Our annual winter film showcase is returning to Innis Town Hall! This year’s edition offers a perfect blend of five Japanese films, from acclaimed contemporary films to recently restored classics. This year, the screenings will take place on Saturday, March 7 & Sunday, March 8.
The kotatsu (炬燵 or こたつ) is a signature piece of furniture and the centre of Japanese homes during cold seasons. The modern kotatsu features a low table frame covered by a special quilt or heavy blanket, upon which a table top sits. Underneath is an electric heater often built into the table itself. Before modern electricity, charcoal was used to heat a hearth set into the ground.
Saturday, March 7 & Sunday, March 8, 2026
Innis Town Hall
All films presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Free Admission • In-Theatre Screenings • RSVP Required (register below)
Another World
半世界
Saturday, March 7, 11:00AM (ET)
Directed by SAKAMOTO Junji • 2019 • Drama • 120 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer
Ko (INAGAKI Gorō), a man in his late 30s, lives in the countryside with his wife and teenage son. He is friends with Mitsuhiko, who runs a local car dealership. One day, their mutual friend Eisuke returns from a long military operation and their reunification brings back both pleasant and painful memories.
[ Film Festivals & Awards ]
2018 Tokyo International Film Festival, Competition | Winner: Audience Award
Kinema Junpo Awards | Winner: Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, Readers’ Choice Best Japanese Film, Readers’ Choice Best Japanese Director
A Story of Yonosuke
横道世之介
Saturday, March 7, 2:00PM (ET)
Directed by OKITA Shuichi • 2013 • Drama • 160 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer
A coming-of-age drama based on a serialized newspaper novel by YOSHIDA Shuichi (author of the novel Kokuho), the film nostalgically depicts the interactions between a good-natured young man and his friends, while interweaving the past and present.
[ Film Festivals & Awards ]
2012 Tokyo International Film Festival, Special Screenings
Blue Ribbon Awards | Winner: Best Film, Best Actor
And Your Bird Can Sing
きみの鳥はうたえる
Saturday, March 7, 7:00PM (ET)
Directed by MIYAKE Sho • 2018 • Romance, Drama • 106 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer
Based on SATO Yasushi’s novel of the same title, the film depicts a care-free ménage à trois between a bookstore worker, his coworker Sachiko, and his unemployed roommate Shizuo over the course of a languid summer in Hakodate.
[ Film Festivals & Awards ]
2018 Tokyo International Film Festival, Japan Now
2019 Berlin International Film Festival, Forum
Kinema Junpo Awards: Best Actor
Forever a Woman
乳房よ永遠なれ
4K Restoration!
Sunday, March 8, 3:00PM (ET)
Directed by TANAKA Kinuyo • 1955 • Drama • 106 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer
A powerful drama based on the true story of ill-fated female tanka poet NAKAJO Fumiko, brought to the screen by TANAKA Kinuyo, one of Japan’s greatest actresses and only the second female film director in its history. This provocative work follows a woman’s love for her young children, her battle with breast cancer, as well as her last love affair, all accentuated by her exquisite poetry.
Linda Linda Linda
リンダ リンダ リンダ
4K Restoration!
Sunday, March 8, 6:30PM (ET)
Directed by YAMASHITA Nobuhiro • 2005 • Comedy, Drama, Music • 114 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer
For Kei, Kyoko, and Nozomi, their dream of playing the final high school concert together is dashed when their lead vocalist quits the band. Desperate, they recruit the very first person they see: Korean exchange student Son, whose comprehension of Japanese is limited at best. It’s a race against time as the group struggles to learn three songs in three days for the festival’s rock concert.
[ Film Festivals & Awards ]
2005 Toronto International Film Festival
2005 Vancouver International Film Festival
Co-presented by:
Related Programming:
JFT Book Club (Hybrid) – With Silent Reading Time – Books Adapted into Film
Tuesday, February 24, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM (ET)
Online & In-Person at JFT Library | Admission Free | Registration Required
Looking for a relaxed way to learn Japanese culture and connect with fellow book and film lovers? Join our upcoming book club, where we explore Japan-related books and manga that have inspired films while enjoying conversation with fellow culture lovers. No preparation or knowledge is required, and both first-timers and seasoned readers are welcome. Pick a book from the library’s book list or bring a book of your choice (in English, Japanese, or another language)—perhaps a book that inspired your favourite Japanese movie, or one from a film you’re planning to watch. On the day of the event, escape daily distractions and indulge in the simple pleasure of reading in silence. Afterward, you are invited to join an optional discussion session in English to share thoughts—or just listen in. Attend in person or online from anywhere in the world!
