Tag: japancuts2016

Novelist, illustrator, scriptwriter, radio host, and even as a singer, Lily Franky mastered many arts before his muse called him to become one of Japan’s most popular character actors.  Receiving Japan Cuts’ Cut Above award, Franky spoke with me about...

After her surreal exploration of country life, Bare Essence of Life (aka Ultra Miracle Love Story) screened at Japan Cuts in 2010, director Yokohama Satoko visits this year’s festival with The Actor, a triptastic peek into the mind and soul of...

After his exuberant hit Love Strikes excited the 2012 festival, director One Hitoshi visited Japan Cuts with Bakuman, his rousing and heartfelt take on the mysterious, misunderstood world of the manga artist.  One spoke with me about CG battles and...

Graduated from her best-known role as the first breakout star of Japan’s phenomenally popular all-girl singing group, AKB48, Maeda Atsuko has gone from strength to strength in the acting world, in films directed by the likes of Miike Takashi, Nakata...

The director of such award-winning films as The Woodsman and the Rain and A Story of Yonosuke, Okita Shûichi brings his latest, The Mohican Comes Home, a warm and unexpectedly humourous story of a family coping with illness, to the...

Japan Cuts, Japan Society's annual festival of contemporary Japanese cinema, turns 10 this year. What the value of a film festival is may seem easy to talk about in terms of age and program focus. It  can also be hard...

Japan Cuts, North America’s premier festival of contemporary Japanese film, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, screening at Japan Society July 14-24. It’s hard to believe it’s already been 10 years for this always exciting, challenging, and stimulating festival, a...