17th Japanese Film Festival

Japanese Film Festival comes over to Melbourne in this year of 2013 too!

Including the work which became the topic in Japan, it is plentiful including a documentary, a classic black and white movie!

Because actor Hiroshi Abe played the leading part as an ancient Roman timetravelled to Japan in time, "Thermae Romae" became the topic and "Reunion" tells another true story pictured the people who face to hard ealities without being grieved while being the same victim after East Japan great earthquake disaster outbreak, and the actor Toshiyuki Nishida who is from Tohoku played as the main charactor.

And "Fruits of Faith" which filmized the true story of the man who raised the life to no pesticide apples. "A Boy Called H" from original story by Kappa Senoo became a topic even as for having acted as a star in couples. Furthermore, "Maiko Haaaan!!!" team formed again and they made cannot-stop-laughing "The Apology King".

The lineup of other this year?

Japan in Melbourne team will update the movies. Do not miss!

Blindly in Love

They say love is blind, but what about fate?

35-year-old Kentaro is a bit of a weirdo: a socially inept clean freak whose only friend is his pet frog. Seeing little hope of their son finding a girlfriend on his own, Kentaro’s parents step in and head to a matchmaking conference in the hope of ensuring that the family name lives on. Through their efforts (and fate), he meets the beautiful but blind Naoko. Together, they both discover love for the first time, but it’s no easy feat. Is their love strong enough to overcome all the obstacles in their way?

Director: Masahide Ichii
Cast: Gen Hoshino, Kaho

Thermae Romae

The real source of Roman genius may be closer than you think!

Last year’s opening film and a sold out success, they’re bringing the popular Thermae Romae back to the silver screen especially for our Brisbane, Perth and Canberra audiences (and Melbourne also!)

When Roman architect Lucius’s bathhouse plans are rejected because they’re not modern enough, he faces a crisis of confidence. But with his discovery of a time-travel portal between ancient Rome and present-day Japan (veritably overflowing with modern bathhouses), it seems that Lucius’ luck might just turn around. Get your toga on and prepare for a hilarious comedy that will have you in stitches!

Director: Hideki Takeuchi
Cast: Hiroshi Abe, Aya Ueto

Reunion

A sober look at the first 10 days following Japan’s earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.

Based on a journalist’s reportage, Reunion depicts a small city’s attempt to deal with the overwhelming number of victims being discovered daily in the wake of the tsunami. Premiered at Montreal World Film Festival last year, Ronnie Scheib from Variety comments, “There wasn’t a dry eye in the largely Japanese house at Montreal fest screenings…”

Director: Ryoichi Kimizuka
Cast: Toshiyuki Nishida, Koichi Sato

Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods

Let the games begin.

After waking from years of slumber, Birus, the God of Destruction, and his accomplice Uis travel to Earth in search of the Super Saiyan God, with an all-consuming appetite for battle. Goku is eager to get into action now that the powerful opponent has resurfaced – but do he and his friends have what it takes to stop the God of Destruction? For the first time in Dragon Ball history, this film adaptation was made with original creator Akira Toriyama on the production team, making it a must-watch for any Dragon Ball fan!

Director: Masahiro Hosoda
Voices: Masako Nozawa, Ryo Horikawa, Koichi Yamadera

Gatchaman

Now a live-action motion picture!

Sometime in the not too distant future: the world lies under threat from an alien terrorist group known as the Galactors. With half of the population already captured, the only hope for humanity lies with the Receptors, trained agents of the International Science Organisation who have the ability to draw superhero powers from ancient stones. Five teen Receptors combine to form the ninja squad ‘Gatchaman’ (a.k.a. ‘GForce’), and it is up to them to save the world. Boasting an all-star production team including director Sato Toya (Grave of the Fireflies), screenwriter Yusuke Watanabe (Dragon Ball Z, Gantz), and VFX master Yamazaki Takashi (Space Battleship Yamato), this blockbuster hit brings to life the classic anime series.

