Suzu Hirose in A Pale View of Hills <\/i>\u00a9 2025 A Pale View of Hills Film Partners<\/p>\n
19TH ANNUAL JAPAN CUTS: FESTIVAL OF NEW JAPANESE<\/b><\/p>\n
FILM HEADLINED BY ACTRESS SUZU HIROSE AND<\/b><\/p>\n
DIRECTOR HIROKAZU KOREEDA<\/b><\/p>\n
North America\u2019s Largest Japanese Film Festival Announces Schedule, <\/b>Featuring Two Weeks of Contemporary Premieres, Special Guests, and <\/b>Restored Classics<\/b><\/p>\n
Festival Welcomes Global Technology Company Canon As Title Sponsor<\/b><\/p>\n
July 8-18, 2026 \u00b7 Japan Society \u00b7 New York, NY<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
New York (June 3, 2026) – Japan Society, a 119-year-old nonprofit dedicated to fostering closer <\/b>ties between the U.S. and Japan, announces the full lineup for the 19th edition of its annual <\/b>contemporary Japanese film festival, <\/b>JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film<\/i><\/b>. The <\/b>annual event is the largest festival of contemporary Japanese cinema in North America, and it will <\/b>take place this year from July 8-18, 2026 with global technology brand Canon joining for the first <\/b>time as title sponsor.<\/b><\/p>\n
JAPAN CUTS Powered by Canon <\/i><\/b>will take place at Japan Society in New York City, showcasing over 30 films across 11 days. This year\u2019s lineup spans five dynamic sections: Feature Slate, NextGeneration, Classics, Documentaries, and New Directions in Japanese Cinema. Among the festival\u2019s lineup are two World Premieres, nine International Premieres, nine North American Premieres, six U.S. Premieres, three East Coast Premiere and two New York Premieres. <\/b><\/p>\n
Leading this year\u2019s guest lineup, <\/b>JAPAN CUTS Powered by Canon<\/strong> <\/i>will honor lauded actress Suzu Hirose with the 2026 CUT ABOVE Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film. Hirose is regarded as one of Japan\u2019s most influential living actresses, and the festival will host the New York Premiere of her latest film, <\/b>A Pale View of Hills<\/i><\/b>, as its Centerpiece Film. Director Kei Ishikawa\u2019s adaptation of Nobel-Prize winning author Kazuo Ishiguro\u2019s debut novel tells a <\/b>sweeping 30-year chronicle of sacrifice and perseverance in the aftermath of World War II. In <\/b>addition, <\/b>JAPAN CUTS<\/i> will present a revival screening of <\/b>Our Little Sister<\/i><\/b> by director Hirokazu Koreeda, Hirose\u2019s breakthrough role. Hirose will make a rare live appearance at both these films.<\/b><\/p>\n JAPAN CUTS Powered by Canon <\/i><\/strong>will then welcome acclaimed director Hirokazu Koreeda in-<\/b>person for the North American Premiere of his latest film, <\/b>Sheep in the Box<\/i><\/b>, as its Closing Night <\/b>Film. Koreeda is one of Japan\u2019s most storied directors, helming works including <\/b>Shoplifters<\/i><\/b>, <\/b>which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and <\/b>Monster<\/i><\/b>, which won Best Screenplay <\/b>at Cannes, as well as internationally beloved films such as <\/b>After Life<\/i>, Still Walking<\/i>, Air Doll<\/i><\/strong>, and <\/b>Like Father, Like Son<\/i><\/strong>. Koreeda will appear at <\/b>JAPAN CUTS<\/i><\/strong>\u2019<\/b> <\/i>Closing Night Screening of his thought-provoking science-fiction parable about a grieving couple who adopt an AI-powered robot <\/b>made in the image of their dead son. <\/b>Sheep in the Box<\/strong> <\/i>had its World Premiere only weeks ago at <\/b>the Cannes Film Festival this year.<\/b><\/p>\n Highlights of this year\u2019s festival include:<\/b><\/p>\n \u25cf Opening Night screening of <\/b>Tokyo Taxi<\/i><\/b> from veteran director Yoji Yamada, selected as <\/b>the Centerpiece Film at last year\u2019s Tokyo International Film Festival, along with U.S. <\/b>Premieres of <\/b>Night Flower <\/i>and SUZUKI=BAKUDAN<\/i><\/strong>, both featuring tour-de-force <\/b>performances honored at this year\u2019s Japanese Academy Awards.