Programs

Special Opening / Closing

World Premiere

Special Opening

Over My Dead Body

死屍死時四十四

2023｜Hong Kong｜119min

Director: HO Cheuk Tin (何爵天)

World Premiere

Closing

Side by Side

サイドバイサイド隣にいる人

2023｜Japan｜130min

Director: ITO Chihiro (伊藤ちひろ)

Competition

This section will present 14 films chosen from films completed on or after 1st October 2021 and unreleased in Japan. The jurors will choose the winners of the Grand Prix and Most Promising Talent Award from these films.

International Premiere

Bad Education

黑的教育

2022｜Taiwan｜78min

Director: Kai KO (柯震東)

(C)CHARVEST 9 ROAD ENT.

International Premiere

Day Off

本日公休

2023｜Taiwan｜106min

Director: FU Tien-yu (傅天余)

Japan Premiere

December

赦し

2022｜Japan｜98min

Director: Anshul CHAUHAN (アンシュル・チョウハン)

Japan Premiere

Special Programs < Special Focus on Hong Kong 2023 >

Hong Kong Family

過時·過節

2022｜Hong Kong｜112min

Director: TSANG Hing Weng Eric (曾慶宏)

World Premiere

Is This Heaven?

天国か、ここ？

2023｜Japan｜61min

Director: IMAOKA Shinji (いまおかしんじ)

Japan Premiere

Like & Share

2022｜Indonesia｜112min

Director: Gina S. NOER

Japan Premiere

Max, Min and Meowzaki

2022｜India｜135min

Director: Padmakumar NARASIMHAMURTHY

Japan Premiere

A Room of My Own

Chemi otakhi

2022｜Georgia, Germany｜106min

Director: Ioseb "Soso" BLIADZE

Japan Premiere

Special Programs < Special Focus on Hong Kong 2023 >

The Sunny Side of the Street

白日青春

2022｜Hong Kong, Singapore｜111min

Director: LAU Kok-rui (劉國瑞)

Japan Premiere

Tora's Husband

2022｜India｜135min

Director: Rima DAS

World Premiere

Where Love Goes

愛のゆくえ

2023｜Japan｜88min

Director: MIYAJIMA Fuka (宮嶋風花)

(C)愛のゆくえ

Japan Premiere

You & Me & Me

2023｜Thailand｜121min

Director: Wanweaw HONGVIVATANA, Weawwan HONGVIVATANA

World Premiere

People Who Talk to Plushies Are Kind

ぬいぐるみとしゃべる人はやさしい

2023｜Japan｜109min

Director: KANEKO Yurina (金子由里奈)

Japan Premiere

The Narrow Road

窄路微塵

2022｜Hong Kong｜115min

Director: LAM Sum (林森)

Spotlight

In this section, the films are not yet famous but are expected to gain attention this year because they highlight a new talent or movement in cinema.
With the support of Kobe College, Department of English, the Bangladeshi film "Hawa" will be screened.

International Premiere

Daddy-To-Be

有了？！

2022｜Taiwan｜25min

Director: PAN Ke-yin (潘客印)

International Premiere

Friday Saturday Sunday

2022｜Thailand｜45min

Director: Pobmek JUNLAKARIN

Japan Premiere

Hawa

2022｜Bangladesh｜131min

Director: Mejbaur Rahman Sumon

(C)sun music and motion pictures limited

International Premiere

Hurdang

2022｜India｜23min

Director: Alok Kumar DWIVEDI

(C)ALOK KUMAR DWIVEDI

Japan Premiere

Jiseok

지석

2022｜Korea｜116min

Director: KIM Young-jo (김영조)

Japan Premiere

Layers of Summer

겹겹이 여름

2022｜Korea｜34min

Director: PAEK Si-won (백시원)

(C)siwonPAEK

International Premiere

Leave at Door, Bell X

문앞에 두고 벨X

2022｜Korea｜20min

Director: LEE Joo-young (이주영)

Japan Premiere

Leonor Will Never Die

Ang Pagbabalik ng Kwago

2022｜Philippines｜99min

Director: Martika Ramirez ESCOBAR

International Premiere

Natasha

塑膠情人

2022｜Taiwan｜22min

Director: Galilee MA (馬慧妍)

(C)Serendipity Films Ltd.

Japan Premiere

OMG! Oh My Girl

2022｜Thailand｜124min

Director: Thitipong KERDTONGTAWEE

International Premiere

Supermarket Affairs

2022｜USA, Vietnam｜15min

Director: NGUYEN Luong Hang

Japan Premiere

Swallow Flying to the South

燕南飛

2022｜USA, Canada, China｜17min

Director: LIN Mochi (林墨池)

Japan Premiere

Transit

트랜짓

2022｜Korea｜27min

Director: MOON Hye-in (문혜인)

(C)MOONHyein

Japan Premiere

Sister Sister 2

Chi Chi Em Em 2

2023｜Vietnam｜115min

Director: VU Ngoc Dang

Indie Forum

This program will present films by innovative and challenging talents. The JAPAN CUTS AWARD will be bestowed by the Japan Society to one Japanese film selected from this section (including Director in Focus: TANAKA Haruna).

