Event Outline

The Osaka Asian Film Festival aims to facilitate human resources development and exchange, to invigorate the Osaka economy, and to increase the city’s appeal, through providing opportunities to watch excellent Asian films, supporting filmmaking in Osaka and attracting filmmakers from Asian countries and regions to Osaka. Promoting Osaka worldwide as a gateway city for Asian films, and engaging with many people from the fields of culture, art, education, tourism and business, from Osaka and all of Asia, OAFF works as an open platform to contribute to the development of Osaka and cinema.

Marking its 15th edition this year, OAFF, under programming director TERUOKA Sozo, will again select high-quality Asian films. The Competition section, which receives increased recognition every year, will again select films previously unreleased in Japan. The Indie Forum section, special programs and other sections will also feature a wide variety of excellent Asian films.

OAFF attracts a large number of viewers from all over Japan and overseas, as well as from the local Kansai area. From Osaka to all of Japan and all of Asia, OAFF introduces many films and strives to make Osaka a hub of moving image culture.

Opening film

“The Garden of Evening Mists” (夕霧花園)

Malaysia/Directed by Tom Shu-yu LIN (林書宇)/Japan Premiere

Closing film

“Kamata Prelude” (蒲田前奏曲)

Japan/Directed by NAKAGAWA Ryutaro (中川龍太郎), AKIYAMA Mayu (穐山茉由), YASUKAWA Yuka (安川有果), WATANABE Hirobumi (渡辺紘文)/World Premiere

Competition

This section will present the latest Asian films, which will have their Japan premieres at OAFF. From the films, the international jurors will choose the winners of the Grand Prix and Most Promising Talent Award.

Indie Forum

Indie Forum section features innovative and challenging films by rising directors every year. To support international promotion for Japanese films, Japan Society in New York City bestows the Japan Cuts Award for the best film in the section.

Other sections and special programs

These sections and the special programs feature new movements in cinema from all around Asia.

Symposium (Cancel)

Theme: Six Lucky Numbers: Missed and Found between Malaysia and Taiwan

Date: March 12 (Thu) 14:30 – 16:30

Venue: National Museum of Art, Osaka　　PINEBROOKLYN

Hosted by Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS), Kyoto University / Research in Film and Society in Southeast Asia (Refssea) / Osaka Executive Committee for the Promotion of Moving Image Culture (Osaka Asian Film Festival)

Symposium

Theme: Behind "Made in Bangladesh"

Date: March 13 (Fri) 14:00 – 16:00

Venue: PINEBROOKLYN

Hosted by Kobe College, Department of English / Osaka Executive Committee for the Promotion of Moving Image Culture (Osaka Asian Film Festival)

Indonesia Gala Screening + Discussion (Cancel)

Gala Screening of “Hit & Run” will be held, followed by a discussion with the filmmakers from Indonesia.

Date: March 12 (Thu)

Gala Screening at ABC Hall: 10:15

Discussion at BOGART’S CAFÉ, at 12:30 after the screening

Co-hosted by CONSULATE GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA IN OSAKA, JAPAN

OAFF Poster Exhibition

We will exhibit posters of selected films from OAFF 2020 and past festivals.

Period: February 25 - March 13 (Closed in weekend)

Venue: Osaka City Hall (Yodoyabashi)　Cancel

Period: February 28 - March 8

Venue: Abeno Q’s MALL

Asian Book Fair

In collaboration with the mega bookstore MARUZEN & JUNKUDO Umeda, OAFF 2020 holds an Asian Book Fair.

Period: February 15 - March 30

Venue: MARUZEN & JUNKUDO Umeda, 5F Art Book section

Cooperation: MARUZEN & JUNKUDO Umeda