<\/b><\/p>\n \u25cf Next Generation competition with a hand-picked selection of independent narrative <\/b>features directed by emerging directors. The festival\u2019s only juried section, Japan Society <\/b>awards the Next Generation Prize presented by VIPO to its most accomplished film as <\/b>determined by a jury of industry professionals. The winning filmmaker will receive $3,000 <\/b>generously donated by VIPO to help fund their next work.<\/b><\/p>\n \u25cf Classics include the 4K World Premieres of two essential Gakuryu (ex-Sogo) Ishii shorts, <\/b>The Master of Shiatsu <\/i>and Shuffle<\/i><\/strong>, and a focus on 50 years of Kadokawa Pictures with a <\/b>new 4K restoration of the Hiroko Yakushimaru media mix hit <\/b>W\u2019s Tragedy <\/i><\/strong>and Haruki <\/b>Kadokawa\u2019s cult film <\/b>Rex: A Dinosaur\u2019s Story<\/i><\/strong>.<\/b><\/p>\n \u25cf Animated premieres of <\/b>The Last Blossom <\/i><\/strong>by Baku Kinoshita of <\/b>Odd Taxi<\/i><\/strong> fame, <\/b>Cocoon<\/i><\/strong>, <\/b>a powerful anti-war anime from Ghibli alum Hitomi Tateno, and<\/b> JUNK WORLD<\/i><\/strong>, an <\/b>outrageous stop-motion marvel from Takahide Hori.<\/b><\/p>\n \u25cf Major League Baseball legend Masanori \u201cMashi\u201d Murakami will attend the New York <\/b>Premiere of the U.S.-Japan baseball documentary <\/b>Diamond Diplomacy <\/i>together with <\/b>director Yuriko Gamo Romer and author Robert Fitts. Mashi was the first Japanese player <\/b>in the MLB, and he\u2019ll participate in a rare autograph signing following the film.<\/b><\/p>\n \u25cf All attendees will have a chance to win a three-night stay in Tokyo. This year\u2019s Audience <\/b>Award is presented by mesm Tokyo, Autograph Collection, and <\/b>JAPAN CUTS<\/i><\/strong> filmgoers <\/b>can enter by casting ballots for their favorite films at this year\u2019s festival. One winner will <\/b>receive a three-night stay at the luxury waterfront mesm Tokyo hotel.<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cNearly two decades ago, <\/b>JAPAN CUTS<\/strong> <\/i>began with a simple belief: that Japanese storytellers <\/b>deserved a bigger stage in America,\u201d said Joshua W. Walker Ph.D, President & CEO of Japan <\/b>Society. \u201cFrom the global stage of New York, Japan Society has helped champion a generation <\/b>of filmmakers whose work has transformed Japanese cinema into a worldwide cultural force. As <\/b>we celebrate our 19th year, <\/b>JAPAN CUTS<\/i><\/strong> remains both a spotlight and a bridge\u2014honoring the <\/b>iconic directors and actors audiences already love while introducing the next generation of <\/b>creators who will define the future of Japanese film.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n Framing the festival this year is title sponsor Canon U.S.A., Inc. For decades, Canon has been <\/b>an indispensable force in the art of filmmaking, shaping how stories are told on screen across <\/b>every scale of production. In 2008, Canon ignited an indie filmmaking revolution with the launch <\/b>of the EOS 5D Mark II, which was the world’s first full-frame DSLR capable of recording in Full <\/b>HD. This camera was embraced by major studios, low-budget independents, and hobbyists alike. <\/b>Today, Canon remains one of the world’s largest imaging manufacturers, with its Cinema EOS <\/b>ecosystem holding a substantial presence in Hollywood, Japan, India, and Europe, with RF-mount <\/b>cinema systems widely used in documentary and commercial filming. Canon technology has also <\/b>won several industry, academy, and cinematic awards for its sophistication and quality. As <\/b>technology advances, so does Canon\u2019s commitment to the transformative power of cinema and <\/b>empowering artists who create it.