\u00a9Courtesy of Japan Society, \u00a9 2024 “CLOUD” FILM PARTNERS<\/i><\/p>\n
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/b><\/p>\n
JAPAN SOCIETY ANNOUNCES THE 18TH ANNUAL JAPAN CUTS: <\/b>FESTIVAL OF NEW JAPANESE FILM <\/b>POWERED BY GU. <\/b><\/p>\n
North America\u2019s Largest Japanese Film Festival Returns With Two Weeks <\/b>of Contemporary Premieres, Featuring Acclaimed Director Kiyoshi <\/b>Kurosawa and Rising Star Yuumi Kawai<\/b><\/p>\n
July 10\u201320, 2025 \u00b7 Japan Society \u00b7 New York, NY<\/b><\/p>\n
\u00a9 2024 “CLOUD” FILM PARTNERS<\/i><\/p>\n
New York (June 3, 2025)<\/b>\u2014Japan Society, a 118-year-old nonprofit dedicated to fostering closer ties between the U.S. and Japan, announces the full lineup for the 18th edition of its annual contemporary Japanese film festival, JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film<\/i><\/b>.<\/p>\n
The largest festival of contemporary Japanese cinema in North America, JAPAN CUTS<\/i> returns this year from July 10 – 20, 2025<\/b> with Japanese fashion brand GU presented for the first time as its title sponsor.JAPAN CUTS Powered by GU <\/i><\/b>will take place at Japan Society in New York City, showcasing 30 films over 11 days. This year\u2019s lineup spans four dynamic sections: Feature Slate, Next<\/p>\n
Generation, Classics and Short Films. Among the festival\u2019s lineup are 3 World Premieres, 1 International Premiere, 9 North American Premieres, 5 U.S. Premieres, 1 East Coast Premiere and 8 New York Premieres. The festival will also welcome major actors, directors and special guests and host four lively parties throughout its run.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re deeply proud to celebrate Japanese film in the heart of New York City,\u201d says Peter Tatara<\/b>, Director of Film at Japan Society, who organized this year\u2019s festival with Japan Society Film, Programmer Alexander Fee<\/b>. \u201cEach year, JAPAN CUTS <\/i>presents a look into the contemporary. Japanese cinema scene, spotlighting both major award-winners as well as rising stars, and we hope this festival helps build bridges between film lovers in New York and filmmakers in Japan\u2014and more broadly between our two countries\u2014with film a tremendous snapshot into modern Japan\u2019s culture, values and soul.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leading this year\u2019s guest lineup, JAPAN CUTS<\/i> will honor legendary filmmaker Kiyoshi <\/b>Kurosawa<\/b> with the 2025 CUT ABOVE Award<\/b> for Outstanding Achievement in Film<\/b>. Widely regarded as one of Japan\u2019s most influential living directors, Kurosawa is known for such modern classics as <\/b>Tokyo Sonata<\/i><\/b>, Cure<\/i><\/b> and Pulse<\/i><\/b>. The festival will host premieres of his latest films\u2014the psychological thriller Cloud<\/i><\/b> and Serpent\u2019s Path<\/i><\/b>, a bold reimagining of Kurosawa\u2019s own 1998 original. In addition, JAPAN CUTS<\/i> will present a rare 35mm revival of License to Live<\/i><\/b>, along with the North American Premiere of the original Serpent\u2019s Path<\/i><\/b>\u2019s <\/i>4K restoration.<\/p>\n
JAPAN CUTS Powered by GU<\/i> is further honored to welcome acclaimed actress Yuumi Kawai<\/b>. This year\u2019s Best Actress winner at the Japan Academy Film Prize\u2014the country\u2019s equivalent to the Oscars\u2014Kawai earned the award for her gripping performance in A Girl Named Ann<\/i><\/b>, a harrowing portrait of a young woman navigating life on the margins of Japanese society. Kawai will attend the North American Premiere of A Girl Named Ann<\/i><\/b>, as well as the U.S. Premiere of She Taught Me Serendipity<\/i><\/b>, the latest feature from JAPAN CUTS<\/i> favorite Akiko Ohku<\/b>, co-starring Riku Hagiwara<\/b>. The festival will also present the New York Premiere of Teki Cometh<\/i><\/b>, which swept last year\u2019s Tokyo International Film Festival, winning Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor\u2014and also features a standout performance by Kawai. Highlights of this year\u2019s festival include:<\/p>\n<\/ins>\n \u25cf Next Generation<\/b> competition with a hand-picked selection of independent narrative features directed by emerging directors. The festival\u2019s only juried section, Japan Society awards the Obayashi Prize <\/b>to its most accomplished film as determined by a jury of industry professionals.<\/p>\n \u25cf SHORT CUTS <\/b>which explores narrative, documentary and experimental short-length films, including Tree of Sinners<\/i><\/b>, a dark Taisho fable from husband and wife team Rii Ishigara and Hiroyuki Onogawa, and I Am Not Invisible<\/i><\/b>, winner of the Grand Prize at this past year\u2019s PIA Film Festival.