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Japanese Film Festival 2013 Releases Film Lineup
posted on by Jon Hayward
This year's festival is a touring event that will visit capital cities Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and regional cities Broome, Cairns, Darwin and Townsville. However at the time of this article Broome has already had it's day of screenings. The Japanese Film Festival has announced that additional titles are to be announced for Sydney and Melbourne.
The current screening lists are as follows;
Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth.
- Thermae Romae (Live-action)
- Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods
- Library Wars (Live-action)
- Gatchaman (Live-action)
Broome, Cairns, Darwin, Hobart, Townsville.
© 2010 GNDHDDTW
Arrietty
Arrietty is based on the children's novel 'The Borrowers' (written by Mary Norton) and follows the adventures of a family of 'little' people who are 10cm tall and live under the floorboards of a old mansion. The family makes their way by 'borrowing' items from the old lady that lives in the mansion above. Their peaceful lives are changed when 14 year-old Arrietty is accidentally seen by Shō, a 12 year-old human boy.
Madman Entertainment originally licensed Arrietty back in 2010 and released the film to home video in November 2012.
JFF Arrietty Link
Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods
Birisu, the god of destruction has awakened from his slumber to destroy the planets in his realm. However after hearing of the Saiyan who defeated Freeza, Birisu comes looking to challenge Goku in battle. Excited at the idea of challenging a powerful opponent, Goku agrees to the battle but he is no match for Birusu's overwhelming power and is defeated. Can Goku and his friends rise to Birusu's challenge and save the universe?
Set between the 517th and 518th chapters of Dragon Ball (after the defeat of Majin Buu), Dragon Ball Z: Battle Of The Gods is the first theatrical Dragon Ball project to be released since 1995's Dragon Ball Z Movie 13: Wrath of the Dragon. Series creator Akira Toriyama was deeply involved in the project having contributed to story and designs from the early screenwriting stages. Masahiro Hosoda (Dragon Ball Z episode director, Nangoku Shounen Papuwa-kun) directed the film at Toei off a script by Yūsuke Watanabe (live-action 20th Century Boys trilogy, Gantz, Bloody Monday, Future Diary). The film has recently been licensed by Madman Entertainment in Australia.
JFF Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods Link
Gatchaman (Live-action)
From the Japanese Film Festival's website;
Sometime in the not too distant future: the world lies under threat from an alien terrorist group known as the Galactors. With half of the population already captured, the only hope for humanity lies with the Receptors, trained agents of the International Science Organisation who have the ability to draw superhero powers from ancient stones. Five teen Receptors combine to form the ninja squad ‘Gatchaman’ (a.k.a. ‘G-Force’), and it is up to them to save the world. Boasting an all-star production team including director Sato Toya (Grave of the Fireflies), screenwriter Yūsuke Watanabe (Dragon Ball Z, Gantz), and VFX master Yamazaki Takashi (Space Battleship Yamato), this blockbuster hit brings to life the classic anime series.
JFF Gatchaman Link
Library Wars (Live-action)
Based on the japanese light novel series Toshokan Sensō by Hiro Arikawa, Library Wars is set in a world where a version of the 1954 act Statement on Intellectual Freedom in Libraries named Freedom of Library Law protects the collection and distribution of information and militarises librarians to oppose censorship and protect the rights of libraries and library users. When the government's "Media Betterment Committee" is going to extreme lengths to enforce state censorship it is the Library Defense Force who will take up arms and risk their lives to protect the books.
Library Wars has been published by MediaWorks as four volumes between 2006 and 2007, the series has since had two volumes of the spin-off Bessatsu Toshokan Sensō published by ASCII Media Works in 2008. The series has also been adapted into two manga series, a anime series and anime film by Production I.G This live-action adaptation was directed by Shinsuke Satō (Gantz live-action) and released in Japan on the 27th of April 2013.
JFF Library Wars Link
Thermae Romae (Live-action)
Lucius Modestus (Hiroshi Abe) is a bath-house designer in ancient Rome who is one day sucked into modern-day Japan. Going back and forth between two worlds he works to improve Roman baths using Japanese ideas. In the process Lucius wins the heart of a struggling manga artist and earns the attention of Emperor Hadrian.
This live-action adaptation is based on the original manga by Mari Yamazaki of the same title. The series has had six volumes published to date, a anime adaptation that was distributed in Australia by Siren Visual in 2012 and the live-action film will recieve a sequel in 2014. The film originally opened in Japan on the 28th of April 2012 and also saw release in Australia as part of last year's Japanese Film Festival.
JFF Thermae Romae Link.
Screening Location Information
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Brisbane
16th to the 20th of October 2013 - Event Cinemas – Brisbane City Myer Centre Level 3, Myer Centre, Elizabeth Street.
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Cairns
3rd of November 2013 - Cairns Central - Cairns Central Shopping Centre, Cnr Mcleod & Spence Streets.
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Canberra
30th of October to the 3rd of November 2013 - Capitol Cinema Manuka - 6 Franklin Street, Manuka.
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Darwin
Dates Coming Soon 2013 - Venue TBA.
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Hobart
13th, 14th and 16th of October 2013 - State Cinema - 375 Elizabeth Street, North Hobart.
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Melbourne
28th of November to the 8th of December 2013 - Hoyts Melbourne Central - Cnr Swanston & Latrobe Street, Melbourne Central Shopping Centre.
- ACMI Cinemas (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) - Federation Square, Flinders St, Melbourne.
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Perth
23rd to the 27th of October 2013 - Hoyts Westfield Carousel - 1382 Albany Hwy, Westfield Shopping Centre, Cannington.
- State Library Theatre - 25 Francis Street, Perth Cultural Centre.
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Sydney
14th to the 24th of November 2013 - Event Cinemas – George Street 505-525 George St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia.
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Townsville
26th of October - Reading Cinemas - High Range Drive, Thuringowa Central.
You can of course visit the Japanese Film Festival website for further information.
