A bundle of 23 films featured in JFFLA 2021. Only available in the US.Advance tickets are $40 until October 3rd. Price increases to $60 from October 4th.

What would you do if an "impossible thing" was born between humanoids and humans? Kyoka, who works as a web director in Tokyo, gets a personal care humanoid (PCH) Kai. Kai learns various things about the owner. Kyoka gradually invites Kai to "more emotions as a thing". The two get a new life and meet another PCH owner, Shin. And Kyoka accidentally gets "things that shouldn't be born". How will the two confront the unexpected "change in the world"? This is a story like a warning bell to modern Japanese people who are not good at new things and changes. 今から少し先のおはなし。東京でWEBデザイナーとして働くキョウカは、日常生活を共に送れるヒューマノイド「パーソナル・ケア・ヒューマノイド(通称：PCH)」のカイを手に入れる。キョウカとの会話を重ね、持ち主について徐々に学習していくカイ。キョウカはやがて、カイに「物として以上の感情」を持ち始める。ある月、キョウカとカイは、人間とヒューマノイドの間に命を生みだしてしまう。彼らは人間とヒューマノイド なのだろうか。それとも、女と男になってしまったのだろうか。友人たち、母親、別のPCHオーナーのシンとの対話の中で、キョウカはひとりの人間の女性として、現実と本能の間で揺れ動きながらも、未来を決めてゆく。

12 Months of KAI　12ヶ月のカイ

On average, women menstruate for about 2,535 days in their lifetime - that's almost 7 years in total. Yet, periods remain a tabooed topic in most societies around the world, including Japan."A Bloody Taboo" explores several women's rights topics related to period stigmatization, the tampon tax and the wider discussion of gender discrimination in Japan. Through intimate interviews with an eclectic collection of voices ranging from a high school student, to activists, artists and health experts, the film highlights the lack of open discussion and explores common taboos surrounding menstruation in a country that is still struggling to find its role in the fight for women's rights. 月経がある人は平均で生涯2,535日間生理がくると言われており、のべ7年間に達します。それにも関わらず、生理は日本に限らず、世界中でタブーな話題になっています。「生理というタブー」は、主に生理への偏見に関連する女権問題を取り上げるドキュメンタリー映画です。性差別について活動家、高校生、アーティストや市民、平等を訴える芸術家などを取材し、様々な声を特集します。また、女性の健康に対する偏見や議論の少なさを浮き彫りにします。

A Bloody Taboo　生理というタブー

Beni' is the pigment of Safflowers which came to Japan across the sea, in the distant past. 
Lips with beni are somehow beautifully translucent. 
Beni that is refined with alkali, acid and ramie's fiber, glitters with a green colour after drying.
The technique to extract high quality beni has been handed down in secrecy since ancient times. 
This film was produced as graduation study at the Faculty of Arts of the Tokyo Polytechnic University, 
and was shot on 35mm film in order to correctly record beni's special colours during fluorescent colour-development.

Beni  紅

An ambitious work by director Akiyoshi Imazeki that depicts the suffocating atmosphere of Japan in the year 2020 in a psychological manner.This short film depicts the sense of closure of Japan due to COVID-19 through the episodes of three groups of people.A man picks up shards of glass night after night on a moonlit beach. A mysterious girl lies on the edge of the waves. A policeman at a police box along the beach. A young mother searches aimlessly for her missing daughter, and a man works with her. A young man in a rabbit suit who keeps distributing leaflets to find his missing girlfriend. What exactly is the "girl" that each of these people is searching for...? 2020年の日本の息苦しい空気感を《心象的》に描き出していく今関あきよし監督の意欲作。コロナ禍(COVID-19)に覆われた日本の閉鎖感を3組の人々のエピソードで描く短編映画。月夜の浜辺で毎夜毎夜ガラスの破片を拾い続ける男、波打ち際に横たわる謎の少女。海岸沿いの交番の警察官。行方不明の娘を当てもなく探しつつける若い母親、その女性と行動を共にする男。ウサギの着ぐるみを着たまま消息不明の恋人を探すビラを撒き続ける青年。それぞれの人々が探し続けている「少女」とは一体何なのか…!?&nbsp;

Dear Moon

No one fits into a neat little box. Except in Silicon Valley, everyone might as well. So when Monica, a Japanese-American female founder, tries to raise the Series A for her blossoming tech start up, being an outsider stifles her every move.

