Screening Dates : Fri. Dec 3rd – Sun. Dec 5th, 2021
We will have a discussion with the directors
(Jun Hori, Anne Koizumi, Kira Dane)
from 8pm (EST) on Saturday, December 4th
Due to the pandemic this year, the Boston Japan Film Festival will be held online. You need to make a registration.
– Lineup –
– Short films –
In the Shadow of the Pines
(Dir. Anne koizumi, 2020, 8min,Stop-motion animation)
In the Shadow of the Pines is an animated short documentary about a difficult father-daughter relationship. Drawing on childhood memories, Anne Koizumi, the filmmaker, explores her upbringing with her Japanese immigrant dad, who was also the janitor at the elementary school she attended. The film explores the idea of shame and how it can shape and define us while also concealing who we can truly become.
“Horimono: Japan’s Tattoo Pilgrimage”
(Dir. David Caprara, Kira Dane, 2020, 17min, Documentary)
Japan has an uneasy relationship with tattoos, which have come to be associated with organized crime. Living amongst heavy stereotypes, a group of tattooed individuals practice a centuries-old pilgrimage to a mountain shrine, now one of the few places where the traditional full-body tattoo (“horimono”) can be shown and celebrated. Following the events of this never-before-filmed pilgrimage, this short documentary provides a fresh view on the cultural history of Japanese tattoos, and those who continue to choose to get them done.
“NANMIN”
(Dir. Adam Shaw, 2021, 19min, Documentary)
Each year, thousands of refugees from around the world seek asylum in Japan, but only 0.1% of applicants are accepted. Nanmin portrays life as an asylum seeker in Japan, focusing on the secretive migrant detention centers and harsh parole system in interviews with activists, lawyers, and refugees.
“Live or Let Live”
(Dir. Yoko Asano, 2018, 9min, Stop-motion animation)
There’s a pet caterpillar named Larva in my class. I don’t like bugs but Larva is sweet and we become friends. But one day, I am faced with a horrible choice.
“to day plus one”
(Dir. Yumeno Hoshi, 2018, 2min, Animation)
We go to sleep in hopes for a better tomorrow. The moment of truth nears as our eyes slowly open to the new day…
“OFUKU5-Karate Catharsis-“
(Dir. Sayoko Akutsu, 2019, 20min, Drama)
Yoshida wants to become stronger through Karate. Despite seeking his mother’s love, religious disagreements make him stay away form her. Yoshida encounters OFUKU, searching for her lost mother. He realized, in order to get strong, he must “overcome fear and step forward” through OFUKU and Karate.
[Feature Documentary]
“Stand with the Divided”
(Dir. Jun Hori, 2020, 105min, Documentary)
“To find out the truth, we need to break down the subject,” says Jun Hori. In Hong Kong, he meets a young man who stood up to protect human rights, freedom, and democracy. At a refugee camp in Jordan, he finds a girl who wishes to see her father detained in Syria, who -one day- hopes to become a doctor that saves many precious lives. He also makes acquaintance with Ms. Fukaya, a hairdresser, who has neither been allowed to return home due to the Fukushima nuclear accident, nor been able to hold scissors since the earthquake. Meanwhile, Kubota and her son, who have moved from Mito to Okinawa after the earthquake, meet people who oppose the move of the new U.S. Marine Corps base from Futenma to Henoko. By raising her voice, she finds ways she can do to create a better future. Deepening divisions can be seen in many places where social issues loom, in both Japan and overseas. Journalist Jun Hori explores the truth of division by approaching it himself.
