JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL 2022

The Lone Ume Tree
梅切らぬバカ

Wellington Fri 21 Oct 6:15pm
New Plymouth Sat 5 Nov 1pm

Add to Calendar 10/05/2022 01:00 PM 10/05/2022 02:17 PM New Zealand JFF - The Lone Ume Tree Japanese Film Festival - Free Tickets at Govett-Brewster Art Gallery website. Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, Len Lye Cetre

Dunedin Sat 10 Dec 1pm

Add to Calendar 12/10/2022 01:00 PM 12/10/2022 02:17 PM New Zealand JFF - The Lone Ume Tree Japanese Film Festival - Free Admission Dunedin Public Art Gallery

Director: Kotaro Wajima Year: 2021 Rating: PG
Length:77 min Genre: Drama

Story
Tamako lives with her 50-year-old son, Tadao who has autism. Every morning, they wake up, eat breakfast, and leave the house at same time. They have a large ume tree in their small garden, but branches sticking out over the sidewalk have caused complaints from their neighbours.

One day, Tamako finds out that a room is available in a group home for people with intellectual disabilities. After much thought, Tamako puts Tadao in the group home, but confused by the sudden change in the environment, Tadao runs away after only a few days. Meanwhile, Tamako decides to prune the ume tree that's in the way of others.

With disability rarely represented in mainstream media, director Kotaro Wajima captures with great sensitivity and notes of humour, the strength and vitality of a mother and her disabled son, while not shying away from the problems, prejudices, and conflicts faced by disadvantaged people and their families in Japan.

Cinematic Liars of Asahi-za
浜の朝日の嘘つきども

Wellington Sat 22 Oct 12pm
New Plymouth Sat 5 Nov 2:40pm

Add to Calendar 11/05/2022 02:40 PM 11/05/2022 04:34 PM New Zealand JFF - Cinematic Liars of Asahi-za Japanese Film Festival - Free Tickets at Govett-Brewster Art Gallery website. Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, Len Lye Cetre

Dunedin Sat 10 Dec 2:40pm

Add to Calendar 12/10/2022 02:40 PM 12/10/2022 04:34 PM New Zealand JFF - Cinematic Liars of Asahi-za Japanese Film Festival - Free Admission Dunedin Public Art Gallery

Director: Yuki Tanada Year: 2021 Rating: M
Length: 114min Genre: Drama

Introduction
This is an original story directed by Yuki Tanada from “The Cowards Who Looked to the Sky”, staring Mitsuki Takahata who won the best supporting actress award at Japan Academy Awards. This story is about a woman who struggle for saving an actual movie theater.10 years after the 3.11 earthquake, and now we are facing the COVID-19 problem. It is the time for us to watch this heartwarming movie about our love of movie, movie theater, Also, is an ale to the entertainment culture.

Story
Centering around a real-life movie theatre in Minamisoma, with a touch of comedy, this human drama follows the suffering and rebirth of people who are drawn to the Asahiza cinema.

A movie theatre “Asahi-za” has a history of nearly 100 years. One day, a woman appears in front of the manager of “Asahi-za”. She is there to keep the promise that she made to her high school teacher, of saving the condemned “Asahi-za”.

Believing there was no way to save the cinema, the manager had given up all hope. But a small “lie” sets the future of the cinema on a course that no one could ever have imagined...

A Long Goodbye
長いお別れ

Wellington Sat 22 Oct 2:20pm
New Plymouth Sat 5 Nov 4:55pm

Add to Calendar 11/05/2022 04:55 PM 11/05/2022 07:02 PM New Zealand JFF - A Long Goodbye Japanese Film Festival - Free Tickets at Govett-Brewster Art Gallery website. Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, Len Lye Cetre

Dunedin Sat 10 Dec 5pm

Add to Calendar 12/10/2022 05:00 PM 12/10/2022 07:07 PM New Zealand JFF - A Long Goodbye Japanese Film Festival - Free Admission Dunedin Public Art Gallery

Director: Ryota Nakano Year: 2019 Rating: M
Length: 127min Genre: Drama

Story
Internationally recognised director Ryota Nakano delivers a moving story full of love and tears. After becoming the first Japanese director to win Best Director at the SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL in 2012 with “Capturing Dad”, Nakano has been invited to film festivals all over the world. His 2016 film “Her Love Boils Bathwater” received dozens of awards across multiple categories including the Japan Academy Film Prize in six major categories.

