Press Release
2016/3/29
[16-03] Japanese Film Festival Returns to Venues Across Ireland, 3-21 April 2016 (New Venues Added to Expanded Programme)
The Japanese Film Festival, now in its 8th edition, returns to bring the best of new Japanese cinema to Irish audiences with a mix of everything from action to anime, historical epics to wonderful oddities. Ireland’s only truly national film festival begins this year in Cork on April 3, before visiting Limerick, Sligo, Waterford, Dundalk, Galway and Dublin.
Go to http://www.jff.ie/ for screening schedule and updates.
The Festival will screen 22 films this year, almost all of which are Irish premieres. The most acclaimed filmmakers from contemporary Japanese cinema are featured, with a variety of themes, genres and topics to appeal to all audiences.
JFF’s packed programme includes the Irish premieres of Three Stories of Love, ranked by The Japan Times as the best domestic film of 2015, and the visually stunning black and white Sanchu Uprising: Voices at Dawn, a fascinating account of a farmers’ revolt in Okayama Prefecture during the 18th century.
As ever, the anime programme of JFF continues to be popular with audiences. Highlights this year include Mamoru Hosada’s The Boy and the Beast, a captivating animated tale of friendship, which recently won the 2016 Japanese Academy Prize for Animation of the Year, and the Academy Award nominated When Marnie Was There from director Hiromasa Yonebayashi (Arrietty). As this is reported to be the final film from Studio Ghibli for the foreseeable future, it is not to be missed.
Venue and ticket sales information will be available at http://www.jff.ie/ from March 27.
The Embassy of Japan, access>CINEMA and the Ireland Japan Association are the co-organisers of the Festival, with the support of the Japan Foundation.
Previous editions of the Festival have boasted sell-out screenings in all locations, and the organisers expect this year to be no different, with a carefully selected programme designed to intrigue, educate and entertain.
Mrs Mari Miyoshi, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland said, “As the newly appointed ambassador, I’m glad that Irish audiences have enjoyed previous Japanese Film Festivals in Ireland”, and continued, “This edition of the festival is one of the important events in the lead-up to the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Japan next year. I hope that everyone will enjoy as many films as possible to get to know more about various aspects of Japan and its culture”.
“The appetite in Ireland for world cinema is constantly growing”, commented Maeve Cooke, Director of access>CINEMA. “We see this in our work with film clubs and arts centres throughout the country. Japan has always been known as a country with a rich filmmaking tradition, and this year’s JFF line-up proves that Japanese cinema is every bit as diverse and vibrant now as it has ever been.”
“We’re delighted to be involved with a festival that gives Irish audiences the opportunity to experience this quality international cinema. If you’re not familiar with Japanese cinema, we encourage you to experience some of the unique and diverse films from this extraordinary country.”
The rich heritage of Japan’s cinematic culture is again represented in 2016’s programme, this time with a rare screening of Ozu’s classic drama Early Summer, which remembers the great Setsuko Hara who died last September.
The Festival also caters for viewers in search of pure escapism and entertainment. Box office hit Assassination Classroom sees a classroom of high-school students take on a manic alien with a sense of humour, whilst Initiation Love is a ‘boy meets girl’ story with a twist.
Fans of Japan’s prolific enfant terrible Sion Sono will be treated to a double bill of his most recent offerings: the bizarre Love and Peace – a fairy-tale of sorts meets Bagpuss meets Godzilla - and Tag – a surreal, stylish and shockingly violent action-fantasy.
2016 is the 5th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. A special screening of the poignant drama Joy of Man’s Desiring, about two young children coming to terms with the tragic consequences of an earthquake, will mark this occasion.
JFF Screening Schedule:
Cork - Triskel Christchurch April 3-6
Cork - Gate Multiplex: April 7-10
Limerick – Belltable @ 69 O’Connell Street: April 5-6
Limerick – University of Limerick: April 6
Sligo – Institute of Technology: April 6
Waterford - Garter Lane Arts Centre: April 8-10
Dundalk – An Tain Arts Centre: April 9
Galway - EYE Cinema: April 10-14
Dublin - Light House Cinema: April 13-21
Dublin – Chester Beatty Library: April 20
Press information / Publicity
Karen Wall
T - 353 1 679 4420
E - kwall@accesscinema.ie
Social
F - facebook.com/JapaneseFilmFestivalIreland
T - @JFF_Ireland
Co-organiser access>CINEMA is the resource organisation for regional cultural cinema exhibition in Ireland, and acknowledge the financial support of the Arts Council.
