Details about the Singapore Japanese Film Festival 2019

The Singapore Japanese Film Festival 2019 will be held between 18 Jan and 10 Feb 2019 which straddles across the Chinese New Year holidays. However, most of the screenings are in January while there are two "outlier" sessions for the classics in February.

There are also some changes compared to past editions. For example, the commercial films are shown at Shaw Lido this time while the short films and classics will be shown at *SCAPE Gallery and The Projector respectively unlike in the past few years when the Gallery Theatre at National Museum was the primary venue. I actually like the Gallery Theatre for the convenience of its location and the vibe of the place but I guess having a commercial cinema support this film festival will be good especially in terms of the graphics and audio quality in presenting these films.

Do check out the schedule here so that you can plan ahead before ticket sales open from 3 Jan 2019. However, ticket prices have not been announced yet and it's still not clear if the presalewill be done on the respective venue's website or on the film festival's website. And in Shaw Lido's case, it's also unknown whether they will be using bigger or smaller halls for these screenings and if it will be free seating as per in the past.

If you wish to find out more about the films in the contemporary category (some of them have been featured on this blog before), you can click the title tags at the bottom of this post.

In case you are curious, here are the films which I am considering to watch. I probably may not be able to watch everything especially that screening on a Wednesday evening so will have to give some serious thought on what to catch based on my schedule. I usually limit my selection to 3 so I still have some time to consider before tickets go on sale.

Opening Film: Camera wo tomeru na! - NC16
This film was featured during the Singapore International Film Festival where the sole screening was sold out. As such, if you missed this before, you may want to catch it this time where there are two screenings. The opening film screening at 9pm on 18 Jan (Fri) will feature a post-Q&A with the director who will be here. I'm not sure if the director will appear at the other screening on the following day at 3.20pm though.

Sanposuru Shinryakusha - PG13 - 19 Jan (Sat) at 9.30pm
Cast: Nagasawa Masami, Matsuda Ryuuhei, Takasugi Mahiro, Tsunematsu Yuri, Maeda Atsuko, Mitsushima Shinnosuke, Kojima Kazuya, Mitsuishi Ken, Higashide Masahiro, Koizumi Kyoko, Sasano Takashi & Hasegawa Hiroki

Inori no maku ga orirutoki - PG - 20 Jan (Sun) at 7pm
Cast: Abe Hiroshi, Matsushima Nanako, Mizobata Junpei, Tanaka Rena, Kimura Midoriko, Iitoyo Marie, An, Kagawa Teruyuki, Oikawa Mitsuhiro, Ito Ran, Kohinata Fumiyo & Yamazaki Tsutomu etc.

Suteki na Dynamite Scandal - R21 - 23 Jan (Wed) at 6.45pm
Cast: Emoto Tasuku, Maeda Atsuko, Miura Touko, Mineta Kazunobu, Matsushige Yutaka, Murakami Jun & Ono Machiko

Ikiterudake de, Ai - NC16 - 26 Jan (Sat) - 4.30pm
Cast: Shuri, Suda Masaki, Tanaka Tetsushi, Nishida Naomi and Matsushige Yutaka

What are the films you would be interested in watching from this year's film festival? How about sharing your choices with me?

Actually, at first glance, I think the selection this year is pretty impressive so you should be able to find something of interest. In the past, the film festival tended to give the impression that the chosen films were rather indie which attracted a niche audience. Credit ought to be given to the organisers especially seen from the selection of very new movies (some even shown within the same year in Japan) and getting a mix of films with commercial appeal vs. those which tend to be more on the artistic side to attract a wider audience.

If you happen to be in Singapore in January, do support this film festival if you can by watching these movies.

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 24th & 25th February 2018

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) The Greatest Showman (374)

2) KU-KAI Utsukushiki Ouhi no Nazo (306)

3) Konya, Romance Gekijou de (296)

4) Inori no maku ga oriru toki (334)

5) Sayonara no asa ni yakusoku no hana wo kazarou (76)

6) Funouhan (296)

7) Hitsuji no Ki (213)

8) Paddington 2 (317)

9) Geostorm (348)

10) Star Wars: The Last Jedi (377)

Source: Eiga.com

First-day-screening event of new movie "Inori no maku ga orirutoki"

The first-day-screening event of new movie "Inori no maku ga orirutoki" was held at TOHO Cinemas Scala Za on 27 January which was attended by the director Fukuzawa Katsuo and cast members Abe Hiroshi, Matsushima Nanako, Mizobata Junpei, Tanaka Rena and JUJU who sings the theme song for the movie.

