Festivals

JFF26 Look Back

Screening direct from its heralded World Premiere in Competition at the 2026 Venice Film Festival, Palme d’Or-winning director Hirokazu KOREEDA (Shoplifters, Like Father Like Son, The Truth) brings his signature humanism to LOOK BACK, a deeply moving adaptation of Tatsuki FUJIMOTO’s acclaimed 'one-shot' manga about the wild emotional swings of childhood friendship and the process of finding your voice through art. Nikaho City, northern Japan. Fourth-grader Fujino enjoys the admiration of her classmates, who delight in the four-panel comics she publishes in the school newspaper. But her confidence is shaken when Kyо̄moto – a reclusive classmate whose social anxiety keeps her from attending school – begins submitting work of extraordinary and superior skill. What starts as quiet rivalry soon evolves into a profound creative partnership, bound by a shared devotion to illustration. As they grow together – and eventually apart – their journey traces the fragile interplay of connection, ambition and regret... First published on Shonen Jump+ in 2021, Look Back sparked immediate buzz, recording 2.5 million views on its first day. It has sold over 900,000 copies in Japan and has been published in 37 countries worldwide with more than 750,000 copies sold internationally. KOREEDA’s adaptation follows Kiyotaka OSHIYAMA’s 2024 animated feature adaptation of the same name, a critical and box office success that earned a Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Animated Feature and a nomination for Best Animated Feature (Independent) at the Annie Awards.

JFF26 The Samurai and the Prisoner

In his first-ever period film, renowned director Kiyoshi KUROSAWA (Cure, Tokyo Sonata) delivers the majestic historical thriller THE SAMURAI AND THE PRISONER. A compelling fusion of samurai spectacle and whodunnit intrigue, the story follows a samurai lord drawn into a series of shadowy murders within his own castle walls in feudal Japan. The year is 1578, and Lord Murashige ARAKI (Masahiro MOTOKI) is barricaded inside his fortress in Settsu Province as the forces of powerful rival warlord Oda close in. When Oda’s brilliant strategist Kanbei KURODA (Masaki SUDA) arrives as an envoy bearing a warning, an enraged Murashige detains him instead of ordering his execution, keeping the prisoner as a valuable yet dangerous pawn. But when an inexplicable murder rocks the castle, Murashige is forced into an uneasy alliance with his captive, whose razor-sharp intellect may be the key to solving the crime and exposing a hidden traitor before the court tears itself apart… Adapted from the award-winning novel by Honobu YONEZAWA, THE SAMURAI AND THE PRISONER is a richly atmospheric, tightly wound thriller that seamlessly melds the samurai and detective genres. Draws on the contemplative simplicity of classic mid-century Japanese cinema, director KUROSAWA delivers an elegant and probing portrait of power, honour and survival under pressure.

JFF26 Tokyo Taxi

Film veteran Yōji YAMADA returns with his 91st feature, a moving reflection on memory, compassion and the power of human connection. Kōji USAMI (Takuya KIMURA) is a taxi driver who works tirelessly to keep his family afloat, while mounting financial pressures and his daughter’s tuition fees weigh heavily on his mind. One morning he is hired by 85-year-old Sumire TAKANO (Chieko BAISHO) who is beginning the long journey from Tokyo to a nursing home in Kanagawa. Initially reserved with one another, the pair gradually connect as Sumire asks Kōji to make a series of detours— small pilgrimages throughout Tokyo to farewell the city she once knew. As Sumire shares memories of a life marked by war, loss and domestic hardship, Kōji listens with quiet attention, and neither will be left unchanged by the time they arrive at their destination. A remake of the acclaimed French-Belgian drama Driving Madeleine, master Yōji YAMADA lends a warm and deeply humanistic touch to this tender road movie about the transformative power of a stranger’s kindness. Chieko BAISHO brings luminous depth to Sumire's story of resilience and fierce independence, earning the 2026 Japan Academy Prize for Best Actress six decades into her extraordinary career.

JFF26 1ST KISS

In its early days, Kanna and Kakeru’s marriage was filled with love. Fifteen years later, the romance has gone cold. The pair sleep in separate rooms, barely speak and argue over the smallest matters. Divorce seems inevitable, until Kakeru is suddenly killed in an accident. Grieving a husband she had almost given up on, Kanna finds herself caught between sorrow and emptiness. Then one evening, she is inexplicably transported to the place where the couple first met, and finds Kakeru looking exactly as he did fifteen years earlier. Somehow, Kanna has travelled back in time to the moment just before their lives intertwined. As the past unfolds before her, Kanna rediscovers the love that first drew her and Kakeru together. She now faces an unthinkable choice: either allow history to repeat itself, with all its joy and heartbreak, or try to change Kakeru’s fate, and risk erasing the life they built together. Written by Cannes award winning screenwriter Yūji SAKAMOTO (Monster), Ayuko TSUKAHARA’s film is elevated by captivating chemistry between the leads Takako MATSU and Hokuto MATSUMURA. Blending fantasy with heartfelt drama, 1ST KISS is a poignant and emotionally rich time-travel romance that asks whether love can ever rewrite the past.

