The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2020
Happiness is A State of Mind - Joy and Despair in Japanese Cinema
31 January to 29 March 2020
Nationwide
The UK’s largest festival of Japanese cinema is back for its 17th edition under the concept of ‘Happiness’. Touring 22 cities nationwide. From contemporary dramas to anime and classics, it is the largest of its kind focusing on Japanese cinema in the UK.
Happiness, though universal in its importance, is felt so subjectively by humankind that the definition of the concept is still very elusive. And yet, the search for happiness has long provided Japanese cinema with a staple theme, and it is within its framework that the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2020 has been curated.
Embracing the rich and complex spectrum of emotions that go hand in hand with this concept, the programme seeks to present the highs and lows experienced in pursuit of happiness in Japan, showcasing diverse cinematic voices as they shine a light on stories of love, social inclusion, the resilience of humankind through times of hardship, and non-conventional paths to achieving and maintaining joy.
List of films:
My Love Story!! 俺物語!! KAWAI Hayato, 2015
Our Meal For Tomorrow 僕らのごはんは明日で待ってる ICHII Masahide, 2017
Her Sketchbook 世界は今日から君のもの OZAKI Masaya, 2017
A Banana? At This Time of Night? こんな夜更けにバナナかよ 愛しき実話 MAEDA Tetsu, 2018
Organ あの日のオルガン HIRAMATSU Emiko, 2019
The Actor 俳優亀岡拓次 YOKOHAMA Satoko, 2015
Little Nights, Little Love アイネクライネナハトムジーク IMAIZUMI Rikiya, 2019
Jesus 僕はイエス様が嫌い OKUYAMA Hiroshi, 2018
Another World 半世界 SAKAMOTO Junji, 2018
Bento Harassment 今日も嫌がらせ弁当 TSUKAMOTO Renpei, 2019
My Dad is a Heel Wrestler パパはわるものチャンピオン FUJIMURA Kyohei, 2018
Lying to Mom 鈴木家の嘘 NOJIRI Katsumi, 2018
Shadowfall 影踏み SHINOHARA Tetsuo, 2019
And Your Bird Can Sing きみの鳥はうたえる MIYAKE Sho, 2018
Sea of Revival 凪待ち SHIRAISHI Kazuya, 2019
The House Where the Mermaid Sleeps 人魚の眠る家 TSUTSUMI Yukihiko, 2018
Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler 映画 賭ケグルイ HANABUSA Tsutomu, 2019
Ten Dark Women 黒い十人の女 ICHIKAWA Kon, 1961
Ride Your Wave きみと、波にのれたら YUASA Masaaki, 2019
I Go Gaga, My Dear ぼけますから、よろしくお願いします。 NOBUTOMO Naoko, 2018
For more information about the films and location partners, please visit: http://www.jpf-film.org.uk
Special Guests
The Japan Foundation is very excited to welcome directors OZAKI Masaya (Her Sketchbook), NOBUTOMO Naoko (I Go Gaga, My Dear), and MAEDA Tetsu (A Banana? At This Time of Night?), who will attend select screenings of their films around the UK at different times during the programme period.
OZAKI Masaya is perhaps best known as one of Japan’s most accomplished screenwriters. Mainly writing for TV dramas, the adaptations of his scripts such as that for Umechan Sensei (2012) have attracted a great number of viewers in the past few decades. Also a talented film maker, Her Sketchbook (2017) – a unique coming-of-age story of a young woman who has been socially excluded in Japan – is his second feature film, following his debut work Rendezvous! (2010). He also wrote the script for a feature film set on the Okinawan islands, A Yell from Heaven (2011), which was screened as part of the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2015. OZAKI will attend special Q&A screenings of Her Sketchbook at:
- ICA, London: Sunday, 2 February and Sunday, 9 February
- DCA, Dundee: Monday, 3 February
- Phoenix Leicester: Wednesday, 5 February
- QUAD, Derby: Friday, 7 February
- CHAPTER, Cardiff: Saturday, 8 February
NOBUTOMO Naoko has been producing documentaries for Fuji TV since 1986. Her documentaries have tackled various social themes, most notably her own struggle with breast cancer. Her feature film debut, I Go Gaga, My Dear started off with just one screening in a regional city. As favourable reviews spread, it went on to be screened at over seventy cinemas in Japan as well as overseas. Documenting her small tight-knit family’s struggle to come to terms with her mother’s declining health due to dementia, this touching family film reflects on the common and timely issues existing in Japan’s aging society while giving us an intimate insight into the director’s own life. NOBUTOMO will be available to answer questions on I Go Gaga, My Dear during special Q&A screenings held at:
- ICA, London: Saturday, 15 February
- Square Chapel, Halifax: Sunday, 16 February
- Watershed, Bristol: Monday, 17 February
- Showroom, Sheffield: Tuesday, 18 February
- QFT, Belfast: Wednesday, 19 February
MAEDA Tetsu is a screenwriter and director from Osaka. Previously working closely with many prominent film directors such as SUO Masayuki for Shall we Dance (1996) as an assistant director, he made his directorial debut in 2000 with Swing man. Since then, MAEDA has gone on to direct numerous feature films and TV series including Saru Lock (2009) and Sukiyaki (2011) as well as writing the script for a handful of titles. A Banana? At This Time of Night? is an extraordinary adaptation of the real life of SHIKANO Yasuaki, who suffered from muscular dystrophy, and his medical volunteers who supported him during his life. MAEDA will take part in Q&A screenings of A Banana? At This Time of Night? at:
- Filmhouse, Edinburgh: Thursday, 19 March
- Broadway, Nottingham: Saturday, 21 March
- Exeter Phoenix, Exeter: Sunday, 22 March
The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme is produced and organised by the Japan Foundation. Supported by the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Japan Airlines, Yakult, Japan Centre, SUQQU, The Japan Society, and Modern Culture. Part of the Japan-UK Season of Culture 2019-2020.
