Japanese Film Festival Programme Announced

Sawako Decides

The programme for the Japanese Film Festival 2011 was announced on Wednesday October 26th.

The 4th Japanese Film Festival, co-organised by the Embassy of Japan, access>CINEMA and the Ireland Japan Association will commence its multi-city tour around Ireland on November 6th, showcasing the best in Japanese cinema for Irish audiences.  The event expands this year yet again as a result of a hugely popular event last year which showed the appetite around the country for Japanese cinema. 

The Festival will this year feature 9 films, 6 of which are Irish premieres.  The most acclaimed filmmakers from contemporary Japanese cinema are included in the packed programme, with a variety of themes, genres and topics to appeal to all audiences. 

The Festival, while providing entertainment and escapism, also includes more thought-provoking and challenging titles, aiming to foster a deeper understanding of Japanese culture and society among Irish citizens and to strengthen the cultural ties between the two countries.  Additional cultural events will take place on the periphery of the festival showcasing other fascinating and intriguing elements of Japanese culture.

Highlights in the programme include Colorful, the highly acclaimed and multi-award winning animated feature from Keiichi Hara; The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, a mind-bending and surreal time-travel epic animation; the fascinating food documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi, which is sure to appeal to the legions of Japanese food fans with its cinematic celebration of the art of sushi; the hilarious Sawako Decides, a thought-provoking satire on class, gender and age made all the more interesting coming from a Japanese point of view; and the award-winning, multi-layered and moving character drama Villain from renowned director Lee Sang-il.

Taking place between November 6th – 20th, dates and locations are as follows:

November 6 – 11 / Cork
November 10 – 13 / Dublin
November 14 – 15 & 19 / Limerick
November 16 – 17 / Waterford
November 19 – 20 / Galway

Full details of screening locations, dates, times and ticket prices can be found at the following link: Japanese Film Festival 2011 Brochure

Advance bookings will open on October 29th.

Advance bookings Cork:
Tel: 021 427 1160
Online: www.corkfilmfest.org
In person: Foyer. Cork Opera House

Advance bookings all other locations:
Tel: 01 6794420
Online: www.accesscinema.ie/jff