JFF26 All You Need Is Kill

Set in the year 20XX, ALL YOU NEED IS KILL follows the story of Rita, a resourceful but isolated young woman volunteering to help rebuild Japan after the mysterious appearance of a massive alien flower known as “Darol.” When Darol unexpectedly erupts in a deadly event, unleashing monstrous creatures that decimate the population, Rita is caught in the destruction—and killed. But then she wakes up again. And again. Caught in an endless time loop, Rita must navigate the trauma and repetition of death until she crosses paths with Keiji, a shy young man trapped in the same cycle. Together, they fight to break free from the loop and find meaning in the chaos around them.

JFF26 Anymart

Open 24 hours a day, convenience stores offer the same products, the same greetings and the same fluorescent glow to anyone who walks through their doors. Amid a maze of power lines and grey apartment blocks, they exist as liminal spaces… simultaneously everywhere and nowhere. Sakai (Shota SOMETANI) has worked at AnyMart long enough to stop noticing any of it. He clocks in, recites the employee pledges, restocks the shelves and drifts through every shift like a ghost. His manager demands cheerful, frictionless service, but Sakai just cannot seem to master it. Then new recruit Ogawa (Erika KARATA) arrives, bringing with her a series of unsettling anomalies that send the store's familiar routines spiralling towards bloody, darkly comic extremes. Inspired by his father’s experiences as a convenience store owner, director Yusuke IWASAKI transforms one of Japan's most iconic and ubiquitous institutions into a chilling reflection on late capitalism, systemic conformity and the creeping horror of a life lived on autopilot. Sharp, wickedly funny and constantly off-kilter, this striking debut feature announces director Iwasaki as an exciting new voice in Japanese horror. Winner of the FIPRESCI Jury Prize at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, AnyMart is a wildly unpredictable film that continually subverts expectations.

JFF26 Bring Him Down to a Portable Size

Riko (Ko SHIBASAKI) is living a comfortable life as a writer, when a call from the police brings news of her estranged brother’s death. Childish, selfish and impossible to understand, he was someone Riko had long struggled to forgive. Now, full of resentment, she must travel to Tohoku to deal with the remnants of his life. Just as Riko expected, her brother’s apartment is a chaotic mess filled with unfinished business and reminders of the man who frustrated her for years. But as she clears it out alongside his ex-wife Kanako (Hikari MITSUSHIMA), teenage daughter Marina (Himeno AOYAMA) and young son Ryōichi (Yōta MIMOTO), Riko begins to uncover a different story. Beneath her brother’s flaws was a man facing a silent battle, struggling to ask for help and expressing love for his children in his own, imperfect language. Adapted from writer Riko MURAI’s acclaimed non-fiction essay, director Ryōta NAKANO’s (Her Love Boils Bathwater) work is a funny, tender and complex portrait of family, forgiveness and the complicated ways we remember those we lose.

JFF26 ChaO

From acclaimed Japanese animation production house STUDIO 4°C comes a wild romantic comedy and true “fish out of water” story. In a futuristic world where humans and mermaids coexist, ChaO follows Stephan, a mild-mannered office worker at a shipbuilding company, whose life is upended when he is suddenly proposed to by Chao — a princess from the mermaid kingdom. With no time to make sense of what’s happening, Stephan soon finds himself living with the unpredictable, wholehearted Chao. As her sincere love begins to break down his emotional barriers, an unexpected and touching romance begins to unfold.

JFF26 Chimney Town: Frozen in Time

After the loss of his best friend Poupelle (Masataka KUBOTA), young Lubicchi (Yuzuna NAGASE) finds himself transported to the Millennium Fortress – a mysterious realm that controls the flow of time. Guided by a smart-mouthed cat named Fluff (MEGUMI), Lubicchi seeks help from the rat queen, Hora (Anna TSUCHIYA), who reveals that the only way back to his own world is by repairing a grand clock at the heart of the fortress. Along the way, Lubbichi encounters Gus (Mitsuo YOSHIHARA), the clock tower's enigmatic keeper. Dismissed by many as a man who has lost himself to grief, only time will tell how Gus’ past holds the key to Lubicchi’s path home. Chimney Town: Frozen in Time expands the beloved world of Poupelle of Chimney Town (JFF 2021) with a captivating new chapter that promises to delight both returning fans and newcomers alike. Produced by STUDIO4ºC (Mind Game, Children of the Sea) and based on Akihiro NISHINO’s bestselling children’s book, the film continues the franchise’s signature blend of rich world-building and emotional storytelling, with a profound tale of love, loss and grief lying beneath its stunningly animated landscapes.