World Premiere

The Burden of the Past

過去負う者

2023｜Japan｜125min

Director: FUNAHASHI Atsushi(舩橋淳)

World Premiere

Cafune

カフネ

2023｜Japan｜66min

Director: KINEMURA Haruki (杵村春希)

World Premiere

Detouring Blue

遠まわりする青

2023｜Japan｜24min

Director: KIMURA Ryo (木村凌)

Asia Premiere

NEW RELIGION

2022｜Japan｜100min

Director: Keishi Kondo

(C)SHM FILMS

World Premiere

Saga Saga

緑のざわめき -Saga Saga-

2023｜Japan｜114min

Director: NATSUTO Aimi (夏都愛未)

(C)Saga Saga Film Partners

Asia Premiere

Sekai

世界

2023｜Japan｜38min

Director: TSUKADA Marina (塚田万理奈)

World Premiere

TOMA #2

TOMA2号

2023｜Japan｜20min

Director: OSABE Yohei (長部洋平)

When Morning Comes, I Feel Empty

朝がくるとむなしくなる

2022｜Japan｜76min

Director: ISHIBASHI Yuho (石橋夕帆)

(C)Ippo

World Premiere

After Winter, the Tamaki Family…

海の彼方　それから [海的彼端：其後]

2023｜Japan, Taiwan｜17min

Director: HUANG Yin-yu (黃胤毓)

(C)Moolin Production, Co., Ltd. & Moolin Films, Ltd.

Indie Forum < Director in Focus: TANAKA Haruna >

There will be a focus on up-and-coming director TANAKA Haruna (田中晴菜) as we will screen her SAPPORO INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL film “Shall We Love You? ”, and her latest work “Kanro” (甘露).

World Premiere

Kanro

甘露

2023｜Japan｜12min

Director: TANAKA Haruna (田中晴菜)

Shall We Love You?

2022｜Japan｜7min

Director: TANAKA Haruna (田中晴菜)

Special Programs < Special Focus on Hong Kong 2023 >

This special program will present a wide range of excellent films from contemporary Hong Kong cinematic output.

Japan Premiere

Life Must Go On

深宵閃避球

2022｜Hong Kong｜93min

Director: YING Chi-wen (應智贇)

Japan Premiere

Lost Love

流水落花

2022｜Hong Kong｜92min

Director: KA Sing-fung (賈勝楓)

Japan Premiere

Competition

Hong Kong Family

過時·過節

2022｜Hong Kong｜112min

Director: TSANG Hing Weng Eric (曾慶宏)

Japan Premiere

Competition

The Sunny Side of the Street

白日青春

2022｜Hong Kong, Singapore｜111min

Director: LAU Kok-rui (劉國瑞)

< HONG KONG GALA SCREENING >

A special gala screening will be held with the cooperation of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region Economic and Trade Office Tokyo.

Film: Lost Love [流水落花]

Special Screenings

This section will present two films from Asia which are judged to be both beautifully shot and topical.

Japan Premiere

Remember

리멤버

2022｜Korea｜128min

Director: LEE Il-hyung (이일형)

World Premiere

YIELD Final Version

2022｜Philippines｜93min

Director: URIU Toshihiko (瓜生敏彦), Victor Delotavo TAGARO

Supported Program < Housen Cultural Foundation: Support for film study and production >

Based in Osaka, the Housen Cultural Foundation supports film study and production in graduate schools. This program will show the three films supported by the Housen Cultural Foundation. Free Admission.

World Premiere

Silent Movie

サイレントムービー

2022｜Japan｜56min

Director: KAWATA Masamichi (川田真理), HIROHARA Satoru (廣原暁), GOKAN Hiroshi (後閑広)

(C)東京藝術大学大学院映像研究科映画専攻

Women in the Zoo

動物園のふたり

2022｜Japan｜33min

Director: SANO Masaru (佐野大)

(C)東京藝術大学大学院映像研究科

World Premiere

You Are Still There After the Rain

雨はバケツを叩く

2022｜Japan｜60min

Director: PAN Junhua (潘俊驊)

(C)立命館大学映像研究科

Special Presentation < Expo ‘70 Osaka and TAKAHASHI Katsuo >

Short films produced for Expo ‘70 Osaka by the late filmmaker TAKAHASHI Katsuo, including a documentary-drama about friendship between an Australian teacher and elementary school students in Osaka, and an animation that was shown at the Japanese government’s pavilion. Free Admission.

Mrs. 21st Century

ミセス21世紀

1971｜Japan｜1min｜Silent

Director: TAKAHASHI Katsuo (髙橋克雄)

Australia and Japan - Neighbours on Longtitude 135°

オーストラリアと日本　東経135度の隣人

1970｜Japan｜27min

Director: TAKAHASHI Katsuo (髙橋克雄)

Kaguya-Hime

かぐやひめ

1972｜Japan｜18min

Director: TAKAHASHI Katsuo (髙橋克雄)