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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250318T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250318T200000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101252
CREATED:20250306T213940Z
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SUMMARY:Still Walking (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Still Walking\n歩いても 歩いても \nTuesday\, March 18\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by KORE-EDA Hirokazu • 2008 • Family / Drama • 114 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \nThe lyrical\, profoundly moving Still Walking is KORE-EDA Hirokazu’s most personal work to date. Created as a tribute to his late mother\, the film depicts one summer day in the life of the Yokoyama family\, gathered together for a commemorative ritual whose nature only gradually becomes clear.  \nRather than focus on big dramatic moments\, Kore-eda relies on simple gestures and domestic routines (especially cooking) to evoke a family’s entire life\, its deep regrets and its daily joys. Featuring vivid\, heartrending performances (ABE Hiroshi\, KIKI Kirin\, NATSUKAWA Yui) and a gentle naturalism that harks back to the director’s earlier\, documentary work\, Still Walking is an extraordinary portrayal of the ties that bind us. \nStill Walking is the “Summer” film of our Seasonal Impressions series. \nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding! \nFree admission. Register below. \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nAfter graduating from the Literature Department of Waseda University\, KORE-EDA Hirokazu (是枝 裕和) joined TV Man Union\, a large\, independent television production company\, where he has directed many prize-winning documentaries. \nHis directorial debuts\, Maborosi (1995) and After Life (1998) brought him international acclaim. Into the new millennium\, Director Kore-eda’s films were frequently selected at the Cannes Film Festival\, including Distance (2001)\, Nobody Knows (2004\, Best Actor Award for YUYA Yagira\, Cannes’ youngest recipient)\, Air Doll (2009)\, Like Father\, Like Son (Jury Prize\, 2013)\, Our little Sister (2015) and After the Storm (2016). In 2018\, his film Shoplifters was awarded Cannes’ highest honour\, the Palme d’or\, as well as being nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Award. In recent years\, he reached a turning point in international co-productions with The Truth (2019) in France\, and Broker (2022\, Cannes Festival Best Actor Award for Song Kang-ho) in South Korea. In 2023\, his latest feature Monster won Best Screenplay and the Queer Palm at the 76th Cannes Film Festival. \nIn Japan\, Director Kore-eda has won the Best Director and Best Film awards at the Japan Academy Film Prize for Our Little Sister\, The Third Murder\, and Shoplifters\, as well as Best Screenplay for The Third Murder and Shoplifters.\n \n\n \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/still-walking/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250325T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250325T201500
DTSTAMP:20260928T101252
CREATED:20250313T204342Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250319T192908Z
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SUMMARY:Perfect Days (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Perfect Days \nTuesday\, March 25\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by Wim Wenders • 2023 • Drama / • 124 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer\n \nIn a world of fleeting moments\, find the beauty that lasts. \nA perfect song that hits at just the right moment\, the play of sunlight through leaves\, a fleeting moment of human connection in a vast metropolis: the wonders of everyday life come into breath­taking focus in this profoundly moving film by Wim Wenders.  \nIn a radiant\, Cannes-award-winning performance of few words but extraordinary expressiveness\, YAKUSHO Kōji plays a public-toilet cleaner in Tokyo whose rich inner world is gradually revealed through his small exchanges with those around him and with the city itself. Channeling his idol OZU Yasujiro\, Wenders crafts a serenely minimalist ode to the miracle that is the here and now. \nPerfect Days is the “Autumn” film of our Seasonal Impressions series. \nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding! \nFree admission. Register below. \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nWim Wenders (born 1945) came to international prominence as one of the pioneers of German Cinema during the 1970’s and is now considered one of the most important figures in contemporary film. In addition to his many prize-winning feature films\, his work as a scriptwriter\, director\, producer\, photographer and author also encompasses an abundance of innovative documentary films. \nHis career as a filmmaker began in 1967 when Wenders enrolled at the newly founded University of Television and Film Munich (HFF Munich). Parallel to his studies\, he also worked as a film critic for a number of years. Upon graduating from the academy in 1971\, he founded\, together with fifteen other directors and authors\, the Filmverlag der Autoren\, a film distribution company for German auteur films\, which organized the production\, rights administration and distribution of their own independent films. \n \n\n \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/perfect-days/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film Screening
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250327T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250327T203000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101252
CREATED:20250318T142756Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250321T133229Z
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SUMMARY:Love Letter (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Love Letter \nThursday\, March 27\, 6:30PM (ET) \nDoors open 6:00PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by IWAI Shunji • 1995 • Romance / Drama • 117 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer\n \nHiroko (NAKAYAMA Miho) attends the memorial service of her fiancé\, FUJII Itsuki\, who died in a mountain-climbing incident. Although Itsuki’s mother says that their old house is gone\, Hiroko finds the address listed under his name and sends him a letter. Surprisingly\, she receives a reply\, and discovers it came from his old classmate\, a girl who also happens to also be called FUJII Itsuki. \nWith impeccable visual direction highlighting a snow-filled Hokkaido and an unforgettable performance from NAKAYAMA Miho playing dual leading roles\, this 1990s spectacle remains a winter classic that has stood the test of time. \nThis screening marks the 30th anniversary of IWAI Shunji’s feature directorial debut\, and but it also serves as a heartfelt tribute to NAKAYAMA Miho\, who tragically passed away late last year. We celebrate her career and legacy as an actor and singer\, forever immortalized by her astounding work in Love Letter\, and beyond \nLove Letter is the “Winter” film of our Seasonal Impressions series. \nFree admission. Register below. \nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding! \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nIWAI Shunji was born on January 24\, 1963\, in Miyagi Prefecture\, Japan. Ever since 1988\, Iwai has been an avid creator in a variety of visual fields including TV dramas and music videos\, and his unique and outstanding visual style has become to be known as “Iwai Aesthetic” – attracting much attention. In 1995\, Iwai made his feature film directorial debut with Love Letter. His representative works include Swallowtail Butterfly (1996)\, April Story (1998)\, All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001)\, Vampire (2011)\, and Last Letter (2018). In 2012\, Iwai wrote the lyrics for “Flowers Will Bloom\,” the theme song to support the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake. In October 2023\, his latest feature film\, Kyrie\, was released. Iwai continues to work across diverse genres both domestically and internationally\, maintaining a borderless creative presence.  \n\n \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/love-letter/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250406T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250406T210000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20250318T142805Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250327T221124Z
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SUMMARY:April Story (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:April Story\n四月物語 \nSunday\, April 6\, 7:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 6:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | Innis Town Hall (2 Sussex Avenue\, University of Toronto) \nDirected by IWAI Shunji • 1998 • Romance / Drama • 67 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer\n \n Uzuki (MATSU Takako)\, a shy girl from the countryside of northern Hokkaidō\, leaves her family for university in Tokyo to follow the local boy she fell in love with. Just as the cherry blossoms are falling\, Uzuki discovers that it can feel lonely even in the big city. \nLead by an enchanting performance from MATSU Takako amidst the fairy tale backdrop of Tokyo cherry blossoms and raindrop confessions\, IWAI Shunji paints an unforgettable and nostalgic tale of independence with April Story\, an ultimate springtime classic. \nApril Story director IWAI Shunji will be in attendance via video call for a virtual Q&A session following the screening. \nApril Story is the “Spring” film and final screening of our Seasonal Impressions series. \nFree admission. Register below. \nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding! \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nIWAI Shunji was born on January 24\, 1963\, in Miyagi Prefecture\, Japan. Ever since 1988\, Iwai has been an avid creator in a variety of visual fields including TV dramas and music videos\, and his unique and outstanding visual style has become to be known as “Iwai Aesthetic” – attracting much attention. In 1995\, Iwai made his feature film directorial debut with Love Letter. His representative works include Swallowtail Butterfly (1996)\, April Story (1998)\, All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001)\, Vampire (2011)\, and Last Letter (2018). In 2012\, Iwai wrote the lyrics for “Flowers Will Bloom\,” the theme song to support the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake. In October 2023\, his latest feature film\, Kyrie\, was released. Iwai continues to work across diverse genres both domestically and internationally\, maintaining a borderless creative presence.  \n\n  \n \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/april-story/
LOCATION:Innis Town Hall\, 2 Sussex Ave.\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M5S 1J5
CATEGORIES:Film Screening
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ORGANIZER;CN="The Japan Foundation%2C Toronto":MAILTO:info_jftoronto@jpf.go.jp
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250416T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250416T200000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20250408T140508Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250408T160023Z
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SUMMARY:Toilet (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Toilet \nWednesday\, April 16\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall  \nDirected by OGIGAMI Naoko • 2010 • Drama • 109 minutes • Presented in English • Trailer\n \nJoin us for a special National Canadian Film Day screening of Toilet (2010)\, a heartwarming and quirky film directed by OGIGAMI Naoko. Shot in Toronto with Japanese and Canadian talents both on and off screen\, Toilet offers a tender exploration of family\, grief\, and connection.  \nRay (Alex House)\, a Gundam-obsessed engineer\, finds his quiet\, solitary life turned upside-down after the passing of his mother. He moves in with his reclusive brother Maury (David Rendall)\, once a brilliant pianist and now a victim of panic disorder who never leaves the house; his younger sister Lisa (Tatiana Maslany)\, a university student who tends to look down her nose at everyone; and his Japanese grandmother\, affectionally called “Baachan” (Masako Motai)\, who speaks no English. Through mishaps and shared memories\, they gradually rediscover what it means to be a family.\n \nFree admission. Register below. \nSupported by:  \n \n  \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nOGIGAMI Naoko\, born 1972 in Chiba Prefecture\, is a Japanese film director\, screenwriter\, and cinematographer. After graduating with a film production degree from the University of Southern California\, Ogigami returned to Japan and first began gaining attention after winning several prizes at PIA Film Festival for her short film Hoshino-Kun\, Yumeno-Kun (2001). Her first feature film\, Yoshino’s Barber Shop premiered at the PIA Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival in 2004\, winning awards at both. Ogigami continued to garner international recognition with her films such as Glasses (2007) and Close-Knit (2017)\, both screened and won awards at the Berlin International Film Festival. Her films often explore themes of human connection\, cultural differences\, and personal transformation.\n \n\n \n  \n  \n \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/toilet/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250524T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250524T163000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20250503T150941Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250507T154041Z