JFF26 Hula Girls

The year is 1965, and Japan has started to shift from domestic coal to imported oil. The change upends Iwaki City in Fukushima Prefecture, with the coal-mining town on the brink of industrial decline and soaring unemployment. In an effort to save the community, the local mining company launches an ambitious plan to build a lavish Hawaiian resort, complete with hot springs and hula girl dancers. Madoka HIRAYAMA (Yasuko MATSUYUKI), a down-on-her-luck dance instructor from Tokyo, is tasked with training the troupe in the lead up to the grand opening night. But as she quickly learns, shaping a group of small-town girls into polished hula performers is no easy feat! Based on true events, HULA GIRLS is the uplifting story of how the Joban Hawaiian Centre helped turn around Iwaki City’s economic woes during troubled times. Following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the film was selected as Japan’s official submission for the 79th Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Twenty years after its original release, LEE Sang-il's (Kokuho) beloved classic returns to the big screen with a digitally remastered edition, bringing this charming blend of comedy and come-of-age drama to fresh audiences.

JFF26 Junk World

Set a millennium prior to the absurdist cult favourite JUNK HEAD (JFF 2021), JUNK WORLD is the second chapter in director Takahide HORI’s envisioned trilogy. In a sprawling subterranean world where humans and freed clones coexist under a fragile peace, a research expedition investigates a mysterious dimensional anomaly. When a radical cult launches a violent attack, the mission spirals into chaos, unleashing forces that fracture reality itself. As rival factions become entangled in a web of alternate timelines and possible futures, a plucky robot named Robin must race to prevent the collapse of space-time, encountering a host of bizarre flora and fauna along the way. JUNK WORLD expands the extraordinary universe dreamt up by director HORI in JUNK HEAD, the cult phenomenon praised by Guillermo del Toro for its “deranged brilliance”. An interior designer with no formal filmmaking background, HORI taught himself stop motion animation at the age of 40 and painstakingly built the film’s astonishing underground world from scratch. Brought to life by a team of just six animators, JUNK WORLD features grotesque creatures, laugh-out-loud comedy and philosophical tangents, making for a wild, mind-bending cinematic experience.

JFF26 Purehearted

Hailing from Naha City in Okinawa, Majimu Iha’s (Sairi ITO) name means "purehearted" in the local dialect, perfectly reflecting her gentle and earnest nature. A timid office worker raised in a family of traditional tofu makers, Majimu never imagines herself as an entrepreneur until her company launches an internal business competition. Inspired by evenings spent at her grandmother’s favourite bar, Majimu begins to wonder… why doesn’t Okinawa produce its own rum, using locally grown sugarcane? Despite having no experience under her belt, Majimu pitches the idea, and her growing passion challenges corporate scepticism, family expectations and island politics. What starts as a simple idea takes on a life of its own, as Majimu’s commitment to authenticity sparks controversy with upper management, while generational conflict between business owners on the island threatens to bring her dream to a halt. Based on the extraordinary true story of Yūko KINJO, who rose through the ranks from contract employee to company president, Purehearted is an uplifting underdog story about believing in yourself and the power of local pride. Showcasing Okinawa’s breathtaking landscape, rich culture and distinctive dialect, Kaoru HAGA’s directorial debut is a warm yet refreshing portrait of a side of Japan rarely seen on screen.

JFF26 Samurai Vengeance

On a snowy winter night, a samurai duel ends in bloodshed when young Kikunosuke (Kento NAGAO) raises the severed head of his opponent. Witnessed by a shocked audience, Kikunosuke declares he has successfully avenged his father’s death, as crimson stains the pristine snow beneath his feet. News of the gruesome murder spreads far and wide, and 18 months later, a provincial samurai named Soichirō (Tasuku EMOTO) travels to Edo to investigate the truth behind the incident, ending up at the kabuki theatre where the murder took place. As he pieces together the events leading to that fateful night, more questions than answers begin to emerge. How could Kikunosuke, a kind-hearted man with no history of violence, commit such a brutal act? And why was he at the theatre in the first place? Based on Sayako NAGAI 's award-winning novel, Samurai Vengeance is brought to life by a stellar cast including Tasuku EMOTO, veteran actor Ken WATANABE (The Last Samurai), and Kento NAGAO, member of Naniwa Danshi. Director Takashi MINAMOTO masterfully intertwines a classic quest for retribution with the rich world of Edo period kabuki, crafting an engrossing mystery where performance and reality become inseparable.

