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In recent memory, few films have depicted grief as distressingly as Keisuke Yoshida‘s “Missing.” Married couple Saori and Yutaka desperately search for their missing daughter, Miu. As weeks turn into months, things become growingly hopeless, not helped by the media frenzy surrounding this child’s disappearance that prompts the spread of harmful rumors. Even when a local broadcasting station, primarily represented by Sunada, becomes involved in shedding light on the case, its purpose is revealed as self-serving, aimed at attracting viewers.

“Missing” critiques the media sensationalism surrounding missing person cases while showing the emotional and mental toll it takes on a family grieving for their loved one’s return. These elements culminate in arguably the film’s most disturbing and heartbreaking scene. While being interviewed, Saori receives an anonymous phone call from someone claiming to have found Miu and that she’s now in custody at the local police station.

2024 was an unusual year for Asian cinema. For starters, although the number of good movies was higher than usual, there was none that it could be described as masterpiece. That Korean cinema experiences one of its worst years in recent history, gave the opportunity to Japan to take the scepters once more, with the country’s stability in production of good movies being the main reason. Apart from this, the Chinese-language films from the whole diaspora actually gave a number of good movies, mostly in the family drama category, while the progress of Asean cinema continued, driven by genre films and the rather intriguing scripts.

This year, 26 writers voted for one of the most diverse lists we have ever come with, both in terms of genres and countries of origin, which ended up including 30 titles. Following are all the entries, in reverse order and links to the interviews we had throughout the year,...

Recently released on Netflix, the Japanese movie, Missing, is a heartfelt tribute to all the parents who haven’t been able to reunite with their children after they went missing. The movie powerfully portrays the impact of such a loss on parents—their lives, their minds, and the lengths they’ll go to find their child. Keisuke Yoshida’s drama is about a young girl named Miu, who went missing. Her parents did everything they could to search for their kid, from involving the media and distributing flyers, to giving personal interviews. But nobody could find anything, and the only clue they had was that Miu was last seen with her uncle, Keigo. Was her own uncle responsible for her disappearance, or is someone else involved?

Spoilers Ahead

Was Keigo responsible for Miu’s disappearance?

The night Miu went missing, her mother, Saori, was at a concert with her friends.

Keisuke Yoshida delivers an unforgettable tearjerker with his latest film, “Missing.” This movie earns emotional resonation from viewers without feeling like hollow, melodramatic manipulation trying to cover up a flawed script. Similar to what he did in “Intolerance,” Yoshida weaves together a tragic story of psychological turmoil surrounding a parent's worst nightmare while critiquing media coverage that often circulates those sad circumstances.

Missing is screening at Toronto Japanese Film Festival

Married couple Saori and Yutaka's world is turned upside down when their little daughter Miu goes missing. Months pass, and there are still no leads to her disappearance, despite the valiant efforts of the parents. The fact that the press is not giving particular attention to the case, does not help. A local broadcasting station gets involved in the case, but it becomes clear they are more concerned with ratings than actual justice, combined with blatant reckless decisions. What...

While politicians slowly realize the effects of digitalization and social media on people, technology has already progressed, leaving a mark on society which will likely last for a long time. As predicted by many, social media is a two-sided sword, creating opportunities for some while also undermining social cohesion and morals. Among the most interesting and worrisome developments is the concept of the online troll, which is one of the few aspects director Keisuke Yoshida deals with in his 2022 feature “God Seeks in Return”. Along with “missing” and “Intolerance”, this is another critical look at how damaging media coverage and social media can be for our society, with this story focusing on platforms such as YouTube, online bullying and, as mentioned before, the idea of the online troll.

God Seeks in Return is screening at Nippon Connection

As he is out with his colleagues, event manager Naoki Tamogami (Tsuyoshi Muro...

The program of the 24th Japanese Film Festival Nippon Connection is complete! From May 28 to June 2, the festival offers the opportunity to delve into Japan's film and cultural scene. The festival presents around 100 short and feature-length films at eight venues, including numerous premieres. Over 60 filmmakers and artists will travel from Japan to Frankfurt am Main, Germany, to present their works to the audience. At the freely accessible grounds of the festival centers Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm and Produktionshaus Naxos, visitors can enjoy the festival atmosphere with a large Japanese market featuring numerous food and craft stands. Detailed information and tickets for all films and events are available at NipponConnection.com.