UID:103498-1748082600-1748104200@tr.jpf.go.jp
SUMMARY:Doors Open Toronto 2025: Playful Japan
DESCRIPTION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto is back for the city’s annual Doors Open event! We will be opening our doors on Saturday\, May 24 and Sunday\, May 25\, along with more than 100 other buildings and sites across Toronto. We are pleased to present our all-ages programming under the banner of Playful Japan for everyone to enjoy. \nWe will be open from 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM on both days. Join us for a special weekend filled with short films\, exhibitions\, library activities\, language games\, and fun for the whole family! \nRegistration are encouraged for some activities\, but drop-ins are more than welcome! Please check the full details to learn more about our activities. \nStay updated with us by following us on social media (Instagram\, Facebook\, Twitter) and subscribe to our weekly newsletter. \nFull Details Here 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/doorsopen2025/2025-05-24/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Exhibition,Film Screening,Language Class,Library,Other JFT Events
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250525T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250525T163000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20250503T150941Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250507T154041Z
UID:103501-1748169000-1748190600@tr.jpf.go.jp
SUMMARY:Doors Open Toronto 2025: Playful Japan
DESCRIPTION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto is back for the city’s annual Doors Open event! We will be opening our doors on Saturday\, May 24 and Sunday\, May 25\, along with more than 100 other buildings and sites across Toronto. We are pleased to present our all-ages programming under the banner of Playful Japan for everyone to enjoy. \nWe will be open from 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM on both days. Join us for a special weekend filled with short films\, exhibitions\, library activities\, language games\, and fun for the whole family! \nRegistration are encouraged for some activities\, but drop-ins are more than welcome! Please check the full details to learn more about our activities. \nStay updated with us by following us on social media (Instagram\, Facebook\, Twitter) and subscribe to our weekly newsletter. \nFull Details Here 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/doorsopen2025/2025-05-25/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Exhibition,Film Screening,Language Class,Library,Other JFT Events
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250530T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250530T193000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20250501T165151Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250527T190002Z
UID:103534-1748628000-1748633400@tr.jpf.go.jp
SUMMARY:Millennium Actress (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Millennium Actress \n千年女優 \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by KON Satoshi • 2001 • Animation\, Drama • 87 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \nA tribute to the golden age Japanese cinema\, Millennium Actress follows a pair of documentary filmmakers who set out to chronicle the life of a reclusive former movie star. As she shares her story\, her memories unfold as if she were still acting\, blending past and present\, history and imagination.  \nThis film is suitable for general audiences. Parental guidance is advised for younger viewers. \nMillennium Actress is part of our The Many Worlds of KON Satoshi series. \nFree admission. \nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding! \n  \nPromotional Support:  \n \n\nDirector Profile: \n KON Satoshi (今 敏\, 1963–2010) was a visionary Japanese filmmaker\, screenwriter\, and manga artist whose work revolutionized the possibilities of animated storytelling. Known for his intricate narratives\, psychological depth\, and seamless blending of dreams and reality\, Kon created some of the most critically acclaimed anime films of the early 21st century. \nAfter graduating from Musashino Art University with a degree in visual communication design\, Kon began his career as a manga artist and scriptwriter\, eventually working as an animator under director ŌTOMO Katsuhiro (Akira). He made his directorial debut in 1997 with the psychological thriller Perfect Blue\, which quickly earned him international acclaim. Over the next decade\, Kon directed a powerful body of work that includes Millennium Actress (2001)\, Tokyo Godfathers (2003)\, Paprika (2006)\, and the television series Paranoia Agent (2004). Each of these works showcases his signature style: non-linear storytelling\, striking visual imagery\, and a fascination with identity\, memory\, and media. \nKon passed away in 2010 at the age of 46\, leaving his final project\, Dreaming Machine\, unfinished. Despite his brief career\, his influence continues to resonate—his films are frequently cited by global filmmakers and have inspired directors such as Darren Aronofsky and Christopher Nolan.  \n\n \n\n   
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/millennium-actress/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250531T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250531T183000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20250501T165202Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250527T190840Z
UID:103559-1748710800-1748716200@tr.jpf.go.jp
SUMMARY:Paprika (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Paprika \nパプリカ \nDoors open 4:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by KON Satoshi • 2006 • Animation\, Psychological Thriller\, Fantasy • 90 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \nIn a future where technology allows therapists to enter their patients’ dreams\, a stolen device unleashes chaos when dreams and reality begin to merge. Paprika is a visually dazzling masterpiece that plunges audiences into a surreal exploration of the subconscious\, imagination\, and identity. \n⚠️ Please note: This film is rated R (in the US) which contains mature themes and intense imagery that may not be suitable for children. Viewer discretion is advised. \nPaprika is part of our The Many Worlds of KON Satoshi series. \n  \nFree admission.  \nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding! \n  \nPromotional Support:  \n \n\nDirector Profile: \n KON Satoshi (今 敏\, 1963–2010) was a visionary Japanese filmmaker\, screenwriter\, and manga artist whose work revolutionized the possibilities of animated storytelling. Known for his intricate narratives\, psychological depth\, and seamless blending of dreams and reality\, Kon created some of the most critically acclaimed anime films of the early 21st century. \nAfter graduating from Musashino Art University with a degree in visual communication design\, Kon began his career as a manga artist and scriptwriter\, eventually working as an animator under director ŌTOMO Katsuhiro (Akira). He made his directorial debut in 1997 with the psychological thriller Perfect Blue\, which quickly earned him international acclaim. Over the next decade\, Kon directed a powerful body of work that includes Millennium Actress (2001)\, Tokyo Godfathers (2003)\, Paprika (2006)\, and the television series Paranoia Agent (2004). Each of these works showcases his signature style: non-linear storytelling\, striking visual imagery\, and a fascination with identity\, memory\, and media. \nKon passed away in 2010 at the age of 46\, leaving his final project\, Dreaming Machine\, unfinished. Despite his brief career\, his influence continues to resonate—his films are frequently cited by global filmmakers and have inspired directors such as Darren Aronofsky and Christopher Nolan. 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/paprika/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250601T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250601T143000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20250523T192248Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250531T202125Z
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SUMMARY:Moriyama-san (film screening with Q&A)
DESCRIPTION:Moriyama-san \nSunday\, June 1\, 1:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 12:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall  \nDirected by Ila Bêka and Louise Lemoine • 2017 • Documentary • 63 minutes • Presented in English • Trailer\n \nOne week in the life of Mr. Moriyama\, a Japanese art\, architecture and noise music enthusiast who lives in one of the most famous contemporary Japanese architecture\, the Moriyama house\, built in Tokyo in 2005 by Pritzker Prize-winner NISHIZAWA Ryue (SANAA).  \nWithin the intimate microcosm of the Moriyama House\, filmmaker Ila Bêka offers a spontaneous and personal portrait of its resident: a modern-day urban hermit living in a quiet archipelago of peace and contemplation in the heart of Tokyo. From noise music to cinema\, the film immerses us in the many layers of Mr. Moriyama’s free-spirited world. \n  \nThe directors of Moriyama-san\, Ila Bêka and Louise Lemoine\, will be in attendance via video call for a virtual Q&A session following the screening. \nPresented in conjunction with the Built Environment exhibition\, currently on display in the JFT Gallery. \nFree admission. Register below. \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nIla Bêka and Louise Lemoine are artists and filmmakers working at the crossroads of visual arts\, non-fiction cinema and architecture. For the past twenty years they have been experimenting with new narrative and cinematic forms to explore how people experience\, perceive\, and relate to space from an emotional\, social\, and cultural standpoint. \n\nBêka & Lemoine have made over thirty films\, among which ‘Koolhaas Houselife’ (2008)\, ‘Barbicania’ (2014)\, ‘The Infinite Happiness’ (2015)\, ‘Moriyama San’ (2017)\, ‘Tokyo Ride’ (2020) and the city-matographic odyssey in 14 films ‘Homo Urbanus’ (2017-ongoing). Their films are widely shown at renowned international film festivals and prominent art and architecture museums and events\, such as the The Venice Biennale\, the Barbican Art Gallery in London\, among many others. In 2016\, the MoMA – Museum of Modern Art in NY acquired the entire work of Bêka & Lemoine produced until that date for its permanent collection.  \nBêka & Lemoine are regularly invited to lecture in some leading universities: GSD / Harvard University (USA)\, GSAPP / Columbia University (New-York\, USA)\, AAP / Cornell University (USA)\, Bartlett School of Architecture / UCL (London\, UK). In 2018 they have been laureate of Villa Kujoyama\, French residency program for artists in Japan\, and Ila Bêka has been laureate Italian Fellow at the American Academy in Rome.  \n\n  \n \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/moriyama-san/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250607T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250607T183500
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20250501T165209Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250527T190850Z