JFF26 Sham

Seiichi YABUSHITA (Go AYANO) is a devoted elementary school teacher in Fukuoka, admired for going above and beyond for his students. During a parent-teacher meeting with Ritsuko HIMURO (Ko SHIBASAKI), he raises concerns about her son’s behaviour in class. Days later, Ritsuko files a complaint accusing Yabushita of physical abuse against her child. When a journalist publishes the story using Yabushita’s full name, public outrage spreads like wildfire. Branded the "homicidal teacher”, he becomes one of the most reviled men in Japan almost overnight. As Yabushita’s career, reputation and family life are shattered, a legal team of over 550 people mobilises in support of Ritsuko. However, there is more to the story than meets the eye. Based on journalist Masumi FUKUDA’s investigation into the real Fukuoka case, Sham marks director Takashi MIIKE’s first adaptation of a true story, and is a striking departure from the transgressive genre works that made him internationally famous. Anchored by a deeply affecting performance from Go AYANO, this taut and unsparing courtroom drama employs a Rashōmon-style structure to question whether the truth can ever prevail once public opinion has already delivered its verdict.

JFF26 SUZUKI=BAKUDAN

When patrol officers Sara KODA (Sairi ITO) and Taito Yabuki (Ryōta BANDO) arrest a drunken drifter for vandalism, they expect a routine night on the streets of Tokyo. Instead, the man, Tagosaku SUZUKI (Jirō SATO), claims to possess a sixth sense and calmly predicts that a bomb will explode in Akihabara within the hour. The detectives dismiss him… until the bomb detonates exactly as he foretold. With three more explosions looming, one every hour, the interrogation room becomes Suzuki’s twisted playground. Young detective Isao TODOROKI (Shōta SOMETANI) and veteran negotiator Teruji KIYOMIYA (Atsurō WATABE) are drawn into a tense battle of wits, as the police scramble across Tokyo to prevent catastrophe. But Suzuki refuses to provide straight answers, taunting investigators with cryptic riddles while appearing to revel in their growing desperation. As the clock counts down, the line between psychic, suspect and manipulator becomes increasingly blurred. Based on Katsuhiro GO's acclaimed novel, SUZUKI=BAKUDAN is a gripping, electrifying thriller that keeps audiences guessing until its final moments. Anchored by a stellar ensemble cast, the film cements director Akira NAGAI as a bold new voice in Japanese genre cinema.

JFF26 The Girl Who Sees

High school is going swimmingly for student Miko YOTSUYA (Nanoka HARA), except for one small detail... she has the unsettling ability to see spirits! Convinced that acknowledging them would put her in danger, Miko pretends not to see the ghosts with all her might, hoping they never discover her supernatural skills. She carries on going to school, doing her homework and laughing with her best friend Hana (Rinka KUMADA) as she tries to maintain the façade of a perfectly normal life. But when the mysterious substitute teacher Tono (Taiga KYOMOTO) arrives at school accompanied by a sinister presence, Hana starts acting dangerously out of character, and Miko can no longer ignore the malevolent forces closing in around her. Based on Tomoki IZUMI’s beloved manga series, Yoshihiro NAKAMURA's unique take on the J-horror genre promises warmth, humour and spine-tingling shenanigans!

JFF26 We are Aliens

Resoundingly well-received at Cannes' Directors' Fortnight, writer-director Kōhei KADOWAKI's ravishing animated feature follows two boys whose close-knit childhood friendship is shattered by a single careless moment - one that changes the course of their lives. In a quiet Japanese town, awkward third-grader Tsubasa (Ryōta BANDO) struggles to connect with his classmates, until the gregarious Gyōtarō (Amane OKAYAMA) takes him under his wing. The two quickly become inseparable. But an unforeseen event drives a wedge between them and destabilises the whole classroom's social order, setting off consequences that trail both boys through adolescence and well into adulthood. Rendered in a dreamlike blend of rotoscoped and hand-drawn 2D animation, KADOWAKI's remarkable directorial debut is a bittersweet meditation on lost innocence and the fickleness of memory. Beautifully crafted and viscerally impactful, WE ARE ALIENS is a testament to animation's rare capacity to hold beauty and heartbreak in the same frame.