in the South Asian Diaspora, and that's why JioSaavn is proud to partner with NYC SAFF and ICF to help create more awareness of their artists' creative work and engaging stories," said Vinodh Bhat, Co-Founder, President and Chief Strategy Officer.

The inaugural NYC SAFF will take place from November 15 to 17, 2019. The opening night film, red carpet and VIP party will be held the Altman Building (135 W 18th, between 6th and 7th). The film screenings on Saturday and Sunday will be at the AMC 34th Street (between 8th and 9th). Centerpiece party will be held at Tailor Public House (505 8th Avenue), and the closing night festivities and awards ceremony take place at the brand new Rumi Event Space (229 W 28th, between 8th and 9th). The entire festival lineup and schedule can be found at www.nycsaff.com.

"Mountain Monks" reviewed; one of the shorts at NY Japan CineFest

Mar Creation

and

Asia Society NYC

Present

Mountain Monks

Dir. Fritz Schumann

Japan, 2018, 10 minutes

The short documentary Mountain Monks will be one of the films included in Program 2 of this year's New York Japan CineFest. The mini-festival runs Wednesday, June 5th and Thursday the 6th at Asia Society, located at 725 Park Avenue at 70th Street. (Click here for map.) Each night's program is scheduled to run from 6:30 - 8:15 PM.

Synopsis:
The Yamabushi in northern Japan practice a once forbidden ancient religion. While their tradition is at risk of disappearing, it offers a way for those seeking a different path in Japan‘s society.

AsianCineFest Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars; highly recommended documentary about a small Japanese sect.

"Miss u, Love" reviewed; one of the shorts at NY Japan CineFest

Mar Creation

and

Asia Society NYC

Present

Miss u, Love

Directed by Toko Shiiki

USA, 2018, 7 minutes

Miss u, Love will be shown on Thursday, June 6th as one of the shorts included in Program 2 of this year's New York Japan CineFest. The mini-festival runs Wednesday, June 5th and Thursday the 6th at Asia Society located at 725 Park Avenue at 70th Street. (Click here for map.) Each night's program is scheduled to run from 6:30 - 8:15 PM.

Synopsis:
Rei is working as a “Mail-Lady” for the “Mental Health Mail-Lady Service” in Japan. Her job is to exchange emails with clients who have mental health disorders. According to her, she is the most popular “Mail-Lady” in Japan. But recently, she relocated to the United States, after a troublesome exchange with one of her clients.

AsianCineFest Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars; an intriguing film that is highly recommended.

New York Japan CineFest 2019 returns to Asia Society on June 5th and 6th

New York Japan CineFest, the annual mini-festival of recent shorts by emerging Japanese and Japanese-American filmmakers, will return to Asia Society NYC for the eighth time next Wednesday, June 5th and Thursday, June 6th. There will be separate programs each day beginning at 6:30 PM. The Day 1 Program on Wednesday will be followed by a reception.

 

Information about the Day 1 Program can be found here; Day 2 Program info is available here.

Asia Society NYC is located at 725 Park Avenue at 70th Street. (Click here for map.)

Dates announced for Japan Society NY's annual JAPAN CUTS film festival

Japan Society NY

Presents

JAPAN CUTS: FESTIVAL OF NEW JAPANESE FILM

When: July 19–28, 2019

Where: Japan Society 333 East 47th Street, NYC

Map

Japan Society NY has announced this year’s dates for JAPAN CUTS. The 13th iteration of the largest festival of contemporary Japanese cinema in North America will run July 19-28, 2019 . With a wide range of the best and hardest-to-see films made in and around Japan today — from blockbusters to independent productions, documentaries to avant-garde works, and short films to new restorations — JAPAN CUTS is the place to experience Japan’s dynamic film culture in New York City.

TICKET ON-SALE DATES:
Japan Society Members: Tuesday, June 11
General Public: Tuesday, June 18

The full schedule will be announced in early June. Sign up for the Film enewsletter for updates!

