Japanese Film Festival 2018 in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Khorat and Phuket

The ‘Japanese Film Festival 2018’ will start on Friday 2nd February and will last until Sunday 11th March. This year, the festival will be traveling to four different regions of Thailand, including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Khorat, and Phuket. There will be a total of eleven movies screened during the festival. The ticket prices vary depending on the city: Bangkok is 120 Baht, Chiang Mai is 80 Baht and both Khorat and Phuket will be free. Every movie has English and Thai subtitles.

The Opening Film is “Destiny: Kamakura Story”, a fantasy film from a renowned director, Mr. Takashi Yamazaki, who had directed various award-winning films such as the three episodes of “Always: Sunset on Third Street” and “Stand by Me Doraemon”. And once again, we will get to see his wonderful work in this fantasy film, “Destiny: Kamakura Story”, a film adaptation from Japanese manga about a writer and the magic of Kamakura city. Together with his wife Akiko, he interacts with the demons, spirits, gods, buddhas, and aliens of Kamakura. His acquaintances and friends range from affiliates of the Police to mysterious animals. Adults and children will enjoy this work of mystery as he solves difficult and strange cases with a variety of characters as his side. A long selling and popular comic!

The romantic drama “ReLIFE” relates about the story of 27-year- old Arata Kaizaki who joins the ranks of the unemployed, after an incident causes him to quit his job after only five months. He meets a strange man named Ryo Yoake, who urges him to participate in a social reintegration program called “ReLIFE” that involves taking an experimental drug that will rejuvenate his appearance by 10 years for a period of one year. Thinking he has nothing to lose, Kaizaki reenters high school, where he gradually forms a strong bond with a unique group of classmates including Chizuru Hishiro. Kaizaki finds himself falling in love with Chizuru, but once the one-year experiment expires, he will be erased from her memory.What will become of their love? What future will Kaizaki choose to pursue after ReLIFE?

“Memoirs of a Murderer”,the Japanese remake of the Korean film “Confession of Murder” by Jung Byung-gil, evolves around the a shocking serial murder case of 5 lives gruesomely taken in in 1995. The statute of limitations expired without the killer being apprehended. 22 years later, he resurfaces sensationally at a press conference where he announces the launch of a memoir about the murders he committed. Cameras flash as the killer holds up his book with a daring, charismatic smile. Soon his words and his image are everywhere in the media. His confession entrances, provokes and tricks the whole of the country, but no one can imagine his real intention. And no one knows that his confession is just the beginning of his unfathomable master plan. Tatsuya Fujiwara from “Death Note” and “Battle Royale” play the leading and challenging role in this film.

“Miss Hokusai”,the enchanting animation by Keiichi Hara ( original story by Hianko Sugiura), reveals the life of Katsushika Hokusai one of the most globally famous Japanese artists. His works inspired Monet and Debussy. His Great Wave off Kanagawa is so iconic that it can be seen on t-shirts and coffee mugs all over the world. However, very few are aware of his daughter, and how she contributed to her father’s art. This is the story of O-Ei, Master Hokusai’s daughter; a lively portrayal of a free-spirited, utterly outspoken and highly talented woman unfolding through the changing seasons: “We’re father and daughter; with two brushes and four chopsticks, we’ll get by anywhere.”

“Mumon”,the action drama, is about the warlord, Nobunaga Oda, who is rapidly vanquishing his foes on a quest to unite the country under his rule. However, there is a region even Nobunaga fears which is the Iga Province. Why is he scared of Iga? Iga is the home of Iga-Ninja. Ninja is known as a strong military power and also their inhumanity that they do anything for money. Mumon is lazy, but he is also the best ninja from Iga Province. One day, he kills a ninja from a different family for a reward. Mumon is unaware that his actions will lead to a deadly battle between the ninja crops of Iga Province and Nubukatsu Oda’s crops in Ise.

“Close-Knit”,the heart-warming drama, unfolds the life of Rinko who is a transgender woman with a heart of gold. Her boyfriend Makio was captivated by her heart and accepts her for who she is. And a lonely girl named Tomo suddenly appeared in their life. This is the story of sixty heartwarming days in the life of these three individuals who each find their own happiness amid the blooming cherry blossoms of spring.

Other movies include “Honnouji Hotel,” “ Reflections,” “Survival Family,” “The Long Excuse,”and “Tora-san of Goto.” Click here for a full list of films and more information.

The dates are as follows:

Bangkok (SF World Cinema, CentralWorld) from 2-11 February 2018
Chiang Mai (SFX Cinema, Maya Chiang Mai) from 23 – 25 February 2018
Khorat (SFX Cinema, Central Plaza, Nakhon Ratchasima) from 2-4 March 2018
Phuket (SFX Cinema, Central Festival Phuket) from 9-11 March 2018

More information can be found at their website: http://th.japanesefilmfest.org

One thought on “Japanese Film Festival 2018 in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Khorat and Phuket

  • February 13, 2018 at 6:46 pm
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    The Japanese film festival is over in Bangkok, but still running in other cities. I watched two movies while the festival was in Bangkok:

    1. Miss Hokusai (2015)

    2. Honnouji Hotel (2017)

    I want to recommend both these movies.

    Here are the dates and the places where you can catch them:

    ** Chiang Mai February 23-25

    ** Korat March 2-4

    ** Phuket March 9-11

    Reply

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