Foundher

"There is something I can do as a person with 'multiple sclerosis'" At the time of the diagnosis, the number of patients was small and information and treatment options were limited in Japan. When she was able to walk again miraculously through rehabilitation, she started activities of patient group, to provide correct information to people with the same disease who suffer from various symptoms that are difficult to be understood by others. Fiction based on a real woman who continues activities as a leader of the patient group. 多発性硬化症になった私だからこそ、できることがあるー。情報も治療法も限られていた診断当時、同じ病気の患者さんに希望を与えたいと活動に奔走した実在の女性をモデルに映画化。20～30代の女性に発症することが多く、歩行困難や手足のしびれなどなどさまざまな症状が出る「多発性硬化症」と向き合う主人公の女性と、彼女を支える人々を描いたヒューマンドラマ。アクティブで元気な大学生のぴょんちゃんは、交通事故に遭ったことをきっかけに身体の違和感に気づく。痛みやしびれが次々と現れ、やがて歩行が難しくなったころ、ようやく「多発性硬化症」という病名を告げられるが……。実際に多発性硬化症と診断され、患者数や情報、治療法も限られた中でリハビリに励み、同じように多発性硬化症に苦しむ人々のためにNPO法人で活動を続ける実在の女性をモデルに映画化。自らの経験を生かして同じ病気に苦しむ患者に寄り添い、新薬の承認に向けた活動にも奔走する主人公の姿を通して、前に進む希望を描いていく。主演は「ばぁちゃんロード」「いけいけ！バカオンナ　我が道を行け」の文音。主人公を支える友人役にお笑いコンビ「ニッチェ」の江上敬子、主治医役に田中美奈子。

From Whence the Light Comes　そこからの光

"Haiku" is a symphonic audiovisual project for two Japanese performers, alternating percussion groups, soundscapes and rhythmicized video sequences. The film is an experimental approach to pay tribute to the extraordinary art of Japanese haiku poetry.

Haiku　俳句

When Hank, a likable recluse, meets a Madagascar hissing cockroach, an unconventional relationship blossoms - A love story 300 million years in the making.

Hank and Jolene

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.

In the Shadow of the Pines

Miku, a fashion model gets into an accident while photo shooting, and has a disorder called face blindness, which makes her not recognize people’s faces. Before the accident, Miku judged people based on their faces, but she can’t do that anymore. モデルをしている美空は、仕事中の事故で、顔の全体像を認識できなくなる『失顔症』という障害を抱えてしまう。皮肉にも顔で判断していた美空は、人の顔が分からなくなってしまったのだった。

Lost face　失顔

In this whimsical romantic musical.Masa hires rental actress and aspiring dancer, Kanako, to pose as his fiancee to impress his estranged, ailing father. But as his father's death delays, Masa has to navigate the spiraling web of lies and to learn to follow his heart.