<\/p>\n \u25cf Classics <\/b>with three canonical works of independent cinema. The festival will present a rare 35mm screening of Kiyoshi Kurosawa\u2019s classic License to Live<\/i><\/b> <\/i>and the 4K Premiereof his original Serpent’s Path<\/i><\/b>. Further, JAPAN CUTS <\/i>will present the International Premiere of a new 4K restoration of Love Letter <\/i><\/b>for its 30th anniversary, Shunji Iwai\u2019slyrical debut.<\/p>\n \u25cf Pop culture hits including A Samurai in Time<\/i><\/b>, a breakthrough independent movie which won Best Film at the Japan Academy Film Prize; Blazing Fists <\/i><\/b>from genre icon Takashi <\/b>Miike<\/b>; The Gesuidouz <\/i><\/b>from punk director Kenichi Ugana<\/b>; Kowloon Generic Romance <\/i><\/b>based on a beloved manga from Jun Mayuzuki<\/b>; and the grim science fiction film The <\/i><\/b>Real You<\/i><\/b> <\/b>based on a novel by Keiichiro Hirano<\/b>, with a live introduction from the award-winning author.<\/p>\n \u25cf A Closing Night shochu reception following the World Premiere of The Spirit of Japan<\/i><\/b>, a documentary by Joseph Overbey <\/b>about one of the last remaining traditional shochu distillers in Japan. Overbey will participate in a Q&A and join in a reception featuring shochu from Yamatozakura Distillery, the focus of the film.<\/p>\n \u25cf Plus, a secret Opening Night film<\/b> to be revealed in a follow up announcement later this month. Framing the festival this year is title sponsor GU. Fashion brand GU launched in 2006 as a sister label to UNIQLO under the Fast Retailing Group. With approximately 480 stores across Japan and Asia\u2014and a newly opened flagship in New York City at 578 Broadway and its online store which delivers products nationwide\u2014GU brings Japanese trend-forward fashion with a touch of<\/p>\n Tokyo. Throughout JAPAN CUTS<\/i>, GU will share its latest fashion with festival goers, and the festival itself will be spotlighted in GU\u2019s flagship store.<\/p>\n All films will be screened at Japan Society (333 East 47th St., New York, NY 10017) and presented in Japanese with English subtitles unless otherwise noted. To learn more about the Japan Society and JAPAN CUTS<\/i>, visit japansociety.org\/japancuts and<\/p>\n follow Japan Society Film on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Letterboxd.<\/p>\n CENTERPIECE & CLOSING FILMS<\/b><\/p>\n Opening Film<\/b><\/p>\n Secret Opening Night Film<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Thursday, July 10 at 6:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Details to be announced later this month<\/i><\/p>\n Centerpiece Film<\/b>Cloud <\/i><\/b>(New York Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u30af\u30e9\u30a6\u30c9\u300f(Kuraudo)<\/p>\n Wednesday, July 16 at 6:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 2024, 124 min, DCP, Color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With <\/i>Masaki Suda, Kotone Furukawa, Amane Okayama.<\/i><\/p>\n Kiyoshi Kurosawa\u2019s third film in a prolific year, following the creative spurt of Chime <\/i>and Serpent\u2019s <\/i>Path<\/i>, shapes up to be a slow-burn techno-thriller that takes aim at the internet\u2019s amplifying nature to radicalize the pettiest of grievances into real-world danger. CUT ABOVE Award Ceremony,<\/b><\/p>\n Q&A with Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Centerpiece Reception.<\/b><\/p>\n Closing Film<\/b><\/p>\n The Spirit of Japan <\/i><\/b>(World Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300eThe Spirit of Japan\u300f<\/p>\n Sunday, July 20 at 5:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Joseph Overbey, 2024, 48 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Tekkan <\/i>Wakamatsu, Kazunari Wakamatsu, Ranko Wakamatsu.<\/i><\/p>\n The story of the Wakamatsu family, who have been distilling sweet potato shochu by hand at their Yamatozakura Distillery in Kagoshima Prefecture since the 1850s. The Spirit of Japan<\/i> offers a rarified look inside shochu production, an intimate portrait of family succession and an unflinching glimpse into the harsh realities of preserving tradition in the modern world. Q&A with Director <\/b>and Producer, Reception featuring shochu from Yamatozakura Distillery.<\/b><\/p>\n FEATURE SLATE<\/b><\/p>\n In Alphabetical Order<\/i><\/p>\n Visit the JAPAN CUTS<\/i> website for full descriptions of all films:<\/p>\n japansociety.org\/japancuts<\/p>\n Blazing Fists <\/i><\/b>(U.S. Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300eBLUE FIGHT \u84bc\u304d\u82e5\u8005\u305f\u3061\u306e\u30d6\u30ec\u30a4\u30ad\u30f3\u30b0\u30c0\u30a6\u30f3<\/span>\u300f<\/span> (BLUE FIGHT Aoki Wakamono-Tachi<\/b><\/p>\n No Bureikingudaun)<\/b><\/p>\n Friday, July 19 at 8:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Takashi Miike, 2025, 119 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Danhi <\/i>Kinoshita, Kaname Yoshizawa, Gackt, Anna Tsuchiya.