This year's film selection promises exciting discoveries. Fans of genre films can enjoy Shinji Araki's acclaimed time-loop thriller Penalty Loop, Kaz I Kiriya's apocalyptic drama From The End Of The World, and Shimako Sato's action-packed fantasy adventure The Yin Yang Master Zero.

The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre's 13th annual Toronto Japanese Film Festival will be held from June 6th to 20th at the Jccc's Kobayashi Hall. The festival has now grown into one of the largest film events of its kind in the world and is recognized by the Japanese film industry as a vital conduit for bringing Japanese film to the world.

TorontoJFF is programmed to reflect the rich diversity of the world 4th largest film industry and the 2024 edition will feature 24 films including the International Premieres of Kosai Sekine's mystery drama Stay Mum「かくしごと 」starring Anne Watanabe and Eiji Okuda and Toshiyuki Teruya's heartwarming Okinawa-based comedy Kanasando「かなさんどー 」. The festival is also very proud to present the World Premiere of Alice Il Shin's Landscapes Of Home 「故郷の風景」 from producer Eiko Kawabe Brown. The film is an investigation of Japanese Canadian struggle from a new perspective redefining...

Soon it's that time of year again! Just a few weeks left until the 24th Nippon Connection Film Festival once again envelops Frankfurt am Main (Germany) in bright pink. From May 28 to June 2, 2024, the world's largest festival of Japanese cinema will showcase around 100 short and feature films at eight venues. The country's culture will also be explored through the extensive culture program, reflecting Japan's musical, culinary, and artistic diversity.

The Nippon Connection Film Festival presents works by both established filmmakers and emerging directors. From Takeshi Kitano's action-packed samurai film Kubi to the captivating comedy Fly Me To The Saitama -From Biwa Lake With Love- by Hideki Takeuchi, and Yoshimi Itazu's imaginative animation The Concierge, the film program offers highlights of various genres. Most films will celebrate their German, European, or international premieres at the festival. The festival's focus on Crossing Borders, supported by the Kulturfonds Frankfurt RheinMain, explores...

It has been three months since Miu (Tsugumi Arita) disappeared. Her mother Saori (Satomi Ishihara) is worried the public is losing interest in the case and only a local broadcasting station continues to provide some coverage. A rift has also formed between her and her husband Yutaka (Munetaka Aoki), with the two of them fighting endlessly. Meanwhile, it is revealed that Saori was attending her favourite idol's concert at the time of Miu's disappearance. Rumours about Saori intensifies over the internet.

Written and directed by Keisuke Yoshida, who is known for two 2021 movies Blank and Blue, this human drama about a mother's desperate search for her missing daughter will be released in Japan on May 17, 2024.

For many media outlets, sensationalism has been the driving force which keeps their publications alive and their readers interested, even though, at times, it comes at the expense of those people their stories are about. With formats such as scripted reality and true crime, there is a certain interest in the obscure and the scandalous, you might say, which surely is served by many reporters, journalists and other people willing to go the extra mile to exploit the misery of others without going into too much detail what is behind the story. In his 2020 feature “Intolerance” Japanese director Keisuke Yoshida blends family drama with a look at the machinations of modern media, especially its more exploitative sides. The feature already screened at Tokyo International Film Festival, where it was part of a focus section dedicated to the recent and past works of the filmmaker.

Intolerance is screening at Nippon Connection...

“Nobuto Urita is a boxer who loves his sport more than anything. No matter how hard he tries, he keeps losing his matches. Meanwhile, Kazuki Ogawa who spars with Urita at the same gym is a boxer with elite talent and skills; his eventual road to the championship is assured. Ogawa is also engaged to Chika Amano. She is a childhood friend of Urita and his first love. Also on hand is Narasaki who comes to train simply to look “cool” but discovers his own talent and passion.”