Make-Believers      夢見びと

An inspiring feature documentary with a powerful youth "take action" message!Microplastic Madness is an optimistic take on the local and global plastic pollution crisis as told through a refreshing urban youth point of view with an inspiring take action message.Fifth graders from PS 15 in Red Hook, Brooklyn - a community on the frontline of Climate Change - spent 2 years investigating plastic pollution. Taking on the roles of citizen scientists, community leaders, and advocates, these 10-11 year olds collect local data, lead community outreach, and use their impressive data to inform policy, testifying and rallying at City Hall. They take the deep dive into the root causes of plastic pollution, bridging the connection between plastic, climate change, and environmental justice before turning their focus back to school. There they take action to rid their cafeteria of all single-use plastic, driving forward city-wide action and a scalable, youth-led plastic-free movement.With stop-motion animation, heartfelt kid commentary, and interviews of experts and renowned scientists, this alarming, yet uplifting narrative conveys an urgent message in user-friendly terms with a take action message to spark youth-led plastic free action in schools everywhere. The film has been accepted to 37 film festivals and received 7 awards. “ATSUKO QUIRK &amp; DEBBY LEE COHEN, have created a film about young people with big ideas and superior educational acumens about science and the environment... documenting the roots of environmental activism in a new generation. It is a 360 view of environmental protection and justice. Packed with information — delivered by kids in 5th grade— who are enthusiastic converts to environmental protection and education and improved policy.”- RAW SCIENCE FILM FESTIVAL “Microplastic Madness is a MUST SEE documentary that includes rigorous science and masth, covering the gamut of Climate Crisis issues. It will beyond convince anyone to stop/reduce using plastics. It dramatically shows NYC teachers teaching and leading students to be activists and citizen scientists in a positive loving way.”-&nbsp;Adam Zaid, Math for America Master Teacher and NYC High School teacher at Queens School of Inquiry “The task of building a sustainable society will require a crusade against petrochemical energy and plastics companies. We are fortunate to have kids like Grets Thunberg and these fifth graders on the front lines.”-&nbsp;CounterPunch review by Louis Proyect マイクロプラスチック・ストーリー 〜ぼくらが作る2050年〜ニューヨーク、ブルックリンの5年生たちが世界的に大きなプラスチック汚染問題を学び、彼らの視点でこの問題の根幹が何かを問いただし、解決に向かって自分たちのコミュニティーからアクションを広げて行くまでの２年間を追った長編ドキュメンタリー。ニューヨーク市、ブルックリン区のレッドフック地区は過去に大型台風で影響を受けた、気候変動のフロントラインにある。そこにある小学校、PS15 の5年生は、4年生からの２年間、ニューヨークのNPO、カフェテリア・カルチャーの主導によるプラスチック・フリー特別プログラムでリサーチやデータ収集を重ね、それを市議会で公表したり、自分たちの住む地域で啓発活動を重ねていく。そしてプラスチックはごみになってからだけでなく、生産の過程でも地球環境を汚染していること、そしてそれが気候変動に関わっていることを発見し、自分たちの学校のカフェテリアでアクションを起こし、それをニューヨーク市全体に広げて行く。映画では子供達の素朴な疑問を丁寧に重ねていきながら、専門家がそれに答えて行き、そしてアニメーションをふんだんに使ってこのプラスチック汚染問題を子供から大人までわかりやすく解き明かして行く。子供達のまっすぐな熱意から希望が滲み出るマイクロプラスチック・ストーリーは世界の世界の３０以上の映画祭に選定され、７つの賞を受賞している

Microplastic Madness　                                                マイクロプラスチック・ストーリー

Sachiko Nakata, the queen of Okinawan comedy, has passed away! This shocking story turned into a film called "Sachiko's Love Story". The newspaper distributed an extra issue. Leading Okinawan stars such as Yoko Gushiken, Gori of Garage Sale, and Namie Amuro made memorial comments. At Sachiko Nakata's live house, many fans flocked to offer flowers. On the other hand, the relatives at the funeral home were shaking with fear. Sachiko's body had gone missing. The ghost of Sachiko, who had appeared because "I can't see the person I want to see, so I can't become a Buddha," runs around Okinawa, disregarding the concerns of her relatives. In the real world, Sachiko has announced her retirement from the stage in 2020, but she is still in good health. She was very happy that her funeral was going to be held in the film and readily agreed to appear in it. As if she was enjoying her own funeral before her death, she is very active in the film. In addition to popular Okinawan talents such as Ai Moko and Ruka Matsuda, Sachiko and other talented performers of Okinawan theatrical performances give a splendid performance. This is a rare opportunity to see a hilarious theatrical battle that will make you want to bow down to the fundamental power of Okinawan theatrical performance. 「なんくるないさぁ」～生きてるかぎり死なないさぁ～沖縄の喜劇の女王・仲田幸子さんが、亡くなってしまった！というなんともショッキングな設定の物語は、なんと【幸子の恋物語】へと昇華していく。新聞社は号外を配布。具志堅用高や、ガレッジセールのゴリ、安室奈美恵？など、沖縄を代表するスターたちが追悼コメントを発表。仲田幸子のライブハウスには、多くのファンが献花に押し寄せる。一方、葬儀場の親族たちは戦々恐々。なぜなら、幸子さんの遺体が行方不明になってしまったのだ。「会いたい人に会えないから成仏できない」そんな理由で化けて出た幸子さんの幽霊が、親族の心配そっちのけで沖縄中を駆け回る。現実世界では、2020年に舞台からの引退を宣言したものの、まだまだお元気な幸子さん。映画の中でご自身の葬儀が行われることをたいそう喜び出演を快諾。まるで、自らの生前葬を楽しむように、映画の中で元気に大暴れなさっています。出演は、アイモコや松田るかなど沖縄の人気タレントに加え、幸子さんを筆頭とした沖縄芝居の実力者たちが豪華競演。沖縄芝居の底力にひれ伏したくなる、爆笑芝居合戦は貴重です。