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SUMMARY:Tokyo Godfathers (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Tokyo Godfathers \n東京ゴッドファーザーズ \nDoors open 4:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by KON Satoshi • 2003 • Animation\, Comedy\, Drama • 92 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer  \nOn Christmas Eve in Tokyo\, three homeless companions — a middle-aged alcoholic\, a runaway teenager\, and a former drag queen — discover an abandoned newborn while scavenging through the trash. As they search for the baby’s parents\, their own troubled pasts slowly come to light. Filled with humor\, heartache\, and warmth\, Tokyo Godfathers is a story that celebrates found family\, forgiveness\, and hope. \nThis film is suitable for general audiences. Parental guidance is advised for younger viewers. \nTokyo Godfathers is part of our The Many Worlds of KON Satoshi series. \nFree admission. \nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding! \n  \nPromotional Support:  \n \n\nDirector Profile: \n KON Satoshi (今 敏\, 1963–2010) was a visionary Japanese filmmaker\, screenwriter\, and manga artist whose work revolutionized the possibilities of animated storytelling. Known for his intricate narratives\, psychological depth\, and seamless blending of dreams and reality\, Kon created some of the most critically acclaimed anime films of the early 21st century. \nAfter graduating from Musashino Art University with a degree in visual communication design\, Kon began his career as a manga artist and scriptwriter\, eventually working as an animator under director ŌTOMO Katsuhiro (Akira). He made his directorial debut in 1997 with the psychological thriller Perfect Blue\, which quickly earned him international acclaim. Over the next decade\, Kon directed a powerful body of work that includes Millennium Actress (2001)\, Tokyo Godfathers (2003)\, Paprika (2006)\, and the television series Paranoia Agent (2004). Each of these works showcases his signature style: non-linear storytelling\, striking visual imagery\, and a fascination with identity\, memory\, and media. \nKon passed away in 2010 at the age of 46\, leaving his final project\, Dreaming Machine\, unfinished. Despite his brief career\, his influence continues to resonate—his films are frequently cited by global filmmakers and have inspired directors such as Darren Aronofsky and Christopher Nolan. 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/tokyo-godfathers/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250702T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250702T210000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20250617T144047Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250620T150152Z
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SUMMARY:Drive My Car (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Drive My Car \nドライブ・マイ・カー \nWednesday\, July 2\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by HAMAGUCHI Ryusuke • 2021 • Drama • 179 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer\n \nBased on MURAKAMI Haruki’s 2014 short story of the same name\, Drive My Car (2021) is director HAMAGUCHI Ryusuke’s Academy Award-winning masterful meditation on art\, loss\, and the healing power of storytelling. \nPraised for its quiet emotional depth and subtle performance led by NISHIJIMA Hidetoshi and MIURA Tōko\, Drive My Car is a haunting\, deeply human drama that follows a theatre director grappling with grief\, memory\, and unexpected connection as he rehearses a multilingual production of Uncle Vanya in Hiroshima. \nDrive My Car is presented in conjunction with our ongoing exhibitions Built Environment (on until July 15) and Hiroshima Appeals. \n \nHiroshima Naka Incineration Plant\, featured in the Built Environment exhibition\, and in the film Drive My Car. \nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding! \nFree admission. Register below. \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nHAMAGUCHI Ryusuke is one of the most acclaimed contemporary filmmakers in Japan\, known for his intimate explorations of human relationships. A graduate of Tokyo University and the Tokyo University of the Arts’ graduate film program\, Hamaguchi started gaining attention in his home country with the graduate film Passion (2008). He went on to gain international recognition with Happy Hour (2015)\, a quietly monumental five-hour portrait of four women navigating personal upheaval. \nHis breakout continued with Asako I & II (2018)\, which competed for the Palme d’Or at Cannes\, and was followed by Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (2021)\, which won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlinale. That same year\, Drive My Car premiered to widespread acclaim\, winning Best Screenplay at Cannes and the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. Drive My Car was the first Japanese film to receive a Best Picture nomination\, and Hamaguchi became the third Japanese director to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Director. \n\n \n  \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/drive-my-car/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250731T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250731T200000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20250704T155600Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250718T202348Z
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SUMMARY:Black Rain (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Black Rain \n黒い雨 \nThursday\, July 31\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by IMAMURA Shōhei • 1989 • Drama\, War • 123 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \nBased on the 1965 novel of the same name by IBUSE Masuji\, Black Rain (1989) follows Yasuko\, a young woman who survives the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and struggles to build a future in its aftermath. Living with her aunt and uncle in a nearby village\, she faces social stigma and emotional trauma as the invisible effects of radiation poison both her health and her chances for marriage.  \nShot in black and white\, Black Rain depicts the human toll of nuclear war with almost documentary-like realism. Imamura’s haunting adaptation foregrounds the quiet dignity of survivors and offers an intimate portrait of their resilience. \nContent warning: This film contains imagery related to war\, including depictions of atomic bomb aftermath. Viewer discretion is advised. \n  \nBlack Rain is presented in conjunction with our ongoing exhibition Hiroshima Appeals. \nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \nFree admission. Register below. \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nIMAMURA Shōhei (今村昌平\, 1926 – 2006) was one of postwar Japan’s most acclaimed auteurs. A key member of the Japanese New Wave\, Imamura began his career as an assistant to OZU Yasujirō\, but quickly distanced himself from Ozu’s restrained formalism and idealized portrayals of Japanese society. In contrast\, Imamura sought to uncover the messy\, earthy\, and instinct-driven side of human behavior. His films often center on society’s outsiders\, examining how these individuals navigate systems of power\, tradition\, and survival. \nImamura’s filmmaking is marked by an anthropological curiosity\, often combining fictional narratives with observational realism. Over a career spanning five decades\, he won international acclaim and numerous awards\, including two Palme d’Ors at the Cannes Film Festival for The Ballad of Narayama (1983) and The Eel (1997). He was also the founder of the Japan Institute of the Moving Image\, dedicated to nurturing independent voices in Japanese cinema. \n  \n  \n\n \n  \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/black-rain/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250813T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250813T211500
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20250722T155412Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250722T155412Z
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SUMMARY:Tokyo Olympiad (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Tokyo Olympiad \n東京オリンピック \nWednesday\, August 13\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by ICHIKAWA Kon • 1965 • 169 minutes + intermission • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • A clip  \n60th anniversary screening! \nCommissioned to document the 1964 Tokyo Olympics\, Ichikawa surprised officials by highlighting not just athletic triumphs\, but fleeting\, emotional\, and often intimate moments of struggle\, camaraderie\, and beauty. The film also pays as much attention to the crowds and workers as it does to the actual competitive events.  \nConsidered by many as one of the greatest sporting movies of all time and winner of two BAFTA awards\, Tokyo Olympiad remains a landmark achievement—not only as a record of a historic event\, but as a poetic meditation on the essence of sport and humanity. The film was also a box office hit\, holding the record for the highest-grossing film in Japan in terms of box office admissions for many decades. \nThere will be a 15-minute intermission during the film.   \n  \nTokyo Olympiad is part of our Body & Soul: Japanese Sports Cinema series. \nFree admission.  Register below.   \n\n Director Profile: \nICHIKAWA Kon (市川 崑\, 1915–2008) was a remarkably versatile filmmaker whose career spanned over 40 years and included many critically acclaimed works across genres\, from biting satire and poignant drama to historical epics and documentaries. Ichikawa started his film career in the animation department of a local film studio\, and later moved to the feature film department as an assistant director when the company closed its animation department. In the early 1940s\, Ichikawa moved to Tokyo to work for the Toho Film Company after the merge of the studios. He made his debut as director with A Thousand and One Nights (1947) with Toho. It was at Toho that he met WADA Natto\, a translator and screenwriter. They got married and started to collaborating on multiple films. \nThe period 1950–1965 contains some of Ichikawa’s most highly respected works. With Tokyo Olympiad (1965)\, he redefined the sports documentary genre\, shifting focus from nationalist spectacle to individual human stories. He also gained Western recognition during this period with two anti-war films\, The Burmese Harp (1956) and Fires on the Plain (1959)\, and the period-piece An Actor’s Revenge (1963) about a kabuki actor.      
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/tokyo-olympiad/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250820T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250820T192000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20250722T155341Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250722T155341Z
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SUMMARY:Sanshiro Sugata (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:  \nSanshiro Sugata \n姿三四郎 \nWednesday\, August 20\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by KUROSAWA Akira • 1943 • 79 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer  \nThe directorial debut of KUROSAWA Akira\, Sanshiro Sugata is based on the novel of the same name written by TOMITA Tsuneo\, the son of TOMITA Tsunejirō\, one of the earliest disciple of judo. It follows the story of Sanshiro\, a talented though willful youth\, who travels to the city in order to learn Jujutsu. However\, upon his arrival he discovers a new form of self-defense: Judo.  \nA spirited tale of a young judo student’s moral and physical awakening\, Sanshiro Sugata offers a unique glimpse into the formation of Kurosawa’s visual style and philosophical concerns. The film was quite influential at the time\, and has been remade five times. It spawned a sequel\, Sanshiro Sugata Part II (1945)\, also directed by Kurosawa. \n  \nSanshiro Sugata is part of our Body & Soul: Japanese Sports Cinema series. \nFree admission.  Register below. \n\n Director Profile: \nKUROSAWA Akira  (黒澤 明\, 1910–1998) is one of the most influential directors in the history of cinema. With a career spanning over five decades\, he is best known for his epic storytelling\, innovative editing techniques\, and humanistic themes. Kurosawa began his directing career during World War II\, making his debut with Sanshiro Sugata (1943). Even in this early work\, his signature themes—inner conflict\, ethical growth\, and the tension between tradition and modernity—are vividly present. \nKurosawa’s later masterpieces\, such as Rashomon (1950)\, Ikiru (1952)\, Seven Samurai (1954)\, and Throne of Blood (1957)\, earned him international acclaim and deeply influenced generations of filmmakers worldwide. After the 1960s he became less prolific; even so\, his later work – including two of his final films\, Kagemusha (1980) and Ran (1985) – continued to receive great acclaim. In 1990\, he received the Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement. His ability to translate deeply Japanese stories into universally resonant cinema made him a global ambassador for postwar Japanese film.