TICKETS: $15/$12 seniors, students & persons with disabilities/$10 members

3-FILM PASS: $2 off each ticket when you purchase tickets for at least three different films in the same transaction! (Offer not valid for Opening Night and Centerpiece Presentation.)

MEMBERS-ONLY ALL-ACCESS PASS: $210 for all festival screenings! (We recommend purchasing the All-Access Pass in-person or by phone. Additional transaction fees apply when buying online.)

*Note: All pricing is subject to change.

Meanwhile, don't miss a special June 14th encore screening of Born Bone Born, winner of the JAPAN CUTS 2018 Audience Award. 

RAMEN SHOP to open 2018 JAPAN CUTS Festival of New Japanese Film

Japan Society NY

Presents

Ramen Shop © Zhao Wei Films/Wild Orange Artists

Ramen Shop / Ramen Teh

Directed by Eric Khoo

With Takumi Saitoh, Seiko Matsuda,

Mark Lee, and Jeanette Aw

Japan, 2018, 89 minutes

DCP, in English, Japanese. Mandarin and Cantonese with English subtitles

When: Thursday, July 19, 2018

Where: Japan Society

333 East 47th Street, NYC

Map

SOLD OUT:
A waitlist will begin at the Box Office one hour prior to the screening.

Being on the waitlist does not guarantee admission.

Feature Slate | Opening Film

North American Premiere

Intro and Q&A with director Eric Khoo and star Takumi Saitoh,

followed by the OPENING NIGHT PARTY

Masato (Takumi Saitoh) helps run a ramen shop in Takasaki, Japan with his emotionally distant father. Upon his father’s sudden death, a suitcase of old family photographs and journals that belonged to his long-deceased Singaporean mother motivates Takumi to learn about his roots and the mystery of his parents’ relationship in Singapore. With the help of a Japanese expat food blogger (pop idol Seiko Matsuda) and his maternal uncle (comedian Mark Lee), Masato undergoes a journey of discovery that unlocks secret family recipes, reveals painful pasts and begins a process of reconciliation that bridges national histories and generations. Filled with delectable scenes featuring Singaporean cuisine, this moving drama by Singapore’s leading auteur Eric Khoo celebrates the power of love, family and good food.

"Handled with a sincerity that could commend it to incurable romantics and insatiable foodies alike."
— Screen Daily

Part of JAPAN CUTS 2018

Full Lineup Announced for the 17th Annual New York Asian Film Festival

The Film Society of Lincoln Center

and

Subway Cinema

present

The 17th Annual New York Asian Film Festival

When: June 29 - July 15, 2018

Where: Film Society of Lincoln Center

& SVA (School of Visual Arts) Theatre

The full lineup for the 17th New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) has been announced by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Subway Cinema, joint presenters of the event. The festival begins this coming Friday, June 29th and continues through July 15th. Films, Q&As, and award presentations will take place at two venues: the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the SVA (School of Visual Arts) Theatre.

The announcement is here.

An alphabetical listing of the films, including dates, times, and location can be found here.

12th annual edition of JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film to run July 19 to 29 at Japan Society NY

Japan Society NY

presents

JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film

When: July 19 to 29, 2018

Where: Japan Society NY

333 East 47th Street, NYC

Map

Tickets go on sale to Japan Society members June 11 and to the public on June 18

Now entering its 12th year, JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film returns to present the best new movies made in and around Japan and the filmmakers and performers who made them, with new titles never before seen in New York and many screening for the first time outside Japan or in North America.

Set for July 19 to 29, the 2018 edition will feature an exclusive premiere roster of nearly 30 feature films, ranging from big budget blockbusters to powerful shoestring indies, and includes spotlights on documentary cinema, experimental films, shorts and recent rediscoveries and restorations of classic Japanese favorites.

With the full schedule to be announced in early June, first highlights include:

Mori, The Artist’s Habitat – Centerpiece Presentation – North American Premiere: A warm, comical portrait of artist Morikazu Kumagai and his wife Hideko, starring Tsutomu Yamazaki and featured festival guest Kirin Kiki. Directed by Shuichi Okita (Mohican Comes Home, The Woodsman and the Rain).

