UPDATE: In light of the recent spike in Covid-19 cases, JFF2020 will be postponed to a later date in November. Check the revised dates HERE
Good news for everyone who are looking forward for the annual film festival! The Japanese Film Festival (JFF) 2020 will be held at Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) nationwide from October 15 until November 15.
JFF 2020 promises to showcase various film genres in order to highlight the colours of Japan through cinema. To make the event more exciting, the audience will get special gifts by collecting stamps each time they catch a film at JFF.
Check out some the films showing at JFF 2020 so you can start planning your trips!
1. Dance With Me (2019, Comedy, Musical)
Director: YAGUCHI Shinobu
Shizuka works at a big Tokyo trading company and harbours a secret crush on her dashing boss. One weekend she takes her niece to visit a carnival hypnotist to inspire her for an upcoming school musical. But it is Shizuka who falls under the spell and she is soon breaking uncontrollably into song and dance whenever she hears music: in the streets, during board meetings, at posh restaurants, even a cell phone ringtone! She must now embark on a cross country hunt for the hypnotist to break the spell, singing and dancing all the way!
2. Hello World (2019, Anime)
Director: ITO Tomohiko
In 2027, the city of Kyoto has undergone tremendous technological advancement. Katagaki Naomi and his schoolmate Ichigyou Ruri share the love for reading. Despite having similar interests, Naomi is afraid of approaching Ruri due to her unfriendly nature. One day, Naomi sees a three-legged crow while on a walk and later bumps into a mysterious hooded man who revealed himself to be Naomi from 10 years in the future. Future Naomi has come to change an imminent tragic event that happens to Ruri shortly after they start dating.
3. Masquerade Hotel (2019, Suspense)
Director: SUZUKI Masayuki
Detective Nitta Kosuke goes undercover in a high-end Tokyo hotel after a code of numbers found at three seemingly unrelated murders lead him to believe the next murder will take place there. When he’s assigned the front desk, hotel employee Yamagishi Naomi is not happy. She’s dedicated to upholding the highest standards for guests of the hotel, and prioritises their safety and comfort above all else. However, Nitta’s scruffy appearance and single-minded focus on his detective work are not exactly front desk material.
4. Not Quite Dead Yet (2020, Comedy)
Director: HAMASAKI Shinji
Nobata Nanase who is in the 4th grade at a university lives with her father, Kei but they don’t really have a very good relationship with each other. Kei is the CEO of a pharmaceutical company. One day, Kei drinks a drug which is supposed to kill him and revive him 2 days later. He did this because he wants to figure out who is trying to steal from his company, but something goes wrong. Kei somehow appears again as a ghost. Nanase then tries to bring him back to life with help from Matsuoka Taku who works at Kei's pharmaceutical company.
5. One Summer Story (2020, Youth Drama)
Director: OKITA Shuichi
Sakuta Minami is a second grader who swims for the school team. During her backstroke practice one day, she sees a picture of “Koteko”, the protagonist of a cult TV anime series, "Buffalo Koteko is the Magical Plasterer" which she is a big fan of being drawn by Moji Shohei, another second grader and the youngest son of a calligraphy instructor who is also an avid fan. One day during their summer vacation, she unexpectedly starts a journey to find her missing father with Shohei joining her along the way.
6. The Fable (2019, Action)
Director: EGUCHI Kan
As his nickname implies, the Fable is an enigmatic assassin who terrorizes the underworld. He then gets an order from his boss to live the life of a normal man for one year. In incognito, the Fable is given the name Sato Akira. Together with his partner Yoko, they lead new lives as regular brother and sister with a pet parakeet. He begins to enjoy a normal life but trouble soon comes looking for him and he must survive without killing anyone. Can he ever get a peaceful life?
7. YASHIRO Takeshi Stop Motion Animation
Director: YASHIRO Takeshi
NORMAN THE SNOWMAN-The Northern Light- (2013)
As the first snow falls on a town in the northern country, a boy sneaks out of his house to board a northbound train with his friend “Norman the Snowman.” They are off to witness the beautiful wonders of nature that Norman had always talked about.
NORMAN THE SNOWMAN-On a Night of Shooting Stars- (2016)
Tomorrow is the night of the shooting stars! A new chapter of “Norman the Snowman” begins as Norman and the Boy embark on another venture to see the star-filled sky.
Moon of a Sleepless Night (2015)
A squirrel and a boy set out on a journey together to restore daylight. They must find and release the moon stuck high up on a tree somewhere far, far away.
Gon, The Little Fox (2019)
When Gon, a playful orphaned fox, finds that young Hyoju has lost his mother, he tries to comfort him and make amends for his own earlier mischief by secretly bringing small gifts to the boy every day. But Hyoju doesn’t realize who is behind the anonymous gifts, and the two are headed for a heartbreaking climax.
