[KineJapan] 22nd Nippon Connection Film Festival, May 24 - 29, 2022

Sat Apr 30 08:40:00 EDT 2022

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*Dear All,*

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After two online editions, the22nd Nippon Connection Film Festival, 
which will be held from May 24 to 29, 2022in Frankfurt am Main / 
Germany, will bring the most exciting current Japanese films to the big 
screens again. Around 100 short and feature-length films showcase the 
complete range of Japanese cinema – from newcomers to established 
directors, from anime to documentaries. The film program includes many 
world,  international,  European and German premieres.

For the sixth time, the festival will present the Nippon Honor Award. 
The award is a tribute to outstanding personalities for their special 
contributions to Japanese cinema. This year’s awardee is renowned actor 
Masatoshi Nagase. Several films with Nagase can be seen at the Nippon 
Connection Film Festival as German premieres, among them Under The 
Starsby Tatsushi Omori and Keita Fujimoto’s Just The Two of Us.

Nippon Connection celebrates its return to the big screens with an ode 
to cinema: Talking The Picturesby Masayuki Suo is a racy comedy about 
Japanese silent film narrators (benshi) at the beginning of the 20th 
century, in which Nippon Honor awardee Masatoshi Nagase can be seen as 
an alcoholic rogue. Fans of genre films will enjoy the yakuza 
thrillerLast of the Wolvesby Kazuya Shiraishi. Director Shinichiro Ueda, 
who won over genre fans with his surprise hit “One Cut of the Dead” 
(2017), returns with his latest film Popran, a fast-paced comedy about a 
man in search of his private parts. With *We Made A Beautiful Bouquet* 
Nobuhiro Doi presents a bittersweet melodrama about the unconditional 
longing for love.

This year’s thematic focus Stories of Youthoffers insights into the 
lives of young people in Japan and the various experiences and 
challenges they are facing. Shogo Kusano’s drama What She 
Likes…illustrates how difficult it still is to come out in conservative 
Japanese society. In A Madder Red by Yuya Ishii, a boy is confronted 
with the loss of his father against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The festival will also present numerous *animation films*. Masaaki 
Yuasa, returns to the cinema with Inu-Oh. Dozens of Norths, the first 
feature-length film by Oscar-nominated animation artist Koji Yamamura 
deals with the trauma that the triple disaster of March 2011 has caused 
in Japanese society.  The sci-fi high school musical comedySing A Bit Of 
Harmonyby Yasuhiro Yoshiura is a colorful take on artificial intelligence.

The Nippon Visionssection is dedicated to up-and-coming directors and 
independent films. Young female director Rin Shuto proves to be one of 
the most intriguing new talents with Unlock Your Heart, a highschool 
drama about avoiding gender clichés. A dreamy melancholic summer 
atmosphere pervades Song Of A Dying Summer, the feature-length debut of 
Kohei Sengen. The deep action film Pure Japaneseby Daishi Matsunaga was 
produced by leading actor Dean Fujioka. Many queer films will once again 
be featured in this year’s festival program: Actor Ren Sudo delivers his 
directing debut withBacklight, a summer film set in 1970s’ Southern 
Japan. In Angry Sonby Kasho Iizuka, teenager Jungo – half Filipino, half 
Japanese, and gay – is searching for his father, whom he never got to 
know. Let Me Hear It Barefootby Riho Kudo is a sensitive LGBTQ drama and 
a tribute to Wong Kar-Wais’ “Happy Together”.

The section Nippon Docspresents new documentaries from Japan. Fumiari 
Hyuga’sTokyo Kurds tells the story of two Turkish Kurds living in Japan, 
suffering from the country's rigid immigration laws. Salaryman, the 
debut documentary of Costa Rican artist and photographer Allegra 
Pacheco, dives into the peculiarities of Japan’s white-collar working 
world. The world premiere Origamiby Tadasuke Kotani accompanies painter 
Atsushi Suwa as he makes a portrait of a deceased young man.

In cooperation with the Japan Foundation Tokyo, the retrospectiveStories 
Of Youthpresents eight works from five decades in the cinema at the DFF 
– Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum, including A Town Of Love And 
Hope(1959), the debut of nouvelle vague legend Nagisa Oshima, as well as 
Mikio Naruse’s overlooked drama The Approach Of Autumn(1960).Muddy 
Riverby Kohei Oguri (1981) offers almost neorealist impressions of a 
childhood in post-war Japan, while Pastoral Hide And Seek(1974) by 
avantgarde poet Shuji Terayama stages a surrealistic kaleidoscope of 
memories.