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/sanshiro-sugata/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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ORGANIZER;CN="The Japan Foundation%2C Toronto":MAILTO:info_jftoronto@jpf.go.jp
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250902T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250902T201500
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20250722T155409Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250830T033956Z
UID:106026-1756836000-1756844100@tr.jpf.go.jp
SUMMARY:Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Koshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams    \nTuesday\, September 2\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by Ema Ryan Yamazaki • 2019 • 94 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer  \nBaseball is life for the die-hard competitors in the 100th annual Koshien\, Japan’s wildly popular national high school baseball championship\, whose alumni include U.S. baseball star OHTANI Shohei and former Yankee MATSUI Hideki. But for Coach Mizutani and his players\, cleaning the grounds and greeting their guests are equally important as honing their baseball skills. \nIn director Ema Ryan Yamazaki’s dramatic and intimate journey to the heart of the Japanese national character\, will those acts add up to victory or prove a relic of the past? Koshien is not just a sports film—it’s a thoughtful portrait of education\, mentorship\, and generational expectations in modern Japan.  \n  \nKoshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams is part of our Body & Soul: Japanese Sports Cinema series.   \n  \nBaseball player SATO Ayami (里 綾実) will join us for a post-screening Q&A! \n  \nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding! \n\n Director Profile: \nEma Ryan Yamazaki is a Japanese-British filmmaker known for her nuanced\, cross-cultural storytelling. She attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts\, focusing on documentary and editing. After graduation\, Ema worked on a few documentaries and series for channels like Al Jazeera English\, CNN\, HBO\, and NHK. In 2017\, Ema’s first feature length documentary\, Monkey Business: The Adventures of Curious George’s Creators\, was released worldwide. \nKoshien: Japan’s Field of Dreams (2019) is Ema’s second feature film. After premiering at DOC NYC\, the film aired in primetime on ESPN in 2020. Since then\, Ema continued to work on a variety of projects including working as a Co-Director and Supervising Editor of the official Olympic film “The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020\,” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2022. Ema’s latest feature The Making of a Japanese (2023) made its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival.  \nMost recently\, Ema was Editor and Co-Producer on ITO Shiori’s Black Box Diaries (2024)\, which world premiered at the Sundance Film Festival’s World Documentary Competition to critical acclaim and went on to receive a Best Documentary Feature Film nomination at the 97th Academy Awards. Instruments of a Beating Heart (2024)\, a documentary short edited down from The Making of a Japanese\, won Best Short Documentary at the 40th IDA Documentary Awards and was nominated for Best Documentary Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards. \n  \n  \n Guest Profile: \nSATO Ayami (里 綾実) is a Japanese baseball pitcher for the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team and a member of the Japan national women’s baseball team. She is also celebrated as one of the most decorated pitchers in the world\, having won the MVP award three convective times in World Cup and she has led to six World Cup gold medals. In 2025\, she becomes the first woman to ever play for Toronto Maple Leafs\, a professional men’s baseball team in Canada. \n  \n  \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/koshien-screening-2025/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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ORGANIZER;CN="The Japan Foundation%2C Toronto":MAILTO:info_jftoronto@jpf.go.jp
GEO:43.6710659;-79.3857432
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250916T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250916T200000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20250722T155354Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250829T202715Z
UID:105933-1758045600-1758052800@tr.jpf.go.jp
SUMMARY:100 Yen Love (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:100 Yen Love \n百円の恋 \nTuesday\, September 16\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by TAKE Masaharu • 2014 • 113 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer  \n32-year-old Ichiko lives at home in self-indulgent grunginess with her parents and recently divorced younger sister. After leaving home\, Ichiko finds a job at a 100 yen shop (dollar store). Ichiko falls in love with a boxer and suddenly life starts to change for her. 100 Yen Love is more of a character-driven indie drama than a traditional boxing film\, centered around the powerful performance of ANDO Sakura (Love Exposure\, Shoplifters) as a depressed Tokyo woman down on her luck fighting to regain her self-respect. Ando won the Best Actress award at the prestigious Japan Academy Film Prize for her star turn as the anti-heroine. \nJapan’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar\, 100 Yen Love had its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival where it won the Japanese Cinema Splash Best Picture Award. The film was nominated for five awards\, including Best Film\, at the Japan Academy Film Prize\, winning Best Actress and Best Screenplay. \nContent warning: sexual assault. \n  \n100 Yen Love is part of our Body & Soul: Japanese Sports Cinema series. \n  \nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding! \n \n\n \nDirector Profile: \nBorn in Aichi Prefecture in 1967\, TAKE Masaharu (武 正晴) graduated from Meiji University in Tokyo. In 1986\, during the course of his studies\, he began making independent films. He then moved on to work as an assistant director for directors like ISHII Takashi or SAI Yoichi\, and on well-received films such as Memories of Matsuko (2006). He then made his feature film debut with Boy Meets Pusan (2007). He achieved breakthrough with the film 100 Yen Love (2014)\, receiving critical acclaim as well as a nomination of Best Director at the Japan Academy Film Prize. Take’s work often explores themes of alienation\, perseverance\, and dignity in the face of adversity and brings a deep empathy to his characters. His latest work includes the successful Netflix series The Naked Director (2019).       \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/100-yen-love/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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ORGANIZER;CN="The Japan Foundation%2C Toronto":MAILTO:info_jftoronto@jpf.go.jp
GEO:43.6710659;-79.3857432
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20251020T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20251020T200000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20250722T155406Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251020T195330Z
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SUMMARY:The First Slam Dunk (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:The First Slam Dunk \nMonday\, October 20\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by INOUE Takehiko • 2022 • 124 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer  \nShohoku’s “speedster” and point guard\, MIYAGI Ryota\, always plays with brains and lightning speed\, running circles around his opponents while feigning composure. In his second year of high school\, Ryota plays with the Shohoku High School basketball team as they take the stage at the Inter-High School National Championship. And now\, they are on the brink of challenging the reigning champions\, Sannoh Kogyo High School.  \nBased on the wildly popular Slam Dunk manga series by INOUE Takehiko\, The First Slam Dunk adapts the final match depicted in the manga and features original flashbacks and a new epilogue. The film won the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year and was a huge box office success\, becoming the sixth highest-grossing Japanese film and the highest grossing basketball film of all time.    \n  \nThe First Slam Dunk is part of our Body & Soul: Japanese Sports Cinema series. \nThis event is now fully booked. Due to the popularity of the event\, there will NOT be a rush line for this screening. Thank you very much for your understanding!  \n  \nFree admission.  Register below.   \n\n Director Profile: \nINOUE Takehiko (井上 雄彦) is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for the basketball series Slam Dunk (1990–1996)\, and the jidaigeki manga Vagabond\, which are two of the best-selling manga series in history. Many of his works are about basketball\, Inoue himself being a huge fan of the sport. Slam Dunk\, about a basketball team from Shohoku High School\, was published in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1990 to 1996 and has sold over 170 million copies worldwide. Slam Dunk was adapted into an anime television series and four films. The manga’s popularity caused a surge of interest in basketball among Japanese youth\, leading to Inoue receiving commendation from the Japan Basketball Association for helping popularize basketball in the country. \nIn 2022\, Inoue made his directorial debut with the anime film adaptation of his Slam Dunk manga\, titled The First Slam Dunk. Inoue also wrote the screenplay and story for the film. In 2024\, he received the Best Director and Best Screenplay award for his work at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival. \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/the-first-slam-dunk/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20251029T184500
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20251029T210000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20251002T210556Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251027T135253Z
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SUMMARY:Bullet Train (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Bullet Train \nWednesday\, October 29\, 6:45 PM (ET) \nDoors open 6:25PM | Film Screening | In-Person | Innis Town Hall (2 Sussex Avenue\, Toronto\, ON M5S 1J5) \nDirected by David Leitch • 2022 • 126 minutes • Presented in English • Trailer  \nUnlucky assassin Ladybug (Brad Pitt) is determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. Fate\, however\, may have other plans\, as Ladybug’s latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe—all with connected\, yet conflicting\, objectives—on the world’s fastest train from Tokyo to Kyoto. \nAdapted from ISAKA Kotaro’s 2010 novel Maria Beetle\, Bullet Train features a cast of unforgettable characters and takes audiences on a wild\, high-speed ride that’s as stylish as it is fun\, blending thrilling action sequences\, witty banter and a dazzling neon style.   \nSpecial pre-screening introduction by the author of the original novel — ISAKA Kotaro\, who is a featured guest at the 2025 Toronto International Festival of Authors! \nFree admission.  Register below. \n\n  \n \nDirector Profile: \nDavid Leitch is one of Hollywood’s leading action filmmakers\, known for combining jaw-dropping stunt work with sharp humor and slick visual style. Before stepping behind the camera\, Leitch built his career as a stunt performer and coordinator\, doubling for Brad Pitt and working on major blockbusters like Fight Club\, The Matrix sequels\, and The Bourne Ultimatum.  \nLeitch made his directing debut as an uncredited co-director on John Wick (2014)\, which revitalized modern action cinema and started a successful franchise. He went on to direct Atomic Blonde (2017)\, Deadpool 2 (2018)\, and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)\, proving his ability to deliver globe-spanning franchise hits. \n\nPhoto Credit ©️Munemasa Takahashi \nAuthor Profile: \nKotaro Isaka is the internationally-acclaimed Japanese author of Bullet Train (Japanese title Maria Beetle\, 2010). One of the most consistently bestselling authors of contemporary Japanese fiction\, Isaka is known for works that straddle the literary and entertainment genres.His novels include Audubon’s Prayer (2000\, Shincho Mystery Club Award)\, Lush Life (2002)\, Three Assassins (Japanese title Grasshopper\, 2004)\, The Precision of the Agent of Death (2005\, Mystery Writers of Japan Award)\, Shumatsu no Fool (2006)\, Golden Slumber (2007\, Yamamoto Shugoro Award and Japan Booksellers’ Award)\, The Mantis (Japanese title AX\, 2017)\, and Gyaku Socrates (2020\, Shibata Renzaburo Award). His latest novel is 777 (2023).Isaka’s books have been translated into over 20 languages worldwide. Bullet Train was the basis of the eponymous movie from Sony Pictures (2022)\, directed by David Leitch and starring Brad Pitt.  \n*Click here to download the PDF file of author details\, his books available at JFT Library and TIFA related event info. \n  \n  \n\n \n\nCo-Presented by: \n \n  \n\nRelated Programming\n \nCrafting Twists and Thrills: A Conversation with Author ISAKA Kotaro \nThursday\, October 30\, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM (ET)In-Person @ The Japan Foundation\, Toronto Event Hall | Admission Free |Registration Required \nAuthor ISAKA Kotaro will share rare insights into his life as a creative at the Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, in conversation with Brian Bergstrom\, translator for one of his novels Hotel Lucky Seven. The pair will talk about creative processes\, inspirations\, and challenges\, in addition to experience with translation and film adaptations. Audience can also expect to learn more about Isaka’s most recent English translations Seesaw Monster and Hotel Lucky Seven and ask any burning questions they may have about his intricately woven plotlines. \nAttendees can join a signing session with the author immediately after the event! \nRegister here \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nJFT Book Club (Hybrid): Seesaw Monster by ISAKA Kotaro \nSaturday\, November 8\, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (ET)Online &| In-Person | Japan Foundation\, Toronto Library (2 Bloor St E #300\, Toronto\, ON\, Canada M4W 1A8) \nJoin us virtually or in person for our book club meeting\, where we dive deep into the dark wit and intricate plots of Japan’s master storyteller\, ISAKA Kotaro! We’ll discuss his novel Seesaw Monster (or the original Japanese version: 伊坂幸太郎著『シーソーモンスター』\, translated into English by Sam Malissa)\, which consists of two interconnected\, suspenseful stories set in the past and the future. Meet fellow readers and share insights into the stories that you might not have discovered on your own!   \nP.S. A special video message from the author ISAKA Kotaro will be exclusively shared with book club participants! \nRegister here
