The Japanese Film Festival, now in its 7th edition, returns to bring the best of new Japanese cinema to Irish audiences this month.
The most acclaimed filmmakers from contemporary Japanese cinema are featured in the festival, and the packed programme of 18 films includes the Irish premieres of The Light Shines Only There, and the poignant Uzumasa Limelight.
Highlights of this year’s anime programme include A Letter to Momo, a tale of a young girl who copes with bereavement thanks to surprise supernatural assistance, and the futuristic sci-fi fable Time of Eve, which investigates how androids and humans could possibly live as equals.
Although the focus is on current Japanese cinema, JFF also wishes to engage with the past. This year’s programme includes two screenings from the archives, both set to be shown in 35mm. Kwaidan is a compendium of four ghost stories based on the writings of Irish-Greek writer Lafcadio Hearn, while classic anime will be represented by Isao Takahata's Only Yesterday.
Viewers in search of a future cult-classic should check out Tokyo Tribe, a gangsta-rap musical set amidst the warring gangs of a stylised version of Tokyo where madness, mayhem and hip-hop are the order of the day.
Venue, ticket sales, and screening information are available at www.jff.ie