<\/i><\/p>\n From iconoclastic director Takashi Miike and with a cast including pop stars Gackt and Anna Tsuchiya, Blazing Fists <\/i>is the story of two men in a juvenile reformatory determined to redeem themselves through a fighting tournament, told with exuberant outbursts of Miike\u2019s hallmark action, humor and violence.<\/p>\n Cloud <\/i><\/b>(New York Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u30af\u30e9\u30a6\u30c9\u300f(Kuraudo)<\/p>\n Wednesday, July 16 at 6:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 2024, 124 min, DCP, Color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With<\/i><\/p>\n Masaki Suda, Kotone Furukawa, Amane Okayama. <\/i>Kiyoshi Kurosawa\u2019s third film in a prolific year, following the creative spurt of Chime <\/i>and Serpent\u2019s<\/i><\/p>\n Path<\/i>, shapes up to be a slow-burn techno-thriller that takes aim at the internet\u2019s amplifying natureto radicalize the pettiest of grievances into real-world danger. CUT ABOVE Award Ceremony, <\/b>Q&A with Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Reception.<\/b><\/p>\n The Gesuidouz <\/i><\/b>(U.S. Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u30b6 \u30b2\u30b9\u30a4\u30c9\u30a6\u30ba\u300f (Za Gesuidouz)<\/p>\n Friday, July 11 at 9:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Kenichi Ugana, 2024, 94 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Natsuko, <\/i>Leo Imamura, Yutaka Kyan, Rocko Zevenbergen, Yuya Endo.<\/i><\/p>\n Musician Hanako believes she has one year left to live and embarks with her horror-themed punk band on a quest to write the world\u2019s best punk song\u2026 in a rural farming village. An offbeat, delightful and deadpan musical comedy from cult filmmaker Kenichi Ugana.<\/p>\n A Girl Named Ann <\/i><\/b>(North American Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u3042\u3093\u306e\u3053\u3068\u300f (An No Koto)<\/p>\n Sunday, July 13 at 5:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Yu Irie, 2024, 113 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Yuumi Kawai, <\/i>Jiro Sato, Goro Inagaki.<\/i><\/p>\n Yuumi Kawai won Best Actress at this year\u2019s Japan Academy Film Prize for her stunning performance in A Girl Named Ann<\/i>, the story of a teenage dropout attempting to rebuild her life amid a world which sees her as only garbage. Written and directed by the lauded Yu Irie and inspired by a painfully true story. Q&A with Yuumi Kawai.<\/b><\/p>\n Gridman Universe <\/i><\/b>(North American Theatrical Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e<\/span>\u30b0\u30ea\u30c3\u30c9\u30de\u30f3 \u30e6\u30cb\u30d0\u30fc\u30b9<\/span>\u300f<\/span> (Guriddoman Yunibasu)<\/b><\/p>\n Sunday, July 20 at 12:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Akira Amemiya, 2023, 118 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Hikaru <\/i>Midorikawa, Yuya Hirose, Yume Miyamoto, Soma Saito, Junya Enoki. <\/i>Studio Trigger, one of the most explosive anime studios in Japan, reimagines Tsuburaya Productions\u2019 classic tokusatsu series Gridman: The Hyper Agent<\/i> in an all-new big screen spectacle celebrating the tokusatsu <\/i>and kaiju <\/i>genres and injecting them with their trademark over the-top, stylish action.<\/p>\n Kaiju Guy! <\/i><\/b>(North American Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e \u602a\u7363\u30e4\u30ed\u30a6\uff01<\/span>\u300f<\/span> (Kaiju Yaro!)<\/b><\/p>\n Sunday, July 20 at 3:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Junichiro Yagi, 2024, 80 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Gumpy. <\/i>Ichiro Yamada (Japanese comedian Gumpy) is ordered to produce a \u201clocal movie\u201d to increase tourism in his sleepy city. However, Yamada proposes something else\u2014a local kaiju <\/i>movie. A delightful, heartfelt and rewarding comedy, Kaiju Guy! <\/i>will make you roar.<\/p>\n Kowloon Generic Romance <\/i><\/b>(World Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u4e5d\u9f8d\u30b8\u30a7\u30cd\u30ea\u30c3\u30af\u30ed\u30de\u30f3\u30b9<\/span>\u300f<\/span>(Kuron Jenerikku Romansu)<\/b><\/p>\n Sunday, July 13 at 12:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Chihiro Ikeda, 2025, 120 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Riho <\/i>Yoshioka, Koshi Mizukami. <\/i>Reiko (Riho Yoshioka) works at a real estate agency in the Kowloon Walled City. As she starts to develop feelings for a coworker, her budding emotions surface long-forgotten memories and soonyesterday and tomorrow swirl in a world of perpetual nostalgia as Jun Mayuzuki\u2019s acclaimed science fiction romance manga comes to life.