A Preview of Nippon Connection 2021: Animation

Nippon Animation

Nippon Connection (June 01st – 06th) is running online for its 2021 edition. This year’s selection of animated films is small but contains some good titles. It’s difficult to programme an online festival because some film distributors/reps require theatrical distribution so a big hit like the Demon Slayer movie is unlikely. It has also been a slow year for mainstream Japanese animation compared to the 2016-2019 period. Check out the films released every weekend and you fill only find a handful of original titles that stand out amidst re-cuts and continuations of TV anime and re-releases of modern classics. It’s a small pool to choose from.

On the other hand, universities are producing highly talented animators and, as always, Nippon Connection have this covered. I’ve seen quite a few as part of my work on an animation festival so I can recommend these programmes. All are region-locked.

This post summarises all of the anime and animation that will be available to view. It’s the follow-up and last of the Nippon Connection highlight posts, following a look at Nippon Visions, Nippon Cinema, and Nippon Docs.

To find out more about the films, click on the titles.

Here are the films:

A Preview of Nippon Connection 2021: Documentaries

This post is an offshoot from the one published earlier this week and it focuses on all of the documentaries that will be screened. Most of these documentaries are restricted to Germany but two are available for many territories worldwide. Check the descriptions.

Nippon Docs

The documentary films in this year’s NIPPON DOCS section offer insights into various topics: sports and cults, ways of living and the desperate desire to live free. The film are done with different formal approaches, from experimental narrations, ethnographies, and political diatribes caught on hidden cameras. They interconnect with cautious biographical observations to paint a picture of contemporary Japan. All films in this section are eligible for the NIPPON DOCS AWARD.

Here are details on the features:

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.

A Preview of Nippon Connection 2021: Nippon Cinema

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. The films can be accessed from June 1st on Watch.NipponConnection.com. Some titles will be region-locked while others are available to stream worldwide. Whether a film can be streamed in your region or not can be discovered there. One film costs 6€ / £5 and can be viewed within 24 hours of it being started.

This post concentrates on all of the titles playing in the Nippon Cinema section. It follows on from a highlight post which gives an overview of the festival and some of the films I recommend.

Click on the titles to be taken to the corresponding Nippon Connection page which has details on dates and times.

A Preview of Nippon Connection 2021 – Highlights

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 22nd 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 is a highlight post which gives an overview of the festival and some of the films I recommend (basically me plugging reviews).

All of the films are special in some way but there is so much to cover. Here are some highlights. I will provide follow-up articles to cover other sections. Click on the titles to be taken to the corresponding Nippon Connection page which has details on dates and times.

Nippon Connection 2020: Documentaries

This post is an offshoot from the earlier this week and it focuses on all of the documentaries that will be screened. Check out each description to see if each film is available for worldwide screening because quite a few of these are.

Nippon Docs

This section brings together a really diverse range of subjects and themes like art and culture, feminism, workplace rights, mental health, refugees fighting for recognition and a man in a campervan trying to forget a failed love. There are three shorts and 11 features. Book-Paper-Scissors and An Ant Strikes Back are polar opposites in content and ones I want to see. Actually, I want to see all of these films!!!

There are a lot of great films on offer and many of them are available for global audiences to stream. Here are details on the features:

Anime at Nippon Connection 2020

You can’t have a festival dedicated to Japan without mentioning animation and vice versa as you see with the Annecy International Animation Festival every year (and last year which was dedicated to Japan). Nippon Connection has collected a nice selection of mainstream anime movies and indie shorts scattered in different sections and this post summarises all of the anime and animation on display. It’s the follow-up and last of the Nippon Connection highlight posts, following a look at Nippon Visions, Nippon Cinema/Classics, and Nippon Docs.

To find out more about the films, click on the titles.

Here are the films:

A Preview of Nippon Connection 2020: Nippon Visions

 

The 20th Nippon Connection will take place from June 09th to the 14th and the organisers will take the event online for a Virtual Anniversary Edition. Over the course of six days, Nippon Connection Online will play a total of 70 feature-length and short films from a variety of genres to give a good overview of the trends in Japanese cinema. 

The films will each be available to view via the video on demand platform Vimeo in exchange for a small fee. The period of availability lasts for a full 24 hours from the moment they are purchased. They will all be available during the duration of the festival, although some titles will be region-locked, something I will detail below. There will also be the chance to get in contact with the filmmakers behind the titles since they will be in contact with the audience via video messages, discussions and live broadcasts. There will also be a variety of online events, including workshops, lectures, performances, and concerts and a virtual marketplace which will present a wide range of offers related to Japan.

Many of these films will be available for audiences to watch around the world.

I have a highlight post which gives an overview of the festival and a post focusing on the classics and the mainstream releases. This preview covers the indie films.

Nippon Connection 2020: A Look at Nippon Cinema and Nippon Classics

This is a follow-up post to one on Tuesday where I list all of the films in certain sections of Nippon Connection. First up…

Nippon Cinema

A Preview of Nippon Connection 2020 – Highlights

Despite the situation with Covid-19, one of the world’s biggest events dedicated to Japanese films is going to launch next week Tuesday. We Are talking about…

Nippon Connection will take place from June 09th to the 14th and the organisers will take the event online for a Virtual Anniversary Edition to celebrate 20 years of screening films. Over the course of six days, Nippon Connection Online will play a total of 70 feature-length and short films from a variety of genres to give a good overview of the trends in Japanese cinema. One of the main thrusts of the festival is presenting a glimpse of new perspectives on women in Japan – Female Futures? – New Visions of Women in Japan – which consists of a slate of dramas and documentaries made by women or featuring women in lead roles. The subjects range in age and political motivations and all look absolutely fascinating.

On to the nitty-gritty!

The films will each be available to view via the video on demand platform Vimeo in exchange for a small fee. The period of availability lasts for a full 24 hours from the moment they are purchased. The films will all be available to purchase during the duration of the festival, although some titles will be region-locked, something I will highlight with the films below. I have had a look since everything is already set up and waiting for the screening date and it looks easy to navigate.

As well as watching films, there will also be the chance to get in contact with the filmmakers behind the titles since they will be in contact with the audience via video messages, discussions and live broadcasts. There will also be a variety of online events, including workshops, lectures, performances, and concerts and a virtual marketplace which will present a wide range of offers related to Japan.

All of the films are special in some way but there is so much to cover. Here are some highlights. I will provide follow-up articles to cover other titles in depth. Click on the titles to be taken to the corresponding Nippon Connection page which has details on dates and times.