SIFF SCREENING | The 2024 Japanese Film Festival Wraps Up, Kindling Three Cities in a Warm Celebration.

After a three-year hiatus, the Japanese Film Festival makes a heartfelt return in 2024, fulfilling its promise to “warm the hearts of cinephiles through winter”.

On December 20, under the guidance of Shanghai Film Bureau and specially curated by Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), the Japanese Film Festival kicked off at the Grand Theatre. The event was initialized by the film TEKI COMETH, which garnered three awards at this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival, now screened ahead of its official release in Japan in January. The event concluded on the evening of December 29 with the film THE REAL YOU at Shanghai Film Art Center (SHO), marking a successful end to this year’s SIFF SCREENING.

This year, the event featured 37 screenings across six theaters in Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Ningbo, accompanied by five post-screening meet-and-greet sessions. Data shows that the most popular films among audiences included CELLS AT WORK, TEKI COMETH, and ANGRY SQUAD.

Three Theaters in Shanghai Screened Eight Acclaimed Films

From December 20-22 and December 27-29, the Shanghai leg of the event was held at the Grand Theatre, Tianshan Cinema-Wanping Theater, and Shanghai Film Art Center (SHO), screening across 20 sessions a total of eight films - all new releases from this year.

Posters with Frames of Some Films at Cinemas in Shanghai

The film lineup drew enthusiastic attention from cinephiles as soon as it was announced, with many expressing their “anticipation” for this year’s showcase and dubbing it the “Tokyo Express”! Some netizens noted that while they had to “be quick with their ticket buying”, they felt motivated by the thought that “life has renewed promise”. Many remarked that attending the Japanese Film Festival each year indicates that the end of the year is near, and the atmosphere of thousands laughing and applauding together was truly fantastic.

The showcase once again welcomed guests Yoshida Daihachi and Hideki Takeuchi for post-screening discussions, allowing audiences to engage directly with the filmmakers. On December 20, director of TEKI COMETH Yoshida Daihachi made a much-anticipated return to Shanghai after seven years to lead a deep discussion called “Everyday Reversals: The Cinematic World of Daihachi Yoshida” during the first post-screening event.

Yoshida Daihachi at the Post-screening Meet-and-Greet

On December 29, director Hideki Takeuchi, who previously attended the showcase in 2019 with FLY ME TO THE SAITAMA, met with fans after two screenings of CELLS AT WORK. The atmosphere at the event was relaxed yet vibrant, as the audience and the director discussed iconic scenes from the film, with young fans energetically expressing their admiration. The director also shared warm wishes for everyone to “take care of their health”.

 Director Hideki Takeuchi (right) Taking a Group Photo with Shanghai audience

Co-screening in Three Cities across the Yangtze River Delta Showcased the Brand’s Influence

Since its inception in 2017, the Japanese Film Festival has served as a bridge, fostering friendly exchanges and interactions between Shanghai and other provinces, and strengthening the connection between Chinese audiences and Japanese film culture. Over the past four editions, the event has ventured into cities like Shenzhen, Kunming, Chengdu, and Hangzhou, repeatedly igniting enthusiasm for film viewings.

After moving to Hangzhou in 2020, this year’s event not only returned to Hangzhou but also made its first foray into Ningbo, facilitating co-screening among the three cities of Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Ningbo. The event featured a diverse selection of films, including the global premiere of AS FOR ME.

Yoshida Daihachi’s film TEKI COMETH served as the opening film for the Hangzhou edition, and he also attended screenings in both cities to share his insights on the source material and creation process, discussing elements of narrative design and character development. He expressed that “connecting with audiences and filmmakers in different cities holds a unique significance for me.”

In fact, SIFF has engaged closely with Yangtze River Delta cities through the Belt and Road Film Week across editions. Every June, outstanding films from countries along the Belt and Road route are screened in important cities like Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo, and Hefei. This year’s Belt and Road Film Week has successfully entered into the “Second Batch of Typical Cases for Cultural and Economic Integration in the Yangtze River Delta”, highlighting the brand outreach and market potential of SIFF’s activities.

As a routine film showcase brand of SIFF, “SIFF SCREENING” this year has evolved from a simple film exhibition by country into a “Film +” cross-border event. While enhancing the charm of the “City of Films”, it aspires to bring diverse cultural content and a lively viewing atmosphere to more cities, as well as introduce outstanding new films from abroad for domestic screenings, thereby promoting exchanges among different civilizations and fostering connectivity among people from different countries, taking on the mission of cultural and artistic exchange.

Stylish and Practical Merchandise

The main visual poster for this year’s Japanese Film Festival skillfully blends traditional Japanese elements with modern illustration styles, echoing the warmth of winter and displaying the unique finesse of Japanese cinema. A range of creatively designed merchandise based on the event’s main visual image has undergone significant innovation and upgrades. In addition to SIFF’s star products - ticket holders, fridge tickers, and canvas bags - there are also elegantly designed folders, calendar hangings, scrapbook tapes, and more. Some netizens have claimed that the most worthwhile purchase from this year’s event is the fabric wall calendar!

From product categories to branding, SIFF has launched two collaborative series this year for cultural creative products: the Yan Wu Jie x SIFF bag collection, featuring passport holders and crossbody bags, and the CATHAYA x SIFF silk scarf collection, which includes two scarf designs. Furthermore, the mainline SIFF cultural products have also seen new additions, including phone lanyards, card holders, and practical items like beanies, gloves, and scarves. Various items gained attention during the pre-sale phase, and the sales at the theaters quickly attracted many fans, with some limited-edition products like the festival-exclusive calendar hanging and Japanese-style two-piece sets sold out within days.

Each film showcase is a journey and a moment to remember. We hope these little joys will rekindle warm memories in the times to come.

SIFF SCREENING

 “SIFF SCREENING”, a brand created by SIFF, extends the festival’s mission to satisfy the artistic needs of audiences, offering a richer and more diverse cinematic experience that fosters a more engaging viewing atmosphere.