KUSHINA, what will you be – International Premiere: A strikingly original debut by promising new filmmaker Moët Hayami, in attendance. Recipient of the 2018 JAPAN CUTS Award at the 2018 Osaka Asian Film Festival.

Night Is Short, Walk on Girl – East Coast Premiere: A highly original and visually astounding animated comedy about unrequited love and a wild night on the town from acclaimed animation director Masaaki Yuasa (Devilman Crybaby, Mind Game).

Sennan Asbestos Disaster – North American Premiere: A ten-years-in-the-making epic about victims of asbestos-related diseases by influential documentarian Kazuo Hara (The Emperor’s Naked Army Marches On), in attendance with producer Sachiko Kobayashi.

Yocho (Foreboding) – New York Premiere: Internationally renowned director Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s follow-up and companion piece to Before We Vanish (2017) is a darker and scarier apocalyptic sci-fi thriller about alien invasion.

Also this year, the festival will award the 2018 CUT ABOVE Award for Outstanding Performance in Film to Kirin Kiki (After the Storm, Sweet Bean) — a veteran film and television actor who started her career in the 1960s, best known to international audiences for her memorable work in recent films by leading Japanese directors Hirokazu Kore-eda and Naomi Kawase.

“Kirin Kiki is a legend, and we are so honored to present her with this well-deserved award this year,” says Aiko Masubuchi, Senior Film Programmer at Japan Society. “Despite being on screen for over 50 years, she only continues to impress us with her nuanced, true-to-life performances that elevate every film in which she appears.”

Masubuchi continues, “We still have a lot up our sleeves, but we are so excited to share these first few JAPAN CUTS 2018 titles and guests. It’s a perfect slice of what the festival is all about: bringing the latest in both established and fresh new voices in Japanese cinema and celebrating the diversity it has to offer."

In the run-up to this year's festival, the 2017 JAPAN CUTS Audience Award winner Teiichi: Battle of Supreme High receives an encore screening on Friday, June 15, 7:00 pm as a "JAPAN CUTS Encore" within Japan Society’s Monthly Classics programming.

Numerous Asian films to screen at 21st Fantasia International Film Festival

Montreal's Fantasia International Film Festival is celebrating its 21th Anniversary this year. The festival began on July 13th and runs through August 2nd.

For just over two decades, the mammoth three-week festival has embraced a wide variety of genre- but it still continues to boast one of the most dynamic and outstanding Asian films programs from any genre fest. This year, with over 130 new films screening at Fantasia, FIFF has brought together a selection of the best Asian films.

The wide variety of Asian films at Fantasia 2017 is truly incredible. To find out more visit www.fantasiafestival.com.

JAPAN CUTS begins tonight

Japan Society NY

Presents

JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film

When: July 13—23, 2017

Where: Japan Society NY

333 East 47th Street, NYC

Map

Now in its 11th year, North America’s largest festival of new Japanese cinema returns to serve up a slice of the best and boldest titles from Japan never before seen in NYC with special guest filmmakers and stars, post-screening Q&As, parties and much more. Boasting a thrilling slate of epic blockbusters, shoestring independents, radical documentaries, mind-bending avant-garde, newly-restored classics, and breathtaking animation, JAPAN CUTS 2017 promises a bounty of cinematic discoveries for film fans and pop culture enthusiasts alike.

And while MUMON: The Land of Stealth, tonight's opening film, is sold out, there are plenty of other wonderful films and events to attend. Information about the entire festival -- including the festival schedule, film descriptions, and links to order tickets -- can be found here.

Japan Society's annual JAPAN CUTS film festival to run July 13 - 23, 2017

JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film

When: July 13—23, 2017

Where: Japan Society NY

333 East 47th Street, NYC

Map

Now in its 11th year, JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film, North America’s largest festival of contemporary Japanese cinema, returns for 10 days of impossible-to-see-anywhere-else screenings with special guest filmmakers and stars, parties, giveaways and much more!