“A Long Goodbye” is a touching, sentimental and humorous story spanning seven years, following the life of Shohei, a father who is slowly losing his memory.

Confused by their father's memory fading day after day, Shohei's family is forced to face the reality of circumstances they find themselves in. One day, however, the family learns that a “lovely memory” which had been forgotten by everyone in their family, is still alive in Shohei.

Okko's Inn
若女将は小学生

Wellington Sun 23 Oct 12pm
New Plymouth Sun 6 Nov 12pm

Add to Calendar 11/06/2022 12:00 PM 11/06/2022 01:34 PM New Zealand JFF - Okko's Inn Japanese Film Festival - Free Tickets at Govett-Brewster Art Gallery website. Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, Len Lye Cetre

Dunedin Sun 11 Dec 10:30am

Add to Calendar 12/11/2022 10:30 AM 12/11/2022 12:04 PM New Zealand JFF - Okk's Inn Japanese Film Festival - Free Admission Dunedin Public Art Gallery

Director: Kitaro Kosaka Year: 2018 Rating: PG
Length: 94min Genre: Anime, Fantasy, Supernatural

Story
Winner of the 42nd Japan Academy Prize for Best Animated Film in 2019, and the second film (following “Your Name” in 2016) to win both the Excellence Award and the Audience Award at the Puchon International Animated Film Festival!

After losing her parents in a car accident, 12-year-old Oriko Seki (Okko) finds herself living in her grandmother's hot spring inn - "Haru no Ya."

While she prepares to be the next owner of the inn, Okko discovers she is somehow able to see friendly ghosts. Ghost "Uribou" accompanies her as she faces various challenges along the way to becoming a young female innkeeper.

We make Antiques!
嘘八百

Wellington Sun 23 Oct 2pm
New Plymouth Sun 6 Nov 2pm

Add to Calendar 11/06/2022 02:00 PM 11/06/2022 03:45 PM New Zealand JFF - We Make Antiques! Japanese Film Festival - Free Tickets at Govett-Brewster Art Gallery website. Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, Len Lye Cetre

Director: Masaharu Take Year: 2018 Rating: PG
Length: 105min Genre: Comedy

Story
Masaharu Take, director of "100 Yen Love," winner of the 2016 Japan Academy Prize for Best Picture and Best Screenplay, delivers a comedy film about a battle between cons and an antique authenticator.

When searching through the store house of a wealthy family, dowdy antique dealer, Norio stumbles upon a valuable 16th century tea cup belonging to the most famous Japanese tea master, Sen no Rikyu. Norio deceives the homeowner Sasuke to acquire it for almost nothing. But it turns out that the teacup is a fake.

With the dealers' wives and children becoming involved in the scam, this act of fraud goes quite unexpectedly.

Mori, The Artist's Habitat
モリのいる場所

Dunedin Sun 11 Dec 12:30pm

Add to Calendar 12/11/2022 12:30 PM 12/11/2022 02:09 PM New Zealand JFF - Mori, The Artist's Habitat Japanese Film Festival - Free Admission Dunedin Public Art Gallery

Director: Shuichi Okita Year: 2018 Rating: G
Length: 99min Genre: Drama

Story
Mori and Hideko live a peaceful life, surrounded by the things they love. Mori, a 94 year-old Painter, has barely left his property in the last 30 years, content in tirelessly rendering the countless insects, birds and critters in his garden into works of art. But when developers decide to build a condominium next door, putting their small paradise at risk, Mori and Hideko decide to take action to protect the garden they cherish...