The supporting programof this year contains more than 60 events, 
including workshops, concerts and performances. Besides various lectures 
on Japanese art and culture, the panel discussionJapanese Film Industry 
– Women Raising Their Voice(moderator: Erina Ito) will shed light on the 
working conditions of women in the film industry, a topic that has also 
been brought up in the context of the #MeToo movement. You can join this 
panel in Frankfurt or via Zoom. Former Nippon Connection programmer 
Prof. Alex Zahlten gives an online lecture on Paranoia And The 
Information Society – How Media Both Overwhelms And Offers Solutions In 
Japanese Film.

The events of the 22nd Nippon Connection Film Festival take place at 
twelve locations in Frankfurt am Main. The festival centers are at 
Künstlerhaus Mousonturm and NAXOS.The complete program and tickets will 
be available starting May 7, 2022 on the festival homepage 
NipponConnection.com.

As a special addition, a part of the film program will be available 
under the title Nippon Connection On Demand from May 30 to June 6, 
2022on the festival’s plattform watch.NipponConnection (Germany only). 
The streaming line-up will be revealed on May 29, 2022.

You can find the accreditation form on our website: 
https://nipponconnection.com/en/press/accreditation/

I’m looking forward to seeing you in Frankfurt!

Best regards,

Marion Klomfass

Festival director

Nippon Connection ** * * 22nd Japanese Film Festival May 24 – 29, 2022 
Frankfurt am Main, Germany*

*

*Film Program Survey:(as of April 27, 2022)*

*

NIPPON CINEMA

Any Crybabies Around?by Takuma SATO, Japan 2020, German premiere

The Asadas by Ryota NAKANO, Japan 2020, German premiere

A Balanceby Yujiro HARUMOTO, Japan 2020

The End Of The Pale Hourby Hana MATSUMOTO, Japan 2021, International 
premiere

Intolerance by Keisuke YOSHIDA, Japan 2020, European premiere

Just Remembering by Daigo MATSUI, Japan 2021, German premiere

Last Of The Wolvesby Kazuya SHIRAISHI, Japan 2021, German premiere

A Madder Redby Yuya ISHII, Japan 2021, European premiere

The Mole Song: Final by Takashi MIIKE, Japan 2021, German premiere

My Brother, The Android And Meby Junji SAKAMOTO, Japan 2020, European 
premiere

Mystery Train by Jim Jarmusch, USA / Japan 1989

Film concert: Okabre Plays A Page Of Madness

Parasite In Loveby Kensaku KAKIMOTO, Japan 2021, European premiere

Popran by Shinichiro UEDA, Japan 2022, German premiere

Sensei, Would You Sit Beside Me?by Takahiro HORIE, Japan 2021, European 
premiere

Small, Slow But Steadyby Sho MIYAKE, Japan / Frankreich 2022

The Sunday Runoff by Yuichiro SAKASHITA, Japan 2021, German premiere

Talking The Picturesby Masayuki SUO, Japan 2019, German premiere

They Say Nothing Stays The Same by Joe ODAGIRI, Japan 2019

Under The Stars by Tatsushi OMORI, Japan 2020, German premiere

We Made A Beautiful Bouquetby Nobuhiro DOI, Japan 2020, German premiere

What She Likes...by Shogo KUSANO, Japan 2021, German premiere

Wheel Of Fortune And Fantasyby Ryusuke HAMAGUCHI, Japan 2021

NIPPON ANIMATION

Belle by Mamoru HOSODA, Japan 2021

Dozens Of Norths by Koji YAMAMURA, Japan / France 2021, German premiere

Inu-Ohby Masaaki YUASA, Japan / China 2021

My Neighbor Totoro by Hayao MIYAZAKI, Japan 1988

Millennium Actress by Satoshi KON, Japan 2001

Sing A Bit Of Harmonyby Yasuhiro YOSHIURA, Japan 2021, German premiere

Short films:

3 Intestine Road, Fish Islandby Moe WAKABAYASHI, Japan 2022, 
International premiere

919 by Tai ISHII, Japan 2022, International premiere

Before Dawnby Wei XU, Japan 2022, International premiere

A Bite Of Boneby Honami YANO, Japan 2021

Boogerly Loveby Kano IKEDA, Japan 2022, International premiere

Fourth Period Swimming Classby Mayo KOBAYASHI, Japan 2022, International 
premiere