<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cCanon has long been committed to the art of visual storytelling, and <\/b>JAPAN CUTS <\/i><\/strong>represents <\/b>the creativity, craftsmanship, and the power of images to connect people across cultures,\u201d said <\/b>Sammy Kobayashi, President and CEO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. \u201cIt is a privilege to bring Canon\u2019s <\/b>support to this extraordinary festival and to celebrate the filmmakers and artists who remind us <\/b>why visual storytelling matters. Fostering cultural exchange and artistic excellence is at the heart <\/b>of Canon’s <\/b>Kyosei<\/strong> <\/i>philosophy, and our partnership with Japan Society is a natural expression of that commitment.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n JAPAN CUTS Powered by Canon <\/i><\/strong>is programmed by Peter Tatara, Director of Film at Japan <\/b>Society, and Alexander Fee, Japan Society\u2019s Film Programmer.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. Festival tickets launch at 12 Noon Eastern Time on June 3 for Japan Society members at japansociety.org\/japancuts.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Tickets on sale to the general public on June 10.<\/b><\/p>\n To learn more about the Japan Society and <\/b>JAPAN CUTS<\/i><\/strong>, visit japansociety.org\/japancuts and follow Japan Society Film on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Letterboxd.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/ins>\n OPENING, CENTERPIECE & CLOSING FILMS<\/b><\/p>\n Opening Night Film<\/b><\/p>\n Tokyo Taxi <\/i><\/b>(East Coast Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300eTOKYO\u30bf\u30af\u30b7\u30fc\u300f (TOKYO takushi)<\/strong><\/p>\n Wednesday, July 8 at 6:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Yoji Yamada, 2025, 103 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Chieko Baisho, Takuya Kimura, Yu Aoi.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n A remake of the French drama <\/b>Driving Madeleine<\/i>, Tokyo Taxi <\/i><\/strong>marks veteran <\/b>Tora-san<\/i><\/strong> director <\/b>and Shochiku stalwart Yoji Yamada\u2019s 91st feature, reuniting him with longtime collaborator Chieko Baisho alongside Takuya Kimura and Yu Aoi for a farewell tour through Tokyo. Opening Night Reception.<\/b><\/p>\n Centerpiece Film<\/b><\/p>\n A Pale View of Hills <\/i><\/b>(New York Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u9060\u3044\u5c71\u306a\u307f\u306e\u5149\u300f (Toi Yamanami no Hikari)<\/strong><\/p>\n Monday, July 13 at 6:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Kei Ishikawa, 2025, 123 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Suzu <\/i>Hirose, Fumi Nikaido, Yoh Yoshida, Camilla Aiko. <\/i><\/strong>Based on Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro\u2019s debut novel, <\/b>A Pale View of Hills <\/i><\/strong>follows <\/b>Etsuko, portrayed stunningly by both Suzu Hirose and Yoh Yoshida across the passage of years, <\/b>as she shares her postwar memories. A story spanning 30 years, it recounts sacrifice, tragedy <\/b>and the stories we tell ourselves to survive. CUT ABOVE Award Ceremony, Q&A with Suzu Hirose, and Centerpiece Reception.<\/b><\/p>\n Closing Film<\/b><\/p>\n Sheep in the Box <\/i><\/b>(North American Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u7bb1\u306e\u4e2d\u306e\u7f8a\u300f Hako no Naka no Hitsuji<\/strong><\/p>\n Saturday, July 18 at 8:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Hirokazu Koreeda, 2026, 126 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With <\/i>Haruka Ayase, Daigo Yamamoto, Rimu Kuwaki.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n Exploring the notion of resurrection through technological means, Hirokazu Koreeda\u2019s <\/b>Sheep in <\/i>the Box<\/i><\/strong> follows a bereaved couple who welcome home an AI-powered robot built in the imageof their dead son, an outlier in Koreeda\u2019s domestic naturalism that remains grounded in his <\/b>enduring concerns. Q&A with Hirokazu Koreeda and Closing Reception.