Director: Toya Sato
Cast: Tori Matsuzaka, Go Ayano, Ayame Goriki

www.gatchaman-movie.jp / ©Tatsunoko Production / 2013 Gatchaman Film Partners

A Boy Called H

A new future begins for a boy and his family.

Based on Kappa Senoh’s best-selling autobiographical novel, this heartwarming film tells the story of a young boy called Hajime (nicknamed ‘H’) growing up in Kobe with his family during WWII. Confusing and turbulent times force H to learn valuable lessons about society guided by curiosity, a sense of justice, and the support of his parents.

Director: Yasuo Furuhata
Cast: Yutaka Mizutani, Ran Ito

www.shonen-h.com
©2013 TV ASAHI / TOHO / Hakuhodo DY Media Partners / ABC / CREEK & LIVER / NBN / HTB / The Asahi Shimbun / THE KOBE SHIMBUN / KODANSHA / GyaO

Fruits of Faith

One man’s quest for the perfect organic apple.

Driven by a curious mind and concern for the welfare of his wife, bumbling farmer Kimura begins a decade-long quest to produce the impossible: perfect organic apples. Fruits of Faith is an adaptation of ‘Miracle Apples’, a best-selling novel based on a true story. This novel famously caught the attention of Yoko Ono, who called it a ‘revolution’ and went on to underwrite the English translation herself. Set in Aomori Prefecture, Japan’s largest producer of apples, the film charts Kimura’s journey and his determination to succeed against the odds.

Director: Yoshihiro Nakamura
Cast: Sadawo Abe, Miho Kanno

Library Wars

The battle for books begins.

In an age of excessive censorship, the Library Defence Force is a team of trained and armed librarians who are ready to risk their lives to protect books. But not everyone has the same idea – the Media Betterment Committee and supporting advocates will go to extreme lengths to ensure that censorship is enforced. Brought to you by the director of Gantz this high-powered action film is based on a best-selling novel, the same author of Hospitality Department and Hankyu Railways – a 15 Minute Miracle.

Director: Shinsuke Sato
Cast: Junichi Okada, Nana Eikura

toshokan-sensou-movie.com / ©Library Wars Movie Project

The God of Ramen

Everyday people queue for over two hours for a bowl of ramen. What’s the celebrated chef’s secret ingredient?

There is no secret ingredient. In fact, as most fans of Taishoken believe, it’s the charisma of owner Kazuo Yamagishi that attracted people from all around Japan to his modest shop. His personality and love for his craft, combined with a precise mélange of flavours, combined to create perfection in each ramen bowl. This heart-warming documentary is not just for noodle fans, but for anyone who loves to be inspired by passionate people.

Director: Takashi Innami
Cast: Kazuo Yamagishi

REAL

When the subconscious blurs with reality, who can tell what is REAL?

Would you dare enter the mindscape of your lover? Would you make a different choice if they had attempted suicide? Atsumi has been in a coma for a year now, and Koichi – determined to bring her out – enters her mind via advanced neurological technology. What secrets lie in store for him on the other side?

Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Cast: Takeru Satoh, Haruka Ayase

The Great Passage

A tribute to the world of words.

The tedious task of proof-reading and cross-checking is not everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s the perfect job for socially inept Majime, the new editor of what is to become Japan’s first-ever dictionary. Based on a best-selling novel of the same name.

Director: Yuya Ishii
Cast: Ryuhei Matsuda, Aoi, Miyazaki

The Complex

From the director of cult Japanese horror film, The Ring.

More frightening than the Ring, more agonising than Dark Water; director Hideo Nakata returns with his first J-horror film in almost a decade. Nursing student Asuka moves into a new apartment complex but is haunted by strange scratching sounds from next door. Her concern leads her to call upon her neighbor, who is found dead. Asuka soon finds herself helplessly enmeshed in a web of supernatural happenings. What dark secrets lurk within the complex?

