RAd the music blog: Journey through Japan via 20 films at the Japanese Film Festival Online 2022

Wednesday, February 09, 2022

Journey through Japan via 20 films at the Japanese Film Festival Online 2022

After the success of its inaugural edition back in November 2020, the Japanese Film Festival Online returns with a diverse lineup of 20 films streaming for free this February 14-27, 2022.

Presented in the Philippines by the Japan Foundation, Manila, this year's selection of contemporary and classic films will take viewers on a journey through different places, times, dimensions, perspectives, and lives.

Seven new movies, two documentaries, two anime films, a period film, a classic masterpiece, two culinary themed films, and five well loved dramas from 2008-2018 make up this year's selection taking viewers on a journey through different places, times, flavors, dimensions, perspectives, and lives.

Here are the 20 films to be streamed at the Japanese Film Festival Online 2022.

Aristocrats/あのこは貴族 (2021)

©Mariko Yamauchi/SHUEISHA, "Aristocrats" Film Partners

Director: Sode Yukiko

Cast: Kadowaki Mugi, Mizuhara Kiko, Kora Kengo

Hanako Haibara was born and raised in the city of Tokyo. After she gets dumped by her boyfriend, while in her late 20’s, she goes on blind dates to find a man to marry. Miki Tokiokawas born in a province. She studied very hard and entered a prestigious university in Tokyo. She experienced difficult financial times, but she now works at an IT company. Due to a man, Hanako Haibara and Miki Tokioka meet each other.

AWAKE/アウェイク (2020)

Director: Yamada Atsuhiro

Cast: Yoshizawa Ryo, Wakaba Ryuya, Ochiai Tomoki, Sato Kanichiro

Eiichi wanted to become a top shogi player and attended a shogi player training center run by the Japan Shogi Association. At the training center, he could not beat Riku, who is extremely talented in the game, and Eiichi eventually gave up on becoming a shogi player. One day, Eiichi comes across an AI based shogi computer program.

Bread of Happiness/しあわせのパン (2012)

©"Bread of Happiness" Film Partners

Director: Mishima Yukiko

Cast: Harada Tomoyo, Oizumi Yo, Mori Kanna

Young married couple Rie and Sang move from Tokyo to Lake Toya in Hokkaido Prefecture to start a bakery restaurant named Mani. Sang bakes bread and his wife Rie makes food that complements the bread. Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, the customers leave in a happy state.

The Chef of South Polar/南極料理人 (2009)

Director: Okita Shuichi

Cast: Sakai Masato, Namase Katsuhisa, Kitaro

Nishimura has a passion for cooking, but never would he have imagined the task before him now: He is unexpectedly assigned to a south polar mission to serve as head chef at the Dome Fuji station. Leaving his wife and daughter behind for a year, he and the other crew members experience one existential crisis after another in the icy cold.

The Floating Castle/のぼうの城 (2012)

Director: Inudo Isshin , Higuchi Shinji

Cast: Nomura Mansai, Eikura Nana, Sato Koichi

In the year 1590, the mighty warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi is close to fulfilling his ambition of unifying all of Japan under his banner when he comes across unexpected resistance in the form of a floating fortress known as Oshi Castle. Narita Nagachika, a frivolous hedonistic fellow and unlikely candidate for the position of rebel general, finds himself in charge of defending the castle. His odds? An army of 500 men to combat Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s army of 20,000.

The God of Ramen/ラーメンより大切なもの〜東池袋大勝軒 50年の秘密 (2013)

Director: Innami Takasho

Cast: Yamagishi Kazuo

Every day, people would queue for over two hours for a bowl of ramen. What’s the celebrated chef’s secret ingredient? There is no secret ingredient. In fact, as most fans of Taishoken believe, it’s the charisma of owner Kazuo Yamagishi that attracted people from all around Japan to his modest shop. His personality and love for his craft, combined with a precise mélange of flavours, combined to create perfection in each ramen bowl. This heart-warming documentary is not just for noodle fans, but for anyone who loves to be inspired by passionate people.

Happy Flight/ハッピーフライト (2008)

Director: Yaguchi Shinobu

Cast:

Tanabe Seiichi, Tokito Saburou, Ayase Haruka

A variety of aviation professionals such as pilots, flight attendants, the ground crew, mechanics, dispatchers, controllers, and the bird patrol crew all support a single flight. They have only one mission: to secure the safety of the passengers!

