The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2022 Details

Date: 2022 January 14 19:02

Posted by Joe

It's that time of year again The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme is back for 2022. They've got 20 Japanese films and 25 UK cities with more venues being confirmed soon. The theme this time around is What Lies Beneath. Which aims to explore the dark mind in Japanese cinema.

They've got a wide range of new and old movies, so you're bound to find something that'll grab your interest!

Anime wise the film programme will be showing the UK premiere of The House of the Lost on the Cape.

Visit jpf-film.org.uk to find out more.

Full Story

Press release as follows:



Immediate PRESS RELEASE
January 6, 2022

The Japan Foundation presents:
The Japan Foundation
Touring Film Programme 2022

Back on the big screen!
Experience Japan through Cinema

What Lies Beneath:
The Intricate Representations of a 'Dark Mind' in Japanese Cinema

20 Japanese films and 25 UK Cities*
The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme,
the largest UK film festival dedicated entirely to Japanese cinema,
is back with theatrical screenings for its 19th edition!


What constitutes an unfathomable 'dark mind' lurking beneath the surface in the 21st century? Would it stagnate one's life or become a driving force? Would the definition of it now be more diverse when the society we are living in is more complicated than before? Does such a psychological state add to an interesting cinematic story?

From crime films to charming dramas, presenting an assortment of stories about people from different walks of life, this programme will showcase the cinematic voices and skills of both experienced and emerging filmmakers and aims to cater to the varied tastes of UK audiences
And most of the films have never been screened in the UK before!

4 February - 31 March 2022, nationwide

"---a unique and sometimes once-only opportunity to see a selection of rare films that otherwise have a very
limited distribution in the west."

（Noel Megahey, The Digital Fix website, January 2019）

For full programme details:
www.jpf-film.org.uk

There will be 18 cities in England, 4 Cities in Scotland, 2 Cities in Wales, 1 City in Northern Ireland. More venues will be confirmed in January.

About the curation of the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2022

What Lies Beneath:

The Intricate Representations of a 'Dark Mind' in Japanese Cinema

After temporarily moving online last year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are delighted to return to the big screen, working together with our partner cinemas to bring you an exciting line-up of Japanese films while keeping in line with public safety requirements.

Human psychology is very complicated. Our minds have many layers of emotions and feelings which fluctuate and transform from good to bad depending on the circumstances we are in. In the world of Christianity, an 'evil mind' has been traditionally defined by the seven deadly sins and, from wrath to envy and pride, these emotions and human behaviours have been categorized as something to be rejected.

Yet, such emotion is part of our nature and, whether we are aware of it or not, it is a quality which all humans possess to varying degrees. Ironically, these dark emotions make life more interesting and provide a fascinating source of creativity as they often add a delicious flavour to works of entertainment. This is one of the reasons why thrillers have been ever-popular in literature.

In the world of cinema, crime films often derived from such darkness are an established genre and, historically, in Japan many 'crime and punishment' films, like Vengeance is Mine by IMAMURA Shohei, have been favoured by film makers and released to much success. Even when the films don't touch upon unlawful situations, the darkness which smoulders in our minds is enough inspiration to be made into films which are appreciated as relatable by audiences. So, what constitutes an unfathomable 'dark mind' lurking beneath the surface in the 21st century? Would it stagnate one's life or become a driving force? Would the definition of it now be more diverse when the society we are living in is more complicated than before? What kind of 'dark mind' leads to an interesting cinematic story?

Keeping the theme in mind and posing these questions, the 19th Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme will select some of the very best films released in Japan: Spaghetti Code Love e is a stylish film which faithfully explores the lives of contemporary young people in Tokyo who juggle a variety of feelings to survive. I Shall Live by Myself f is a rare film focusing on an aged woman living alone. This charming work is not only concerned with the strength of her personality but also subtly depicts the remorse and loneliness in her long life. Ever the socially conscious director, ZEZE Takahisa explores the issues and problems that three contemporary mothers face in his recent work, Tomorrow's Dinner Table. There will also be a title focusing on a spectacular con based in Hong Kong, as well as a crime film inspired by a real incident in Japan.

