News
JAPAN CUTS Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema
by Miguel Douglas on June 28, 2010
As a fan of Japanese cinema, I feel it’s essential to support those who continually support the community in enriching and exposing Japanese cinema to an ever-increasing spectrum of viewers. With that in mind, the Japan Society in New York is going to be putting on their “Japan Cuts” Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema–which is now in their fourth consecutive year! By looking at the list of titles showcasing, it’s very impressive to say the least, with a variety of different titles that are sure to please. Please check out the excerpt down below, and visit the Japan Society and their subsequent JAPAN CUTS program page for showtime information and to purchase tickets. You can also visit the Japan Society Film Blog as well, which will be covering the festival for the entire 16-day run! Please support the Japan Society for what they offer towards exploring the culture, arts and cinema of Japan.
Information:
It’s that time of year again… JAPAN CUTS Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema (July 1-16) is coming to Japan Society for its fourth consecutive year, with its biggest line-up ever. With 24 titles and 30 screenings, this is the largest showcase of contemporary Japanese film outside Japan, with international and U.S. premieres, special guests (filmmakers Noboru Iguchi, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Tomorowo Taguchi, Toshiaki Toyoda, Hitoshi Yazaki, and Isao Yukisada; and actors Tatsuya Fujiwara and Daichi Watanabe), parties (Festival Launch Party on July 1st, SUSHI TYPHOON! on July 3rd and NIGHT OF THE FILMMAKERS on July 10th) and giveaways. In addition to independent and big budget feature films from the past year and 8 titles co-presented with the New York Asian Film Festival, the 2010 edition caps the decade with the Best of Unreleased Japanese Films of the 00’s (the “Naughties”), a digest of overlooked films from the past ten years which—for whatever reason—have not been treated to U.S. distribution.
Highlights include Confessions (dir. Tetsuya Nakashima), Sawako Decides (dir. Yuya Ishii), About Her Brother (dir. Yoji Yamada), Blood of Rebirth (dir. Toshiaki Toyoda), Bare Essence of Life: Ultra Miracle Love Story (dir. Satoko Yokohama), Dear Doctor (dir. Miwa Nishikawa), Golden Slumber (dir. Yoshihiro Nakamura), Nightmare Detective II (dir. Shinya Tsukamoto), Parade (dir. Isao Yukisada), and Zero Focus (dir. Isshin Inudo). But really, we believe every single title in this year’s line-up is worth a watch.
2010 Schedule:
Full Schedule PDF in English and Japanese
*Director or actor introduction and/or Q&A!
Thursday, July 1st
Sawako Decides (112 min.), 6:45 pm
Confessions (106 min.), 9 pm
Friday, July 2nd
Golden Slumber (139 min.), 6:15 pm
Blood of Rebirth* (83 min.), 9 pm
Saturday, July 3rd
Dear Doctor (127 min.), 1 pm
Blood of Rebirth* (83 min.), 3:45 pm
Alien vs. Ninja (81 min.), 6 pm
Mutant Girls Squad* (85 min.), 8:30 pm
Sunday, July 4th
Boys on the Run (114 min.), 12 pm
Confessions (106 min.), 2 pm
Dear Doctor (127 min.), 4:15 pm
Tuesday, July 6th
The Foreign Duck, the Native Duck and God in a Coin Locker (110 min.), 6:15 pm
Hanging Garden* (114 min.), 8:30 pm
Wednesday, July 7th
Electric Button (Moon and Cherry) (82 min.), 6:30 pm
Bare Essence of Life: Ultra Miracle Love Story (120 min.), 8:30 pm
Thursday, July 8th
Accidental Kidnapper (111 min.), 6:15 pm
One Million Yen Girl (121 min.), 8:30 pm
Friday, July 9th
Zero Focus (130 min.), 6:30 pm
Parade* (118 min.), 9 pm
Saturday, July 10th
Parade* (118 min.), 12 pm
Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World* (138 min.), 3 pm
Oh, My Buddha!* (114 min.), 6 pm
Sunday, July 11th
King of Thorn (110 min.), 6 pm
Tuesday, July 13th
Oh, My Buddha!* (114 min.), 6:15 pm
Wednesday, July 14th
Villon’s Wife (114 min.), 6:30 pm
Nightmare Detective II (102 min.), 9 pm
Thursday, July 15th
Memories of Matsuko (130 min.), 6:15 pm
Zero Focus (130 min.), 9 pm
Friday, July 16th
About Her Brother (126 min.), 6:15 pm
Sweet Little Lies* (117 min.), 8:30 pm
Japan Cuts 2010 Preview:
About New York’s Japan Society:
Established in 1907, New York’s Japan Society has evolved into North America’s single major producer of high-quality content on Japan for an English-speaking audience. Presenting over 100 events annually through well established Corporate, Education, Film, Gallery, Lectures, Performing Arts and Innovators Network programs, the Society is an internationally recognized nonprofit, nonpolitical organization that provides access to information on Japan, offers opportunities to experience Japanese culture, and fosters sustained and open dialogue on issues important to the U.S., Japan, and East Asia.