Her Love Boils Bathwater/湯を沸かすほどの熱い愛 (2016)

©"Her Love Boils Bathwater" Film Partners

Director: Nakano Ryota

Cast: Miyazawa Rie, Sugisaki Hana, Odagiri Joe

A terminally ill single mother is determined to reconcile her splintered family.

Ito/いとみち (2021)

Director: Yokohama Satoko

Cast: Komai Ren, Toyokawa Etsushi, Kurokawa Mei

Ito Soma has talent for playing Tsugaru-shamisen. The music is native to Aomori Prefecture and involves the traditional folk instrument Tsugaru-shamisen, which is a plucked three-string instrument. Ito Soma learned to play Tsugaru-shamisen from her now deceased mother. Due to her strong Tsugaru dialect and her shy personality, she has a hard time playing in public and also experiences difficulty in social settings. She doesn’t have any friends. To change herself, Ito Soma begins a part-time job at a maid cafe.

It's a Summer Film!/サマーフィルムにのって (2021)

©It's a Summer Film! Film Partners

Director: Matsumoto Soushi

Cast: Ito Marika, Kaneko Daichi, Kawai Yuumi , Inori Kilala

Barefoot and her friends decide to make a samurai movie, gather a unique cast and staff for the production, and try to screen it at their school festival.

Masked Ward/仮面病棟 (2020)

Director: Kimura Hisashi

Cast: Sakaguchi Kentaro, Nagano Mei

On-call substitute doctor Shugo suddenly finds himself faced with a terrifying criminal in a clown mask. The assailant demands that Shugo treat injured high school student Hitomi. The perpetrator sets siege to the building and Shugo finds himself confined with 64 unknown patients.

Mio's Cookbook/みをつくし料理帖 (2020)

Director: Kadokawa Haruki

Cast: Matsumoto Honoka, Nao

When Mio was young, she lost her parents in a great flood and also became separated from her best friend Noe. Afterwards, Mio found her talent in cooking and eventually became a cook. Meanwhile, Noe has become an Oiran (high-ranking courtesan).

OZLAND/オズランド笑顔の魔法おしえます (2018)

Director: Hatano Takafumi

Cast: Haru, Nishijima Hidetoshi, Okayama Amane

Kurumi is hired at a high-end hotel, but is instead dispatched to work at fun fair that is connected to the business network. The new work is out in the country and there is not much else to do or places to go. The go-to employee is one Yoshiko. Kurumi wants to be successful and valued and is eager to learn from Yoshiko. All is not as it seems on the surface however.

Patema Inverted/サカサマのパテマ (2013)

Director: Yoshiura Yasuhiro

Cast: Fujii Yukiyo, Okamoto Nobuhiko, Ohata Shintaro

In an underground world where tunnels extend everywhere, even though they live in dark and confined spaces, people wear protective clothes and lead quiet and enjoyable lives. Patema, a princess in her underground village, loves to explore the tunnels. Her favorite place is a “danger zone” that her village prohibits people from entering. Even though she’s scolded, Patema’s curiosity can’t be held back. No one ever explained what the supposed danger was. On her usual trip to the “danger zone,” Patema faces unexpected events. When hidden secrets come to light, the story begins to unfold.

RASHOMON/羅生門 (1950)

©KADOKAWA CORPORATION 1950

Director: Kurosawa Akira

Cast: Mifune Toshiro, Kyo Machiko, Shimura Takashi

Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, "Rashomon" is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the philosophy of justice. Through an ingenious use of camera and flashbacks, Kurosawa reveals the complexities of human nature as four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife.

ReLIFE/リライフ (2017)

Director: Furusawa Takeshi

Cast: Nakagawa Taishi, Taira Yuna

Arata Kaizaki is 27-years-old and unemployed. He quit his prior job after working for the company for 3 months. Arata Kaizaki decides to take part in a research program. He takes medication that makes him look younger and he is to attend high school for a year. There, he falls in love with female high school student Chizuru Hishiro.