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/bullet-train/
LOCATION:Innis Town Hall\, Innis College\, University of Toronto\, 2 Sussex Avenue\, Toronto\, ON\, M5S 1JS\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20251106T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20251106T194500
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20251024T135612Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251027T135214Z
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SUMMARY:The Face of Jizo (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:The Face of Jizo \n父と暮せば \nThursday\, November 6\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by KUROKI Kazuo • 2004 • Drama\, War • 99 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles \n  \n© EISEI GEKIJO\, BANDAI VISUAL\, NIHON SKY WAY\, TV TOKYO MEDIANET\, AOI PROMOTION\, PAL ENTERTAINMENTS PRODUCTION \n  \nIn Hiroshima in 1948\, memories of the atomic bombing three years earlier are still fresh in the minds of the people. Mitsue (MIYAZAWA Rie) works at a library where she meets Mr. Kinoshita (ASANO Tadanobu)\, a shy\, young man researching the disaster. They grow close\, and Mr. Kinoshita eventually asks for her hand in marriage. However\, Mitsue is troubled by her memories of the bombing when she was unable to save her father\, Takezo (HARADA Yoshio)\, and her closest friends as well as the many others who lost their lives. She doubts whether she deserves to have survived. Then the spirit of her father appears before her\, and asserts that she should be happy. Watching over her budding romance with Mr. Kinoshita\, Takezo cajoles and encourages Mitsue into opening her heart again. \nThe third in veteran director KUROKI Kazuo’s trilogy of films (Tomorrow\, Kirishima 1945) set in wartime Japan. \n  \nThe Face of Jizo is presented in conjunction with our ongoing exhibition Hiroshima Appeals. \nFree admission. Registration Required. \n  \nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding.
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/the-face-of-jizo/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20251120T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20251120T201500
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20251103T192447Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251121T152559Z
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SUMMARY:Late Autumn (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Late Autumn \n秋日和 \nThursday November 20\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by OZU Yasujirō • 1960 • 128 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer  \n  \nLate Autumn follows the attempts of three older men to help the widow of a late friend\, MIWA Akiko (HARA Setsuko)\, to marry off her daughter Ayako (TSUKASA Yōko\, in her assured first appearance in an Ozu film). Ayako\, however\, is less than happy at the proposals\, mainly because of her reluctance to leave her mother alone.   \nA reworking of Ozu’s earlier masterpiece Late Spring (1949)\, the film reverses the roles\, with the Ozu regular HARA Setsuko now portraying the sensitive\, caring mother\, instead of the devoted daughter she played in the original film. A more comedic entry in Ozu’s oeuvre\, Late Autumn satirizes the social rituals and emotional turbulence surrounding marriage and matchmaking\, while continuing Ozu’s meditation on the widening generational gap in the post-war Japan.  \nOzu once said about Late Autumn: “People complicate the simplest things. Life\, which seems complex\, suddenly reveals itself as very simple. I wanted to show that in this film.” Released three years before his death\, Late Autumn may be lesser known than his most celebrated works\, but it nevertheless is a testament of his unique sensibility and refined artistry.          \n©Janus Films \n  \nIf you are interested in more classic Japanese films\, don’t miss the NARUSE Mikio retrospective currently touring across Canada\, including films starring HARA Setsuko and TSUKASA Yōko! \nFree admission.  Register below. \n\nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n\n\n \n\n\n Director Profile: \n  \nOZU Yasujirō (小津 安二郎\, 1903-1963) is widely regarded as one of the greatest Japanese filmmakers in the history of cinema\, known for his deeply humanistic portrayals of family life and the quiet passage of time. Ozu began his career during the era of silent films. He first made a number of short comedies\, before turning to more serious themes in the 1930s. Over a career spanning more than three decades\, Ozu crafted a distinctive cinematic language characterized by low camera angles (“tatami shot”)\, static compositions\, and meticulous attention to everyday conversations. Marriage and family\, generational divides\, and the tension between tradition and modernity in post-war Japan are often the prominent themes in his works. \nAmong his most celebrated works are Late Spring (1949)\, Tokyo Story (1953)\,  Floating Weeds (1959)\, and his final film An Autumn Afternoon (1962). Ozu’s restrained storytelling\, delicate humor\, and compassionate view of ordinary life have made him an enduring icon of world cinema and have continued to influence filmmakers. In the 2012 Sight & Sound poll\, Ozu’s Tokyo Story was voted the greatest film of all time by directors around the world.  \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/late-autumn/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20251125T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20251125T200000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20251106T211849Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251121T145811Z
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SUMMARY:Tampopo (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Tampopo \nタンポポ \nTuesday November 25\, 5:30PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:00PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by ITAMI Jūzō • 1985 • 115 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer    \n  \nA self-proclaimed “ramen Western\,” Tampopo is a playful and delicious satire on food\, desire\, and Japanese culture. The story follows truck driver Goro (YAMAZAKI Tsutomu) and his sidekick Gun (WATANABE Ken) as they help Tampopo (MIYAMOTO Nobuko)\, a widowed noodle shop owner\, perfect her ramen recipe and transform her small eatery into a local legend. \nThrough a series of eccentric vignettes—from a gangster’s sensual food rituals to an etiquette lesson gone wrong—ITAMI Jūzō serves up a loving and absurd meditation on the art of eating and living. Both hilarious and heartfelt\, Tampopo celebrates the pursuit of perfection and the joy found in a simple bowl of ramen. \n©Janus Films \nContent Warning: This film contains brief scenes of animal violence and sexual content\, including nudity. Viewer discretion is advised. \n  \nAfter the screening\, 2025 Japan Foundation Awards recipient Marty Gross will join us for a conversation\, including screening an interview he conducted & produced with the food stylist OGAWA Seiko who worked on the film!   \n  \nIf you are interested in more Japanese films about food\, don’t miss the current line-up of films in the feature “Meals That Heal and Connect” on JFF Theater. Available for FREE streaming across Canada! \n  \nFree admission. \nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n\n Director Profile:   \nITAMI Jūzō (伊丹 十三\, 1933-1997) was a Japanese actor\, essayist\, screenwriter and film director. One of Japan’s most distinctive satirists\, Itami began his career as an actor\, where he used the stage name ITAMI Ichizō (伊丹 一三). He appeared in foreign-language films such as 55 Days at Peking (1963) and Lord Jim (1965). In 1965\, he published a book called Diary of Boredom in Europe\, an essay collection of his thoughts and reflections on his time in Europe.  \nIn 1967\, when working with director ŌSHIMA Nagisa on the set of Sing a Song of Sex\, he met actress MIYAMOTO Nobuko; they got married in 1969 and Miyamoto would later star in all his films. \nItami turned to filmmaking in the 1980s. His directorial debut\, The Funeral (1984)\, was a critical and commercial success in Japan and won many awards\, including Japanese Academy Awards for Best Picture\, Best Director\, and Best Screenplay. With Tampopo (1985)\, he reached international acclaim\, cementing his reputation for subversive wit and inventive storytelling. His following film A Taxing Woman (1987) was again highly successful. It won six major Japanese Academy awards and spawned a sequel A Taxing Woman’s Return in 1988.  \nItami’s films often tackled contemporary Japanese life\, from consumerism and bureaucracy to gender roles\, with his signature blend of sharp social observation and wry humor. \n\n \nGuest Profile: \nMarty Gross is a consulting producer for companies based in North America\, Europe and Asia\, with focus on Japanese art\, film\, theatre and crafts. His company\, Marty Gross Film Productions\, Inc. (founded in 1975)\, manages one of the most comprehensive websites devoted to films on Japanese cultural and historical subjects. \nSince 1974\, he has produced and directed films (including As We Are\, Potters at Work\, The Lovers’ Exile)\, restored archival films on Japanese arts and crafts (such as The Leach Pottery\, Mashiko Village Pottery\, Japan 1937)\, conducted numerous interviews\, produced documentaries and coordinated publication of books on the history of Japanese cinema and on Japanese animation. \n(C) photo by Grant Delin
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/tampopo/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20251216T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20251216T200000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20251120T183843Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260116T203146Z
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SUMMARY:Hula Girls (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Hula Girls \nTuesday\, December 16\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by LEE Sang-il • 2006 • Comedy / Drama • 120 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \nIn 1965\, desperate to reverse their economic fortunes\, the elders of Iwaki\, a small Japanese coal-mining town\, decide to create a Hawaiian center tourist attraction. They hire Madoka (MATSUYUKI Yasuko)\, a professional dancer from Tokyo\, to recruit and train hula dancers. The group includes hulking Sayuri (YAMASAKI Shizuyo) and the hesitant Kimiko (AOI Yû). Things seem hopeless at first\, but with encouragement from Kimiko’s brother\, Yojiro (TOYOKAWA Etsushi)\, Madoka redoubles her efforts to make things work. \nBased on real life events\, Hula Girls premiered at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival and went on to win five major awards at the 2007 Japan Academy Film Prize\, including Best Film\, Best Director\, Best Screenplay\, Best Supporting Actress\, and Most Popular Film. It was also chosen for Japan’s entry for the 79th Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film. \nContent advisory: brief scenes of domestic violence.  \n  \nIf you are interested in director LEE Sang-il’s latest film\, the critical and commercial success Kokuho\, don’t miss the screening at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre on Jan 23\, 2026! \n  \nFree admission.  \nRegistration for this event is now full. If you wish to be notified when a cancelled slot becomes available\, please join the waitlist on Eventbrite (limited spots). We will also have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n  \n\nDirector Profile: \nLEE Sang-il (李相日) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter of Zainichi Korean descent. Lee studied at the Japan Institute of the Moving Image. His graduation project and directorial debut was the medium-length film Chong (1999)\, about the lives of third-generation Koreans living in Japan. The film won four awards including the Grand Prix at the Pia Film Festival (PFF) in 2000. \nIn 2004\, he directed his second feature: 69\, adapted from the novel of the same name by MURAKAMI Ryū\, which earned him a Best Director nomination at the Blue Ribbon Award.  His 2006 film\, Hula Girls\, had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and was critically acclaimed upon release in Japan. It received 12 nominations at the 2007 Japan Academy Awards\, winning five awards including Best Film and Best Director\, and was selected to represent Japan at the Academy Awards. His next film Villain (2010) was again acclaimed in Japan\, winning 5 Japanese Academy awards. Lee’s most recent work is Kokuho (2025)\, which world premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and went on to become a critical and commercial success in Japan. It was selected as the Japanese entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 2026 Academy Awards.