Tickets are on sale exclusively for Japan Society members now, and go on sale to the General Public on Monday, June 12, 12 PM.

View Full Schedule

Many Asian films to screen at Fantasia International Film Festival

THE TOP SECRET: MURDER IN MIND (Japan)

Montreal's Fantasia International Film Festival celebrates its epic 20th Anniversary this month, running from July 14th through August 2nd.

For two decades, this mammoth three-week festival has embraced a wide variety of genre - but it still continues to boast one of the most dynamic and outstanding Asian films programs from any genre fest. This year, with over 130 new films screening at Fantasia, the festival has brought together a selection of the best Asian films from all over the region - everything from martial arts masters, terrifying hauntings, giant battling monsters and animated epics can be found.

The wide variety of Asian films at Fantasia 2016 includes:

AS THE GODS WILL (Japan) Canadian Premiere
ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM: THE GRADUATION (Japan) North American Premiere
BAAGHI (India) Quebec Premiere
THE BACCHUS LADY (South Korea) Canadian Premiere
BAKUMAN (Japan) Canadian Premiere
THE BODYGUARD (China) Canadian Premiere
A BRIDE FOR RIP VAN WINKLE (Japan) Canadian Premiere
CHIHAYAFURU: PART 1 (Japan) North American Premiere
CHIHAYAFURU: PART 2 (Japan) North American Premiere
COLLECTIVE INVENTION (South Korea) Quebec Premiere
CREEPY (Japan) Canadian Premiere
THE EXCLUSIVE: BEAT THE DEVIL'S TATTOO (South Korea) Canadian Premiere
FAMILYHOOD (South Korea) International Premiere
FOURTH PLACE (South Korea) Canadian Premiere
HARMONY (Japan) Quebec Premiere
HENTAI KAMEN 2: THE ABNORMAL CRISIS (Japan) International Premiere
IF CATS DISAPPEARED FROM THE WORLD (Japan) Canadian Premiere
THE INERASABLE (Japan) Quebec Premiere
KAIJU MONO (Japan) International Premiere
KARAOKE CRAZIES (South Korea) Quebec Premiere
KILL ZONE 2 (SPL 2: A TIME FOR CONSEQUENCE) (Hong Kong) Quebec Premiere
KIYAMACHI DARUMA (Japan) Canadian Premiere
LAZY HAZY CRAZY (Japan) Canadian Premiere
LIBRARY WARS: THE LAST MISSION (Japan) Canadian Premiere
LOWLIFE LOVE (Japan) Canadian Premiere
MIRUTHAN (India) Canadian Premiere
MOMOTARO, SACRED SAILOR (1945) (Japan) Canadian Premiere
PARASYTE: PART 1 (Japan) Quebec Premiere
PARASYTE: PART 2 (Japan) Quebec Premiere
THE PHANTOM DETECTIVE (DETECTIVE HONG GIL-DONG) (South Korea) Quebec Premiere
THE PIPER (South Korea)
THE PRIESTS (South Korea)
PSYCHO RAMAN (India) Cannes Cut
SEOUL STATION (South Korea) Canadian Premiere
SKIPTRACE (Hong Kong) North American Premiere
SORI: VOICE FROM THE HEART (South Korea) Quebec Premiere
TERRAFORMARS (Japan) North American Premiere
THREE (Hong Kong) Quebec Premiere
TOO YOUNG TO DIE! (Japan) Canadian Premiere
THE TOP SECRET: MURDER IN MIND (Japan) World Premiere
TRAIN TO BUSAN (South Korea) North American Premiere
ULTRAMAN X: THE MOVIE (Japan) International Premiere
UNDER THE SHADOW (Iran/UK/Jordan) Quebec Premiere
A VIOLENT PROSECUTOR (South Korea) Quebec Premiere
THE WAILING (South Korea) Quebec Premiere
WHAT A WONDERFUL FAMILY! (Japan) Canadian Premiere

For additional information on any of the above titles, please visit http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2016/en/films-schedule/films.

