The Japan Foundation’s Film Festival+ team have launched their Japanese Film Festival Online site with their selection of films that will be available to stream in 27 countries/regions for free from June 5 – July 3.
This is the third edition of the event and the largest one ever as it will feature 23 films and two TV dramas series – the films made available during the first two weeks, followed by the TV dramas for the final two weeks.
Registration is required to watch the films and not all of the films are available in every region, so check the website to see if you can watch them where you are.
Additionally, check in on the JFF+ website for interviews with the creatives and features on the films.
Lastly for this introduction, there’s the opportunity to sign up for a newsletter and offer feedback and so you can drop a message to give your thoughts and thanks for the free films. Feedback always helps and it looks like the mini theatre managers want to hear from viewers!
Films
From June 05 to June 19, the following films will be available over various regions:
花束みたいな恋をした 「Hanataba mitaina koi o shita」
Release Date: January 29th, 2021
Duration: 124 mins.
Director: Nobuhiro Doi
Writer: Yuji Sakamoto (Script),
Starring: Masaki Suda, Kasumi Arimura, Joe Odagiri, Keiko Toda, Ryo Iwamatsu, Kaoru Kobayashi, Kaya Kiyohara, Mamoru Oshii,
Nobuhiro Doi, director of Flying Colours (2015) works with the writer Yuji Sakamoto, famous for the Mirai Moriyama tearjerkers Crying Out Love in the Center of the World (2004) to bring a millennial romance to the screen starring Kasumi Arimura from I Am a Hero (2016), Masaki Suda of The Light Shines Only There (2014).
Synopsis: It is 2015 and university students Mugi Yamane (Masaki Suda) and Kinu Yatani (Kasumi Arimura) both meet by chance because they missed the last train at Meidaimae Station on the Tokyo Keio Line. It’s the start of a magical night where they find out that they share similar tastes in music, movies, and more. We watch them over the next five years as their relationship features ups and downs as adult commitments to each other seriously begin…
Release Date: March 18th, 2023
Duration: 113 mins.
Director: Kazuya Konaka
Writer: Yoshiya Nagasawa (Screenplay),
Starring: Yu Uemura, Akari Takaishi, Noa Fukuzawa, Ryuuta Kuwayama, Takuji Kawakubo,
Synopsis: It is the summer of 1978 and a group of high school students led by Hiroshi decide to make their own film version of Star Wars. They build a spaceship and film it with an 8mm camera. It soon becomes part of the school festival and it also becomes a way for him to get closer to a girl he has a crush on named Natsumi. To make everything work, he calls upon a film buff named Yoshio to help him.
ハケンアニメ！ 「Haken Anime!」
Release Date: May 20th, 2022
Duration: 112 mins.
Director: Kohei Yoshino
Writer: Yousuke Masaike (Script), Mizuki Tsujimura (Original Story),
Starring: Riho Yoshioka, Tomoya Nakamura, Tasuku Emoto, Machiko Ono, Asuka Kudo, Karin Ono, Kanji Furutachi, Tomoya Maeno,
A film set in the Japanese animation world. It features animation created by industry vets, including directors Azuma Tani (Thermae Romae) and Takashi Otsuka (One Piece Stampede.) Professional voice actors like Yuki Kaji, also put in an appearance. Alternatively, watch Shirobako.
Synopsis: Inspired by the works of megalomaniac director Chiharu Ouji, Hitomi Saito has left the civil service and jumped into the overworked and underpaid world of anime to direct her first film and win the title of Haken, an award only given out to the most popular anime. It won’t be easy because Chiharu has been brought out of retirement by ambitious producer Kayako Arishina who is driving him to also win the title. With the films of Hitomi and Chiharu set for release on the same date, who will get the title of haken? Both directors will push their teams hard!
That means hijinks and lots of unpaid overtime, I guess.
ベイビーわるきゅーれ 「Beibi- Warukyu-re」
Duration: 95 mins.
Director: Yugo Sakamoto
Writer: Yugo Sakamoto (Script),
Starring: Akari Takaishi, Saori Izawa, Masanori Mimoto, Mone Akitani, Yasukaze Motomiya,
Stunt Coordinator: Kensuke Sonomura
Synopsis from JFDB: Chisato and Mahiro, a pair of high school girls who are assassins, have to become “members of society” to disguise their true identities from tomorrow. That means they have to get day jobs and become roomies. It all gets put under threat when Chisato gets into trouble with a Yakuza while working. Are they going to survive the battles with Yakuza and whose turn is it to clean their apartment?
