The Japanese Film Festival Ireland returns for its 16th edition this April, bringing a selection of new and classic Japanese films to screens across Ireland.
With a selection ranging from festival favourites to the latest anime features, the 2025 Festival boasts an impressive 16 films at nine locations across Ireland, including, for the first time, Ballina. Screenings in Dublin take place at Light House Cinema from April 10-17.
This year’s festival includes the delightful fish-out-of-water time travel comedy A Samurai in Time, which last month took home Best Film at the Japan Academy Film Awards. The darkly comic character study Teki Cometh, meanwhile, won three of the top prizes at last year’s Tokyo International Film Festival, including Best Film.
As part of its Dublin programme, the festival presents 1968’s The Snow Woman, based on a famous ghost story recounted by Dublin-raised Lafcadio Hearn in his classic Kwaidan collection. This screening will tie in with the 175th anniversary of Hearn’s birth, along with the ongoing exhibition celebrating his work which has been taking place nationally (currently in Dublin’s Farmleigh Gallery). The screening will be preceded by a short introduction introducing the audience to Hearn’s life and work.
Other acclaimed films and international festival favourites screening during the festival include Cloud, the new thriller from Kiyoshi Kurosawa; the profound All the Long Nights from director Sho Miyake (Small, Slow but Steady); and Living in Two Worlds, a sensitive and heartfelt portrait of a young man’s experiences growing up with Deaf parents.
Cottontail, meanwhile, brings together actor Lily Franky (Shoplifters) and Ireland’s own Ciarán Hinds for a moving drama about one Japanese widower’s trip to England to fulfil his late wife’s final wish. Those looking for a unique insight into Japanese society & culture should check out the documentary The Making of a Japanese, which follows a group of Tokyo elementary school students over the course of a year, and the charming comedy-drama Takano Tofu.
Anime fans won’t want to miss this year’s selection of new anime films: Ghost Cat Anzu, Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window, City Hunter: Angel Dust and Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon. The festival also incldes two classic anime titles: Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved debut feature Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro, and the vibrant and playful Tekkonkinkreet.
Speaking about the festival, Maeve Cooke, director of access>CINEMA, said, “Whether you’re a JFF regular or have never been before, we look forward to welcoming you to this year’s screenings. As ever, the festival has an exciting range of titles to choose from. Whether you’re looking for the latest anime, festival favourites or an insight into Japanese culture & society, this year’s programme has something for everyone.”
The festival will run throughout Ireland until April 26th, with screenings in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Sligo, Waterford, Dundalk, Wexford, Bray and Ballina.
Screenings in Dublin take place at Light House Cinema from April 10-17.
The Embassy of Japan and access>CINEMA are the co-organisers of the Festival. For full listings and to book tickets visit jff.ie