Complete lineup for 15th New York Asian Film Festival announced

The Film Society of Lincoln Center and Subway Cinema have announced the full lineup for THE 15th New York Asian Film Festival, which will run June 22 – July 9, 2016.

The Opening Gala will be the World Premiere of Kazuya Shiraishi’s Japanese crime epic Twisted Justice; the Centerpiece Gala is the North American Premiere of Ralston Jover's Hamog (Haze); and the Closing Gala is the International Premiere of Adam Tsuei’s The Tenants Downstairs from Taiwan.

The 51-film festival features spotlights on the cinemas of Hong Kong, South Korean, and Southeast Asia.

Festival honorees include Lifetime Achievement awardee Iwai Shunji, Screen International Rising Stars Go Ayano, Jelly Lin, and Teri Malvar, and Star Asia Award recipients Miriam Yeung, Lee Byung-hun, and John Lloyd Cruz.

Complete information about the full lineup and guests can be found here.

You can keep up to date with information at www.subwaycinema.com and www.filmlinc.org. Subway Cinema can be followed on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nyaff and Twitter at www.twitter.com/subwaycinema.

Ticket on-sale dates for JAPAN CUTS

JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film

When: July 14-24, 2016 

Where: Japan Society NY

333 East 47th Street, NYC

Map 

Save the dates! JAPAN CUTS, North America’s largest festival of new Japanese film returns for its 10th anniversary edition, offering eleven days of impossible-to-see-anywhere-else screenings of the best new movies made in and around Japan with special guest filmmakers and stars, post-screening Q&As, parties, giveaways and much more. Featuring an expansive and eclectic slate of cinematic offerings that includes crowd-pleasing blockbusters, peerless independents, arthouse gems, influential classics, radical documentaries and avant-garde animations, JAPAN CUTS 2016 promises thrilling new discoveries for film fans of all stripes.

TICKET ON-SALE DATES:
Monday, June 6: Japan Society Members Exclusive (Join Japan Society)
Monday, June 13: General Public.

New York Asian Film Festival 2016

Here's the recent press release from Film Society of Lincoln Center and Subway Cinema concerning the first fifteen titles that have been announced. AsianCineFest has covered NYAFF since 2006 and once again looks forward to covering this year's festival. 

Film Society of Lincoln Center and Subway Cinema

announce initial details for

THE 15th NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL

June 22 – July 9, 2016

15 FOR 15: THE COOL, THE CRAZY, THE CORRUPT

This summer’s New York Asian Film Festival (June 22 – July 9) has its most cutting-edge lineup yet, with a cast of Asia’s hottest stars, some receiving our significantly expanded Star Asia and Screen International Rising Star Awards. Today, we give our first glimpse at this year’s offerings, revealing the 15 key titles that shape the themes of our 15th anniversary edition.

From the Philippines we present three genre-defying films that explore fatherhood, and what it means to be an adult: Erik Matti’s religious crime drama Honor Thy Father, Ralston Jover’s noir youth drama Hamog (Haze), and Mario Cornejo’s sensual surfing film Apocalypse Child, which posits that Francis Ford Coppola left behind an illegitimate son as well as a surfboard after shooting Apocalypse Now in the Philippines.

We cling to the company of lost souls to explore the little known territory of Tamil-language Malaysian cinema and the plight of the local Indian community in the 1990s. First-time director Shanjhey Kumar Perumal’s Jagat (Brutal) follows the hardships of a 12-year-old boy as he gets drawn into the criminal lifestyle of his uncle, a henchman for a local Malaysian gang. Channeling the spirit of Satyajit Ray, this raw coming-of-age story receives its North American premiere at NYAFF.

