The 2019 edition of the Japanese Film Festival will feature as always a diverse and packed programme of films, including work from some of the most acclaimed filmmakers from contemporary Japanese cinema, and covers a variety of themes, genres and topics. Eagerly anticipated and already well-received films from Japan will be screened throughout. With this year 2019 marks the 11th year of The Embassy of Japan’s collaboration with access>cinema. With the help of various supporters, including the Ireland Japan Association and the Japan Foundation, JFF 2019 is set to bring the very best of Japanese cinema to Irish screens this April.
JFF 2019 will be hosting screenings from April 6th to 20th inclusive at venues in Dublin, Galway, Tipperary, Limerick, Cork, Sligo, Waterford and Dundalk. We’ve got the full schedule for what’s on in Dublin over the next few weeks available below, with 15 screenings set for the fair city of film, as well as a timely workshop on what sparks joy in the home from Vera Keohane; Ireland’s first and only certified KonMari Consultant – perfect for film fans out there whose DVD collection is in danger of sealing them in the home.
There are plenty of great films to check out in the festival programme, but some definite highlights include anime Mirai and international hit One Shot of the Dead. In Mirai, four-year-old Kun’s life is turned upside down when his parents arrive home one day with their new baby girl Mirai. Kun soon grows jealous of the attention his baby sister is receiving from his mother and father. He starts throwing tantrums, and shocks his parents when he’s caught about to hit Mirai with a toy. However, Kun’s life takes another unexpected turn when a mysterious man appears in the garden of their house – a man, who it transpires, is actually the family dog in human form. Kun also has another surprise visitor –a teenage girl claiming to be the future Mirai. Together, they embark on a series of adventures, and Kun discovers his family’s incredible history.
Meanwhile in the popular One Cut of the Dead, a film crew is making a low-budget zombie film in an abandoned warehouse. During breaks in shooting, they share rumours about how the warehouse was once used for actual human experiments. The shoot is interrupted when real-life zombies show up and begin attacking the crew. The survivors find themselves fending off not only an undead horde but a psychotic director intent on capturing the chaos on camera. All of this initially unfolds in one long, unbroken take – but One Cut of the Dead has a few unexpected tricks up its sleeve…
Check out the full schedule for Dublin below:
The Chester Beatty Library – SAT APRIL 6
75 Years In Japan 11:00
Mirai 2:00pm
Light House Cinema
THU APRIL 11
Tremble All You Want 8:00pm
FRI APRIL 12
Of Love & Law 6:00pm
Killing 8:30pm
The Legend of the Stardust Brothers 11:30pm
SAT APRIL 13
Ten Years Japan 11:00
Event: Want a home that sparks joy? 1:30
Penguin Highway 3:30pm
I Want To Eat Your Pancreas 6:00pm
The Blood of Wolves 8:15pm
One Cut of the Dead 11.30pm
SUN APRIL 14
The Gun 12:00pm
The Chrysanthemum and the Guillotine 2:00pm
Mori, The Artist’s Habitat 6:00pm
Born Bone Born 8:00pm