The 72nd Berlin International Film Festival will be taking place from February 10 to 20 and it will be an in-person event and advance ticket sales start today. Of course, there are stringent safety protocols to prevent Covid-19 infections but there will be guests at screenings.
What are the Japanese films programmed so far?
ケイコ 目を澄ませて 「Keiko, me wo sumasete」
Release Date: 2022
Duration: 99 mins.
Director: Sho Miyake
Writer: Sho Miyake, Masaaki Sakai (Script), Keiko Ogasawara (Original Autobiographical Book),
Starring: Yukino Kishii, Tomokazu Miura, Masaki Miura, Shinichiro Matsuura, Himi Sato,
Sho Miyake (Wild Tour, And Your Bird Can Sing) lands the biggest Japanese film at the fest and it’s an international co-production involving a French company. The story of the film was inspired by Keiko Ogasawara’s autobiographical book Makenaide!, and it stars Yukino Kishii. The fest description describes it thusly, “Shot on gorgeous 16mm with razor-sharp precision and a deep sense of emotional truth, director Sho Miyake demonstrates this same sense of respect to tell this story of willpower put to the test.”
Synopsis: Growing up with a hearing impairment, one would expect Keiko to avoid something as challenging as boxing but the club she belongs to became like a second home to her and now she is about to face her third fight. While preparing, she has to confront anxiety and the fact that the gym she spends so much time in will be closing soon. Somehow, she digs deep into herself to find the strength to fight!
乾いた花 「Kawaita Hana」
Release Date: March 01st, 1964
Duration: 96 mins.
Director: Masahiro Shinoda
Writer: Masahiro Shinoda, Masaru Baba (Script), Shintaro Ishihara (Original Novel),
Starring: Ryo Ikebe, Mariko Kaga, Takashi Fujiki, Naoki Sugiura, Shin’ichiro Mikami
According to the fest, this film, “enduringly shaped the genre of yakuza thrillers.” I haven’t seen it yet to say one way or another but it has gotten a Criterion release in the past and this is a new 4K version thanks to Shochiku. In connected news, the writer of the book this is based on, Shintaro Ishihara, died recently. The former governor of Tokyo, he was a far-right ultra nationalist and like most people on the political right, a hateful figure.
Synopsis: Ex-con Muraki has just hit the streets and he is already diving back into his old yakuza habits. One is gambling on a card game called tehonbiki and it is while doing this that he meets a mysterious and daring gambler named Saeko whom he falls for with serious consequences…
マイスモールランド 「Mai Sumo-ru Rando」
Release Date: May, 2022
Duration: 114 mins.
Director: Ema Kawawada
Writer: Ema Kawawada (Script),
Starring: Lina Arashi, Daiken Okudaira
Synopsis: Sarya has lived in Japan since she was five and while she pretends to be German, the reality is that her family are Kurds from Turkey who are hoping to secure a refugee visa. As they wait, life seems to be stable as Sarya is aiming to go to college and her father works but even then she has to look after her younger siblings while he is away. Just as Sarya sets her sights on college and her work colleague Sota takes an interest in her, they get news that their asylum application has been rejected and so Sarya’s life is turned upside down…
バブル 「 Baburu」
Release Date: May 13th, 2022
Duration: 100 mins
Director: Tetsuro Araki
Writer: Gen Urobuchi (Screenplay)
Starring: Jun Shison (Hibiki), Mamoru Miyano, Yuki Kaji, Alice Hirose, Marina Inoue,
Animation Production: Wit Studio
Mitsuo Iso, the man behind Dennou Coil has a new anime out and it will be streamed by Netflix after a theatrical release.
Synopsis: Following Tokyo’s destruction under a rain of bubbles, the residents that remain have to fight for food and most of the fights take the form of parkour battles that involve jumping off bubbles. One group, Team Blue Blaze (not the fighting game), is centred around the secretive Hibiki and it is he who meets Uta, a mysterious being who seems to be connected with the bubbles…
Release Date: N/A
Duration: 16 mins
Director: Atsushi Wada
Writer: Atsushi Wada (Screenplay)
Starring: Laura Rincon (Granny), Atsushi Wada (Boy, Girl, Father and Dog),
Animation Production: New Deer, Tokio
Synopsis: A girl observing boys rehearsing a ritual for adulthood chases the after one of the boys chases who has left proceedings to follow a strange bird. She follows him without knowing why and one day, the boy will no longer be able to see the bird either.
Here is past coverage I have offered on the festival:
Berlin Film Festival 2012 Competition Results