From recently released contemporary works, to anime and rare classics, this programme aims to demonstrate how films, seemingly different in tone and style, have the same facet running through them and that all ultimately deal in human darkness. With an assortment of stories about people from different walks of life, this programme will showcase the cinematic voices and skills of both experienced and emerging filmmakers and aims to cater to the varied tastes of the UK audiences

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme is produced and organised by the Japan Foundation, London.

With Major Support from the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation and Yakult, with Sponsorship in Kind from SUQQU and Athetia, and in Cultural Partnership with the Japan Society.


About the Japan Foundation
The Japan Foundation was established in 1972 by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and became an Independent Administrative Institution in 2003. The organisation promotes international cultural exchange between Japan and the rest of the world by organising projects as well as providing financial support through grant programmes in the fields of Arts and Culture, Japanese language and Japanese studies. The Japan Foundation currently has its Head Office in Tokyo, with offices and centres in 24 countries outside of Japan. The Japan Foundation London is the Foundation's only office in the UK, and one of the first overseas offices to be established, opening in 1972. www.jpf.go.jp (Head Office), www.jpf.org.uk (London)

About the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme
Since 2004, the Japan Foundation has put together films under a carefully chosen theme to highlight trends in Japanese cinema, and showcased, in close partnership with distinguished film venues such as the ICA, some of the finest Japanese films in order to introduce their versatility and uniqueness. Most of films selected for the Japan Foundation Touring Programme have slipped under the radar of other film festivals or programmes despite their quality or have previously only received one-off screenings in the UK. This is the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme's 19th edition.

For details please visit: www.jpf-film.org.uk

Touring programme information:
The season will tour 25 venues nationwide until late March 2022. This year's participating venues are:

4 - 13 February*
Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), London
www.ica.art

5 - 22 February*
Phoenix, Leicester
www.phoenix.org.uk

5 February - 26 March*
Firstsite, Colchester
www.firstsite.uk

6 - 27 February*
Eden Court, Inverness
www.eden-court.co.uk

6 - 27 February*
Watershed, Bristol
www.watershed.co.uk

8 - 23 February*
Depot, Lewes
lewesdepot.org

9 - 27 February*
Storyhouse, Chester
www.storyhouse.com

12 February - 1 March*
Cambridge Film Trust, Cambridge
camfilmfest.com

13 February - 2 March*
Aberystwyth Arts Centre
www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk

13 February - 27 March*
Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds
www.hydeparkpicturehouse.co.uk

13 February - 27 March*
Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff
www.chapter.org

15 February - 3 March*
HOME, Manchester
homemcr.org

16 February - 16 March*
Brewery Arts Cinema, Kendal
www.breweryarts.co.uk

21 February - 31 March*
Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle
www.tynesidecinema.co.uk

1 - 30 March*
Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry
www.warwickartscentre.co.uk

1 - 31 March*
Queen's Film Theatre, Belfast
www.queensfilmtheatre.com

2 - 15 March*
Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee
dca.org.uk

2 - 30 March*
Exeter Phoenix, Exeter
www.exeterphoenix.org.uk

4 - 6 March
QUAD, Derby
www.derbyquad.co.uk

7 - 28 March*
Cinema City, Norwich
picturehouses.com/cinema/cinema-city-picturehouse

7 - 28 March*
City Screen Picturehouse, York
www.picturehouses.com/cinema/city-screen-picturehouse

8 - 31 March*
Showroom Cinema, Sheffield
www.showroomworkstation.org.uk

12 - 20 March*
Belmont Filmhouse, Aberdeen
www.belmontfilmhouse.com

18 - 24 March
Broadway, Nottingham
www.broadway.org.uk

18 - 24 March
Filmhouse, Edinburgh
www.filmhousecinema.com


* Screening dates vary; please see your local venue for specific line-up information