newsJapanese Film Festival 2009

The Japanese Film Festival returns to venues across Ireland this November, once again bringing the best new Japanese films to Irish audiences.

The Festival launches at the Town Hall Theatre in Galway, on Saturday 31st October before touring to Limerick, Cork and Dublin throughout November.

Last year’s event – co-organised by the Embassy of Japan, access>CINEMA and the Ireland Japan Association – was a great success in Dublin, Cork and Limerick with sell-out shows and a huge level of interest; in response to this demand, the 2009 Festival begins in Galway and will include more films and screenings at each location.

Highlights in the programme include Departures, which was awarded the 2009 Best Foreign Language Oscar, the multiple-narrative drama A Stranger of Mine and a preview of Ponyo, the latest animation from the award-winning Hayao Miyazaki, the director of Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle.

Besides animation, there are relatively few Japanese films released into Irish cinemas; with this in mind the Japanese Film Festival aims to foster a deeper understanding of Japanese culture and society among Irish citizens and to strengthen the cultural ties between the two countries. There will be a number of special cultural events at certain venues – more information will be available closer to the time.

Highlights in the programme include Departures, which was awarded the 2009 Best Foreign Language Oscar, the multiple-narrative drama A Stranger of Mine and a preview of Ponyo, the latest animation from the award-winning Hayao Miyazaki, the director of Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle.

The Festival also offers a rare opportunity to see two modern classics on the big screen: the bitter-sweet and poignant Shall We Dance? (1996) and the enormously influential Ghost in The Shell (1995), presented here in a newly resorted version with extra footage.

The schedule is as follows:

October 31st & November 1st
Galway: Town Hall Theatre

November 2nd & 3rd
University of Limerick

November 13th, 14th & 15th
Cork: Kino Cinema

November 20th, 21st & 22nd
Dublin: Cineworld

For full details of screening locations, dates, times and ticket prices can be found at the following link:

Japanese Film Festival 2009 Brochure

All queries relating to the Japanese Film Festival can be answered by access>CINEMA on 01-6794420
or info@accesscinema.ie