NANKURUNAISA ~everything will be all right～　なんくるないさぁ

A story by Glenna Burmer based on the Japanese saying Nanakorobi-Ya Oki, or fall seven times, but get back up the eighth. A little girl faces seven challenges to save an orphan who is lost in the snowy woods of Hokkaido.

Nanakorobi                                         (Seven Falls)

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, actors everywhere have been forced to suspend their careers. In the spirit of us all one day enjoying movies in cinemas again, I collaborated with twelve actors and a crew to shoot a film using appropriate viral transmission prevention measures immediately following the Japanese government's lifting of its state of emergency. To prevent infection, actors did not speak their lines during the shoot. Instead, we recorded dialogue in studio and added it later to the film, treating the actors' lines as if they were voice-over monologues. In this way, the film is truly experimental in its expression. When COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in 2020, people at first thought the virus would be easy to eradicate, but it mutated in ways that magnified the contagion, becoming resistant to all vaccines and drugs. Now, this terrifying, toxic virus has infiltrated every corner of Tokyo's city center and is spreading. Having put the city on lockdown, the Japanese government uses the telecom industry to surveil its citizens. People are prohibited from going out, a crime punishable by fine or imprisonment. Rumor says the new virus travels as easily as pollen, entering the body through membranes of the nose, mouth, or eyes. The authorities force the population to wear gas masks even at home. Against this dystopian background, a small group of people have gathered to create a utopian return to their normal, everyday lives. This film is a touching, yet fleeting memory of the small resistance they mount. コロナ禍の中、活動の休止を余儀なくされた役者たち&nbsp;12&nbsp;人と、いつか映画館で思う存分映画が楽し める日が戻る事を願いながら、緊急事態宣言解除後直ぐに感染防止対策を施して撮影を行った作品であ る。飛沫感染を防ぐため、役者は現場で台詞を一切喋らず、後日改めて収録した音声を、モノローグ的 に当て込む実験的表現が試みられた。 2020&nbsp;年にパンミックとなった&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;は、あたかも終息したかの様に思えたが、遺伝子変異に よって増殖力を増し、ワクチンや治療薬の耐性ウイルスへと変貌したその恐ろしい強毒性ウイルス は、東京で一気に拡大し、政府は東京のロックダウンを実施。通信各社の情報提供により人々は常に 政府の監視下に置かれ、外出規制の違反をすれば、罰金か禁固刑が科せられる事となった。新型ウイルスは花粉なみの飛散をすると噂が広まり、口や鼻、目の粘膜組織からの感染を恐れ、 人々は外出時だけでなく、室内に居る時も防毒マスクの装着を強いられた。そんな世紀末感漂う中、かつての生活を取り戻すため、ユートピアを目指して集まった者たちの、 儚くも切ない、小さな抵抗の記憶。

PALETTE        パレット

Makoto, a Japanese American single mother struggles to reconcile with her estranged father, Musashi, following his recent release from prison. But Musashi's former life as an enforcer for the Yakuza casts a long shadow over both their lives and history has a way of repeating itself.