From South Korea come films about people selling their souls, both figuratively and literally. In E J-yong’s The Bacchus Lady, an elderly prostitute plies her trade in city parks. The bittersweet tale reflects the national scandal of a generation facing abject poverty and abandonment. Kim Jin-hwang’s The Boys Who Cried Wolf follows an unemployed actor paid to be a false witness to a child’s murder, while Jang Jae-hyun’s modern exorcist thriller The Priests will have heads spinning with its hair-raising car chases, piglets as demonic vessels, and the antichrist.

In explorations of innocence corrupted, we put the spotlight on first-time female directors with China’s What’s in the Darkness (dir. Wang Yichun), about a curious teenage girl who is seduced into her cop father’s investigation of a serial killer; Hong Kong’s Lazy Hazy Crazy (dir. Jody Luk), in which schoolgirls explore the city’s heart of greed by charging for sex; and Thailand’s Grace (dir. Ornusa Donsawai & Pun Homchuen), a merciless attack on social-media idolatry.

We next descend into Japanese madness with Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s unnerving Creepy, about a maniac who infiltrates and corrupts the nuclear-family unit; Sakaki Hideo’s shocking Kiyamachi Daruma, featuring a manipulative yakuza boss who lacks not only digits but also his arms and legs; and the loony Hentai Kamen 2, the hotly anticipated sequel to our 2013 Audience Award winner about a fetishistic superhero who wears his crime-busting underwear on his head.

We round out our 15 key films with two thrillers that explore institutionalized corruption—in the police, in the courts, in the media, and on the political stage—with Woo Min-ho’s Inside Men from South Korea and Cheng Wen-tang’s Maverick from Taiwan. Both films are razor-sharp dissections of the corruption at the heart of the two fragile democracies at a moment when both are swinging pendulums of political turmoil.

The festival’s executive director, Samuel Jamier, says, “To celebrate our 15th edition, we made the difficult and deliberate decision to have a lean selection of approximately 50 features. Bigger isn’t better; better is better. While maintaining a focus on quality, we’re putting our energies into promoting each film, so that they have a life after the festival. We have a larger lineup of exciting guests booked, including Asian stars who are joining us for our anniversary celebration.”

The festival will announce its opening film and the Screen International Rising Star Award recipients in mid-May from Cannes, followed by the full-lineup reveal at the end of May.

15 for 15
1. Apocalypse Child; dir. Mario Cornejo [Philippines], North American Premiere
2. The Bacchus Lady 죽여주는 여자; dir. E J-yong [South Korea], New York Premiere
3. The Boys Who Cried Wolf 양치기들; dir. Kim Jin-hwang [South Korea], North American Premiere
4. Creepy クリーピー　偽りの隣人; dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa [Japan], New York Premiere
5. Grace อวสานโลกสวย; dirs. Ornusa Donsawai & Pun Homchuen [Thailand], International Premiere
6. Hamog (Haze); dir. Ralston Jover [Philippines], North American Premiere
7. Hentai Kamen 2 HK 変態仮面 アブノーマル・クライシス; dir. Yuichi Fukuda [Japan], North American Premiere
8. Honor Thy Father; dir. Erik Matti [Philippines], New York Premiere
9. Inside Men 내부자들; dir. Woo Min-ho [South Korea], New York Premiere
10. Jagat (Brutal); dir. Shanjey Kumar Perumal [Malaysia], North American Premiere
11. Kiyamachi Daruma 木屋町DARUMA; dir. Hideo Sakaki [Japan], International Premiere
12. Lazy Hazy Crazy 同班同學; dir. Jody Luk [Hong Kong], North American Premiere
13. Maverick 菜鳥; dir. Cheng Wen-tang [Taiwan], North American Premiere
14. The Priests 검은 사제들; dir. Jang Jae-hyun [South Korea]
15. What’s in the Darkness 黑处有什么; dir. Wang Yichun [China] North American Premiere

The New York Asian Film Festival is co-presented by Subway Cinema and the Film Society of Lincoln Center and takes place from June 22 to July 5 at the Film Society’s Walter Reade Theater, and July 6 to 9 at SVA Theatre. Keep up to date with information at www.subwaycinema.com and www.filmlinc.org.