You can't truly call yourself a Japanese culture enthusiast until you've appreciated the beauty of its cinema. From the works of legendary Akira Kurosawa to Studio Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki, it’s clear that Japanese cinema is a league of its own. Now you’ll get to step into the wondrous world of contemporary and classic Japanese films at Singapore’s oldest country-based film festival, the Japanese Film Festival, from September 26 to October 20.
The festival will screen 31 films divided into 7 program segments at various locations – Shaw Lido, Oldham Theatre, and The Projector. This year’s theme is ‘continuity’, so expect films that blend tradition and modernity, paying homage to Japanese cinematic history while embracing contemporary storytelling. Watch as two monumental films converge at the festival: the original Godzilla (1954), restored in 4K for its 70th anniversary, alongside its Oscar-winning 2023 remake Godzilla Minus One – the first time the latter will premiere in IMAX in Singapore. Thanks to the success of last year’s festival, look forward to in-person post-screening discussions with editor Okawa Keiko of All The Long Nights and director Ishii Gakuryu of Box Man and Crazy Thunder Road, plus a masterclass by Gakuryu.
There will be plenty of classics to watch, along with award-winning contemporary films in the mix. Fans of Kurosawa must catch his 1985 epic historical action drama Ran while lovers of Japanese animations must not miss Otomo Katsuhiro’s Akira (1988). See Patrick Dickinson’s award-winning debut film Cottontail (2023) and Singaporean filmmaker Shaun Neo’s My Endless Numbered Days (2023), which was nominated at the 2024 Jeonju Film Festival. Check out the full schedule of films here.