“Blue” will be screening at Aca Cinema Project: New Films from Japan

Cinema exploring the world of combat sports often chooses one of two paths, either geared towards heavy action sequences capturing the physical prowess of the combatants or drama pieces which examine the personal struggles within the demanding profession. While both of these approaches have their own potential shortcomings, the latter...

Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan (Aca) will present the third Aca Cinema Project series: New Films from Japan organized as part of a “Japan Film Overseas Expansion Enhancement Project”, in collaboration with the IFC Center and Visual Industry Promotion Organization (Vipo) with theatrical engagements of Yujiro Harumoto’s A Balance and Keisuke Yoshida’s Blue, March 11-17, 2022.

Aca Cinema Project is proud to introduce US audiences to the best of recent Japanese cinema including Keisuke Yoshida’s Blue, a gripping boxing drama starring Kenichi Matsuyama, Masahiro Higashide and Fumino Kimura, the former two actors appearing on-screen together for the first time since Satoshi: A Move for Tomorrow. Earning the title of “The Master of Psychological Drama” Yoshida was honored with a special Director in Focus program at 2021’s Tokyo International Film Festival.

Winner of the New Current Award at the Busan International Film Festival and an official selection at Berlinale,...

“Nobuto Urita is a boxer who loves his sport more than anything. No matter how hard he tries, he keeps losing his matches. Meanwhile, Kazuki Ogawa who spars with Urita at the same gym is a boxer with elite talent and skills; his eventual road to the championship is assured. Ogawa is also engaged to Chika Amano. She is a childhood friend of Urita and his first love. Also on hand is Narasaki who comes to train simply to look “cool” but discovers his own talent and passion.”

“Blue” is screening at Five Flavours Asian Film Festival

Cinema exploring the world of combat sports often chooses one of two paths, either geared towards heavy action sequences capturing the physical prowess of the combatants or drama pieces which examine the personal struggles within the demanding profession. While both of these approaches have their own potential shortcomings, the latter is arguably more...

World premieres include debut from Happy Hour co-writer Tadashi Nohara and new works from Brillante Mendoza and Mikhail Red.

Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) has announced the full line-up for its 34th edition, including the main competition section of 15 films, among which 10 titles are world premieres. Other sections include Asian Future, Gala Selection, World Focus, Nippon Cinema Now and Japanese Animation.

The competition section includes the world premieres of two Japanese films – Third Time Lucky, the debut feature of Tadashi Nohara, who co-wrote Happy Hour and Wife Of A Spy; and Just Remembering from Daigo Matsui (Ice Cream And The...

The Tokyo International Film Festival, which plans to take place as an in-person event running from Oct. 30 to Nov. 8, will showcase the work of emerging Japanese director Keisuke Yoshida.

Yoshida will be the Director In Focus as part of the festival’s new Nippon Cinema Now section, which will include a gala selection of his films, ranging from his 2016 breakthrough feature Himeanole to the two titles he is releasing just this year, the well-received boxing drama Blue and his forthcoming drama thriller Intolerance, which opens in Japan on Sept. 23.

Tokyo’s Nippon Cinema Now section is an expanded program that will ...

The Tokyo International Film Festival, which plans to take place as an in-person event running from Oct. 30 to Nov. 8, will showcase the work of emerging Japanese director Keisuke Yoshida.

Yoshida will be the Director In Focus as part of the festival’s new Nippon Cinema Now section, which will include a gala selection of his films, ranging from his 2016 breakthrough feature Himeanole to the two titles he is releasing just this year, the well-received boxing drama Blue and his forthcoming drama thriller Intolerance, which opens in Japan on Sept. 23.

Tokyo’s Nippon Cinema Now section is an expanded program that will ...

Asian cinema is not exactly known for its sport movies, which, maybe with the exception of boxing lately, are quite scarce. This however, does not mean that they do not exist at all, since, particularly during the last decade, a number of excellent movies in the category have come to the fore. On the occasion of the Olympic Games taking place in Japan, we decided to present 20 of the greatest Asian films focusing on sports in alphabetical order, with a focus on diversity regarding countries, directors and style of presentation.