Parabola

“SHIBUYA, TOKYO 16:30” is a drama about Aoi, an aspiring filmmaker/ assistant director who visits the office of Toriumi, an independent film producer, seeking an opportunity to collaborate with him. Toriumi likes her screenplay and shows his interest in producing her directorial debut film. However, despite Aoi’s delight, the discussion starts to derail. When Aoi refuses to accept the producer’s irrational demands, he shows doubt in her ability to act on unexpected situations. Is he testing her aptitude or just trying to take advantage of her? Confused, she gets lost between doubt and desperation to believe in her dream opportunity.

SHIBUYA, TOKYO 16:30

A brother and sister. A quiet supermarket. A twisted plan. Behind the scenes special forces G Men are ready to stop them. Director Tsukuda Hisanori is proud to present a comedy film to end an era!

SHOP-PUTTERS　万置き姉弟

When superstar NY Chef and notorious playboy, James Masala runs away from his successful career and his overbearing traditionalist father he finds himself “crash landing” in Tokyo, Japan with his only belonging, a mysterious old diary called “Safu”. Without a cent to his name and no where to go he is forced to stay with his ex-girlfriend, Kaori, in her families modest Japanese bed &amp; breakfast.&nbsp;Temperatures rise when he clashes with the manager of the B&amp;B who also happens to be Kaori’s stubborn little sister, Hanae.

Safu - Funge and Sashimi

A few years after the collapse of society due to the spread of the new coronavirus. The poor, who live in abandoned buildings along the railroad tracks, got a medical mask "N95" that is being traded at a high price. When I tried to resell it, an unexpected visitor... 新型コロナウィルスの蔓延によって社会が崩壊して数年後。線路沿いの廃ビルで細々と暮らすチンピラが、高値で取引されているという医療用マスク「N95」を手に入れた。さっそく転売しようとしたその時、予想外の来訪者が──。

Sneeze!                 くしゃみ

Based on a true story, a Japanese homeless man who used to be a shamisen master in the past tries to get back on his feet in Los Angeles. His traumatic past, however, haunts him again and things go out of his hands. 実話を基にした、ロサンゼルスでホームレス生活を送る三味線の元達人の物語。ボランティアのベスに助けを借りながら人生の再起を図ろうとするが、過去のトラウマが彼を襲う。

String

Koko spends the final days of summer packing for college and saying goodbye to friends in New York City when an untimely fight releases underlying feelings about her roots and pushes the teen to sell her mother’s furniture and book a ticket to blazing hot Osaka. Doing so without Mom’s blessing, Koko searches for her relatives using outdated return addresses ripped off decade's old letters and crashes head-first into her total opposite: a disturbed, right-wing Uncle… Will she give up and run off to college, or accept him as the first link in a chain of unresolved family history to see what this last Summer before college has to offer in Japan with her new friends?&nbsp; 夏の終わり、ココは大学進学のための荷造りと、ニューヨークにいる友人達に別れを告げに回るため、慌ただしく過ごしていた。そんな中、予期せぬ言い争いがキッカケとなって溢れ出した自身のルーツである日本への思い。ココは母の故郷でもある大阪を訪れて、古い手紙に書かれた住所だけを頼りに、親戚を探そうとしていた。しかし最初に見つけた親戚は、ココとは真逆の超保守的な叔父だった…ココは、ルーツ探しを諦めて大学に戻るのか、それとも頑固な叔父を唯一の手がかりに、家族のルーツを追い求めるのか?

TORINAOSHI

The Dancing Kettle is based on a Japanese folktale.The Film is a fairy tale about a raccoon dog that uses its shapeshifting powers to reward its rescuer for his kindness.&nbsp;It is surreal humor film!A mysterious package arrives, shape shifting ensues and rescuer is rewarded her kindness.

The Dancing Kettle

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