The film reels are in motion with the Australian tour of the 26th Japanese Film Festival (JFF) presented in cinemas across Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, respectively, between 5 November and 14 December 2022. A spectrum of emotions and stories will challenge long-standing truths and portray diverse imaginings of the human experience.
Each host city will launch their festival with the screening of Dreaming of the Meridian Arc, a witty rewriting of Japanese history that connects present-day Japan and the Edo period, uncovering the true story behind the man who created the first ever map of Japan. Then, from the quirky to the dramatic, to murder, sport, and the delectable, films to watch include a curious pair of teenage assassins learning to cohabitate and adjust to the facade of “normal life” in the action film Baby Assassins; the lies and secrets of a girl navigating a complex family upbringing surface in And So The Baton Is Passed; the lives of Boxers are explored in Blue; the tale of people pouring their passion into anime production plays out in ANIME SUPREMACY!; In the Wake tells stories of victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011; the psychological thriller Lesson in Murder takes cinema goers down a dark path with the story of a young man upended by a serial killer’s claim; and The Pursuit of Perfection documents four elite chefs in Tokyo who work tirelessly to perfect their craft. Cinema locations, the full program, and screening dates are available online.

Lesson in Murder 死刑にいたる病, 2022, film still, 128 minutes. Directed by Kazuya Shiraishi / © 2022 The Klockworx Co Ltd, Tohokushinsha Film Corporation, TV TOKYO Corporation Courtesy Japanese Film Festival Australia and The Japan Foundation, Sydney