SKIP CITY 2024: Takeshi Kushida's ACTING FOR BEGINNERS to Open Festival

SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL which started in 2004 in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, has been held every year as a "gateway for emerging talent" centered on the International Competition and the Japanese Film Competition (features and shorts). The festival launched the careers of Kazuya Shiraishi (Lesson in Murder), Ryota Nakano (The Asadas), Shinichiro Ueda (One Cut of the Dead), Shinzo Katayama (Missing) and many other directors who are leading the Japanese film industry as top runners and whose new movies audiences are looking forward to seeing. The 21st edition will be held both at theaters and online as a hybrid festival again.

 

On Friday, June 7th, we held a press conference to announce the full line-up consisting of the titles of the whole line-up. This year’s festival will open with Acting for Beginners, directed by Takeshi Kushida, who won the 2020 Skip City Award for Woman of the Photographs, the nomination of which for the International Competition was followed last year by Kushida’s film My Mother’s Eyes, which also screened in that category.

 

In the international competition, 10 works carefully selected from 1,201 films submitted from 102 countries and regions, are nominated. A lineup of gems includes films from countries such as Uzbekistan and Turkey that are rarely seen in Japan, as well as films by new directors from around the world, including Europe, India, and Japan! Director Kazuya Shiraishi who won the SKIP CITY AWARD in the 2009 edition with Lost Paradise in Tokyo, and is emerging as one of the best  directors in Japanese cinema, will make a return as President of jury for the International Competition.

 

In the domestic competition, 6 feature length films and 8 short films were nominated. Director Satoko Yokohama, who has become an indispensable presence in Japanese films, will lead the Japanese Film Competition Jury.

 

Furthermore, in a special feature: Pathways to Directing Commercial Films, we are pleased to welcome Kazuya Shiraishi and Satoko Yokohama—presidents of the International Competition Jury and Japanese Film Competition Jury, respectively—to screen their films and share with young filmmakers their experience as directors of commercial films. In addition, we carried out a survey to select four classics that have deeply moved the audience for the special screenings: Films You Love. Whether they are among your favorites, or this will be your first time, you are sure to enjoy viewing them on the big screen.

 

Our festival will continue to discover new talent that will play a leading role in the future of cinema. 

 

The details are as follows.

 

Press Release | June 7, 2024

 

Opening Gala

 

World Premiere of Acting for Beginners

 

This year’s festival will open with Acting for Beginners, directed by Takeshi Kushida, who won the 2020 Skip City Award for Woman of the Photographs, the nomination of which for the International Competition was followed last year by Kushida’s film My Mother’s Eyes, which also screened in that category. Katsuya Maiguma, from 2011 Short Length Competition Honorable Mention Ken and Kazu, also stars in the film, with Ayaka Onishi, from the 2014 Short Length Competition nominee A Piece of Dogu, in a supporting role. We know you’ll love this film, which weaves together strands of the festival’s history.

 

International Competition

All films are Japan Premiere at least!

 

(1 World Premiere, 3 Asian Premiere, and 6 Japan Premiere)

President of the Jury: Kazuya Shiraishi, alumni of SKIP CITY and one of the best directors in Japanese cinema

 

Before It Ends Director: Anders WALTER / 2023 / Denmark / 101min. Asian Premiere

Happy life  Director: Yoshihiko TANIGUCHI / 2024 / Japan / 91min. World Premiere

Love Alone Can’t Make A Child Director: Judith BEUTH / 2024 / Germany, Norway / 105min. Japan Premiere

Maria Montessori Director: Léa TODOROV / 2023 / France, Italy / 100min. Japan Premiere

Mastergame Director: Barnabás TÓTH / 2023 / Hungary / 91min. Japan Premiere

MICHEL GONDRY – DO IT YOURSELF! Director: François NEMETA / 2023 / France / 80min. Japan Premiere

Separation Director: Hasan DEMIRTAS / 2023 / Turkey / 90min. Asian Premiere

Stolen Director: Karan TEJPAL / 2023 / India / 94min. Japan Premiere

Striking the Palace Director: Nessim CHIKHAOUI / 2024 / France / 87min. Asian Premiere

SUNDAY Director: Shokir KHOLIKOV / 2023 / Uzbekistan / 97min. Japan Premiere

 

Japanese Film Competition (Feature Length and Short Length)

6 feature films (5 world premieres) and 8 short films (all world premieres).

 

President of the Jury: Satoko YOKOHAMA, director

 

Feature Length

 

Lost in Reminiscence Director: Tomohiro HIROTA / 2024 / Japan / 82min. World Premiere

A Wasted Night Director: ZHANG Suming / 2023 / Japan / 60min. Japan Premiere

Poems of flower rain Director: Jengil PARK / 2024 / Japan / 79min. World Premiere

The Midnight Sun Director: Hina MURATA / 2024 / Japan / 80min. World Premiere

The Next Day Director: Hiroyuki SHINTANI / 2023 / Japan / 67min. World Premiere

Winter Stuff Director: Yuki ITO / 2024 / Japan / 74min. World Premiere

 

Short Length

 

LIFE IS SNOW Director: ZHANG Yaoyuan / 2024 / Japan, China / 31min. World Premiere

Loudness Director: Go JIBIKI / 2024 / Japan / 22min. World Premiere

Stand Up and Roll Director: Jun HOSOI / 2024 / Japan / 48min. World Premiere

TULIP-chan Director: Saki WATANABE / 2024 / Japan / 19min. World Premiere

DANGO Director: Tomoya TAGUCHI / 2024 / Japan / 29min. World Premiere

Matsuzaka-san Director: Taiyo KUROYANAGI / 2024 / Japan / 40min. World Premiere

Look at Me Director: Cocone YAMAGUCHI / 2023 / Japan / 17min. World Premiere

Hana and Koto Director: Hiromi TANOUE / 2024 / Japan / 42min. World Premiere

 

Press Release | June 7, 2024

 

Special Feature: Pathways to Directing Commercial Films

 

We are pleased to welcome Kazuya Shiraishi and Satoko Yokohama—presidents of the International Competition Jury and Japanese Film Competition Jury, respectively—to screen their films and share with young filmmakers their experience as directors of commercial films.

 

Dare To Stop Us Director: Kazuya SHIRAISHI / 2018 / Japan / 119min.

Bare Essence of Life Director: Satoko YOKOHAMA / 2009 / Japan / 120min.

 

*The film will be screened in 35mm print.

 

Films You Love

 

We carried out a survey to select four classics that have deeply moved the audience for these special screenings. Whether they are among your favorites, or this will be your first time, you are sure to enjoy viewing them on the big screen.

 

Stand by Me Director: Rob REINER / 1986 / USA / 89min. / PG12

Drive My Car Director: Ryusuke HAMAGUCHI / 2021 / Japan / 179min. / PG12

The Shawshank Redemption Director: Frank DARABONT / 1994 / USA / 142min.

Top Gun: Maverick Director: Joseph KOSINSKI / 2022 / USA / 130min.