Director: Hideo Nakata
Cast: Atsuko Maeda, Hiroki Narimiya

Hospitality Department

Small town, big hearts

The local government of Kochi Prefecture sets up a new department – the Hospitality Department – to breathe life back into the region’s declining tourism industry. But try as they might to come up with promising new plans, department member Kakemizu and his colleagues find themselves caught in a spirit-dampening swamp of bureaucracy and red tape. How can they possibly achieve success in an environment like this? For Kakemizu, it seems that learning to appreciate the natural beauty of his hometown and its people may just be the key…

Director: Yoshishige Miyake
Cast: Ryo Nishikido, Maki Horikita

www.omotenashi-movie.com
©2013 KANSAI TELECASTING CORPORATION / TOHO / KADOKAWA SHOTEN / TOKAI TELEVISION BROADCASTING / J Storm / Hori Pro / TSS-TV / Okayama Broadcasting / Ehime Broadcasting / Kochi Sun Sun Broadcasting / Television Nishinippon Corporation

The Apology King

What does it take to be a professional ‘apologist’?

In Japan, the practice of dogeza is a form of apology which requires one to fall on one’s knees, forehead to the ground, prostrating oneself in the ultimate expression of repentance. Yuzuru Kurojima, founder of the Tokyo Apology Centre, specialises in getting his clients out of sticky situations. His weapon? The ‘supra dogeza’. But when he finds himself embroiled in an international conflict that escalates quickly, he must somehow find a way to go beyond dogeza to make amends.

Director: Nobuo Mizuta
Cast: Sadawo Abe, Mao Inoue

The Samurai That Night

A plan for revenge, five years in the making. But how will it unfold?

The haunting memory of his wife’s death in a hit-and-run incident five years ago consumes Kenichi day in, day out. The culprit Kijima has served his prison sentence and is back on the streets. Although free from the iron bars, he now finds himself the target of Kenichi’s plan to avenge his wife on an all-too-familiar day: the day of her death. This offbeat suspense thriller delves into the psychology of loneliness, and the need for human connection that lies deep within us all. Starring Masato Sakai (Key of Life, Chef of the South Pole) as the obsessive Kenichi, and Takayuki Yamada (The Devil’s Path, Milocrorze: A Love Story) as the sociopathic Kijima.

Director: Masaaki Akahori
Cast: Masato Sakai, Takayuki Yamada

A Story of Yonosuke

For the unsung hero in all of us.

Looking back on your school days, do you ever wonder what happened to that one kid who, somehow, always stood out from the crowd? A Story of Yonosuke explores the nostalgia that binds several old school friends who, in their own time and their own ways, all look back and wonder about that kid: the quirky and disarmingly innocent Yonosuke, whose warmth touched everyone he met. Based on a novel by multi-award-winning author Shuichi Yoshida (Villain), this bittersweet film is the latest offering from the director of The Chef of the South Pole and stars heartthrob Kengo Kora (Norwegian Wood).

Director: Shuichi Okita
Cast: Kengo Kora, Yuriko Yoshitaka

Dawn of a Filmmaker: the Keisuke Kinoshita Story

The behind-the-scenes story of a Japanese cinema master.

Keisuke Kinoshita sits easily alongside Ozu, Kurosawa and Naruse as one of Japan’s most respected legends of cinema. Made to commemorate the centenary of Kinoshita’s birth, this biographical drama chronicles formative hardships and personal encounters to provide a rare glimpse into the life of one of Japan’s most acclaimed screen directors. Includes archival footage from 49 of the films he produced during his career at Shochiku.

Director: Keiichi Hara
Cast: Ryo Kase, Yuko Tanaka

Ore Ore (It’s Me, It’s Me)

A seemingly simple scam brings unimaginable repercussions.

Feeling trapped by a mundane suburban life and unfulfilling relationships with his family and peers, Hitoshi Nagano yearns for some kind of escape. So when the promise of quick cash comes his way, Hitoshi is lured into the world of telephone scamming. But what begins as a seemingly simple trick escalates into a surreal nightmare as Hitoshi’s life is gradually invaded by new and different incarnations of himself. And when the doppelgangers start turning rogue, Hitoshi needs to figure out how to save himself from his own worst enemy – himself. This is a bizarre and darkly comic take on the very real issue of telephone scamming in Japan. Starring J-pop idol Kazuya Kamenashi from KAT-TUN.

