Events

Time & Location

May 25 – 31, 2021
Online

About

The Chicago Japan Film Collective introduces the best in contemporary Japanese—films that would otherwise be inaccessible—to Midwestern audiences. This year, the first edition of the festival will feature nine films (seven feature films and two documentaries) over the course of a seven-day viewing period.

Among the festival’s highlights is Hayashi Kaizo’s Bolt, a drama about the immediate aftermath of the earthquake that rocked Japan and resulted in the nuclear disaster of a fictitious city. Also, All About Chiaki Mayumura, a genre-bending drama starring Nagase Masatoshi, about a musical celebrity who is much more than meets the eye. Other films include Videophobia, a black and white thriller; Yan, shot on location in Japan and in Taiwan; The House of Seasons, a family drama about a teenager who overcomes her mental health challenges; and The Manga Master, a film about the life of manga artist pioneer Kitazawa Rakuten. In documentaries, the festival will feature Alone Again in Fukushima, a deeply human story about a man who stayed in the evacuation zone in order to care for animals left behind following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, and Prison Circle, which provides an intimate look into one of Japan’s most notorious prisons.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the inaugural edition will be held virtually, however, plans are in motion to hold future festivals in person.

Visit the Chicago Japanese Film Collective website to learn more.

This event is supported through the JFNY Grant for Arts and Culture.

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