Jungle Emperor Leo, aka Kimba the White Lion 
ジャングル大帝 劇場版 「Janguru Taitei Gekijouban」
Release Date: July 07th, 1966
Duration: 75 mins
Director: Eiichi Yamamoto
Writer: Masaki Tsuji (Screenplay), Osamu Tezuka (Original Manga)
Starring: Yoshiko Ohta (Leo), Hajime Akashi (Tommy), Hisashi Katsuta (Mandy), Kinto Tamura (Coco), Minoru Midorikawa (Panja),
Animation Production: Mushi Production, Tezuka Productions,
Synopsis: A story about Leo, a white lion who fights to protect the peace of the jungle. This online screening marks the world premiere of its 4K restoration. It contains dated depictions of various racial groups.
線は、僕を描く 「Sen wa, Boku o egaku」
Release Date: October 21st, 2022
Duration: 106 mins.
Director: Norihiro Koizumi
Writer: Sho Kataoka, Norihiro Koizumi (Script), Masakazu Hara (Original Story),
Starring: Ryusei Yokohama, Yosuke Eguchi, Yasuko Tomita, Kaya Kiyohara, Sora Inoue, Kanata Hosoda, Yumi Kawai, Tomokazu Miura,
Synopsis: Sosuke Aoyama is a university student whose parents have died. His part-time job at an art gallery allows him to encounter an ink painting that is black and white but Sosuke sees in vivid colours. It is when he is absorbed in the painting that a master artist named Kozan Shinoda approaches him and suggests Sosuke should try studying the art.
Father of the Milky Way Road Ginga Tetsudo no Chichi 
銀河鉄道の父 「Ginga Tetsudo no Chichi」
Release Date: May 05th, 2023
Duration: 128 mins.
Director: Izuru Narushima
Writer: Riko Sakaguchi (Screenplay), Yoshinobu Kadoi (Original Novel)
Starring: Koji Yakusho, Masaki Suda, Nana Mori, Min Tanaka, Maki Sakai, Yudai Toyoda,
Izuru Narushima, director of the powerful drama Rebirth, is working with best-actor-currently-working-in-Japan Koji Yakusho (Cure, Under the Open Sky) and Masaki Suda (The Light Shines Only There) and Min Tanaka (Haruneko, Twilight Samurai) in adapting an award-winning novel that draws upon famed writer Kenji Miyazawa’s life.
Synopsis: Masajiro Miyazawa (Koji Yakusho) would like to pass on the family-run pawnshop to his son is Kenji (Masaki Suda) but the boy has aspirations beyond their lives in Iwate and would like to attend university, or maybe learn about jewellery-making, or religion. He has options but his father isn’t convinced. When Kenji’s sister Toshi falls ill, Kenji takes up writing. And the rest is history.
ハンサム★スーツ 「Hansamu Su-tsu」
Release Date: May 05th, 2023
Duration: 115 mins.
Director: Tsutomu Hanabusa
Writer: Osamu Suzuki (Screenplay/Novel),
Starring: Shosuke Tanihara, Muga Tsukaji, Keiko Kitagawa, Mayumi Sada, Nozomi Sasaki, Yusuke Yamamoto
Synopsis: Diner chef Takuro is kind-hearted man but has never been popular with the opposite sex. After discovering a magical suit which transforms him into a good-looking male model, Takuro must work out whether to keep the suit on forever.
Gekijouban School Meals Time Graduation 
劇場版 おいしい給食 卒業 「Gekijouban Oishii Kyuushoku Sotsugyou」
Release Date: May 13th, 2022
Duration: 104 mins.
Directors: Shinya Ayabe
Writers: Yuuji Nagamori (Script),
Starring: Hayato Ichihara, Kaho Tsuchimura, Maiko Ito, Taishi Sato, Yuhi,
Synopsis: A second movie version of the TV show set in the 1980s where a teacher named Yukio Amarida (Hayato Ichihara) who loves the school lunch and can’t tolerate a student named Gou (Taishi Sato) who brings lunch from home. Amarida turns it into a battle even with important exams and a graduation coming. Things heat up when a new school menu is floated.
メタモルフォーゼの縁側 「Metamorufo-zu no Engawa」
Duration: 118 mins.
Director: Shunsuke Kariyama
Writer: Yoshikazu Okada (Script), Kaori Tsurutani (Original Webcomic),
Starring: Mana Ashida, Nobuko Miyamoto, Kyohei Takahashi, Kotone Furukawa, Asumi Kikuchi, Ken Mitsuishi, Tomoko Ikuta, Taeko Ito, Yuki Shioya,
Synopsis: 17-year-old high school student Urara who works at a book store and secretly enjoys reading boy’s love manga, something she shares with 78-year-old Yuki, a widow who has just started out in the genre. Their shared love of the manga creates a relationship that transcends age and position.
