The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre’s 13th annual Toronto Japanese Film Festival will be held from June 6th to 20th at the JCCC’s Kobayashi Hall. The festival has now grown into one of the largest film events of its kind in the world and is recognized by the Japanese film industry as a vital conduit for bringing Japanese film to the world.
TJFF is programmed to reflect the rich diversity of the world 4th largest film industry and the 2024 edition will feature 24 films including the International Premiere of Kosai Sekine’s mystery drama STAY MUM「かくしごと 」starring Anne Watanabe and Eiji Okuda.
North American Premieres include Hayato Kawai’s comic retelling of the 47 Ronin story DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD!「身代わり忠臣蔵 」, Sho Miyake’s gentle tale of friendship amid mental-health struggles, ALL THE LONG NIGHTS「夜明けのすべて」, Yoshiyuki Kishi’s winner of the Audience Award and Best Director at the 36th Tokyo International Film Festival, (AB)NORMAL DESIRE 「正欲」, Toshiro Saiga’s up-beat musical comedy set among the traditional hot-spring inns of the famous Kaga Onsen region, THE DANCING OKAMI「レディ加賀」 and Hiroaki Matsuyama’s light-on-its-feet detective thriller DON'T CALL IT MYSTERY 「ミステリと言う勿れ」.
Among the Canadian Premieres are Mitsuhiro Mihara’s heartwarming foodie flick, TAKANO TOFU「高野豆腐店の春」, 91-year-old master Yoji Yamada’s 90th work MOM, IS THAT YOU?! 「こんにちは、母さん」 and Nobuhiro Yamashita’s feel-good surrealist romantic comedy ONE SECOND AHEAD, ONE SECOND BEHIND 「1秒先の彼」, a remake of Taiwanese hit “My Missing Valentine”.
Also announced is a special edition of Hayao Miyazaki’s Academy Award- winner THE BOY AND THE HERON「君たちはどう生きるか」 featuring an introduction from composer Joe Hisaishi and a drawing session with animation director Takeshi Honda, Keiko Tsuruoka’s heartfelt blend of traditional arts, family conflict and the issue of traditional gender roles, TSUGARU LACQUER GIRL 「バカ塗りの 娘」, and Sokichi Nakara’s inspiring and edge-of-your-seat documentary LIFE IS CLIMBING「ライフ・イズ・クライミング！」 with the director and leads Koichi Kobayashi and Naoya Suzuki (four-time IFSC Para-climbing World Champions) in attendance.
Multi-film passes and individual tickets for all Toronto Japanese Film Festival screenings go on sale May 8. Keep watching www.torontojff.com for further line-up announcements.