Go to http://www.jff.ie/ for screening schedule and updates.
The Festival will screen 22 films this year, almost all of which are Irish premieres. The most acclaimed filmmakers from contemporary Japanese cinema are featured, with a variety of themes, genres and topics to appeal to all audiences.
JFF’s packed programme includes the Irish premieres of Three Stories of Love, ranked by The Japan Times as the best domestic film of 2015, and the visually stunning black and white Sanchu Uprising: Voices at Dawn, a fascinating account of a farmers’ revolt in Okayama Prefecture during the 18th century.
As ever, the anime programme of JFF continues to be popular with audiences. Highlights this year include Mamoru Hosada’s The Boy and the Beast, a captivating animated tale of friendship, which recently won the 2016 Japanese Academy Prize for Animation of the Year, and the Academy Award nominated When Marnie Was There from director Hiromasa Yonebayashi (Arrietty). As this is reported to be the final film from Studio Ghibli for the foreseeable future, it is not to be missed.
Venue and ticket sales information will be available at http://www.jff.ie/ from March 27.
The Embassy of Japan, access>CINEMA and the Ireland Japan Association are the co-organisers of the Festival, with the support of the Japan Foundation.
Previous editions of the Festival have boasted sell-out screenings in all locations, and the organisers expect this year to be no different, with a carefully selected programme designed to intrigue, educate and entertain.
Mrs Mari Miyoshi, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland said, “As the newly appointed ambassador, I’m glad that Irish audiences have enjoyed previous Japanese Film Festivals in Ireland”, and continued, “This edition of the festival is one of the important events in the lead-up to the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Japan next year. I hope that everyone will enjoy as many films as possible to get to know more about various aspects of Japan and its culture”.
“The appetite in Ireland for world cinema is constantly growing”, commented Maeve Cooke, Director of access>CINEMA. “We see this in our work with film clubs and arts centres throughout the country. Japan has always been known as a country with a rich filmmaking tradition, and this year’s JFF line-up proves that Japanese cinema is every bit as diverse and vibrant now as it has ever been.”
“We’re delighted to be involved with a festival that gives Irish audiences the opportunity to experience this quality international cinema. If you’re not familiar with Japanese cinema, we encourage you to experience some of the unique and diverse films from this extraordinary country.”
The rich heritage of Japan’s cinematic culture is again represented in 2016’s programme, this time with a rare screening of Ozu’s classic drama Early Summer, which remembers the great Setsuko Hara who died last September.
The Festival also caters for viewers in search of pure escapism and entertainment. Box office hit Assassination Classroom sees a classroom of high-school students take on a manic alien with a sense of humour, whilst Initiation Love is a ‘boy meets girl’ story with a twist.
Fans of Japan’s prolific enfant terrible Sion Sono will be treated to a double bill of his most recent offerings: the bizarre Love and Peace – a fairy-tale of sorts meets Bagpuss meets Godzilla - and Tag – a surreal, stylish and shockingly violent action-fantasy.
2016 is the 5th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. A special screening of the poignant drama Joy of Man’s Desiring, about two young children coming to terms with the tragic consequences of an earthquake, will mark this occasion.
JFF Screening Schedule:
Cork - Triskel Christchurch April 3-6
Cork - Gate Multiplex: April 7-10
Limerick – Belltable @ 69 O’Connell Street: April 5-6
Limerick – University of Limerick: April 6
Sligo – Institute of Technology: April 6
Waterford - Garter Lane Arts Centre: April 8-10
Dundalk – An Tain Arts Centre: April 9
Galway - EYE Cinema: April 10-14
Dublin - Light House Cinema: April 13-21
Dublin – Chester Beatty Library: April 20
Press information / Publicity
Karen Wall
T - 353 1 679 4420
E - kwall@accesscinema.ie
Social
F - facebook.com/JapaneseFilmFestivalIreland
T - @JFF_Ireland
Co-organiser access>CINEMA is the resource organisation for regional cultural cinema exhibition in Ireland, and acknowledge the financial support of the Arts Council.