マイ・ブロークン・マリコ 「Mai Buro-ken Mariko」
Release Date: September 30th, 2022
Duration: 85 mins.
Director: Yuki Tanada
Writer: Kosuke Mukai, Yuki Tanada (Script), Waka Hirako (Original Manga),
Starring: Mei Nagano, Nao, Masataka Kubota, Yo Yoshida, Toshinori Omi,
Yuki Tanada has racked up an impressive filmography with titles like One Million Yen and the Nigamushi Woman, The Cowards Who Looked to the Sky, My Dad and Mr. Ito, and Romance Doll. This is her latest title and she works with experienced screenwriter Kosuke Muka (Nobuhiro Yamashita’s regular writer) to bring to life a manga. It won Best Screenplay at the recent Fantasia Film Awards. It stars Mei Nagano (Parks) and Nao (The Sound of Grass).
Synopsis: Tomoyo Shiino is an office lady going through a patch of depression. When she learns of the suicide of her best friend, Mariko Ikagawa, it prompts Tomoyo to launch a rescue mission. Tomoyo knew that Mariko was abused by her father for a long time and so, in order to save Mariko’s soul, Tomoyo steals her ashes from Mariko’s family and goes on a journey with memories of Mariko.
土を喰らう十二ヵ月 「Tsuchi o Kurau Junikagetsu」
Release Date: November 11th, 2022
Duration: 111 mins.
Director: Yuji Nakae
Writer: Yuji Nakae (Script), Tsutomu Mizukami (Original Essay),
Starring: Kenji Sawada, Takako Matsu, Naomi Nishida, Fumi Dan, Shohei Hino, Tomoko Naraoka, Toshinori Omi,
Yuji Nakae of Hotel Hibiscus fame has Kenji Sawada of Hiroko the Goblin and The Happiness of the Katakurais team up with Takako Matsu, famous for her roles in April Story, Dreams for Sale, and Confessions. It looks like a film about food, love, and mourning, all explored over four seasons.
Synopsis: Tsutomu is a writer who specialises in essays on growing and cooking zen food. He does this while living alone in a mountain cabin in Nagano. His organic-fantastic routine is sometimes complimented with the presence of his editor/lover Machiko who joins in with his daily life. Tsutomu seems happy but he has yet to bury his dead wife’s ashes despite the fact that she died 13 years ago…
ウェディング・ハイ 「Ueddingu Hai」
Release Date: March 12th, 2022
Duration: 117 mins.
Director: Akiko Ohku
Writer: BAKARHYTHM (Script)
Starring: Ryoko Shinohara, Tomoya Nakamura, Nagisa Sekimizu, Osamu Mukai,
Akiko Ohku, the director of Tremble All You Want and Hold Me Back, has a new film out about the comedy surrounding weddings.
Synopsis: A brilliant wedding planner must work flat out to provide a memorable event for a couple. That includes dealing with guests and staff who are over the top and also exes and other party-crashers who want in on the action.
Sobakasu / I am what I am
そばかす 「Sobakasu」
Release Date: December 16th, 2022
Duration: 104 mins.
Director: Shinya Tamada
Writer: Atsushi Asada (Script/Original Story),
Starring: Toko Miura, Atsuko Maeda, Marika Ito, Kou Maehara, Takumi Kitamura, Ku Iijima, Hiroki Miyake, Chizuru Asano,
Toko Miura (Drive My Car) and Atsuko Maeda (To the Ends of the Earth, Tamako in Moratorium, Seventh Code) head an impressive cast in this family drama of sisters looking at love.
Synopsis: Thirty-year-old Kasumi has been unsure of love ever since she can remember and is insecure about her lack of romantic feelings. She tried to be a high achiever by studying music at university but she had to return home to her hometown and now works in a call centre. At home she feels pressured by her mother because her younger sister is married and pregnant and everyone expects Kasumi to be next. The road to romance isn’t easy.
騙し絵の牙「Damashi-e no kiba」
Release Date: March 26th, 2021
Duration: 113 mins.
Director: Daihachi Yoshida
Writer: Ichiro Kusuno (Script), Takeshi Shiota (Original Novel)
Starring: Yo Oizumi, Shinya Tsukamoto, Shiro Sano, Takumi Saitoh, Mayu Matsuoka, Elaiza Ikeda, Jun Kunimura,
This film is based on a novel by Takeshi Shiota. The author wrote his work with actor Yo Oizumi in mind as the lead – his easygoing personality and smooth talk giving off a lovable vibe while he secretly has “fangs,” The novel became a best seller and not a movie has been made.
