J-FLICKS

This time on J-FLICKS, one of Japan's biggest cinematic celebrations, the Tokyo International Film Festival, takes center stage. We feature 2 of the films screened in competition at the festival's 31st edition: Junji Sakamoto's Another World and Just Only Love directed by Rikiya Imaizumi. We also take a look at Lying to Mom by Katsumi Nojiri, the winner of the Best Film Award in the Japanese Cinema Splash section, which focuses on the work of promising new filmmakers. The festival's programming director, Mr. Yoshi Yatabe, joins us in the studio for an in-depth look at the latest highlights in Japanese cinema.

In recent years, TOKYO FILMeX has been rapidly gaining recognition for its showcasing of some of the most creative contemporary Asian cinema. Holding its 19th edition in 2018, the event was praised for featuring some of the "very best of Asian films." From the titles screened at the festival, we look at BON-UTA: A Song From Home, Yuji Nakae's documentary shot in the town of Futaba in Fukushima Prefecture and presented in the Special Screening section. We also check out Jesus from promising new filmmaking talent Hiroshi Okuyama, as well as Love Dart directed by Hisashi Saito.

Kyoto is where Japanese cinema originated, and the tradition of samurai films continues today in the country's old capital. This time on J-FLICKS, we introduce Love's Twisting Path, the latest release by 84-year old Sadao Nakajima, whose career making samurai films spans over 50 years. We then look at some of the Japanese swords featured in the film along with the craftspeople who make them and other props as we visit the art department of Toei Studios Kyoto. Also taking place at the studios, together with Shochiku Kyoto Studio, was a workshop called the Kyoto Filmmakers Lab where budding young film creators from across the globe gathered to collaborate in producing short period pieces.

One of the world's biggest cinematic festivals, the Berlin International Film Festival took place in February. Receiving both the Audience Award and the CICAE Art Cinema Award in the festival's Panorama section was "37 Seconds," the story of a young woman with cerebral palsy who discovers the world and herself, directed by HIKARI. In the Generation 14 Plus section, Makoto Nagahisa's "WE ARE LITTLE ZOMBIES" was given a Special Mention. Mainly focusing on these 2 films, we discuss the latest in Japanese cinema. In addition, for our Feature Selection, we introduce "Red Snow" by Sayaka Kai.

The Hong Kong International Film Festival held its 43rd edition this year with a lineup that included 10 Japanese films. Garnering much attention in the World Cinema section was "The Nikaidos' Fall," the story of an old family burdened by the weight of tradition. It was produced by Naomi Kawase and directed by Ida Panahandeh, an Iran-born female filmmaker. In the festival's main section was "A Long Goodbye," by Ryota Nakano. Depicting a family's seven-year struggle with dementia, the film earned the sympathy of the audience. Finally for our Special Feature, we propose "Shinjuku Tiger," a documentary screened at the Osaka Asian Film Festival.

Every spring in northern Italy, the Udine Far East Film Festival takes place. The largest festival in Europe devoted to Asian cinema, the event held its 21st edition this year. We look at several Japanese films screened at the festival, including the recipient of the audience's Mymovies award: Hideki Takeuchi's "Fly Me to the Saitama," as well as "Only the Cat Knows" by Shotaro Kobayashi presented in competition, and also the documentary "KAMPAI! Sake Sisters" directed by Mirai Konishi, which was featured out of competition. Our guest is Mr. Mark Schilling who was in charge of selecting the Japanese lineup of films for the festival.

This time on J-FLICKS, we feature the latest films by prominent Japanese directors, such as Kiyoshi Kurosawa's "To the Ends of the Earth," shot entirely in Uzbekistan. We also introduce a drama directed by Koji Fukada titled "A Girl Missing," as well as "Machida's World," Yuya Ishii's cinematic adaptation of a manga that received the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. In our Roundup, we look at the Japanese films that were presented at the Cannes Film Festival this May, including "First Love" by Takashi Miike.

Taking place every early summer in Frankfurt is the world's largest festival dedicated to Japanese cinema, Nippon Connection, which was held for the 19th year this June. On this episode of J-FLICKS, we present a film that received a Special Mention by the Nippon Visions Jury at the festival, "BLUE HOUR," directed by Yuko Hakota. We also look at Kensei Takahashi's "Sea," winner of the Nippon Visions Jury Award. And joining us in the studio as a special guest is Mr. Ian Thomas Ash, director of "Sending Off," a documentary that won the festival's Nippon Docs Award.

The Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, one of the biggest festivals in Asia devoted to short films, held its 21st edition this year. On this Special Edition of J-FLICKS, we propose a digest of the event as we look at competition winners, including the recipient of the grand prize, the George Lucas Award, and interview some of the filmmakers who participated in the festival. We also set the spotlight on "Chin Up," presented in the festival's Shibuya Diversity Program, as well as an animated film by a German director, "Obon," a recollection of memories from a survivor of the Hiroshima nuclear attack. The latter was screened in the War and the Power to Live Program, which was proposed by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). With us in the studio is a representative of the ICRC, as well as the festival's director, to discuss the appeal of short films and the future possibilities of the non-feature length format.

This episode of J-FLICKS puts the spotlight on 2 international film festivals that took place this summer (2019). At the Venice International Film Festival, actor Joe Odagiri's directorial debut feature "They Say Nothing Stays the Same" was selected in the Venice Days portion of the event. From Japan Cuts - the biggest festival in North America focusing on Japanese cinema - we look at 2 films that garnered much attention: director Isshin Inudo's "Samurai Shifters" and "The Journalist" by Michihito Fujii. For the first time this year, J-FLICKS collaborated with Japan Cuts to screen a special selection of 9 films. As we go over the 2 festivals, we discuss the latest news and emerging trends in Japanese film.

On this episode, we showcase one of the largest film festivals in Asia, the Busan International Film Festival. This year (2019), filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda received "Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award" for his contribution to Asian cinema. Presented as the opening feature of the festival was a Japan-Kazakhstan co-production, "The Horse Thieves. Roads of Time." Other Japanese films of note screened in Busan included Masayuki Suo's "Talking the Pictures," as well as "It Stopped Raining" directed by Ryutaro Nakagawa. Join our new navigator Shizuka Anderson for all the highlights of the festival and more.