<\/p>\n My Sunshine <\/i><\/b>(New York Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u307c\u304f\u306e\u304a\u65e5\u3055\u307e\u300f (<\/span> Boku No Ohisama)<\/b><\/p>\n Saturday, July 19 at 2:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Hiroshi Okuyama, 2024, 90 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Sosuke <\/i>Ikematsu, Keitatsu Koshiyama, Kiara Nakanishi. <\/i>An aching film about an adolescent ice-dancing duo that captivates with a wistfulness for the wonders and pain of young love\u2014and at the same time confronts the deeper subjects of Japan\u2019s attitudes towards masculinity and homosexuality.<\/p>\n The Real You <\/i><\/b>(North American Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u672c\u5fc3\u300f(Honshin)<\/p>\n Friday, July 11 at 6:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Yuya Ishii, 2024, 122 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Sosuke <\/i>Ikematsu, Ayaka Miyoshi, Koshi Mizukami, Taiga Nakano. <\/i>Based on a novel by the Akutagawa-Prize winning Keiichiro Hirano. Following the death of his mother, Sakuya Ishikawa (Sosuke Ikematsu) creates a \u201cVirtual Figure\u201d from her memories in a dark science fiction mystery injected with the same sharp satire as Black Mirror<\/i>. Featuring an <\/b>introduction by author Keiichiro Hirano, followed by a book signing.<\/b><\/p>\n A Samurai in Time <\/i><\/b>(New York Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u4f8d\u30bf\u30a4\u30e0\u30b9\u30ea\u30c3\u30d1\u30fc\u300f (Samurai Taimusurippa)<\/p>\n Monday, July 14 at 8:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Junichi Yasuda, 2024, 131 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Makiya <\/i>Yamaguchi, Norimasa Fuke, Yuno Sakura.<\/i><\/p>\n At the end of the Edo period, a flash of lightning sends a samurai into the present day. The biggest Japanese indie phenomenon since One Cut of the Dead<\/i>, this low budget film was initially shown in only one theater, but through word-of-mouth grew into a sensation and ultimately took home.<\/p>\n Best Film at this year\u2019s Japan Academy Film Prize.<\/p>\n Serpent’s Path (2024)<\/i><\/b> (East Coast Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u86c7\u306e\u9053\u300f (Hebi No Michi)<\/p>\n Thursday, July 17 at 6:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 2024, 113 min, DCP, Color, in French with English subtitles. With Ko<\/i><\/p>\n Shibasaki, Damien Bonnard, Mathieu Amalric, Hidetoshi Nishijima.<\/i><\/p>\n A higher budget remake of Kurosawa\u2019s 1998 straight-to-video effort, Serpent\u2019s Path <\/i>is a fascinating variation on the original, supplanting Tokyo for the overcast banlieues of Paris. Eerily echoing its predecessor in its snaking narrative, Kurosawa\u2019s psychological experiment explores the haunting obsession of a man subsumed by the desire for retribution after his daughter is killed.<\/b><\/p>\n Q&A with Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa.<\/b><\/p>\n She Taught Me Serendipity <\/i><\/b>(U.S. Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u4eca\u65e5\u306e\u7a7a\u304c\u4e00\u756a\u597d\u304d\u3001\u3068\u307e\u3060\u8a00\u3048\u306a\u3044\u50d5\u306f\u300f(Kyo No Sora Ga Ichiban Suki, To Mada Ienai<\/p>\n Boku Wa)<\/p>\n Saturday, July 12 at 6:30 PM<\/b>Dir. Akiko Ohku, 2025, 127 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Riku <\/i>Hagiwara, Yuumi Kawai, Aoi Ito, Kodai Kurosaki.<\/i><\/p>\n JAPAN CUTS<\/i>\u2019 favorite Akiko Ohku explores the life of college student Konishi who forms a unique bond with classmate Hana (Yuumi Kawai). Sensory and sonically attuned, She Taught Me <\/i>Serendipity<\/i> inventively constructs an approximation of Konishi\u2019s psyche, and shines in its open- hearted confessions, soul-baring and poignant in their nature. Q&A with Yuumi Kawai, followed <\/b>by a Reception.<\/b><\/p>\n Teki Cometh<\/i><\/b> (New York Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e<\/span>\u6575<\/span>\u300f <\/span>(Teki)<\/b><\/p>\n Monday, July 14 at 6:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Daihachi Yoshida, 2024, 108 min., DCP, black and white, in Japanese with English subtitles. <\/i>With Kyozo Nagatsuka, Kumi Takiuchi, Yuumi Kawai, Asuka Kurosawa.<\/i><\/p>\n A retired college professor lives a quiet life alone, until one day he finds a post on the internet about an approaching \u201cenemy\u201d and the world around him begins to melt into paranoia, dream, delusion and fantasy. Widely praised in Japan, Teki Cometh <\/i>won Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor at last year\u2019s Tokyo International Film Festival.