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/ins>\n FEATURE SLATE<\/b><\/p>\n In Alphabetical Order<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n Visit the <\/b>JAPAN CUTS<\/i><\/strong> website for full descriptions of all films:<\/b><\/p>\n japansociety.org\/japancuts<\/b><\/p>\n Burn <\/i><\/b>(East Coast Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u708e\u4e0a\u300f (Enjo)<\/strong><\/p>\n Friday, July 17 at 6:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Makoto Nagahisa, 2026, 103 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With <\/i><\/strong>Nana Mori, Aoi Yamada, Wataru Ichinose.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n Makoto Nagahisa\u2019s bleakly exuberant, pop-art nihilist feature follows Ju-Ju, the stuttering <\/b>daughter of abusive religious zealots who escapes and joins a band of young runaway misfits. <\/b>Far from a haven for the broken, Ju-Ju\u2019s \u201cLost Boys\u201d fantasy turns into an underworld of drugs, <\/b>prostitution and hopelessness\u2014a smoldering powder keg ready to burst.<\/b><\/p>\n Cocoon <\/i><\/b>(North American Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300ecocoon\uff5e\u3042\u308b\u590f\u306e\u5c11\u5973\u305f\u3061\u3088\u308a\uff5e\u300f (cocoon\uff5eAru Natsu no Shojo-Tachi Yori\uff5e)<\/strong><\/p>\n Friday, July 10 at 6:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Yukimitsu Ina, 2025, 60 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Maria <\/i>Abo, Chinatsu Akasaki, Akane Amasawa.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n Animated by Sasayuri, a studio founded by Ghibli alum Hitomi Tateno, <\/b>Cocoon <\/i><\/strong>features the <\/b>profound talents of both veteran and new animators to bring Machiko Kyo\u2019s wartime manga to <\/b>life and shine a light on an often overlooked tragedy\u2014the Himeyuri students, a group of young <\/b>girls compelled to support the Japanese army on Okinawa.<\/b><\/p>\n Ghost of Ueno <\/i><\/b>(International Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u30b4\u30fc\u30b9\u30c8\u30fb\u30aa\u30d6\u30fb\u30a6\u30a8\u30ce\u300f (Gosuto obu Ueno)<\/strong><\/p>\n Sunday, July 12 at 12:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Qi Wang, 2026, 89 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Mugi<\/i><\/strong> <\/i>Kadowaki, Naoto Takenaka. <\/i><\/strong>Set against the hidden precarity of Tokyo\u2019s unhoused communities and the social reality of <\/b>muen-ikotsu<\/i><\/strong>, or \u201cremains without connections,\u201d a young social worker\u2019s search to identify a <\/b>deceased drifter opens into a personal mystery of imagined connection.<\/b><\/p>\n Gosh!! <\/i><\/b>(North American Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300eTHE \u30aa\u30ea\u30d0\u30fc\u306a\u72ac\u3001(Gosh!!) \u3053\u306e\u30e4\u30ed\u30a6 MOVIE\u300f (THE Oriba na Inu, (Gosh!!) Kono Yaro MOVIE)<\/strong><\/p>\n Saturday, July 11 at 9:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Joe Odagiri, 2025, 99 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Sosuke <\/i>Ikematsu, Joe Odagiri, Masatoshi Nagase, Koichi Sato.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n Police officer Ippei Aoba (Sosuke Ikematsu) leads a normal life, except his dog Oliver is a <\/b>womanizing middle-aged drunk in a dog suit (Joe Odagiri). Together with an all-star ensembleincluding Masatoshi Nagase and Koichi Sato, they lead a wondrously bizarre escapade <\/b>featuring doors across space and time, a town obsessed with takoyaki, a tiny fairy in a box, a <\/b>Bollywood-style dance number, and more. Maybe Aoba doesn\u2019t lead a normal life after all.<\/b><\/p>\n JUNK WORLD <\/i><\/b>(U.S. Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u30b8\u30e3\u30f3\u30af \u30ef\u30fc\u30eb\u30c9\u300f (Janku Warudo)<\/strong><\/p>\n Saturday, July 11 at 7:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Takahide Hori, 2025, 104 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With <\/i>Takahide Hori, Atsuko Miyake, Matsuoka Soshi.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n A prequel to Takahide Hori\u2019s outrageous, word-of-mouth marvel <\/b>JUNK HEAD <\/i>(2017), JUNK <\/i>WORLD <\/i><\/strong>builds upon its predecessor\u2019s absurdist stop-motion biosphere of Giger-esque, <\/b>cenobite-inspired lifeforms, populating its subterranea with a New World\u2019s flora and fauna, <\/b>violent aberrations and grotesque humor.