For Mark Schilling's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Drawing from a novel based on true events, “Inubu” shows the barriers activists fighting for the humane treatment of animals face, their own physical and financial limits among them.
Director Hiroshi Shinagawa, who endured his own struggles as a young comic, shows the darker side of showbiz, as well as the welcoming beauty of Shimokawa, Hokkaido Prefecture.
Film coverage of the modern Olympics, starting from 1912, shows that national pride and stunning athleticism have always been an integral part of the games.
Asato Watanabe’s debut feature about a man grappling with depression treads the line between reality and fantasy, with comic antics thrown in.
Miyu Ogawa displays gravity and vulnerability in Sara Ogawa’s first theatrical feature, which centers on a teenager who lives in a group home and coaxes a new arrival out of her shell.
Satoko Yokohama’s drama, set in the director’s native Aomori Prefecture, features a troubled teen whose talent for playing the shamisen is hindered by grief.
In this coming-of-age film, the story itself is nearly overshadowed by the beautifully decorated sets with items from North European-style everyday goods site, Hokuoh Kurashi no Doguten.
Since its start in 1999, Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & Asia) has become the largest festival of its kind in Asia. This year, it is presenting a hybrid edition, with online venues showing films beginning on April 27 and the festival ...
Thomas Ash’s documentary “Ushiku” brings to the light the experiences of detainees at Japan’s immigration facilities and the harsh conditions they face.
Despite its theme of duplicity in love, the film is not an exercise in black-comic cynicism.
