Courtesy of Japan Foundation New York
The Japan Foundation New York (JFNY) will hold the Japanese Film Festival Online 2024 for four weeks from June 4 to July 2, 2024, as part of the Japanese Film Festival (JFF), sharing the excitement of Japanese cinema with the world.
This third edition of the Japanese Film Festival Online will be held in a record-breaking 27 countries and regions, with a wide variety of films and—for the first time since it was established—two thrilling TV drama series. Titles of note include We Made a Beautiful Bouquet, which exploded in popularity among Gen Zers after its release in 2021, and Baby Assassins, the film that took Japanese social media by storm (its third installment is scheduled to be released in Japan this fall). Other highlights of the diverse lineup are School Meals Time Graduation and The Zen Diary, both of which showcase Japanʼs delicious food culture, as well as the world premiere of the 4K digitally remastered version of JUNGLE EMPEROR LEO, aka KIMBA THE WHITE LION, a classic anime based on TEZUKA Osamu's manga masterpiece.
See the JFF Online lineup of films below.
Those interested in watching the films can create a free online access account through the JFF website by clicking the button below.
Happy viewing!
JFF FILM LINEUP
FATHER OF THE MILKY WAY RAILROAD (2023)
Director: NARUSHIMA Izuru
Biography, Drama, Family | 128m
A family drama depicting the life of nationally-renowned Japanese author MIYAZAWA Kenji, told from the perspective of his father.
ANIME SUPREMACY (2022)
Director: YOSHINO Kohei
Anime, Business, Drama | 128m
Delightful story about people pouring their passion into anime production.
BL Metamorphosis (2022)
Director: KARIYAMA Shunsuke
BL, Drama, LGBTQ+ | 118m
A heartwarming tale about two women who strike up an intergenerational friendship through manga.
I am what I am (2022)
Director: TAMADA Shinya
Drama, LGBTQ+ | 104m
A film about “being your own cheerleader” as a woman, uninterested in romance, seeks to find a life of freedom without outside judgement.
The Lines that Define Me (2022)
Director: KOIZUMI Nori
Art, Coming of Age, Drama | 106m
A story of a young man who finds his wounded soul restored through the world of Sumi-e, a traditional style of black ink painting.
The Lone Ume Tree (2021)
Director: WAJIMA Kotaro
Drama, Family | 77m
A challenging yet heartwarming story about an autistic son and his aging and loving mother living among their communities.
KIBA: THE FANGS OF FICTION (2021)
Director: YOSHIDA Daihachi
Business, Drama, Mystery | 113m
A battle of wits between magazine editors trying to survive in the industry.
Single8 (2023)
Director: KONAKA Kazuya
Coming of Age, Drama, SF | 113m
A coming-of-age story, set in the 1970s, about a group of high-schoolers who passionately make a film together.
My Broken Mariko (2022)
Director: TANADA Yuki
Drama, Road Movie, Sisterhood | 85m
A road movie about a woman who goes on a journey carrying her dead best friend Mariko’s bones.
The Zen Diary (2022)
Director: NAKAE Yuji
Drama, Food, Japanese Culture | 111m
A drama that ponders about what true wealth is through the beauty of nature throughout the four seasons and through the allure of meals with rustic flavors.
School Meals Time Graduation (2022)
Director: AYABE Shinya
Comedy, Drama, Food | 104m
A food comedy about a teacher and a student who love school lunches, and together, appreciate the importance of food.
Japan Horror Film Competition (2023) | BEST WISHES TO ALL
Director: SHIMOTSU Yuta
Horror | 11m
Is there somebody on the second floor? What did the college student see at her grandparents’ house? The memorable winner of the inaugural Japan Horror Film Competition.
Japan Horror Film Competition (2023) | closet
Director: NAKANO Hiroto
Horror | 8m
A terrifying closet versus a young man. A new style of horror depicting the fears hiding in daily life.
