The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre's 10th annual Toronto Japanese Film Festival (TJFF) will be presented in hybrid online/in-person in 2021. From June 5 to 27, TJFF screenings will be held online, while select onsite events at Kobayashi Hall are planned for October (public health protocols permitting). Online screenings will take place on-demand via the CINESEND platform for the festival's duration.
TJFF brings a wide selection of recent work from the Japanese film industry to an international audience. Among the North American and Canadian premieres, there's the delicious historical drama Mio's Cookbook, boxing epic Blue, and manga-adaptation of high school delinquency From Today It's My Turn!!
Films from leading female directors include Akiko Ohku's award-winning Hold Me Back and Naomi Kawase's True Mothers, Japan's representative candidate for the Academy Awards. Documentary selections include sumo wrestling deep-dive Sumodo – Successors to the Samurai and Hosé! Jose Mujica!, profiling one of Uruguay's most famous presidents.
In a press release, TJFF urges attendees to enjoy these films at home with their families. Organizers also caution that some selections address adult themes and advise checking the age recommendations included in the lineup details.
"When we held the first Toronto Japanese Film Festival, we never dreamed we'd be celebrating our 10th anniversary during a pandemic," said TJFF Director James Heron in a statement. "We also never dreamed the festival would be so well-attended and loved by Toronto audiences and embraced by Japanese directors and actors as the place to introduce their films to North American audiences. On this important anniversary, I send my warmest thanks to our sponsors, audiences and the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre community, who have contributed immeasurably to the festival's success."
Tickets are on sale now and are available up until the end of the festival. They're available for $9.99 (tax and service fee included) per single ticket, or $99.99 for an all-access pass. You can purchase tickets and learn more information here.
TJFF brings a wide selection of recent work from the Japanese film industry to an international audience. Among the North American and Canadian premieres, there's the delicious historical drama Mio's Cookbook, boxing epic Blue, and manga-adaptation of high school delinquency From Today It's My Turn!!
Films from leading female directors include Akiko Ohku's award-winning Hold Me Back and Naomi Kawase's True Mothers, Japan's representative candidate for the Academy Awards. Documentary selections include sumo wrestling deep-dive Sumodo – Successors to the Samurai and Hosé! Jose Mujica!, profiling one of Uruguay's most famous presidents.
In a press release, TJFF urges attendees to enjoy these films at home with their families. Organizers also caution that some selections address adult themes and advise checking the age recommendations included in the lineup details.
"When we held the first Toronto Japanese Film Festival, we never dreamed we'd be celebrating our 10th anniversary during a pandemic," said TJFF Director James Heron in a statement. "We also never dreamed the festival would be so well-attended and loved by Toronto audiences and embraced by Japanese directors and actors as the place to introduce their films to North American audiences. On this important anniversary, I send my warmest thanks to our sponsors, audiences and the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre community, who have contributed immeasurably to the festival's success."
Tickets are on sale now and are available up until the end of the festival. They're available for $9.99 (tax and service fee included) per single ticket, or $99.99 for an all-access pass. You can purchase tickets and learn more information here.
