The Japanese Film Festival Online 2022 shows the diversity and depth of the Japanese seventh art with a selection of 20 films that includes seven premieres in Mexico, eight new fictions, two documentaries, two animes and “Rashomon”, a classic by renowned Akira Kurosawa, which can be enjoyed from home , subtitled in Spanish and free of charge from February 14 to 27 with prior registration at https://festivaldecinejapones.online/registro.
With this festival, promoted by the Japan Foundation in Mexico, the public will be able to enjoy the latest releases of the Japanese seventh art such as “Ito”, “Aristocrats” and “It’s a summer movie!”, dramas that were presented in the country oriental during 2021, in addition to being transported to the traditions, landscapes, gastronomy, sports and culture of the enigmatic Japan.
In order to investigate and learn more about the historical past such as the courtier and the samurai of Japan, which could be fascinating for our culture, two films are coming: “Mio’s cookbook” and “The floating castle”, by directors Haruki Kadokawa and Isshin Inudo, respectively.
Image for the festival. Photo: Courtesy
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A little warmth in winter is not bad, which is why the festival organization recommends “Her love boils water”, a moving drama by Ryōta Nakano that warms the heart and explores feelings and the human side.
The animes They couldn’t be left out of the festival and for lovers of this genre, the program includes two pieces by director Yasuhiro Yoshiura, “Time to Awaken” and “Patema”.
The revered Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa nourishes the poster with “Rashomon”, the story of a yakuza who is released from prison and must resume his life, a theme of social reintegration that transcends borders and can unite cultures.
Finally, the festival will offer two documentaries, “Sumodo: The Way of the Samurai”, by Eiji Sakata, and “The God of Ramen”, by Takashi Innami.
Naoko Sugimoto, director of the Japan Foundation in Mexico, expressed that the Japanese Film Festival Online, “facilitates the approach to Japanese cinema and fosters the bonds of friendship between both countries, mutual understanding and the exchange of knowledge beyond physical borders, which are pillars of the Japan Foundation in the world.
Naoko Sugimoto, director of the Japan Foundation in Mexico. Photo: Courtesy
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For Salvador Velasco, a specialist in Japanese cinema and an ally of the Foundation, it represents the opportunity to delve into classic stories, but also to discover contemporary Japanese cinema that seeks to be made visible and accessible to a larger audience and for this reason, this festival will feature subtitles in 15 languages, including Spanish.
In addition to this selection of films, for those seeking to delve deeper into Japanese cinema, share points of view and create community off the screen, the Japan Foundation in Mexico together with Salvador Velasco are preparing two film clubs in the National Cinematheque. The first will be on Saturday, February 19 with “It’s a summer movie!”, by director Soushi Matsumoto, and the second, on Saturday, February 26 with “Under the open sky”, by director Miwa Nishikawa, both 10 :30 to 12:00 hours. To participate in one or both sessions, you must complete the following form https://festivaldecinejapones. online/cineclub
In this edition, Salvador Velasco, Master in Film Studies from the University of Hong Kong and in Japanese Studies from El Colegio de México, will give a free online mini-course during two sessions, on February 17 and 24, on the work of Akira Kurosawa , one of the most emblematic Japanese directors. It will analyze the first Asian film seen in the West: “Rashomon”. To participate in the course you must register at https://festivaldecinejapones. online/minicourseKurosawa.
The public will have 48 hours to finish watching a film. Check the schedule at this link: https://festivaldecinejapones.online/peliculas.
Festival poster. Photo: Courtesy
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