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 17th & 18th February 2018

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) The Greatest Showman (374)

2) Konya, Romance Gekijou de (296)

3) Inori no maku ga oriru toki (334)

4) Funouhan (296)

5) Hitsuji no Ki (213)

6) Manhunt (251)

7) Geostorm (348)

8) Paddington 2 (317)

9) Star Wars: The Last Jedi (377)

10) Uso wo aisuru onna (284)

Source: Eiga.com

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 10th & 11th February 2018

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) Konya, Romance Gekijou de (296)

2) Inori no maku ga oriru toki (334)

3) Funouhan (296)

4) Manhunt (251)

5) Hitsuji no Ki (213)

6) Geostorm (348)

7) Star Wars: The Last Jedi (377)

8) Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch II Handou (79)

9) Paddington 2 (317)

10) Uso wo aisuru onna (284)

Source: Eiga.com

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 3rd & 4th February 2018

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) Inori no maku ga oriru toki (334)

2) Hitsuji no Ki (213)

3) Funouhan (296)

4) Geostorm (348)

5) Paddington 2 (317)

6) Star Wars: The Last Jedi (377)

7) Uso wo aisuru onna (284)

8) Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (127)

9) Kingsman: The Golden Circle (369)

10) Hachinengoshi no Hanayome Kiseki no Jitsuwa (320)

Source: Eiga.com

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 27th & 28th January 2018

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) Inori no maku ga oriru toki (334)

2) Geostorm (348)

3) Uso wo aisuru onna (284)

4) Paddington 2 (317)

5) Star Wars: The Last Jedi (377)

6) Kingsman: The Golden Circle (369)

7) Hachinengoshi no Hanayome Kiseki no Jitsuwa (320)

8) DESTINY Kamakura Monogatari (364)

9) Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2202 Ai no Senshitachi Dai 4 Sho Tenmei Hen (29)

10) The Dark Tower (235)

Source: Eiga.com

Red carpet event and completion press conference of new movie "Inori no maku ga orirutoki"

The red carpet event and completion press conference of new movie "Inori no maku ga orirutoki" was held at COREDO Muromachi 2 Yoko no nakadoori on 12 December which was attended by the director Fukuzawa Katsuo and cast members Abe Hiroshi, Matsushima Nanako, Mizobata Junpei, Tanaka Rena, Shunputei Shota, Iitoyo Marie, Ito Ran and Kohinata Fumiyo. The movie will be shown in cinemas from 27 January and is the final installment of the "Shinzanmono" series by Higashino Keigo.

JUJU to sing the ending theme song for new movie "Inori no maku ga orirutoki"

JUJU will be singing the ending theme song for new movie "Inori no maku ga orirutoki" starring Abe Hiroshi which will be shown in cinemas from 27 January 2018. The movie which is based on the same-titled novel by Higashino Keigo, also features Matsushima Nanako, Mizobata Junpei, Tanaka Rena, Shunputei Shota, Otoo Takuma, Iitoyo Marie, Kohinata Fumio, Ito Ran, Oikawa Mitsuhiro and Yamazaki Tsutomu in its cast. 

Abe Hiroshi & Matsushima Nanako to star in new movie "Inori no maku ga orirutoki"

Abe Hiroshi will be starring in the real-life adaptation movie "Inori no maku ga orirutoki" (When the curtain of prayers comes down) which is based on the same-titled novel in the "Kaga Kyoichiro series" by Higashino Keigo. The novel is the 10th title in the series which was published in 2013 and had won the 48th Yoshikawa Eiji Literature Award. Abe had first played police detective Kaga in the Spring 2010 drama "Shinzanmono" which was followed by two SPs "Akai Yubi" and "Nemuri no Mori" as well as the 2012 movie "Kirin no Tsubasa Gekijouban Shinzanmono" that achieved box office takings of JPY 1.68bn. Besides Abe, regular cast members from the series include Mizobata Junpei, Tanaka Rena and Yamazaki Tsutomu will be making their return alongside Matsushima Nanako who will be participating in the series for the first time and play Asai Hiromi, an actress and director in this new movie. Other co-stars include Kohinata Fumio and Ito Ran. Filming began from 9 June and is expected to be wrapped up by 25 July. The movie will be shown in cinemas next year.

The story will reveal the biggest unresolved mystery in the series i.e. the truth behind the disappearance of Kaga's mother and why Kaga became a Shinzanmono in the local precincts despite his stellar credentials while Kaga tries to resolve the murder case of Asai's ex-classmate Oshitani Michiko who lived in Shiga Prefecture but was found dead in an apartment in Katsushika Ward, Tokyo. The apartment's resident Koshigawa Mutsuo has gone missing thus making it difficult for Kaga and Matsumiya (Mizobata) to make much progress in their investigations. Later, they find that Michiko had come to Tokyo to visit Asai who is directing a play performed at Meijiza in Nihonbashi but there is nothing linking her to the missing Mutsuo as well. When a burnt body is found nearby, an item left behind by the deceased had the names of the 12 bridges in Nihonbashi. Kaga is shaken by the revelation which suggests a link to his mother who had died alone...

Abe who is playing Kaga for the first time in three years, said that he is reminded of when he first did this series because the filming is being done in Ningyocho as before. Although the series had talked about his conflict with his father before, this is the first time that Kaga's relationship with his mother is depicted in the story which will tie in with the investigations of the main case. As for working with Matsushima for the first time, Abe expressed anticipation at seeing how she will play the role of Asai in this movie. On the other hand, Matsushima commented that she is honoured to be given a chance to participate in this popular series and described her character as someone who has to bear the weight of her sad past. She hopes to be able to make a good movie along with her co-stars and staff.

Sources: Nikkansports / Eiga.com