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/hula-girls/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260125T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260125T193000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20251117T212628Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260121T180427Z
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SUMMARY:Cinema Kabuki 2026 Toronto
DESCRIPTION:Presented by The Japan Foundation In association with the Consulate-General of Japan in Toronto  CINEMA KABUKI: In High Definition on the Big Screen ‒ Direct from Japan ‒ English subtitled. Kabuki Theatre filmed with high-resolution cameras for cinemas in High-Definition digital projection and six-channel sound. A twisted comedy set in the tenements in Rakuda: Party with a Dead Man\, the further developments of the scandalous secret love and downfall in Princess Sakurahime Part II\, and a romantic yet domestic dance-comedy in The Zen Substitute.   \n \nOn-Line at Ticketmaster.comTelephone: 416-599-2033 (TIFF Lightbox box office)Tickets can also be purchased In-Person at the TIFF Lightbox box office.Admission for each screening: $24.80 including Tax and handling charge.All seats are assigned. \n\n\n \nTIFF Lightbox\, 350 King Street West\, Toronto\, Cinema 2 \n\n\n \nCinema Kabuki 2026 Toronto Time Table:Sunday\, January 25 at 1:00 p.m. Rakuda: Party with a Dead Man    52 minutesSunday\, January 25 at 3:00 p.m. Princess Sakurahime Part II        138 minutesSunday\, January 25 at 6:25 p.m. The Zen Substitute                         62 minutes \n \nPurchase Tickets \n\n Rakuda\, Party with a Dead Man A twisted comedy set in the tenements  \nSunday\, January 25 at 1:00 p.m. 【らくだ 眠駱駝物語 ねむる、が、らくだ、ものがたり】 \nBased on Rakugo comic storytellingPremiered in 1928Written by Onitarō Oka based on a Rakugo storyDirected for the stage by Shigetami EnomotoDirected for Cinema Kabuki by Hiroyuki NakataniRecorded live at Kabuki-za Theatre\, Tokyo\, 200852 minutes\, English subtitled© 2008 Shochiku Co.\, Ltd. \nSynopsis \nUma\, an unpopular tenant\, dies\, his only friend Hanji cooks up a scheme to make some money. He sends Kyūroku\, the junk collector\, to demand support for the funeral celebrations from Uma’s miserly landlord – or else the dead Uma will come to his house and dance. Kabuki’s most powerful acting duo\, Kanzaburo and Mitsugoro\, light a fire under this twisted comedy\, which turns to hilarious farce with the aid of copious amounts of sake. \n落語原作の、江戸下町長屋の笑劇。フグの毒で急死した長屋の嫌われ者の屍を引っ提げて、葬式を口実に酒と肴の強請り放題、さて大家さんは応じるか？ \n  \n\n Princess Sakurahime Part II \nSunday\, January 25 at 3:00 p.m.  【桜姫東文章 下の巻　さくらひめ　あずまぶんしょう げのまき】 \nPremiered in Bunka 14 (1817) at Kawarazaki-za Theatre\, Edo\, TokyoWritten by TSURUYA NanbokuRecorded live at Kabuki-za Theatre\, Tokyo\, 2021138 minutes\, English subtitled© 2022 Shochiku Co.\, Ltd. \nSynopsis | Trailer \nA sweet child and a monk\, an esteemed princess and a thief— two unusual couples whose fates are linked by karma. A high-ranking monk is convinced that Princess Sakurahime is the reincarnation of his dead male lover and falls madly for her. Sakurahime\, however\, is obsessed with finding the unknown villain who raped her and left her pregnant. Described by critics and historians as one of the most scandalous Kabuki plays ever written\, this story of the secret love and downfall of Princess Sakurahime still has the power to shock contemporary audiences. The playwright TSURUYA Nanboku was at the apex of the overripe culture of Edo in the Bunka-Bunsei period (1804-1830). Nanboku’s masterpiece has been brought to the live stage in the most ideal manner by Kabuki’s golden pair\, Nizaemon and Tamasaburo\, who started their collaboration in their twenties. This Cinema Kabuki presentation is a precious record of their reunion in their most successful repertoire for the first time in 36 years. Following last year’s Part I screening\, Part II starts with a summary of Part I to refresh your memory\, or to enable you to enjoy Part II by itself. \n桜姫―玉三郎―と、清玄/権助―仁左衛門二役―との因縁愛憎はさらに渦を巻き、愛欲と尊厳が激しく交錯衝突する。いよいよ大詰めに迫り、南北独特の奇想のどんでん返しが次々に炸裂。 \n  \n    \n\n The Zen Substitute  \nSunday\, January 25 at 6:25 p.m.  【身替座禅 みがわり ざぜん】 \nPremiered in 1910Written by Okamura ShikōDirected for Cinema Kabuki by Sekine KiyoshiRecorded live at Kabuki-za Theatre\, Tokyo\, 200962 minutes\, English subtitled© 2010 Shochiku Co.\, Ltd.  \nSynopsis Lord Ukyō announces to his wife that he intends to isolate himself in Zen meditation by locking himself in a remote pavilion overnight. The truth\, however\, is that he is planning to sneak out to see a woman he had met on a recent trip. As a decoy\, a hapless servant is forced to stay in the prayer pavilion in a place of the lord. Although the lord’s wife is supposed to refrain from visiting her husband out of respect for his religious isolation\, she is so monstrously affectionate that she breaks her vow and goes looking for him. This simple domestic farce is elevated to an expression of the joyful energy of life by two of the best dancers of the Kabuki world\, Kanzaburo and Mitsugoro. 狂言を基にした歌舞伎舞踊の最高傑作のひとつ。今は共に亡き十八世勘三郎と十世三津五郎の舞踊コンビの、最も充実した時期の、豊かにおおらかに、そして洒落た、あの幻の舞台の記録、今よみがえる。 \n            \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n      \n\nRelated Programming: \n \n\nFrom Stage to Screen to Page:  JFT Library Items to Enhance Your Cinema Kabuki Experience! \n\n\n\nPlanning to attend Cinema Kabuki? Whether you are discovering kabuki for the first time or returning as a seasoned theatre lover\, this curated selection from the JFT Library invites you to extend your journey into the rich world of kabuki theatre—before and after the event! Discover how kabuki has evolved through the centuries\, explore actors’ lives on and off stage\, enjoy beautifully illustrated guides to its aesthetics\, and watch DVDs/Blu-rays of renowned plays with English soundtracks. Highlights include Kabuki: Five Classic Plays\, featuring a full English translation of Princess Sakurahime—perfect for revisiting the drama after the screening or preparing in advance. The library items are available in English and Japanese\, across print\, DVD/Blu-ray\, and ebook formats.   \n\n The curated library items are currently on display at JFT library. \n\n Apply for a new library card or renew your expired card here. \n\nLibrary Item List       \n  \n  \n  \n  \n \nIn conjunction with Kabuki Talks Series \nJanuary 10\, 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm @ JFT Event Hall January 14\, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm @ JFT Event Hall January 20\, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm @ JFT Event Hall Join us for a special three-part talk series\, where we explore various aspects of Kabuki theatre in depth.  