Director: Satoshi Miki
Cast: Kazuya Kamenashi, Yuki Uchida

Summer’s End

An exploration of love, loyalty and divided passions.

Accomplished artisan Tomoko has been carrying on an affair with older writer Shingo for years, never questioning her happiness until Ryota, a younger lover from her past, drops by. Tomoko impulsively invites him over, rekindling a passion she had long forgotten.

Summer’s End is the story of a love triangle set in Tokyo during the Showa era (1930s). It is based on the semi-autobiography of multi-award-winning novelist Jakucho Setouchi, now a Buddhist nun.

Director: Kazuyoshi Kumakiri
Cast: Hikari Mitsushima, Gou Ayano, Kaoru Kobayashi

Tug of War [ School Screenings ]

How do you get your town out of a slump? Just pull!

In a bid to save his city from a recession, the mayor of Oita city enlists Chiaki from the city’s public relations department to run a campaign to stimulate the local economy and bring vibrancy back to the town. Inspired by a true story, Tug of War! is the heartwarming tale of how seven ordinary housewives banded together to revitalise their local community, forming firm friendships along the way.

Director: Nobuo Mizuta
Cast: Mao Inoue, Tetsuji Tamayama. Keiko Matsuzaka

NOTE: this film is not open to the general public, but for special school screenings only.

If you are a Japanese teacher and would like book seats for your class, please contact School Screenings Coordinator, Matthew Todd at coordinators@jpf.org.au or call (02) 8239 0055.

The Devil’s Path

Based on true events, a convicted killer on death row reveals all.

When journalist Shuichi Fuji receives a letter from convicted killer Junji Sudo, who’s doing time on death row, he is shocked to learn of further crimes Sudo has not yet confessed to. Fuji also learns that the mastermind behind each of Sudo’s brutal murders is still roaming free. Chilled by the knowledge that such a cold-blooded and dangerous criminal is still at large, Fuji slowly begins to piece together the evidence surrounding Sudo’s claims… but will it be enough to bring this underworld figure to justice? Acclaimed by critics, this shockingly dark and violent drama may well be one of the best films to come out of Japan this year. Not for the faint of heart.

Director: Kazuya Shiraishi
Cast: Takayuki Yamada, Taki Pierre, Lily Franky

Shield of Straw

A one billion yen reward up for grabs. The mission: Kill Kiyomaru.

A bereaved grandfather places a billion-yen bounty on the head of Kunihide Kiyomaru, a remorseless paedophile who murdered his seven-year-old grand-daughter. Fearing for his life, Kiyomaru comes out of hiding and turns himself in to police custody, and Officer Mekari and his team are faced with the morally fraught task of defending the contemptible killer. As the entire nation sets their sights on killing Kiyomaru, there’s no knowing when and who will attack. This tense, fast-paced and confronting action thriller is the latest release from internationally acclaimed director Takashi Miike (13 Assassins, Hara-Kiri), and premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Director: Takashi Miike
Cast: Takao Osawa, Nanako Matsushima, Tatsuya Fujiwara

Daily Life of High School Boys

An inside peek into the minds of high school boys.

This film follows the daily lives of Tadakuni, Hidenori and Yoshitake, three ordinary high school boys desperate to understand the biggest mystery in their lives to date: girls! When it comes to interacting with girls, this trio are completely clueless. So when their school decides to collaborate with a neighbouring all-girls school to host its annual Cultural Festival, opportunities – and challenges – arise. Can they get through without making complete fools of themselves?

Director: Daigo Matsui
Cast: Masaki Suda, Shuhei Nomura, Ryo Yoshizawa

www.dannichi-movie.com / ©Yasunobu Yamauchi / SQUARE ENIX / Dannichi Film Partners

Beyond the Memories

A time for moving on and letting go.