<\/p>\n Yasuko, Songs of Days Past <\/i><\/b>(North American Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u3086\u304d\u3066\u304b\u3078\u3089\u306c\u300f (Yuki Teka Heranu)<\/p>\n Saturday, July 12 at 3:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Kichitaro Negishi, 2025, 128 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Suzu <\/i>Hirose, Taisei Kido, Masaki Okada. Screenplay by Yozo Tanaka.<\/i><\/p>\n A resplendent Taisho-set historical drama penned by Seijun Suzuki scribe Yozo Tanaka (Zigeunerweisen<\/i>) and directed by 80s auteur Kichitaro Negishi, Yasuko <\/i>fixates on the tumultuous entwinement of modernist poet Chuya Nakahara, aspiring actress Yasuko Hasegawa and literary critic Hideo Kobayashi.<\/p>\n NEXT GENERATION<\/b><\/p>\n In Alphabetical Order<\/i><\/p>\n This sole competitive section of the festival features a hand-picked selection of independently produced narrative feature films by emerging directors who offer a glimpse into the future of Japanese cinema. One film within the section\u2014determined as the most accomplished by a jury of film industry professionals\u2014will receive the \u201cObayashi Prize\u201d in honor of the late filmmaker<\/p>\n Nobuhiko Obayashi (1938-2020).<\/p>\n Michiyuki – Voices of Time <\/i><\/b>(World Premiere of Final Version)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u9053\u884c\u304d\u300f(Michiyuki)<\/p>\n Sunday, July 13 at 3:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Hiromichi Nakao, 2024, DCP, b&w, 79 min., in Japanese with English subtitles. With Daichi<\/i><\/p>\n Watanabe, Kanjuro Kiritake, Hiromichi Hosoba.<\/i><\/p>\n Moving into an old house in the rural countryside, videographer Komai converses with its former owner Umemoto, drawing from personal memories to discuss histories, cartographies and the passage of time, reflecting upon the changing tides of tradition and progress within generational spans of the town\u2019s history.See You Tomorrow <\/i><\/b>(North American Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u307b\u306a\u307e\u305f\u660e\u65e5\u300f(<\/span>Hona Mata Ashita)<\/b><\/p>\n Tuesday, July 15 at 8:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Saki Michimoto, 2024, 99 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Makoto <\/i>Tanaka, Ryota Matsuda, Risa Shigematsu.<\/i><\/p>\n A gentle coming-of-age drama, Saki Michimoto\u2019s slice-of-life debut involves itself in the life of gifted art school photographer Nao as she decisively steers herself to her dreams, facing the hard choice of leaving behind the familiar.<\/p>\n Promised Land <\/i><\/b>(New York Theatrical Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u30d7\u30ed\u30df\u30b9\u30c8\u30fb\u30e9\u30f3\u30c9\u300f (Puromisuto Rando)<\/p>\n Saturday, July 19 at 12:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Masashi Iijima, 2023, 89 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Rairu <\/i>Sugita, Kantaro.<\/i><\/p>\n Masashi Iijima\u2019s feature film directorial debut follows two matagi <\/i>(traditional Japanese hunters) as they embark on a bear hunt in secret, preserving their custom despite a governmental ban. Told through long shots and minimal dialogue, this austere film allows the audience ample time to reflect on the conflict between tradition and progress in its wide stretches of silence amid snowy mountain vistas.<\/p>\n So Beautiful, Wonderful and Lovely <\/i><\/b>(North American Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u7d20\u6575\u3059\u304e\u3066\u7d20\u6575\u3059\u304e\u3066\u7d20\u6575\u3059\u304e\u308b\u300f (<\/span>Sutekisugite Sutekisugite Sutekisugiru)<\/b><\/p>\n Saturday, July 19 at 4:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Megumi Okawara, 2025, 67 min, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Megumi <\/i>Okawara, Shin Namura, Naoko Miya. <\/i><\/p>\n Imbued with a sense of real youthful energy, So Beautiful, Wonderful and Lovely <\/i>is <\/b>a frenetic display of heartbreak filled with whimsical leanings, overflowing with creative ambition. Q&A with<\/b><\/p>\n Director Megumi Okawara.<\/b><\/p>\n CLASSICS<\/b><\/p>\n In Alphabetical Order<\/i><\/p>\n License to Live<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u30cb\u30f3\u30b2\u30f3\u5408\u683c\u300f(Ningen Gokaku)<\/p>\n Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 1998, 109 min, Archival 35mm, Color, in Japanese with English subtitles. <\/i>With Hidetoshi Nishijima, Koji Yakusho, Shun Sugata.<\/i><\/p>\n Thursday, July 17 at 9:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Kiyoshi Kurosawa\u2019s fascinating 1998 reconstruction of Sam Peckinpah\u2019s The Ballad of Cable <\/i>Hogue <\/i>lifts the film\u2019s framework to chronicle a man\u2019s life (Drive My Car<\/i>\u2019s Hidetoshi Nishijima) after waking up from a 10-year coma. Irreverent, comic and heartfelt, License to Live <\/i>constitutes an early show of Kurosawa\u2019s remarkable adaptability and versatile range.