Enter the world of Japanese cinema
After a one-year hiatus, the Japanese Film Festival returns this year with 13 titles.
THERE’S more reason to celebrate for cinephiles in the new year as the annual Japanese Film Festival (JFF) returns with a selection of 13 movies spanning different genres.
Last year, JFF 2020 was cancelled after three postponements.
After this hiatus, JFF 2021 will kick off with screenings at selected Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) in Klang Valley (Mid Valley, Nu Sentral and 1Utama) from Jan 6 to 12; Penang and Johor Baru (Gurney Plaza, Penang and Paradigm Mall JB) from Jan 13 to 16; and Kuching and Kota Kinabalu (CITYONE Megamall, Kuching and Suria Sabah) from Jan 20 to 23.
JFF 2021 was initially planned for a September 2021 launch but was brought forward to January this year due to the pandemic.
“The cancellation of JFF 2020 after three postponements was a really unfortunate incident for us.
“We are very grateful that we are able to run the festival this year within the capacity under the current situation.
“The return of JFF is the most exciting thing for us and we hope the film festival fans are feeling the same too,” says Kugai Kyoko, assistant head of The Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur’s cultural affairs department.
She adds: “We will be opening the festival with Talking The Pictures (directed by Suo Masayuki) which will remind you of the joy of watching a movie at the cinema.
“Another highlight is Moonlight Shadow starring Komatsu Nana, which was directed by Malaysian filmmaker Edmund Yeo. It was commercially released last year and the Malaysian audience will finally get to watch it now.”
This 17th edition of the film festival has an eclectic mix of comedy, drama, action, thriller and animated films, with four films from this list released in 2021.
Organised by the Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur, tickets for JFF 2021 are RM9.50 and can be purchased two days before the first day of screening at each location at www.gsc.com.my, the GSC mobile app or the e-kiosks at participating GSC outlets.
“We have all been through two very tough years with so much drama in our daily lives. Our film selection this year offers a rather relaxed cinema experience – think comedy or a beautiful human drama. We hope that the audience will drop by the festival again, just like meeting old friends,” says Kugai.
All JFF movies will be in Japanese with English subtitles.
For more information, visit www.jfkl.org.my.
There will be 13 films shown at JFF 2021. Here is a look at the four newest releases featured in the film festival.
Moonlight Shadow
Banana Yoshimoto’s Moonlight Shadow, which has been translated in more than 30 countries around the world, has been adapted for the screen by Malaysian director Yeo. In this film, a grieving woman learns of a mysterious phenomenon that allows a person to meet the dead again.
It’s A Summer Film!
While the other film club members swoon over romantic dramas, Barefoot adores samurai movies and Japanese costume drama. Rintaro is perfect for the lead role in a samurai movie she wrote. But when time travel comes into the picture, it complicates matters …
Liar x Liar
Minato finds it awkward that her stepbrother Toru is super popular with the ladies. They strike up a deal to not approach each other when they are outside, but what happens when things are not as they seem?
The Night Beyond The Tricornered Window
Based on the manga Sankaku: Mado No Sotogawa Wa Yoru by Yamashita Tomoko, we follow Mikado as he struggles with his ability to see ghosts, his fateful meeting with exorcist Hiyakawa and a murder case.