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/cinema-kabuki-2026-toronto/
LOCATION:TIFF Lightbox\, 350 King Street West\, Toronto\, Ontario\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening,Performance
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260127T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260127T201500
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20260106T152745Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260116T203301Z
UID:110035-1769536800-1769544900@tr.jpf.go.jp
SUMMARY:Harakiri (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Harakiri \n切腹 \nTuesday January 27\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by KOBAYASHI Masaki • 1962 • 133 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer    \nFollowing the collapse of his clan\, an unemployed samurai (NAKADAI Tatsuya) arrives at the manor of Lord Iyi\, begging to be allowed to commit ritual suicide on the property. Iyi’s clansmen\, believing the desperate ronin is merely angling for a new position\, try to force his hand and get him to eviscerate himself—but they have underestimated his beliefs and his personal brand of honor. Winner of the Cannes Film Festival’s Special Jury Prize\, Harakiri is a fierce evocation of individual agency in the face of a corrupt and hypocritical system. \n©Janus Films \n  \nWidely regarded as one of the greatest actors in the history of cinema\, NAKADAI Tatsuya collaborated extensively with many of Japan’s best-known and acclaimed directors. In his over seven decade career\, he appeared in more than 160 films. According to him\, Harakiri was his favourite film of them all. In memory of the unparalleled actor\, who passed away on November 8\, 2025\, JFT is presenting the screening of Harakiri. \nContent Warning: This film contains scenes of violence and gore.   \n  \nFree admission. \nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n\n Director Profile: \nKOBAYASHI Masaki (小林 正樹\, 1916-1996) was a Japanese filmmaker who was “one of the finest depicters of Japanese society in the 1950s and 1960s.” Kobayashi started his film career as an assistant at the Shochiku studio\, working under KINOSHITA Keisuke (木下 惠介)\, who was an acclaimed director domestically during the period. While working as an assistant\, Kobayashi grew to admire Kinoshita’s skills in directing. The two collaborated on a few projects and Kinoshita helped Kobayashi make some of his earliest films. \nIn 1957\, Kobayashi made Black River\, about the crime and prostitution that arose around US bases in Japan during and after the American occupation. This was the first of Kobayashi’s films to star NAKADAI Tatsuya in a major role. Nakadai would become a mainstay of Kobayashi’s film\, starring in 9 of Kobayashi’s next 13 films. Starting from 1959\, Kobayashi rose to the peak of his career\, with the trilogy of epic war dramas The Human Condition (1959-1961) starring Nakadai as a pacifist gradually disillusioned as he goes through various hardships and cruelty during the war. Labelled as “one of the most staggering achievements of Japanese cinema\,” the total length of the films is almost ten hours\, which makes it one of the longest fiction films ever made for theatrical release. \nIn 1962\, Kobayashi directed Harakiri\, which won the Jury Prize at the 1963 Cannes Film Festival. The same year\, he also directed The Inheritance\, which won the BAFTA United Nations award. In 1964\, Kobayashi made Kwaidan\, his first color film\, a collection of four ghost stories drawn from books by Lafcadio Hearn. Kwaidan won the Special Jury Prize at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival\, and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/harakiri/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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GEO:43.6710659;-79.3857432
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260210T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260210T203000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20260115T171713Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T163333Z
UID:110737-1770746400-1770755400@tr.jpf.go.jp
SUMMARY:A Story from Chikamatsu (film screening + talk)
DESCRIPTION:A Story from Chikamatsu \n近松物語 \nTuesday Feb 10\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by MIZOGUCHI Kenji • 1954 • 102 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer    \nOne of a string of late-career masterworks made by MIZOGUCHI Kenji in the first half of the 1950s\, A Story from Chikamatsu (a.k.a. The Crucified Lovers) is an exquisitely moving tale of forbidden love struggling to survive in the face of persecution. Adapted from CHIKAMATSU Monzaemon’s 1715 bunraku play\, the film traces the injustices that befall a Kyoto scroll maker’s wife and his apprentice after each is unfairly accused of wrongdoing. Bound by fate in an illicit\, star-crossed romance\, they go on the run in search of refuge from the punishment prescribed them.  \nShot in gorgeous\, painterly style by master cinematographer MIYAGAWA Kazuo\, this delicately delivered indictment of societal oppression was heralded by KUROSAWA Akira as a “great masterpiece that could only have been made by Mizoguchi.” \n©Janus Films \n  \nAfter the film\, we will screen a 10-minute interview with the lead actress KAGAWA Kyoko\, directed by 2025 Japan Foundation Awards recipient Marty Gross\, who will join us for a brief conversation on his experiences working with the distributor The Criterion Collection on producing & conducting interviews with Japanese filmmakers.   \n  \nFree admission. Registration required. \nRegistration for this event is now full. If you wish to be notified when a cancelled slot becomes available\, please join the waitlist on Eventbrite (limited spots). We will also have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \nRegister here \n\n Director Profile: \nMIZOGUCHI Kenji (溝口 健二\, 1898 – 1956) is one of the most revered masters of Japanese cinema\, celebrated for his profound humanism and rigorous visual style. Active from the silent era through the postwar period\, Mizoguchi directed more than 80 films\, though fewer than half survive today. Initially seeking to become an actor\, Mizoguchi joined Nikkatsu as an assistant director\, and was later promoted to director. His early works included remakes of German Expressionist cinema\, adaptations of Eugene O’Neill and Leo Tolstoy\, and a series of left-leaning “tendency films.” While working in Kyoto\, he studied kabuki and noh theatre\, and traditional Japanese dance and music. In 1939\, Mizoguchi became president of the Directors Guild of Japan and released the film The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums\, which is regarded by many critics as his major pre-war work. \n He came to international prominence in the early 1950s\, with films The Life of Oharu (1952)\, Ugetsu (1953)\, and Sansho the Bailiff (1954) receiving major awards at the Venice Film Festival\, firmly establishing Japanese cinema on the global stage. Drawing from classical literature\, historical chronicles\, and contemporary social issues\, Mizoguchi consistently explored the moral and emotional costs of rigid social hierarchies. Mizoguchi is especially renowned for his compassionate yet unsentimental portrayals of women\, whose suffering and resilience lie at the heart of his cinema. His films are marked by long takes\, fluid camera movements\, and carefully choreographed staging that allow emotional intensity to emerge gradually rather than through overt dramatization. Together with KUROSAWA Akira and OZU Yasujirō\, Mizoguchi is seen as a representative of the “golden age” of Japanese cinema. \n\n Guest Profile: \nMarty Gross is a consulting producer for companies based in North America\, Europe and Asia\, with focus on Japanese art\, film\, theatre and crafts. His company\, Marty Gross Film Productions\, Inc. (founded in 1975)\, manages one of the most comprehensive websites devoted to films on Japanese cultural and historical subjects. Since 1974\, he has produced and directed films (including As We Are\, Potters at Work\, The Lovers’ Exile)\, restored archival films on Japanese arts and crafts (such as The Leach Pottery\, Mashiko Village Pottery\, Japan 1937)\, conducted numerous interviews\, produced documentaries and coordinated publication of books on the history of Japanese cinema and on Japanese animation. \n© photo by Grant Delin \n\n \n\nRelated programming: \n \nThe Lovers’ Exile (film screening + talk) \nSaturday\, Feb 21\, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM (ET)In-Person at JFT Event Hall | Admission Free | Registration Required \nThe Lovers’ Exile is an adaptation of MEIDO NO HIKYAKU by classic Japanese dramatist CHIKAMATSU Monzaemon (1673-1724). The story\, one of Chikamatsu’s domestic tragedies\, recounts the love between a penniless clerk and an indentured prostitute. \nThe Lovers’ Exile is performed entirely by the Bunraku Ensemble of Osaka\, widely considered the most sophisticated puppet theatre in the world. The Bunraku Theatre Ensemble\, and numerous of its players have been declared Living National Treasures of Japan. The Lovers’ Exile is the only filmed adaptation of a classic Bunraku performance. \n  \nAfter the screening\, director Marty Gross\, the recipient of 2025 Japan Foundation Awards\, will join us for a talk and Q&A. \nDetails here
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/a-story-from-chikamatsu/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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GEO:43.6710659;-79.3857432
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260221T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260221T203000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20260115T172054Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260219T172016Z
UID:108369-1771698600-1771705800@tr.jpf.go.jp
SUMMARY:The Lovers' Exile (film screening + talk)
