Upcoming Event: 📅🎵🍁🏙️ Toronto Japanese Film Festival Announces Exciting Additions To 14th Annual Line Up

Saturday, 03 May 2025 10:37.AM

- Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre’s Kobayashi Hall
6 Sakura Way, Toronto June 12 - 26, 2025.
Multi-film passes and individual tickets go on sale starting at 10:00 am on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
- TorontoJFF Expands Lineup with Heartwarming Dramas, Captivating Anime Adventures, and Inspiring Documentaries from Acclaimed Filmmakers, Featuring Special Appearances by Directors in Attendance. -

The Toronto Japanese Film Festival (TorontoJFF) is delighted to announce an impressive array of new titles for its 14th annual festival, scheduled to take place from June 12th to 26th at the JCCC’s Kobayashi Hall. This latest announcement includes an international premiere, several North American premieres, and a Canadian premiere, showcasing the incredible diversity of Japanese cinema. Notably, directors Cindy Mochizuki, Hideki Takeuchi, Akiko Ohku, Masakazu Kaneko, and Yuji Kakizaki will be in attendance to introduce their films, offering audiences a unique opportunity to engage with the creative minds behind these cinematic works.

James Heron, Director and Programmer of the Toronto Japanese Film Festival, remarked, “The latest additions to our lineup represent some of the most compelling and diverse stories in contemporary Japanese cinema. We are honored to showcase a range of premieres that highlight the creativity and innovation of our filmmakers. These films are not just entertainment; they provide powerful reflections on human experiences that can resonate with audiences worldwide.”

Among the newly announced titles are the following:

The international premiere of Renpei Tsukamoto’s THE 35-YEAR PROMISE (35年目のラブレター), a heartwarming true story about literacy and the husband and wife who taught him the meaning of happiness.

The North American premieres include Tetsu Maeda’s PETALS AND MEMORIES (花まんま), a powerful and mysterious tale that explores the themes of memory and the unbreakable bond between siblings, inspired by Minato Shukawa’s Naoki Prize-winning novel. Additionally, festival-goers can look forward to Masaya Fujimori’s latest anime adventure, NINTAMA RANTARŌ: INVINCIBLE MASTER OF THE DOKUTAKE NINJA (劇場版　忍たま乱太郎　ドクタケ忍者隊最強の軍師), which promises an entertaining experience filled with humor and action as it follows the exploits of the beloved “ninja kids.”

Making its Canadian premiere is Ayuko Tsukahara’s GRAND MAISON PARIS (グランメゾン・パリ), a mega-hit spin-off of the popular series about a Japanese master chef in Paris struggling to regain three-star Michelin status, mixing gripping drama, gorgeous food, and international glamour.

The festival also features the Toronto premiere of Cindy Mochizuki’s BETWEEN PICTURES: THE LENS OF TAMIO WAKAYAMA, a documentary that combines live action and animation to tell the epic journey of the late Japanese Canadian photographer Tamio Wakayama, who joined the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during the 1960s American civil rights movement. Additionally, there will be an encore screening of Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s CLOUD (クラウド), an unpredictable, shocking, and often humorous psychological thriller selected as the Japanese entry for Best International Film at the 97th Academy Awards.

The Toronto Japanese Film Festival is particularly significant this year as it commemorates the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with a screening of the director’s cut of THE VOW FROM HIROSHIMA (ヒロシマへの誓いサーロー節子とともに), an intimate portrayal of Setsuko Thurlow, a courageous survivor of the bombing whose decades-long activism culminates in her presence on the Nobel Prize stage. Following the screening, Ms. Thurlow will participate in a panel discussion, offering invaluable insights into her life and the profound impact of her experiences.

With a total of 24 films, the festival offers a rich tapestry of heartfelt dramas, captivating comedies, and thought-provoking documentaries. In addition to film screenings, attendees can immerse themselves in Japanese culture through music and dance performances, art exhibitions, martial arts classes, and a variety of authentic Japanese food and sake.

Multi-film passes and individual tickets for all TorontoJFF screenings will go on sale starting May 7.

For more information and to stay updated on the festival lineup, please visit www.torontojff.com.

SOURCE: Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre

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