1. As One

Titled simply “Korea” in Korean, Moon Hyun-sung’s film told a historically important story of a key moment in history of Korean sport and politics, a unified Korean women’s team consisting players from the North and South which competing in and winning the gold medal at the World Table Tennis Championship. It features two superstars Ha Ji-won and Bae Doona,...

Based on the homonymous manga series by Minoru Furuya, the film starts as a comedy-drama, from the plethora coming out from the Japanese movie industry. In that fashion, the central heroes are two awkward individuals, Susumu Okada and Yuji Ando, who work for a cleaning company. Yuji talks like a robot and seems to lack any kind of social skills and Susumu is an unambitious youth, who is troubled by the fact that his life seems to have no meaning, whatsoever. Eventually, Yuji tells Susumu that he is in love with a waitress in a cafe, Yuka Abe, and asks his help to get to know her. The first time they come to the shop, Yuji points out another man who seems to be constantly there, also having an in interest in Yuka. This man, Shoichi Morita, proves to be Susumu’s ex classmate. Soon, Yuka informs them that Morita is stalking her,...

Keisuke Yoshida was born in 1975 in Saitama. While he was still studying at Tokyo Visual Arts he started making his own independent films. Ever since his debut feature “Raw Summer” (2005) he has directed more than 10 films, while he has also written the screenplays for the majority of his movies.

On the occasion of “Blue” screening at Toronto Japanese Film Festival, we speak with him about his experience with boxing, and the dramatic aspect of the sport, the realism of the fights, his cooperation with the cast, and other topics

What made you decide to make a film about the world of boxing? How much research did you have to do when writing the script?

I’ve been engaged in boxing since I was a junior high school student, so it’s been around 30 years that I’ve been doing this. Boxing is something closest to my heart, so I’ve...

“Nobuto Urita is a boxer who loves his sport more than anything. No matter how hard he tries, he keeps losing his matches. Meanwhile, Kazuki Ogawa who spars with Urita at the same gym is a boxer with elite talent and skills; his eventual road to the championship is assured. Ogawa is also engaged to Chika Amano. She is a childhood friend of Urita and his first love. Also on hand is Narasaki who comes to train simply to look “cool” but discovers his own talent and passion.”

“Blue” is screening at Toronto Japanese Film Festival

Cinema exploring the world of combat sports often chooses one of two paths, either geared towards heavy action sequences capturing the physical prowess of the combatants or drama pieces which examine the personal struggles within the demanding profession. While both of these approaches have their own potential shortcomings, the latter is arguably more difficult...

Canada’S Largest Showcase Of Contemporary Japanese Cinema

Streams Across Canada

Saturday, June 5 – Sunday, June 27, 2021

Monday, May 10, 2021 – The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre’s 10th annual Toronto Japanese Film Festival (Tjff) will be presented across Canada from Saturday, June 5 to Sunday, 27, 2021. During this period, Tjff screenings will be held online, using the Cinesend festival platform, with select onsite screenings at the Jccc’s Kobayashi Hall planned for October, public health protocols permitting. The festival is one of the largest film events of its kind in the world and is recognized by the Japanese film industry as a vital conduit for bringing Japanese film to international audiences.

“When we held the first Toronto Japanese Film Festival, we never dreamed we’d be celebrating our 10th anniversary during a pandemic, said Tjff Director James Heron. “We also never dreamed the festival would be so well attended, loved by Toronto audiences and embraced by...

The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre’s 10th annual Toronto Japanese Film Festival (Tjff) will be presented across Canada from Saturday, June 5 to Sunday, 27, 2021. During this period, Tjff screenings will be held online, using the Cinesend festival platform, with select onsite screenings at the Jccc’s Kobayashi Hall planned for October, public health protocols permitting. The festival is one of the largest film events of its kind in the world and is recognized by the Japanese film industry as a vital conduit for bringing Japanese film to international audiences.

“When we held the first Toronto Japanese Film Festival, we never dreamed we’d be celebrating our 10th anniversary during a pandemic, said Tjff Director James Heron. “We also never dreamed the festival would be so well attended, loved by Toronto audiences and embraced by Japanese directors and actors as the place to introduce their films to North American audiences. On this...