<\/b><\/p>\n Night Flower <\/i><\/b>(U.S. Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u30ca\u30a4\u30c8\u30d5\u30e9\u30ef\u30fc\u300f (Naito Frawa)<\/strong><\/p>\n Thursday, July 16 at 9:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Eiji Uchida, 2025, 124 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Keiko<\/i><\/strong> <\/i>Kitagawa, Misato Morita. <\/i>From acclaimed director Eiji Uchida comes the story of Natsuki (Keiko Kitagawa) and Tamae <\/b>(Misato Morita), two women on the fringes of society who find family in each other. Natsuki fled <\/b>to Tokyo with her children to escape debt. She soon encounters Tamae, a struggling kickboxer, <\/b>and together they sell drugs to Tokyo\u2019s outcasts to survive. Can Natsuki and Tamae be <\/b>criminals by night and lead normal lives by day? Or will all they have be dragged into the <\/b>underworld and their precious found family unravel?<\/b><\/p>\n NUMB <\/i><\/b>(North American Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u3057\u3073\u308c\u300f (Shibire)<\/strong><\/p>\n Saturday, July 18 at 12:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Takuya Uchiyama, 2025, 118 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With <\/i><\/strong>Takumi Kitamura, Rie Miyazawa, Masatoshi Nagase<\/strong>. <\/i><\/p>\n Daichi (Takumi Kitamura) is a boy who lost his voice because of his father\u2019s violence. Growing <\/b>up in isolation and poverty, he witnesses a transitory Japan seldom seen by the outside world. <\/b>Facing hardship after hardship across his adolescence only leaves Daichi perpetually more <\/b>numb, and he can do nothing but watch as the few he cares about are hurt by those who are <\/b>supposed to support them. Can Daichi break free or will he now scar others?<\/b><\/p>\n Rewrite <\/i><\/b>(U.S. Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u30ea\u30e9\u30a4\u30c8\u300f (Riraito)<\/strong><\/p>\n Sunday, July 12 at 2:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Daigo Matsui, 2025, 127 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Elaiza <\/i>Ikeda, Kei Adachi, Ai Hashimoto.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n The Girl Who Leapt Through Time <\/i>is a classic of Japanese literature, one that has influenced a <\/strong>whole genre of \u201ctime leap\u201d stories.<\/b> Rewrite<\/strong> <\/i>is a homage to this classic, but all is not as it <\/b>appears. Transfer student Yasuhiko (Kei Adachi) is a boy from 300 years in the future who <\/b>comes to visit the past after falling in love with a novel he read. When Yasuhiko shares his <\/b>secret with Miyuki (Elaiza Ikeda), she comes to learn from her future self that she must pen this <\/b>very book and spends the next 10 years writing the novel to complete the time loop. However,Yasuhiko didn\u2019t tell Miyuki the whole story. Charming, funny, and unexpected,<\/b> Rewrite <\/i><\/strong>is a <\/b>delightful reinvention that turns tropes on their head.<\/b><\/p>\n SAI: disaster <\/i><\/b>(U.S. Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u707d \u5287\u5834\u7248\u300f (Sai Gekijoban)<\/strong><\/p>\n Saturday, July 11 at 2:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Yutaro Seki, Kentaro Hirase, 2025, 128 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English <\/i><\/strong>subtitles. With Teruyuki Kagawa, Anne Nakamura, Pistol Takehara<\/strong>. <\/i>Four individuals, unrelated and living in entirely different regions of the country, face a nameless <\/b>man existing on their peripheries whose appearance leaves only death in his wake. Operating at <\/b>a terrifying register, <\/b>SAI: disaster<\/strong> <\/i>presupposes life\u2019s many tragedies as part of the natural <\/b>order\u2014mere \u201cacts of God\u201d heralded by a harbinger of chaos.