<\/p>\n Love Letter <\/i><\/b>(International Premiere of 4K Restoration)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300eLove Letter\u300f<\/p>\n Saturday, July 19 at 6:30 PM<\/b>Dir. Shunji Iwai, 1995, 117 min., DCP, Color. With Miho Nakayama, Etsushi Toyokawa, Miki <\/i>Sakai, Takashi Kashiwabara.<\/i><\/p>\n Iwai’s achingly bittersweet epistolary breakthrough evokes an intoxicating romanticism of lost love, recollection and grief\u2014all amid a picturesque setting in the blanche wintertide of Otaru. Beloved throughout Asia, Love Letter <\/i>would capture the hearts of an entire generation, swept over by its sincerity and the late Miho Nakayama\u2019s eternal mountainside cry \u201cO genki desu ka?\u201d<\/p>\n Serpent’s Path (1998) <\/i><\/b>(North American Premiere of 4K Restoration)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u86c7\u306e\u9053\u300f(Hebi No Michi)<\/p>\n Saturday, July 19 at 9:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 1998, 85 min, DCP, Color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Sho <\/i>Aikawa, Teruyuki Kagawa, Yurei Yanagi.<\/i><\/p>\n Kiyoshi Kurosawa\u2019s 1998 V-Cinema production relays the muted horror of obsessive vengeance when a father attempts to avenge his daughter\u2019s brutal murder by kidnapping and torturing a suspected yakuza. A winding descent into a near-fanatical desire to avenge, Serpent\u2019s Path <\/i>bleakly resigns to a goal which becomes ever more obscure.<\/p>\n<\/ins>\n SHORT CUTS<\/b><\/p>\n In Alphabetical Order<\/i><\/p>\n Saturday, July 12 at 12:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n End of Dinosaurs <\/i><\/b>(U.S. Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300eEnd of Dinosaurs\u300f<\/p>\n Dir. Kako Annika Esashi, 2024, 28 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Kako <\/i>Annika Esashi, Shota Imai, Leica Sasafu.<\/i><\/p>\n A young community organizer, a free-spirited girl and a drag queen set out to challenge a dinosaur-ridden town\u2019s attempt at redevelopment. A delightfully quirky and poignant film from Japanese American filmmaker Kako Annika Esashi. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the PIA Film Festival.<\/p>\n Flow <\/i><\/b>(New York Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u30d5\u30ed\u30fc\u300f (Furo)<\/p>\n Dir. Shoko Tamai, 2025, 5 min., DCP, color, in English. With Dandara Amorim Veiga, Niara <\/i>Hardister, Minami Ando, Xiaoxiao Cao, Isaiah Newby, Maxfield Haynes<\/i><\/p>\n The word \u201ctaboo\u201d comes from the French Polynesian word “tapua.” It means sacred blood. Flow <\/i>is an experimental short film that honors the taboo inside every woman, the cycle of the moon and the power of creation. With Director Introduction.<\/b><\/p>\n I Am Not Invisible <\/i><\/b>(U.S. Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Yuki York, 2024, 24 min., DCP, color, in Tagalog, English and Japanese with English subtitles. <\/i><\/p>\n Winner of the 2024 PIA Grand Prize, Yuki York\u2019s self-reflexive documentary is a personal essay, shot in an impoverished district of the Philippines, deemed \u201cinvisible\u201d by York\u2019s on-screen text. Tracing York\u2019s roots, I Am Not Invisible <\/i>asks local residents innocuous questions about their lives to better understand them, in turn offering to better understand York\u2019s own Filipina grandmother.<\/p>\n Tree of Sinners <\/i><\/b>(North American Premiere)<\/b>\u300e\u7f6a<\/span>\u2f08<\/span>\u306e<\/span>\u2f4a<\/span>\u300f<\/span>(Zaininnoki)<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Rii Ishihara and Hiroyuki Onogawa, 2024, 25 min., color, in Japanese with English subtitles. <\/i>With Sumire, Masatoshi Kihara, Ann Nishihara, Rii Ishihara.<\/i><\/p>\n Husband and wife team Rii Ishigara and Hiroyuki Onogawa (composer of August in the Water<\/i>) craft a surreal Taisho fantasy set in a remote mansion, where a maid is forbidden to enter the room of her master\u2019s sick wife. Visually arresting, the pair\u2019s second medium-length work is a beautifully dark fable.<\/p>\n DOCUMENTARY<\/b><\/p>\n In Alphabetical Order<\/i><\/p>\n Japanese Avant-Garde Pioneers <\/i><\/b>(New York Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u65e5\u672c\u524d\u885b\u6d3e\u306e\u958b\u62d3\u8005<\/span>\u300f(Nihon Aen’ei-Ha No Kaitaku-Sha)<\/p>\n Friday, July 18 at 6:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Am\u00e9lie Ravalec, 2024, 100 min., DCP, color, in English and Japanese with English subtitles. <\/i>With Nobuyoshi Araki, Tadanori Yokoo, Keiichi Tanaami.