Japanese director Keisuke Yoshida was born in 1975 in Saitama in the Saitama Prefecture. While he was still studying at Tokyo Visual Arts he started making his own independent films. Ever since his debut feature “Raw Summer” (2005) he has directed a total of nine films, with his new film “I Love Irene” being released this fall. He has also written the screenplays for the majority of his movies.

On the occasion of his last film “Thicker Than Water“ screening at Japan Cuts 2018, we speak with him about his film and other things

First of all, thanks for agreeing to have this interview about a very interesting film, “Thicker Than Water”, which combines comedy and drama. It touches upon the subject of sibling rivalry and sibling competition. What was your inspiration for the project?

I have an older sister myself, but my experience might have been similar to an only child, though.

Japanese director Keisuke Yoshida was born in 1975 in Saitama in the Saitama Prefecture. While he was still studying at Tokyo Visual Arts he started making his own independent films. Ever since his debut feature “Raw Summer” (2005) he has directed a total of nine films, with his new film “I Love Irene” being released this fall. He has also written the screenplays for the majority of his movies.

On the occasion of his last film “Thicker Than Water“screening at Japan Cuts 2018 , we speak with him about T

First of all, thanks for agreeing to have this interview about a very interesting film, “Thicker Than Water”, which combines comedy and drama. It touches upon the subject of sibling rivalry and sibling competition. What was your inspiration for the project?

I have an older sister myself, but my experience might have been similar to an only child, though. This story is not...

“I really thought I could change.”

In general sibling rivalry is one of the oldest themes of mankind, a foundation for countless tales in art, film and literature. Ever since the story of Cain and Abel the focus has mostly been on brothers or sisters being enemies defined by envy and constant arguments. On the other hand the opposite, for example the happy family of sitcoms or sibling harmony as in Hirokazu Kore-eda’s “Our Little Sister” (2015) does exist, but is rarely used. In the end, being enemies makes for a more dramatic and dynamic story perhaps. Or maybe it is just something which derives from a general experience of growing up with brothers and/or sisters.

More precisely, stories of rivalry rather than happiness are more common. In an article for the magazine “Psychology Today” author Jane Mersky Leder shares some insights into what seems to be popular narratives...

Now in its 12th year, Japan Cuts continues to grow as the largest festival of contemporary Japanese cinema in North America. Bringing a wide range of the best and hardest-to-see films made in and around Japan today — from blockbusters, independent productions and anime, to documentaries, avant-garde works, short films, and new restorations — Japan Cuts is the place to experience Japan’s dynamic film culture in New York City. Like every year, this thrilling 10-day festival offers exclusive premieres, special guest filmmakers and stars, fun-filled parties, live music and more! Tickets are on-sale now!

The festival programmers Aiko Masubuchi, Kazu Watanabe and Joel Neville Andersonhave highlighted in a note that “perhaps most strikingly, the struggle for dignity and individual rights reverberates throughout the lineup—including Lgbtq advocacy (“Of Love & Law”), reparations for government abuse (“Sennan Asbestos Disaster”) or the plight of refugees (“Passage of Life”). Additionally, multiple films deal with the...

The Japanese Feature Film Competition will screen four titles from young Japanese filmmakers.

Japan’s Skip City International D-Cinema Festival has unveiled the line-up for its 15th anniversary edition (July 13-22), including a new competition section for Japanese features.

The Japanese Feature Film Competition will screen four titles from young Japanese filmmakers, including two world premieres – Kenichiro Hiro’s coming-of-age drama Beyond The Blue and Shinzo Katayama’s Siblings Of The Cave, starring Yuya Matsuura and Misa Wada.

The remaining two films in this section are Hiroyuki Takebayashi’s High Sentiments Family and Norichika Oba’s Cyclops. In previous editions of the festival,...

The team of Nippon Connection has announced the full program for the 11th edition of the Japanese film festival. Despite the current events in Japan, the festival will take place in Frankfurt from April 27th to Mai 1st.