<\/b><\/p>\n Sato and Sato <\/i><\/b>(North American Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u4f50\u85e4\u3055\u3093\u3068\u4f50\u85e4\u3055\u3093\u300f (Sato-san to Sato-san)<\/strong><\/p>\n Sunday, July 12 at 5:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Chihiro Amano, 2025, 114 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Yukino <\/i>Kishii, Hio Miyazawa, Sakura Fujiwara, Nozomi Sasaki.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n Cutting across 15 years of a couple\u2019s lives, Chihiro Amano\u2019s <\/b>Sato and Sato <\/i><\/strong>details the <\/b>unraveling of a marriage. Sachi Sato (Yukino Kishii) and Tamotsu Sato (Hio Miyazawa) meet in <\/b>college and begin a life together until their early career plans are upended. Amano\u2019s empathetic <\/b>treatise is a frank and intimate study of life\u2019s great disappointments: the unkept promise of a life <\/b>together.<\/b><\/p>\n SUZUKI=BAKUDAN <\/i><\/b>(U.S. Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u7206\u5f3e\u300f (Bakudan)<\/strong><\/p>\n Saturday, July 18 at 5:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Akira Nagai, 2025, 137 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Yuki <\/i>Yamada, Atsuro Watabe, Jiro Sato.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n Based on a bestselling novel, <\/b>SUZUKI=BAKUDAN<\/i><\/strong> is a big budget blockbuster centered around <\/b>Tagosaku Suzuki (Jiro Sato), a mysterious man who claims to see the future. After successfully <\/b>predicting a bomb will go off in Tokyo, Suzuki leads the police in a game of wits\u2014they must <\/b>solve his riddles to stop further explosions. While police fan out over the city, a young detective <\/b>(Yuki Yamada) challenges Suzuki to uncover the truth behind his predictions.<\/b><\/p>\n SUZUKI=BAKUDAN <\/i><\/b>(U.S. Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u7206\u5f3e\u300f (Bakudan)<\/strong><\/p>\n Saturday, July 18 at 5:00 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Akira Nagai, 2025, 137 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Yuki <\/i>Yamada, Atsuro Watabe, Jiro Sato.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n Based on a bestselling novel, <\/b>SUZUKI=BAKUDAN<\/i><\/strong> is a big budget blockbuster centered around <\/b>Tagosaku Suzuki (Jiro Sato), a mysterious man who claims to see the future. After successfully <\/b>predicting a bomb will go off in Tokyo, Suzuki leads the police in a game of wits\u2014they must <\/b>solve his riddles to stop further explosions. While police fan out over the city, a young detective <\/b>(Yuki Yamada) challenges Suzuki to uncover the truth behind his predictions.<\/b><\/p>\n The Last Blossom <\/i><\/b>(U.S. Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300e\u30db\u30a6\u30bb\u30f3\u30ab\u300f (Housenka)<\/strong><\/p>\n Friday, July 10 at 7:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Baku Kinoshita, 2025, 90 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Kaoru<\/i><\/strong> <\/i>Kobayashi, Junki Tozuka, Hikari Mitsushima, Yoshiko Miyazaki, Pierre Taki, Natsuki Hanae.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n From director Baku Kinoshita, best known for the anime series <\/b>Odd Taxi<\/i><\/strong>, comes a tear-jerking <\/b>tale of love, redemption, and a talking plant. An elderly prisoner serving a life sentence awaits a <\/b>lonely death\u2014until a voice calls out. A talking flower asks the inmate about his life, and the two <\/b>reflect on the good intentions that led him to a life of crime, the people he cared about, and that <\/b>maybe\u2014just maybe\u2014these people can still blossom.<\/b><\/p>\n Tiger <\/i><\/b>(East Coast Premiere)<\/b><\/p>\n \u300eTIGER\u300f<\/strong><\/p>\n Friday, July 17 at 8:30 PM<\/b><\/p>\n Dir. Anshul Chauhan, 2025, 126 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With <\/i>Takashi Kawaguchi, Maho Nonami, Kenzo Shirahama.<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n Inspired by real-life experiences, director Anshul Chauhan\u2019s socially-conscious fourth feature <\/b>