Japan Horror Film Competition (2023) | KARAKASA
Director: YAMAMOTO Kenji
Horror | 29m
An umbrella you must never open…A frightening killer umbrella flies across the sky!
Japan Horror Film Competition (2023) | The Invitation
Director: MIENO Hiroho
Horror | 13m
A new type of horror film about a house you must never dare to enter.
We Made a Beautiful Bouquet (2021)
Director: DOI Nobuhiro
Drama, Romance | 124m
A tale of romance that follows the best five years of two people in love.
WEDDING HIGH (2022)
Director: OHKU Akiko
Business, Comedy, Drama | 117m
An ensemble comedy of memorable characters who gather for a wedding, each bringing their own passionate feelings to the big day.
The Handsome Suit (2008)
Director: HANABUSA Tsutomu
Comedy, Drama, Romance | 115m
A fantasy romantic comedy about a man with no confidence about his looks who one day gets a hold of a suit that makes anybody handsome by wearing it.
WE’RE BROKE, MY LORD! (2023)
Director: MAEDA Tetsu
Comedy, Period Drama | 120m
A samurai comedy about a young prince who runs around trying to pay back a debt of 10 billion yen.
JUNGLE EMPEROR LEO, aka KIMBA THE WHITE LION (1966)
Director: YAMAMOTO Eichi
Anime, Classic | 75m
TEZUKA Osamu's monumental masterpiece that became the cornerstone of Japanese anime.
I Go GaGa: Welcome Home, Mom (2022)
Director: NOBUTOMO Naoko
Documentary, Family | 101m
A daughter’s moving record of her mother with dementia and her father who endlessly showers his wife with love.
JFF DRAMA LINEUP
Downtown Rocket (2015)
Director: FUKUZAWA Katsuo
Business, TV Drama | 10 episodes
A moving and popular drama about a small Japanese town factory taking on the fight against large corporations.
RIKUOH (2017)
Director: FUKUZAWA Katsuo
Business, Sports, TV Drama | 10 episodes
A moving drama about a “tabi” (Japanese traditional socks) manufacturer’s rise to the challenge of developing running shoes.
About the Japanese Film Festival:
From August till October 2023, the Japan Foundation (JF) will hold a special feature "JFF+ INDEPENDENT CINEMA 2023" which will shine a spotlight on the "mini-theaters" that support the diversity of Japanese film culture and adding to the vibrancy of local communities.
Following the highly successful launch of "JFF+ INDEPENDENT CINEMA" in 2022, which showcased 12 Japanese films and 6 mini-theaters for overseas viewers and received a great response. We are happy to announce we will distribute 12 Japanese movies recommended by mini-theaters around Japan and filmmakers around the world, additionally we will provide complementary access to videos that introduce 10 mini-theaters. To enhance your experience, we have also prepared a variety of content on the website that will allow you to further experience the charm of the mini theater.
Mini theaters play a pivotal role in supporting Japanese film culture. In 2022, there were over 590 movie theaters, with an impressive 136 of them being mini theaters, accounting for about 20% of all movie theaters. In addition, of the 538 movies released in theaters in the same year, a staggering 60% of those were-small scale productions released in 49 or fewer theaters, majority of these films found themselves being exclusively shown in mini-theaters*.
Mini theaters play a crucial role in supporting Japanese film culture. In addition to being a venue for movie screenings, they also contribute to the production of movie sets in their respective local areas. Moreover, many mini have as cafes as well as other additional amenities, creating a hub that attracts a diverse range of people. Serving as a platform that foster connections and collaborations within the community, by embracing multifaceted roles, mini theaters are a reflection of the local communities they are a part of.
We hope that through this project, you will be able to experience the many charming aspects of the mini theater, which is an important stage for Japanese film.
※Referring to "Movie Screening Activity Yearbook 2022" (JAPAN COMMUNITY CINEMA CENTER)
In addition to movies, the festival plans to produce a variety of Japanese cinema related content including events and special feature articles published on the JFF+ website.