<\/i><\/p>\n Exploring the explosion of postwar radical art in the 1960s and the rise of Japanese avant-garde, Japanese Avant-Garde Pioneers <\/i>is an enthralling glimpse into the outsider art of Japan\u2019s underground movements. Q&A with Director Am\u00e9lie Ravalec.<\/b><\/p>\n The Spirit of Japan <\/i><\/b>(World Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300eThe Spirit of Japan\u300f<\/p>\n Sunday, July 20 at 5:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Joseph Overbey, 2024, 48 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Tekkan <\/i>Wakamatsu, Kazunari Wakamatsu, Ranko Wakamatsu. <\/i><\/p>\n The story of the Wakamatsu family, who have been distilling sweet potato shochu by hand at their Yamatozakura Distillery in Kagoshima Prefecture since the 1850s. With Director & Producer <\/b>Q&A. Followed by a Reception. <\/b>What Should We Have Done? <\/i><\/b>(New York Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u3069\u3046\u3059\u308c\u3070\u3088\u304b\u3063\u305f\u304b?\u300f Dou Sureba Yokattaka?<\/p>\n Tues, July 15 at 6:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Tomoaki Fujino, 2024, 101 min., DCP, color, In Japanese with English subtitles. <\/i>Tomoaki Fujino\u2019s independent sleeper hit documents 20 years of his sister\u2019s life, who after exhibiting signs of schizophrenia in her early 20s, lived on without being treated due to his parents\u2019 denial of her illness. Heartbreaking, What Should We Have Done? <\/i>actively explores and confronts the cultural disparities associated with mental illness in Japan.<\/p>\n TICKETING<\/b><\/p>\n \u25cf Screenings with Receptions: <\/b>$26 Nonmembers \/ $18 Member \/ $23 seniors &<\/p>\n students<\/p>\n \u25cf Screenings with Intros or Q&As: <\/b>$24 Nonmembers \/ $17 Member \/ $22 seniors &<\/p>\n students<\/p>\n \u25cf All Other Screenings: <\/b>$20 Nonmembers \/ $14 Members \/ $18 seniors & students<\/p>\n \u25cf Short Films: <\/b>$10 Nonmembers \/ Free for Members \/ $5 seniors & students<\/p>\n \u25cf All-Access Pass: <\/b>$315 \/ Exclusively for Members<\/p>\n Prices are inclusive of fees, where applicable. All screenings take place in-person at Japan<\/b><\/p>\n Society\u2019s theater, located at 333 East 47th Street in New York, NY.<\/b><\/p>\n Tickets on sale now for Japan Society members at japansociety.org\/japancuts. Tickets on <\/b>sale to the general public on June 10.<\/b><\/p>\n Press Screeners, Official Photos, and Talent Interviews available.<\/b><\/p>\n Press Contact: Andrey & Melissa Public Relations (info@andreyandmelissa.com)<\/b><\/p>\n SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE<\/b><\/p>\n Guest Intro or Q&A *<\/p>\n Post-Screening Reception **<\/p>\n THURSDAY, JULY 10<\/b><\/p>\n Secret – <\/i>6 PM **<\/p>\n FRIDAY, JULY 11<\/b><\/p>\n The Real You – <\/i>6 PM *<\/p>\n The Gesuidouz – 9 PM<\/p>\n SATURDAY, JULY 12<\/b><\/p>\n SHORT CUTS – 12:30 PM *<\/p>\n Yasuko, Songs of Days Past – 3 PM<\/p>\n She Taught Me Serendipity – <\/i>6:30 PM **<\/p>\n SUNDAY, JULY 13<\/b><\/p>\n Kowloon Generic Romance – 12:30 PM<\/p>\n Michiyuki – Voices of Time – 3 PM<\/p>\n A Girl Named Ann – <\/i>5:30 PM *<\/p>\n MONDAY, JULY 14<\/b><\/p>\n Teki Cometh – 6 PM<\/p>\n A Samurai in Time – 8:30 PM<\/p>\n TUESDAY, JULY 15<\/b><\/p>\n What Should We Have Done? – 6 PM<\/p>\n See You Tomorrow – 8:30 PM<\/p>\n WEDNESDAY, JULY 16<\/b><\/p>\n Cloud – <\/i>6 PM **<\/p>\n THURSDAY, JULY 17<\/b><\/p>\n Serpent\u2019s Path (2024) – <\/i>6 PM *<\/p>\n License to Live – <\/i>9:30 PM *<\/p>\n FRIDAY, JULY 18<\/b><\/p>\n Japanese Avant-Garde Pioneers – <\/i>6 PM *<\/p>\n Blazing Fists – 8:30 PM<\/p>\n SATURDAY, JULY 19<\/b><\/p>\n Promised Land – 12:30 PM<\/p>\n My Sunshine – 2:30 PM<\/p>\n So Beautiful, Wonderful and Lovely – <\/i>4:30 PM *<\/p>\n Love Letter – 6:30 PM<\/p>\n Serpent\u2019s Path (1998) – 9 PM<\/p>\n SUNDAY, JULY 20<\/b><\/p>\n Gridman Universe – 12:30 PM<\/p>\n Kaiju Guy! – 3 PM<\/p>\n The Spirit of Japan – <\/i>5:00 PM **<\/p>\n # # #<\/p>\n ABOUT JAPAN SOCIETY<\/b><\/p>\n Japan Society is the premier organization connecting Japanese arts, culture, business and society with audiences in New York and around the world. At Japan Society, we are inspired by the Japanese concept of kizuna <\/i>(\u7d46<\/span>)\u2013forging deep connections to bind people together. We are committed to telling the story of Japan while strengthening connections within New York City and building new bridges beyond. In over 100 years of work, we\u2019ve inspired generations by establishing ourselves as pioneers in supporting international exchanges in arts and culture, business and policy, as well as education between Japan and the U.S. We strive to convene important conversations on topics that bind our two countries together, champion the next generation of innovative creators, promote mutual understanding and serve as a trusted guide for people everywhere who seek to more fully appreciate the rich complexities and abundance ofJapan. From our New York headquarters, a landmark building designed by architect Junzo Yoshimura that opened to the public in 1971, we look forward to the years ahead, which will be defined by our digital and ideational impact through the kizuna <\/i>that we build. Our future can only be enhanced by learning from our peers and engaging with our audiences, both near and far.