SUMODO The Successors of Samurai/相撲道～サムライを継ぐ者たち～ (2020)

Director: Sakata Eiji

Cast: Sakaigawa Hideaki, Takadagawa Katsumi, Goeido Gotaro

Although sumo is a cherished part of Japanese culture, few have managed to get a behind-the-scenes look at the sport. Director Eiji SAKATA had the opportunity to spend six months in close contact with two sumo stables. In the process, he managed to capture fascinating footage of the rigorous training sessions and daily life of the wrestlers.

Time of EVE the Movie/イヴの時間劇場版 (2010)

Director: Yoshiura Yasuhiro

Cast: Fukuyama Jun, Nojima Kenji, Tanaka Rie

In the not-too-distant future, androids have come into common usage. However, treating androids on the same level as humans is frowned upon, and there is constant paranoia surrounding the possibility of robots defying humans, their masters. Those who appear too trustworthy of their androids are chided and labeled as “android-holics.”

Rikuo Sakisaka, who has taken robots for granted for his entire life, one day discovers that Sammy, his home android, has been acting independently and coming and going on her own. He finds a strange phrase recorded in her activity log, “Are you enjoying the Time of Eve?”. He, along with his friend Masakazu Masaki, traces Sammy’s movements and finds an unusual cafe. Nagi, the barista, informs them that the cafe’s main rule is to not discriminate between humans and androids.

While Rikuo tries to reveal Sammy’s intentions, he begins to question the legitimacy of the fear that drives humans to regard androids as nothing more than mere tools.

Under the Open Sky/すばらしき世界 (2021)

Director: Nishikawa Miwa

Cast: Yakusho Koji, Nakano Taiga, Nagasawa Masami

Mikami, an ex-yakuza of middle age with most of his life in prison, gets released after serving 13 years of sentence for murder. Hoping to find his long lost mother, from whom he was separated as a child, he applies for a TV show and meets a young TV director Tsunoda. Meanwhile, he struggles to get a proper job and fit into society. His impulsive, adamant nature and ingrained beliefs cause friction in his relationship with Tsunoda and those who want to help him.

Until the Break of Dawn/ツナグ (2012)

Director: Hirakawa Yuichiro

Cast: Matsuzaka Tori, Kiki Kilin, Sato Ryuta

High school student Ayumi is trained by his grandmother to act as a “tsunagu,” an intermediary for people who want to reach the dead.

While the Japanese Film Festival has remained online due to the restrictions brought about by the ongoing pandemic, this event will offer more than just movies. Directors' interviews, special articles, panel discussions, and online campaigns where one can win prizes are just some of the added attractions that make the JFF a more enriching online film viewing experience compared to the typical streaming subscription sites out there.

One of the side events for this year is Let's Talk About Japanese Films, a two part panel discussion that anyone worldwide can participate on. The first session, entitled Your Guide to Japanese Films, serves as the opening event for the festival and will happen on February 14, 2022, 2:00 PM. Panelists include Prof. Daisuke Miyao, Prof. Nick Deocampo, and film director Sigrid Andrea Bernardo. The discussion will be moderated by Tito Valiente.

The second session, entitled Inside the World of JFF 2022 Films, happens on February 22, 2022, 5:00 PM. Moderated by Richard Bolisay, the panel features young film critics namely Skilty Labastilla, Princess Kinoc, Janus Nolasco, and Stepanie Mayo.

Films can be viewed for free and on demand at the Japanese Film Festival website located at https://jff.jpf.go.jp/watch/jffonline2022/philippines/. One has to create an account or log in to an existing one in order to watch the movies. Viewers will only have 48 hours to finish watching a film. Additionally, a film can only be seen once throughout the festival. Once the festival ends, films will no longer be available regardless of the time left.

Viewers can test their computers, smart TVs, tablets, mobile phones, and other internet capable devices to see if they meet the technical specifications required to play the films. The JFF pre-event screenings back in November 2021 seemed to have already solved the problems of some mobile devices that were unable to play the films despite meeting the minimum technical requirements during the festival's inaugural edition back in November 2020.

The Japanese Film Festival Online 2022 is presented by the Japan Foundation, Manila in partnership with JT International (Philippines) and the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

Wednesday, February 09, 2022

Journey through Japan via 20 films at the Japanese Film Festival Online 2022

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