Happy Weekend.
I hope you are well.
This is the first in a two-part trailer post. The New York Asian Film Festival starts tonight with the opening film, South Korean action title Escape From Mogadishu. I’ll do another trailer post tomorrow and I’ll resume coverage of the festival on Monday.
What are some of the films released this weekend in Japan?
On the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Japan, we have a documentary about the Nagasaki attack. Lots of indie films, too.
a hope of NAGASAKI yasashii hitotachi 
a hope of NAGASAKI 優しい人たち 「a hope of NAGASAKI yasashii hitotachi」
Release Date: August 07th 2021
Duration: 70 mins.
Director: Kazumi Matsumoto
Writer: N/A
Starring: Teru Ishida, Hisako Inoue, Kazuko Otsuka, Reiko Hamasaki, Masako Yoshimura,
Synopsis: This documentary gathers new testimonies from hibakusha, people who have survived the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. These people never talked about their experiences before and have pursued normal lives but over the course of a year, the director and his team interviewed 10 survivors who have overcame many hardships, from death of loved ones to discrimination, and bullying. These interviewees also share heartwarming stories such as ones with the American soldiers who were stationed near Nagasaki.
It’s a Summer Film 
サマーフィルムにのって 「Sam- Firumu ni notte」
Release Date: August 06th, 2021
Duration: 97 mins.
Director: Soushi Matsumoto
Writer: Naoyuki Miura, Soushi Matsumoto (Script),
Starring: Marika Ito, Daichi Kaneko, Yumi Kawai, Kirara Inori, Shunya Itabashi, Mahiro Koda,
Naoyuki Miura, of the theatre troupe Lolo, and director Soushi Matsumoto made a science-fiction coming-of-age film about three high school girls obsessed with Japanese period drama and a mysterious boy who may be from another time period. This project re-teams Matsumoto with lead actress Marika Ito, a former member of Nogizaka46, after they worked on the Tokyo MX drama ガールはフレンド. It played at last year’s Tokyo International Film Festival and has since toured at a variety of international fests.
Synopsis: High school student Hadashi (Marika Ito) loves historical films, but the film club she belongs to only makes only glittering youth films. She is desperate to make a period drama but it seems unlikely until a mysterious boy named Rintaro appears out of nowhere. He is perfect for the role of a samurai and it feels like destiny that they meet so a newly inspired Hadashi gathers unique schoolmates to start making a movie for the school festival. However, what none of the crew knows is that Rintaro has travelled back in time from the future…
Okinawa/Santos 
オキナワ サントス 「Okinawa Santosu」
Release Date: August 07th, 2021
Duration: 90 mins.
Director: Yoju Matsubayashi
Writer: Yoju Matsubayashi
Starring: Masayuki Fukazawa, Olga Futemma, Jorge Okubaro, Odenatty Yusei Higa, Priscila Perazzo,
Synopsis: This is the latest documentary from Yoju Matsubayashi, director of the award-winning The Horses of Fukushima (2013). He looks at the story of how and why, during World War II, many Japanese immigrants in Santos, Brazil, were forced to move to another place, and draws attention to the fact that 60% of the migrants were from Okinawa. The film is based on testimonies from interviewees and aims to reveal the hidden historical relationship between Okinawa and Brazil.
Cowra Never Forgets 
カウラは忘れない 「Kaura wa wasurenai」
Release Date: August 07th 2021
Duration: 96 mins.
Director: Yasuhiro Mitsuda
Writer: N/A
Starring: Akari Takaishi, Saori Izawa, Masanori Mimoto, Mone Akitani, Yasukaze Motomiya,
Synopsis: In August 1944, the Australian region of Cowra was the setting of the largest escape attempt by prisoners of war in modern history. More than 1,000 Japanese POWs attempted to escape en masse. 234 POWs and four Australian guards were killed. The film looks at the reasoning why and examines how the doctrine of the Japanese military at the time instilled the idea that surrendering to the enemy is a disgrace. How did that affect the thinking of the POWs? We learn of the events from testimonies from survivors, both Japanese and Australian, and also learn how people of different generations have reconciled with the event.
The River Bank, The Couple, The Ghosts 
土手と夫婦と幽霊 「Dote to fuufu to yuurei」
Release Date: 2018
Duration: 59 mins.
Director: Takaaki Watanabe
Writer: Takaaki Watanabe (Script),
Starring: Yutaka Hoshino, Mimoe Kobayashi, Kai Mami, Yuma Sato,
Synopsis: A novelist who had just attended a funeral is taken to the house of a woman who lives on a riverbank which is where he loses his memory and ends up staying with her…
Shukatsu 5 A Game Called Employment 
シュウカツ5 就職という名のゲーム 「Shuukatsu 5 shuushoku to iu na no gēmu」
Running Time: 48 mins.
Release Date: August 06th, 2021
Director: Seiji Chiba
Writer: Seiji Chiba (Screenplay/Original Story),
Starring: Ryotaro Akazawa, Masahiro Ito, Masaki Ota, Daisuke Hyuga, Kaoru Masaki,
No trailer
Synopsis: Another Shu-katsu film by Seiji Chiba (Alien vs Ninja) which depicts the psychological warfare used in job interviews faced by young job hunters. This is fifth instalment in the omnibus series consists of three parts including one where a a successful applicant is told by the company that they cannot accept the offer…