A tragic accident eight years earlier has left Kanna guilt-ridden, and leads her to shy away from love. But when Kanna meets Akazawa, the walls she has built around her heart slowly start to dissolve. How is it that he understands her so well? It may just be that Akazawa has a haunting history of his own. This is the tale of two young people who are drawn together as they struggle to come to grips with their painful pasts. Stars heart-throb Masaki Okada (Akko-chan: The Movie).

Director: Takehiko Shinjo
Cast: Masami Nagasawa, Masaki Okada

Orpheus’ Lyre

When a mother’s love hopes for too much.

After losing her daughter Kanako in an accident, Yoko is overwhelmed by grief and turns to spirituality for solace. After a few strange encounters she’s convinced are signs, things take a dark turn as she comes to believe that another woman’s baby is Kanako reincarnated. Features music by legendary hearing-impaired composer Mamuro Samuragouchi (Resident Evil soundtrack).

Director: Minoru Kurimura
Cast: Ryoko Hirosue, Goro Inagaki

The Human Trust

An international con-game based on the legend of the M Fund.

Legend has it that during World War II, the Japanese military amassed a colossal underground cache of bullions valued at 10 trillion yen. This rumoured national treasure – known as the ‘M Fund’ – has never resurfaced. When con-artist Mafune is employed by the mysterious ‘M’ to steal the riches, so begins the unfolding of an international con-game that stretches from the boardrooms and backstreets of Tokyo, New York and Khabarovsk to a dusty village somewhere in Southeast Asia. What results is a contest between a crafty economic mastermind and an appeal for the betterment of humanity. Shot on location in Russia, Thailand, Japan and the US, with an all-star cast including Joe Odagiri (Tokyo Tower), Mirai Moriyama (Always), Yoo Ji-Tae (Old Boy) and Vincent Gallo (Buffalo 66).

Director: Junji Sakamoto
Cast: Koichi Sato, Shingo Katori, Mirai Moriyama, Arisa Miduki

HK: Forbidden Superhero HK

The world is at stake – please, give me your panties!

Just when you thought you’d seen it all… Crime fighting takes an eccentric turn in this nonsensical parody, where the raunchy meets the ridiculous. Kyosuke is an outwardly ordinary high school boy born to a cop father and a dominatrix mother. When he puts a pair of used panties over his face one day by mistake, he finds himself transformed into Hentai Kamen (literally, Pervert Mask), an absurd superhero figure whose mission is to maintain justice and save the love of his life, the sweet and innocent Aiko.

Director: Yuichi Fukuda
Cast: Ryohei Suzuki

Platinum Data

The truth is in your DNA.

It’s the year 2017. Japan has established a Special Analysis Research Institute within the National Police Agency for advanced forensic DNA analysis. When the inventor of the analysis system is murdered, the system pinpoints one of the Agency’s own top investigators, Ryuhei Kagura, as the prime suspect. A fugitive now on the run, and with Detective Asama in hot pursuit, Kagura must now find out exactly how and why he has come to be a marked man. This techno-noir suspense drama is the latest from the director of Rurounin Kenshin, and stars J-pop idol sensation Kazunari Ninomiya from Arashi.

Director: Keishi Otomo
Cast: Kazunari Ninomiya, Etsushi Toyokawa

www.platinadata.jp
©2013 TOHO CO., LTD. / DENTSU INC. / J Storm inc. / GENTOSHA INC. / East Japan Marketing & Communications. INC. / NIPPON SHUPPAN HANBAI INC. / Yahoo Japan Cooperation

The Ravine of Goodbye

Victim. Perpetrator. Hate. Love.

Things that look ordinary at first glance are not always as they seem – or so it is with husband and wife Shunsuke and Kanako Ozaki, whose appearance of contentedness belies a confronting secret. An investigation into the murder of a young boy near the Ozaki’s home takes a turn when the accused drags Shunsuke into the case. Onto the scoop, tabloid reporter Watanabe discovers that Shunsuke was a talented baseball pitcher fifteen years ago until his arrest for raping a girl. What else is yet to unfold? Shot in 16mm, this tense adult drama is based on a novel by Shuichi Yoshida (Villain, A Story of Yonosuke) which, in the words of the author, portrays “the extremity of love”. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 35th Moscow International Film Festival.