DESCRIPTION:The Lovers’ Exile \n冥途の飛脚 \nSaturday\, February 21\, 6:30 PM (ET) \nDoors open 6:00 PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by Marty Gross • 1980 • 87 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles  \nBunraku combines the arts of puppetry\, joruri dramatic recitation\, and musical accompaniment of the samisen. Each puppet is manipulated by three handlers; the resulting ensemble effort of puppeteers and musicians creates not only a sense of heightened realism\, but also a dreamlike delicacy and complexity of movement. In 2003\, UNESCO proclaimed Bunraku a “masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity.” \nThe Lovers’ Exile is an adaptation of MEIDO NO HIKYAKU by classic Japanese dramatist CHIKAMATSU Monzaemon (1673-1724). The story\, one of Chikamatsu’s domestic tragedies\, recounts the love between a penniless clerk and an indentured prostitute. \nThe Lovers’ Exile is performed entirely by the Bunraku Ensemble of Osaka\, widely considered the most sophisticated puppet theatre in the world. The Bunraku Theatre Ensemble\, and numerous of its players have been declared Living National Treasures of Japan. The Lovers’ Exile is the only filmed adaptation of a classic Bunraku performance. \n©Marty Gross Film Productions Inc. \n  \nAfter the screening\, director Marty Gross\, the recipient of 2025 Japan Foundation Awards\, will join us for a talk on his filmmaking career and his work on preserving Japanese arts and cultural heritage.  \n  \nThis event is now fully booked. Due to the popularity of the event\, there will NOT be a rush line for this screening. Thank you very much for your understanding!  \n\n \nDirector Profile: \nMarty Gross is a consulting producer for companies based in North America\, Europe and Asia\, with focus on Japanese art\, film\, theatre and crafts. His company\, Marty Gross Film Productions\, Inc. (founded in 1975)\, manages one of the most comprehensive websites devoted to films on Japanese cultural and historical subjects. \nSince 1974\, he has produced and directed films (including As We Are\, Potters at Work\, The Lovers’ Exile)\, restored archival films on Japanese arts and crafts (such as The Leach Pottery\, Mashiko Village Pottery\, Japan 1937)\, conducted numerous interviews\, produced documentaries and coordinated publication of books on the history of Japanese cinema and on Japanese animation. \n  \n© photo by Grant Delin \n\nRelated programming: \n \nA Story from Chikamatsu (film screening) \nTuesday\, Feb 10\, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM (ET)In-Person at JFT Event Hall | Admission Free | Registration Required \nOne of a string of late-career masterworks made by MIZOGUCHI Kenji in the first half of the 1950s\, A Story from Chikamatsu (a.k.a. The Crucified Lovers) is an exquisitely moving tale of forbidden love struggling to survive in the face of persecution. Adapted from CHIKAMATSU Monzaemon’s 1715 bunraku play\, the film traces the injustices that befall a Kyoto scroll maker’s wife and his apprentice after each is unfairly accused of wrongdoing. Bound by fate in an illicit\, star-crossed romance\, they go on the run in search of refuge from the punishment prescribed them. \n  \nAfter the film\, we will screen a 10-minute interview with the lead actress KAGAWA Kyoko\, directed by 2025 Japan Foundation Awards recipient Marty Gross\, who will join us for a brief conversation. \nDetails here \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/the-lovers-exile/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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GEO:43.6710659;-79.3857432
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260307T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260307T130000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20260212T221854Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260616T141423Z
UID:110186-1772881200-1772888400@tr.jpf.go.jp
SUMMARY:Another World (KOTATSU screening)
DESCRIPTION:Another World \n半世界 \nSaturday\, March 7\, 11:00AM (ET) \nDoors open 10:30AM | Film Screening | In-Person | Innis Town Hall \nDirected by SAKAMOTO Junji • 2019 • Drama • 120 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \nInternationally recognized director SAKAMOTO Junji teams up with INAGAKI Goro to deliver an original story about three old school friends who are about to turn 40 years old. One of them returns home after a long silence and it brings the other two a moment to contemplate the days ahead in their lives. Through the perspective of men who are facing their 40s\, a point in life too late to be ambitious but too soon to give up\, Sakamoto depicts a human drama of new hope\, bonds between friends and family\, and struggle of how to live the rest of your life when you reach the half-way point. \n“A wistful\, intimate affair about friendship and fateful choices” (Screen Daily)\, Another World premiered at the 2018 Tokyo International Film Festival where it received Audience Award. It was later named one of Kinema Junpo’s Best Ten Japanese Films of the Year and received 4  Kinema Junpo Awards.  \nThis screening is a part of our annual winter film showcase\, KOTATSU 2026: Japanese Cinema at Innis Town Hall. \n  \nFree admission. Registration Required. \nRegister here \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nSAKAMOTO Junji (阪本 順治) is a Japanese filmmaker whose prolific career includes over thirty films. He started his career as an assistant director while studying\, working with filmmakers like ISHII Gakuryu\, among others. He made his directorial debut in 1989 with Knockout\, earning the Directors Guild of Japan New Directors Award\, and followed it up with another boxing film\, Tekken\, in 1990. Sakamoto became known for action films focusing on the conflicts between male characters\, such as Tokarefu (1994) and New Battles Without Honor and Humanity (2000)\, but has also made films centered on female characters such as Face (2000)\, for which he won the award for Best Director at the 24th Japan Academy Prize.  \nRecently\, his film Okiku and the World had its world premiere at the 2023 International Film Festival Rotterdam and won Kinema Junpo Award for Best Film of the Year. In 2023\, Sakamoto was honoured by New York Asian Film Festival with a Lifetime Achievement Award. \n\n  \nCommunity Partner: \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/another-world-kotatsu/
LOCATION:Innis Town Hall\, 2 Sussex Ave.\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M5S 1J5
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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ORGANIZER;CN="The Japan Foundation%2C Toronto":MAILTO:info_jftoronto@jpf.go.jp
GEO:43.6654332;-79.3990226
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260307T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260307T164500
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20260212T221956Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260616T141443Z
UID:110176-1772892000-1772901900@tr.jpf.go.jp
SUMMARY:A Story of Yonosuke (KOTATSU screening)
DESCRIPTION:A Story of Yonosuke \n横道世之介 \nSaturday\, March 7\, 2:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 1:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | Innis Town Hall \nDirected by OKITA Shuichi • 2012 • Drama • 160 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \nA coming-of-age drama based on a serialized newspaper novel by YOSHIDA Shuichi (author of Kokuho)\, it nostalgically depicts the interactions between a good-natured young man and his friends\, while interweaving the past and present. \nIn 1987\, a young man named Yonosuke (played by KORA Kengo\, who won Best Actor at the Blue Ribbon Awards for his performance) who is unable to decline the requests of others leaves his hometown of Nagasaki to start university life in Tokyo. One day as he is juggling classes and extracurricular activities\, he goes to a driving school and meets Shoko (YOSHITAKA Yuriko)\, the daughter of a company president\, who takes a liking to him. \n  \nThis screening is a part of our annual winter film showcase\, KOTATSU 2026: Japanese Cinema at Innis Town Hall. \nFree admission. Registration Required. \nRegister here \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nOKITA Shuichi (沖田 修一) is one of Japan’s most distinctive contemporary filmmakers\, known for his humanistic storytelling\, understated humor\, and deep compassion for his characters. His films often focus on ordinary people navigating moments of quiet change\, blending comedy and melancholy with remarkable emotional precision. \nOkita gained recognition with The Woodsman and the Rain (2011)\, a warmhearted comedy about an unlikely friendship between a retired lumberjack and a young film director\, which won the Jury Prize at the 2011 Tokyo International Film Festival. He followed this success with A Story of Yonosuke (2013)\, winning Best Director at the 2014 Japan Film Professional Awards\, which further cemented his reputation. \nOther notable works include Mori\, The Artist’s Habitat (2018)\, a meditative portrait of artist MORI Morikazu (shown at our KOTATSU 2020)\, One Summer Story (2020)\, Ora\, Ora Be Goin’ Alone (2020)\, and The Fish Tale (2022). Across his body of work\, Okita demonstrates a rare ability to find meaning in the everyday\, portraying lives not defined by dramatic turning points\, but by the gentle accumulation of moments. \n\n  \nCommunity Partner: \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/yonosuke-kotatsu/
LOCATION:Innis Town Hall\, 2 Sussex Ave.\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M5S 1J5
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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ORGANIZER;CN="The Japan Foundation%2C Toronto":MAILTO:info_jftoronto@jpf.go.jp
GEO:43.6654332;-79.3990226
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Innis Town Hall 2 Sussex Ave. Toronto Ontario M5S 1J5;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=2 Sussex Ave.:geo:-79.3990226,43.6654332
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260307T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260307T205000
DTSTAMP:20260928T101253
CREATED:20260212T222033Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260616T141537Z
UID:110190-1772910000-1772916600@tr.jpf.go.jp
SUMMARY:And Your Bird Can Sing (KOTATSU screening)
DESCRIPTION:And Your Bird Can Sing\n \nきみの鳥はうたえる \nSaturday\, March 7\, 7:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 6:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | Innis Town Hall \nDirected by MIYAKE Sho • 2018 • Romance\, Drama • 106 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \nBased on SATO Yasushi’s novel of the same title\, the film depicts a love triangle and captures the magic and melancholy of a summer. The main character\, « Me » (played by EMOTO Tasuku\, who won Best Actor at the Kinema Junpo Awards for his performance)\, works in a bookshop in Hakodate\, Hokkaido\, and shares a flat with a friend named Shizuo (SOMETANI Shota). Sachiko (ISHIBASHI Shizuka) is « Me »’ s colleague from the bookshop\, and the two starts a relationship. When Shizuo meets Sachiko\, he too starts to like her… Depicted like a breeze in the heat of Summer\, the relationship between these three young Japanese is built on a delicate balance of love and friendship.  \n  \nThis screening is a part of our annual winter film showcase\, KOTATSU 2026: Japanese Cinema at Innis Town Hall. \n  \nFree admission. Registration Required. \nRegister here \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nBorn in 1984 in Sapporo\, Hokkaido\, MIYAKE Sho (三宅 唱) is a Japanese filmmaker whose work has garnered significant international recognition\, particularly at major European film festivals. He completed the elementary fiction course at the Film School of Tokyo and began making feature films after graduating from university. \nHis breakthrough feature Playback (2012) was selected for the International Competition at the Locarno Film Festival. And Your Bird Can Sing (2018) screened in the Forum section of the Berlin International Film Festival\, where it received strong critical acclaim both internationally and in Japan\, and was named one of Kinema Junpo’s Best Ten Japanese Films of the Year. \nMiyake’s next two feature films — Small\, Slow but Steady (2022) and All the Long Nights (2024) — both premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and won Kinema Junpo Award for Best Film of the Year. Most recently\, Two Seasons\, Two Strangers (2025) won the top prize in the International Competition at the Locarno Film Festival\, further cementing Miyake’s reputation as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Japanese cinema. \n\nCommunity Partners: \n \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/and-your-bird-can-sing-kotatsu/
LOCATION:Innis Town Hall\, 2 Sussex Ave.\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M5S 1J5
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/wp-content/uploads/Kotatsu-Film-3-And-Your-Bird-Can-Sing.png
ORGANIZER;CN="The Japan Foundation%2C Toronto":MAILTO:info_jftoronto@jpf.go.jp
GEO:43.6654332;-79.3990226
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Innis Town Hall 2 Sussex Ave. Toronto Ontario M5S 1J5;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=2 Sussex Ave.:geo:-79.3990226,43.6654332
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