A Preview of Nippon Connection 2021: Nippon Visions

The 21st Nippon Connection will take place from June 01st to the 06th and there is a roster of 80 films that will be screened online. On top of that, there will be talk sessions with directors and over 40 interactive workshops, talks, performances, and concerts.

The complete program as well as tickets for all films and events were made available on May 22md on the website NipponConnection.com and the films can be accessed from June 1st on Watch.NipponConnection.com – whether a film can be streamed in your region or not can be discovered via here. One film costs 6€ / £5 and can be viewed within 24 hours of it being started. Some titles will be region-locked while others are available to stream worldwide.

This post covers NIPPON VISIONS. Click on the titles to be taken to the corresponding Nippon Connection page which has details on dates and times.

The Past is Always New The Future is Always Nostalgic: Photographer Daido Moriyama, In the Realm of the Senses (Digital Restoration), Along the Sea, Funny Bunny, Mashin Sentai Kiramager vs. Ryusoulger, Kazutaro Nakamura x Ukon Onoe ART Kabuki Hana no Koro Japanese Film Trailers

Happy Weekend, everyone.

I hope you are all well.

Due to the new State of Emergency in Japan, many films were pulled from theatrical runs (including TWO DARIO ARGENTO FLICKS!!!!). Some major chains have closed – such as TOHO cinemas in major metropolitan areas like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Some mini theatres are remaining open, most likely because the cost of closing would kill them off.

Wherever you are, stay safe and stay stoic. Movies and games can help you stay sane. When the next round of elections come up, vote out the appalling politicians.

In terms of myself, I watched Nomadland, The Sound of Metal, Without Remorse, Violent Cop, Out of the Shadows, and played the Resident Evil 8 demo. I wrote about the films Along the Sea and Koji Fukada’s gripping 10-episode drama The Real Thing.

What is released in Japan this weekend?

Along the Sea 海辺の彼女たち Dir: Akio Fujimoto (2020) [Osaka Asian Film Festival 2021]

Along the Sea   

海辺の彼女たち 「Umibe no Kanojotachi」

Release Date: May 01st, 2021

Duration: 88 mins.

Director: Akio Fujimoto

Writer: Akio Fujimoto (Script),

Starring: Hoang Phuong, Anh Huynh Tuyet, Nhu Quynh

Website IMDB

Along the Sea is the second feature from writer-director Akio Fujimoto. A co-production between Japan and Vietnam, it is similar to his debut Passage of Life (2017) in that it charts the tensions of being outsiders in a foreign land in a near-documentary style. The script is based on stories drawn from real-life interviews, the camera observes a mix of professional and non-professional actors, and melodrama and artifice are kept to a minimum.

However, Along the Sea has a much more cohesive and concise dramatic structure as it takes place entirely in Japan and over a few weeks. Furthermore, as close to social realist as it may be, there are moments of poetic beauty captured by Kentaro Kishi, Fujimoto’s go-to director of photography. As breath-taking as some of these moments are, they never obscure the people at the heart of the narrative.

A Preview of the Tokyo International Film Festival 2020

The 33rd Tokyo International Film Festival (TokyoIFF) runs from October 31st to November 09th and it is a physical event. Information on this page shows the various measures that will be taken by staff such as temperature checks, ensuring audiences wear masks, empty seats around viewers and other methods of ensuring physical distancing.

In terms of films, TokyoIFF has a pretty busy and diverse programme that pitches a lot of dramas alongside restored classics, animation and super sentai. On top of that, there are many interesting talks and other events scheduled with a range of guests.

Here is the festival’s trailer!

Like my last TokyoIFF post, I’ll keep this brief by writing in detail about films I haven’t covered before (or not that often) and I’ll also focus on titles from the indie end of the spectrum as well as utilising the main sections TokyoIFF has created to provide structure to this post.

Japanese Films at the San Sebastian International Film Festival 2020 (September 18th-26th)

This year’s San Sebastian International Film Festival runs from September 18th to the 26th and they have announced their selection of films. Due to the Covid-19, the festival has reduced what it will show and created a mixed programme of physical and online activities (details here). There are three Japanese films, as far as I am aware and they are detailed below. Take a look!