HA・NA・KU・SOby Amane ODA, Japan 2022, International premiere

I Wanted To Be Wanted. by higoAKARI, Japan 2022, International premiere

Iizuna Fair by Sumito SAKAKIBARA, Japan 2021, German premiere

Invisible by Zeng Liang LIN, Japan 2022, International premiere

Krasue by Ryo HIRANO, Japan 2021

Liminal Parkby Moe KISHIMOTO, Japan 2022, International premiere

Monorail by Shizuko TABATA, Japan 2020

nowhere by Asaki NISHINO, Japan 2022, International premiere

On Time Off Timeby Hirotoshi IWASAKI, Japan 2020

Poetics Of The Gardenby Sachiyo KUROSAWA, Japan 2022, International premiere

Poo Down Hill Up by Yuta MASUDA, Japan 2022, International premiere

Pukkulapottas And Hours In The Forestby Takeshi YASHIRO, Japan 2021

RED TABLEby Hakhyun KIM, Japan 2021

Stained Smellby Amane ABE, Japan 2022, International premiere

Still Lifeby Masa KUDO, Japan 2021

Winter Starby Jiayin CHEN, Japan 2022, International premiere

NIPPON VISIONS

Angry Son by Kasho IIZUKA, Japan 2022, International premiere

Backlight by Ren SUDO, Japan 2021, German premiere

Just The Two Of Us by Keita FUJIMOTO, Japan 2020, German premiere

Let Me Hear It Barefootby Riho KUDO, Japan 2021, German premiere

Melting Soundsby Kahori HIGASHI, Japan 2021, European premiere

Mr. Suzuki -A Man In God's Country-by Omoi SASAKI, Japan 2020

Ninja Girlby Yu IRIE, Japan 2021, European premiere

One Day, You Will Reach The Seaby Ryutaro NAKAGAWA, Japan 2022, German 
premiere

Pure Japaneseby Daishi MATSUNAGA, Japan 2022, International premiere

Ring Wanderingby Masakazu KANEKO, Japan 2021, German premiere

Song of a Dying Summer by Kohei SENGEN, Japan 2021, International premiere

Unlock Your Heart by Rin SHUTO, Japan 2021, International premiere

Short films:

Everything In Its Right Placeby Willy LAU, Japan 2021, German premiere

Funny by Keisuke SAKUMA, Japan 2021,EP

Go Seppuku Yourselves by Toshiaki TOYODA, Japan 2021, German premiere

Goodbye! by Fuka NAKATSUKA, Japan 2021

Last Judgement by Shinya KAWAKAMI, Japan 2019, European premiere

Like In Moviesby Yo KOMAYA, Japan 2021, German premiere

Manga Girls by Takashi OKADO und Yuki KEDOIN, Japan 2021, German premiere

Psychology Counselor by Zenzo SAKAI, Japan 2021, International premiere

School Radio To Major Tomby Takuya CHISAKA, Japan 2020, German premiere

Volte-Faceby Kanshi IWASAKI, Japan 2021

Wao by Emi YASUMURA, Japan 2020, German premiere

NIPPON DOCS

Double Layered Town / Making A Song To Replace Our Positions by Haruka 
KOMORI, Natsumi SEO, Japan 2019, German premiere

I Go Gaga, Welcome Home Mom.by Naoko NOBUTOMO, Japan 2022, International 
premiere

Origami by Tadasuke KOTANI, Japan 2022, world premiere

Paper City by Adrian Francis, Australia, Japan 2021, German premiere

Salaryman by Allegra Pacheco, 2021, German premiere

Satoshi Kon, The Illusionist by Pascal-Alex Vincent, Japan / France 
2021, German premiere

Target by Shinji NISHIJIMA, Japan 2021, European premiere

Tokyo Kurdsby Fumiari HYUGA, Japan 2021, European premiere

NIPPON RETRO

The Approach Of Autumnby Mikio Naruse, Japan 1960

Canary by Akihiko SHIOTA, Japan 2004

Children Hand in Handby Susumu HANI, Japan 1964

Muddy Riverby Kohei Oguri, Japan 1981

Pastoral Hide And Seekby Shuji TERAYAMA, Japan 1974

A Town Of Love And Hopeby Nagisa OSHIMA, Japan 1959

The Young And Wild by Nobuhiko OBAYASHI, Japan 1986

Young Murderer by Kazuhiko HASEGAWA, Japan 1976

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