<\/p>\n<\/ins>\n ABOUT JAPAN CUTS<\/b><\/p>\n Described by The New York Times<\/i> as \u201cmeticulously curated\u201d and \u201can annual highlight of New York\u2019s film calendar,\u201d JAPAN CUTS <\/i>delivers the best\u2014and often hardest-to-find\u2014contemporary films from Japan to New York City. Spanning blockbusters, independent features, anime, documentaries, avant-garde experiments and short films, the festival offers a sweeping survey of the past year in Japanese cinema. Presented by Japan Society, a 118-year-old nonprofit dedicated to deepening ties between the U.S. and Japan, JAPAN CUTS<\/i> stands as one of the organization\u2019s most anticipated and widely attended programs.<\/p>\n ABOUT GU<\/b><\/p>\n GU (pronounced as the letters \u201cG\u201d and \u201cU\u201d) was established in 2006 as a sister brand of UNIQLO and currently operates approximately 480 stores in Asia, mainly in Japan and has e-commerce sites in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan. the Japanese,\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0In 2024, GU expanded to the United States, opening the brand\u2019s first flagship out of Asia in SoHo, New York and its online store. Inspired by word for \u201cFreedom\u201d, GU offers a dynamic range of contemporary apparel designed to meet theevolving tastes of modern consumers. With a focus on value and trend-forward styles, GU aims to provide high-value fashion with a touch of Tokyo. The brand’s collections are characterized by their versatility and cater to various occasions and personal styles.<\/p>\n JAPAN CUTS 2025 is powered by GU.<\/i><\/p>\n JAPAN CUTS is sponsored by the Globus Family. Reception speakers are donated by <\/i>BALMUDA. Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the official Japanese airline <\/i>sponsor of Japan Society Film Program. Housing assistance is provided by the Prince Kitano,<\/i>New York, the official hotel sponsor of Japan Society Film Program. Additional support is provided <\/i>by Sendon and BuyJapon; Japan Village; and Sunrise Mart.<\/i><\/p>\n Japan Society\u2019s 120th anniversary initiatives and related programs are generously supported by <\/i>Champion Sponsor, MUFG Bank, Ltd.; Advocate Sponsor, Mizuho Americas; and Friend <\/i>Sponsor, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas). <\/i>Japan Society programs are supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support <\/i>of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.<\/i><\/p>\n Film programs are generously supported by ORIX Corporation USA, public funds from the New <\/i>York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, Anime NYC and Yen <\/i>Press. Endowment support is provided by the Lila Wallace-Reader\u2019s Digest Endowment Fund <\/i>and The John and Miyoko Davey Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by <\/i>The Globus Family, George P. Hirose, David Toberisky, Joseph Rajaratnam and Dharshini <\/i>Iolanthe Sivakumaran, and other Film Supporters.The Real You is part of Japan Society\u2019s NYC Japanese Literature and supported by a grant from <\/i>the Toshiba International Foundation. The Spirit of Japan is supported by Japan Society\u2019s Food<\/i>events sponsors, BALMUDA and Kik<\/i>koman Corporation.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/ins>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a9Courtesy of Japan Society, \u00a9 2024 “CLOUD” FILM PARTNERS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JAPAN SOCIETY ANNOUNCES THE 18TH ANNUAL JAPAN CUTS: FESTIVAL OF NEW JAPANESE FILM POWERED BY GU. North America\u2019s Largest Japanese Film Festival Returns With Two Weeks of Contemporary Premieres, Featuring Acclaimed Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Rising Star Yuumi Kawai July 10\u201320, 2025 \u00b7…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":30125,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[27218,23580,24047,27220,2861,15488,13819,27219,27217,16474,17304],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n