To commemorate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and India, the Japan Foundation in association with the Embassy of Japan in India and PVR Cinemas, is set to organise the Japan Film and Music Festival across the four metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru. The festival will kickstart in Delhi from 4 to 6 November, followed by Mumbai from 11 to 13 November, Chennai from 25 to 27 November and Bengaluru from 9 to 11 December.
The Japanese Film Festival (JFF), which was first held in 2016 across ASEAN countries and Australia, debuted in India in 2017 and returns this year after a three-year hiatus. This year’s festival is special edition and will feature ‘The World of RADWIMPS and Makoto Shinkai’. RADWIMPS is a famous Japanese rock band formed in 2001 and has been awarded the Japanese Academy Award for Best Original Score, for composing the soundtracks for record-breaking animated feature films like “Your Name.” and “Weathering With You,” directed by world-renowned animator and filmmaker Makoto Shinkai. RADWIMPS is also composing the music for Makoto Shinkai’s upcoming movie “Suzume”, which is scheduled for release in Japan, on 11 November.
Speaking about the festival, Mr. Koji Sato, Director General, Japan Foundation said, “India-Japan ties go back to the 6th century when Buddhism was first introduced in Japan and since then, the two countries have shared a close relationship, encompassing not just trade and economic ties but also cultural exchange. In our contemporary culture, both music and films are shared and enjoyed by the wider public, making us feel much closer. In this memorable year of friendship, we are bringing India a true slice of Japanese entertainment; helping friends make happy moments and memories across the country.”
The festival will feature a recorded concert of RADWIMPS from their world premiere of “FOREVER IN THE DAZE TOUR 2021-2022” along with the “Your Name Orchestra concert”. The Japan Film & Music Festival will also showcase Makoto Shinkai’s animation movies, including “Weathering With You”, “Your Name.”, “The Garden of Words”, “Children Who Chase Lost Voices”, “5 Centimeters per Second” and “The Place Promised in Our Early Days”.
“Your Name.” was not only a critical success but became the third highest grossing animated movie of all time, worldwide, with international box office collections in excess of $330 million. “Weathering With You,” the last film by Makoto Shinkai received critical and commercial success across the globe. It was Japan’s official entry to the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. It is also the first anime film to be commercially released in India.
A large petition and a major twitter trend got Makoto Shinkai’s attention which subsequently led to the release of the film in
India. The Japan Foundation is Japan’s only institution dedicated to carrying out comprehensive international cultural exchange programmes throughout the world. With the objective of deepening mutual understanding between the people of Japan and other countries, its various activities and information services create opportunities for interpersonal interactions. The Japan Foundation New Delhi was officially established in January 1994 and has been carrying out the Foundation’s programmes since then.