Currently the program isn’t available on the festival’s website, so here’s a quick peek taken from the press release:

A Night in Nude: Salvation (Nudo no yoru: Ai wa oshiminaku ubau), R: Takashi Ishii, J 2010

Abraxas (Aburakusasu no matsuri), R: Naoki Kato, J 2010

Anpo, R: Linda Hoaglund, J 2010

Arrietty (Karigurashi no Arrietty), R: Hiromasa Yonebayashi, J 2010

Beautiful Method (Utsukushii sube), R: Takamasa Ooe, J 2009

Cage, R: Shinsuke Kurimoto, J 2010

Cold Fish (Tsumetai nettaigyo), R: Sion Sono, J 2010

Colorful, R: Keiichi Hara, J 2010

Coming Future (Sinka), R: Kyuya Nakagawa, J 2010

Devil Has Come (Akuma ga kita), R: Shun Sakaida, J 2010

Doman Seman (Horikawa nakatachiuri), R: Go Shibata, J 2010

Door to...

The team of Nippon Connection has announced the full program for the 11th edition of the Japanese film festival. Despite the current events in Japan, the festival will take place in Frankfurt from April 27th to Mai 1st.

Currently the program isn’t available on the festival’s website, so here’s a quick peek taken from the press release:

A Night in Nude: Salvation (Nudo no yoru: Ai wa oshiminaku ubau), R: Takashi Ishii, J 2010

Abraxas (Aburakusasu no matsuri), R: Naoki Kato, J 2010

Anpo, R: Linda Hoaglund, J 2010

Arrietty (Karigurashi no Arrietty), R: Hiromasa Yonebayashi, J 2010

Beautiful Method (Utsukushii sube), R: Takamasa Ooe, J 2009

Cage, R: Shinsuke Kurimoto, J 2010

Cold Fish (Tsumetai nettaigyo), R: Sion Sono, J 2010

Colorful, R: Keiichi Hara, J 2010

Coming Future (Sinka), R: Kyuya Nakagawa, J 2010

Devil Has Come (Akuma ga kita), R: Shun Sakaida, J 2010

Doman Seman (Horikawa nakatachiuri), R: Go Shibata, J 2010

Door to...

Here’s the trailer for Sankaku, the latest film by director Keisuke Yoshida (Raw Summer, Cafe Isobe).

The film stars Sosuke Takaoka as 30-year-old Momose, a bit of a loser who’s currently living with his girlfriend Kayo (Tomoko Tabata). However, their relationship is far from loving, as they’ve recently fallen into a rut and have become slightly bored of one another.

One day, Kayo’s 15-year-old sister Momo (Erena Ono of AKB48) comes to stay with them during her summer vacation from junior high school. As soon as she moves in, Momose can’t seem to calm down around her, as Momo does things like walk around in her underwear or cutely whisper things in his ear. In spite of his relationship with 27-year-old Kayo, Momose finds himself charmed by the way-too-young Momo in a strange summer love triangle.

Nikkatsu will be releasing “Sankaku” in Japan on June 26, 2010.

Source: Official website via logboy,...

Just like promised the day before yesterday, the full program with (so far?) 38 titles for the 10. Japanese Film Festival Hamburg is now available online. The Jffh will take place from May 27 to May 31.

Cafe Isobe by Keisuke Yoshida (Eröffnungsfilm) Appassionata by Sadao Nakajima Arbol del Tule by Takeya Sekiguchi Balloon Forest by Takashi Miura Takuya Bluebird by Shu Asakawa Captain Tokyo by Kazushi Watanabe Crazed Beast by Sadao Nakajima Cyborg She by Kwak Jae Yong Das Leben von meinem Vater Yoshiari by Mitsuwaha Yusaku Der Buddha, der den Fuchs berührt by Yosuke Kaneko Der Engel im blauen Himmel Der Rote Punkt by Marie Miyayama Detroit Metal City by Toshio Lee Dream of the City by Shunichi Takagi Empty Blue by Kou Hanekawa Escape from Hiroshima Prison by Sadao Nakajima Gelatin Silver Love by Kazumi Kurigami Genius Party by Studio 4°C Genius Party Beyond by Studio 4°C Grotesque by Koji Shiraishi...