The Japan Foundation London’s annual festival of Japanese film is back for 2016 and boasts its biggest programme yet. There are 14 films in total which will play at London’s ICA from 5th February 2016 before some of them head off around the country.

The Cowards Who Looked to the Sky

(ふがいない僕は空を見た, Fugainai Boku wa Sora wo Mita)

This 2011 film from Yuki Tanada (One Million Yen and the Nigamushi Woman) stars Tomoko Tabata (Moving) as a bored housewife obsessed with cosplay who embarks on an unwise affair with a high school boy.

A Farewell to Jinu

(ジヌよさらば ~かむろば村へ~, Jinuyo Saraba ~ Kamuroba Mura e)

The latest film from Otakus in Love director Suzuki Matsuo, A Farewell to Jinu is the familiar story of a burned out salaryman (played by Ryuhei Matsuda) who decides to upsticks to the country for a simpler life. “Simpler” isn’t isn’t always simple though as he finds out in this zany comedy based on the manga, Kamuroba Mura e, by Mikio Igarashi.

The Letter

(手紙, Tegami)

The Letter is a social drama circling the lives of two brothers one of whom has gone to drastic measures to protect the other but now finds himself resentfully languishing in prison. Directed by Jiro Shono and stars Takayuki Yamada, Tetsuji Tamayama and Erika Sawajiri.

This is based on a novel by Keigo Higashino (The Devotion of Suspect X) who, to be frank, I don’t get on with as he’s so rigidly “moral”. His mysteries are often good but I end up thinking the detective should just shut up at the end because he just ends up making a tragic situation even more pointless and stupid than it needs to be. I’m from the Poirot school of just letting everyone go and hoping they won’t do it again, I guess. That said, he also wrote the book Himitsu is based on and tends to be a bit weird so you never know. [/rant]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ibsv_ZJ0d4

Pecoross’ Mother and Her Days

(ペコロスの母に会いに行く, Pekorosu no Haha ni Ai ni Iku)

This social drama focuses on the growing problem of elder care in an aging society. Directed by Azuma Morisaki, the film follows the daily life of a manga artist as he tries to care for his elderly mother who has alzheimer’s. Topped the Kinema Junpo best of list back in 2013.

Cheers from Heaven

(天国からのエール, Tengoku Kara no Yell)

This one sounds like a weepy. Hiroshi Abe plays a man with an undisclosed terminal illness who decides to open his shop up to a group of youngsters who have nowhere to practice their music. Directed by Makoto Kumazawa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSYWW2W4U24

Noriben – The Recipe for Fortune

(のんちゃんのり弁, Nonchan noriben)

Directed by Akira Ogata, this 2009 food focussed feature tells the story of Komaki – a woman who decides to leave her husband and move back to her hometown with her little daughter, Non-chan, in tow. When the “Noriben” (a bento with nori on top of rice) she makes for Non-chan becomes a hit at school Komaki decides to try her hand at running a bento store.

Uzumasa Limelight

(太秦ライムライト)

Loosely based on Charlie Chaplin’s Limelight, this gentle tale of a dying industry tells the story of Seiichi, a now elderly “kirareyaku” whose sole job is repeatedly dying in samurai movies. However, these days period films are not as popular as they once were and even those that are made don’t require his particular skillset. Feeling the sun setting, Seiichi is given another chance to make an impact in the form of an unlikely young girl who hopes to become his pupil.

I have already reviewed this one! Spoiler – quite good! It’s also getting a release from Third Window Films at some point.

I’ll Give it My All…Tomorrow

(俺はまだ本気出してないだけ, Ore wa Mada Honki Dashite nai Dake)

Sounds familiar…this one’s a comedy about a 41 year old who quits his job to become a “full time slacker” playing video games and working part time at a fast food restaurant before realising his true dream is manga! Adapted from the manga by Shunju Aono and directed by Yuichi Fukuda the film has a starry cast including Shinichi Tsutsumi, Ai Hashimoto, Takayuki Yamada, and Gaku Hamada.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC7i9s_xgso

Being Good

(きみはいい子, Kimi wa iiko)

Latest movie from Mipo O (The Light Shines Only There), Being Good starts Kengo Kora as an idealistic teacher who fears one of his students is being abused at home meanwhile Machiko Ono plays a mother who was abused herself as a child and finds herself lashing out at her own infant daughter. This is the big ticket, folks!

The Elegant Life of Mr Everyman

(江分利満氏の優雅な生活, Eburi Man Shi no Yugana Seikatsu)

Now here’s an unexpected gem! A 1963 salarayman comedy from Kihachi Okamoto (The Human Bullet) The Elegant Life of Mr Everyman is the story of a drunken salaryman who pitches articles to two different magazines and ends up deciding to write a novella about himself and his middle class life. Excited about this one!

Predictably no trailer but here’s the DVD cover which features Keiju Kobayashi looking confused!

A Japanese Tragedy

(日本の悲劇, Nihon no Higeki)

Rare outing for this 1953 classic from Keisuke Kinoshita. A bleak picture of a mother’s sacrifice for her ungrateful children, A Japanese Tragedy is a portrait of maternal love and social indifference in post-war Japan.

If you’re looking forward to this one you could read up on some of my other Kinoshita reviews…

(sorry).

(This trailer has no subtitles but there is no dialogue either)

Tale of a Butcher Shop

(ある精肉店のはなし, Aru Seinikuten no Hanashi)

This is apparently exactly what it sounds like as it’s the story of a family run butcher shop which also farms and slaughters its own produce. Contains actual footage of real animal slaughter.

(I don’t think this one is for me, also not including a trailer.)

Anthem of the Heart

(心が叫びたがってるんだ, Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterunda)

Recent anime from Tatsuyuki Nagai. From the same team as Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, this is the story of Jun Naruse, a young girl who feels she she always seems to say the wrong thing and hurts people’s feelings. She then meets an “Egg Fairy” (!) who says he can help by casting a spell on her so she’ll never speak again. The years go by and eventually Jun is cast in a high school musical where she enounters music and friendship.

Might start paying more attention to eggs in future…especially if they’re wearing hats…

Miss Hokusai

(百日紅～Miss HOKUSAI～, Sarusuberi: Miss Hokusai)

Based on the manga Sarusuberi by Hinako Sugiura, Miss Hokusai is the story of the daughter of the famous woodblock artist of the Edo era. Directed by Keiichi Hara whose film Colorful was also featured in a previous Touring Film Programme, Miss Hokusai has been receiving mixed reviews but has also won a few international animation awards. Will also be released by All the Anime at some point.

The festival begins at the ICA from February 5th before heading to: Aberystwyth, Birmingham, Bristol, Cumbria, Derby, Dundee, Endinburgh, Exeter, Leicester, Manchester, Nottingham and Sheffield. Dates are as yet unconfirmed, as is which films will play which venues but you can keep up with all the latest news on the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme website (which is also updated with Japanese film related content throughout the year).