Director: Tatsushi Omori
Cast: Shima Onishi, Yoko Maki

Maruyama the Middle Schooler

Where imagination and reality meet.

“Being a middle schooler is a sensitive and fragile time. It’s also a time of rebellion and chaos. I decided to recreate that time without mythologizing it.” So says director Kankuro Kudo of this wacky exploration into the world of schoolboy fantasy.

14-year-old Maruyama has one goal: to self-fellate. But don’t judge a book by its cover; this is only one element of an ensemble of comedic fantasy sequences that somehow merge bizarrely into realities. Thus, Maruyama’s new neighbour, oddball single father Tatsuo Shimoi, becomes a mass murderer. His Korean-drama-obsessed mum develops an infatuation with a shy Korean electrician, his sister follows a senile old man, and his father becomes the star of his stories as Captain Fruit. The sky’s the limit when it comes to teenage fantasies. Keep an open mind for this one!

Director: Kankuro Kudo
Cast:Tsuyoshi Kisangani, Hiraoka Takuma

The Brain Man

Where does reason stop and emotion begin?

The horrific bombing of a bus is just one in a series of such attacks in a small town in Japan. When Ichiro Suzuki is caught at one of the crime scenes, he quickly becomes the main suspect – and the centre of investigation by Detective Chaya and forensic psychiatrist Dr. Washiya. Suzuki – or ‘the Brain Man’, as he comes to be known, is highly intelligent and possesses astounding physical strength; however, he seems strangely devoid of any human emotion. But as psychiatric examinations begin to reveal the truth behind Suzuki’s cold facade, Dr Washiya and Detective Chaya, come to realise that there is more him – and to the case – than meets the eye. Based on an award-winning novel, this is a well-paced suspense drama with a compelling (if potentially confronting) mix of darkness, action, violence and mystery. Toma Ikuta (Fallen Angel) is a stand-out as the enigmatic Suzuki. Don’t be fooled by the title – this is one solid film. And P.S. – the pyrotechnics are real, not CG.

Director: Tomoyuki Takimoto
Cast: Toma Ikuta, Yasuko Matsuyuki

Girl in the Sunny Place

A love that transcends all boundaries.

Mao and Kosuke first met in high school. When Mao was bullied, Kosuke stepped in to rescue. Ten years later they meet again, fall in love and marry. But Mao holds a secret close to her heart – is there a happy ever after for Mao and Kosuke?

Director: Takahiro Miki
Cast: Jun Matsumoto, Juri Ueno

Midsummer’s Equation

Suspect the unexpected.

A man is found dead on the rocks below a concrete embankment. Was it an accident, or murder? As more complicated connections gradually begin to unravel, Dr Yukawa, a physicist staying at a local inn, is drawn into the case. Yukawa gradually begins to uncover secrets of the past that have long remained dormant, leading to a heartbreaking truth…

This small-town murder mystery is based on the best-selling novel turned prime-time drama, Galileo. Features ever-popular star Masashi Fukuyama as the unswervingly matter-of-fact Yukawa.

Director: Hiroshi Nishitani
Cast: Masaharu Fukuyama, Yuriko Yoshitaka

Don’t Lose Heart

Discover the healing power of words.

This film is based on the true story of Toyo Shibata, a woman who started writing poems at 90 years of age. Her work has since been compiled into an anthology that sold over two million copies worldwide. Shibata’s lifetime spanned two World Wars, the reigns of four Emperors, and the terms of 82 Prime Ministers. Her poems are infused with a wisdom, wit and profound positivity which naturally reflect her wealth of lived experience. The real Toyo Shibata passed away earlier this year aged 101, but her courage and her talent continue to inspire readers across the world.

Director: Yoshihiro Fukagawa
Cast: Kaoru Yachigusa, Tetsuya Takeda

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