Synopsis: Like many other companies in the publishing industry, Kunpusya Inc. is suffering from the recession and sales are down across books and magazines. More misfortune follows with the death of the CEO. A power struggle arises over who will take his place with executive manager, Tomatsu (Koichi Sato) trying to overhaul the company. He tasks an editor of a struggling magazine with reviving their fortunes, This editor is Hayami (Yo Oizumi), and he is a smooth talker. Hayami, together with rookie editor Takano (Mayu Matsuoka), go out to recruit new writing talent from rival publications for their magazine but lies and betrayal litter the way.
梅切らぬバカ 「Umekiranu Baka」
Release Date: November 12th, 2021
Duration:77 mins.
Director:Kotaro Wajima
Writer:Kotaro Wajima (Script),
Starring:Mariko Kaga, Muga Tsukaji, Ikkei Watanabe, Yoko Moriguchi, Reiko Takashima,
Synopsis: Tamako (Mariko Kaga) is a popular fortune teller who lives with her adult son, Tadao, due to his intellectual disability and autism. While he does spend time at a workshop designed to help him develop the ability to live independently, neighbours still complain about his unpredictable behaviour and so when Tamako is informed that a room is available in a group home owned by the workshop, she decides that this is Tadao’s best option. However, moving out is not easy for Tadao…
ぼけますから、よろしくお願いします。 おかえり お母さん 「 Bokemasu kara, yoroshiku onegaishimasu. Okaeri Okaasan」
Release Date: March 25th, 2022
Duration: 101 mins.
Director: Naoko Nobutomo
Writer: N/A
Starring: N/A
Synopsis: Director Naoko Nobutomo has made a follow-up documentary to her 2018 work I Go Gaga, My Dear. Again, documents the lives of her nonagenarian parents in Kure, Hiroshima and reveals how her mother’s Alzheimer’s-related dementia worsened and she suffered a stroke. Her father’s efforts to visit her in hospital and his preparation for her return home is shown, just as Covid-19 spreads. While highlighting the difficulties of living with dementia and the problems faced by Japan’s aging society as a whole, the film depicts a happy couple.
大名倒産 「Daimyou Tousan」
Release Date: June 23rd, 2023
Duration: 120 mins.
Director: Tetsu Maeda
Writer: Kentaro Ushio, Kazuhiro Inaba (Screenplay), Jiro Asada (Original Novel)
Starring: Ryunosuke Kamiki, Hana Sugisaki, Fumiyo Kohinata, Kenichi Matsuyama, Aoi Miyazaki, Koichi Sato, Tadanobu Asano, Midoriko Kimura,
These Edo-era films all have the same poster designs. Who is the designer???
Synopsis: In Edo-period Japan, Koshiro has lived a quiet life as a commoner but all of that changes when he discovers that he is the son of the lord and said lord has gone into hiding leaving Koshiro as the heir of the realm and the responsibility of handling a massive debt. If Koshiro cannot come up with repayment, he will have to commit seppuku…
二十四の瞳 「Nijuu-shi no Hitomi」
Running Time: 156 mins.
Release Date: September 15th, 1954
Director: Keisuke Kinoshita
Writer: Keisuke Kinoshita (Screenplay), Sakae Tsuboi (Original Novel)
Starring: Hideko Takamine, Hideyo Amamoto, Toyo Takahashi, Chieko Naniwa, Chishu Ryu, Kuniko Igawa, Takahiro Tamura, Sadako Kusano, Setsuko Kusano,
Synopsis: The story follows the relationship between bright young teacher Hisaki Oishi (Takamine) and her first class of twelve children, charmingly played by local children and young adults, at different stages in their lives. Although recognised by the school master for her talent, city girl Hisaki is mistrusted by this remote island community. However, soon both adults and children alike fall for her charms only to see the impending war irreversibly change their lives.
There are also four films programmed for the Japan Horror Films Competition 2023 section which focuses on finding new talent in the horror film genre. The Grand Prize winner was given the opportunity to direct a new full-length feature film in a commercial setting and the head of the jury was Takashi Shimizu (Ju-On).
The four films are:
BEST WISHES TO ALL みなに幸あれ (Dir: Yuta Shimotsu, 11 mins. 2023)
Closet (Dir: Hiroto Nakano, 8 mins, 2023)
KARAKASA 傘カラカサ (Dir: Kenji Yamamoto, 29 mins. 2023)
The Invitation 招待 (Dir: Hiroho Mieno, 13 mins. 2023)
TV Dramas
From June 19 to July 3, there will be two television shows available to stream:
Downtown Rocket (2015) & Rikuoh (2017)
To follow this online fest, head over to the site.