Japan Cuts — North America’s largest festival of new Japanese film — will be holding its 10th anniversary edition July 14-24 at Japan Society in New York. In addition to an expansive, eclectic slate of innovative live-action titles, Japan Cuts 2016 will present a dozen works produced in its Animation Film Workshop ahead of its Experimental Spotlight: Anime Vanguard program of shorts.
This year’s festival will also welcome over 20 special guests for post-screening Q&As and panels (like “Japanese Film Culture In & Out of Japan” on July 20 at 4 p.m.)
With Experimental Spotlight: Anime Vanguard, the festival continues its commitment to independent artistic visions in cinema by offering a program of vibrant short-form animations. Award-winning filmmaker Onohana will present a number of her playfully poetic works alongside other short pieces by Mirai Mizue, Masanobu Hiraoka, Sawako Kabuki, Atsushi Wada, Yoko Yuki and Ryo Hirano. Preceded by completed works made by participants from the Mono no Aware Hand-Drawn Animation Film Workshop (held at Japan Society on June 18).
Tickets are available through www.japansociety.org.
Experimental Spotlight: Anime Vanguard
Sunday, July 17 at 9:30 p.m. (Introduction with Onohana)
Ages 18+ only.
Mono No Aware Hand-Drawn Animation Workshop Films 2016, Approx. 8 min. Digital. Various works from the participants of Mono No Aware’s Hand-Drawn Animation Workshop held at Japan Society on June 18. World Premiere.
AGE OF OBSCURE, Mirai Mizue and Onohana. 2015. 4 min. Digital. A grand collision of Mizue’s signature visual music forms and Onohana’s mesmerizing impressionistic illustrations, featuring music by Twoth. North American Premiere.
Ouch, Chou Chou, Onohana. 2016. 12 min. Digital. Onohana’s expansive imagination and visual style here recounts the touching saga of a cabbage and pea’s friendship across bullying and interdimensional travel. North American Premiere.
Land, Masanobu Hiraoka. 2013. 4 min. Digital. Shape shifting animal and geometric forms stun in this piece with music and sound by Aimar Molero. New York Premiere.
MASTER BLASTER, Sawako Kabuki. 2014. 4 min. Digital. Coital psychedelia featuring the music of Shinsuke Sugahara, a wild imaginary of physical intimacy. New York Premiere.
The Great Rabbit, Atsushi Wada. 2012. 7 min. Digital. “If you believe in the Rabbit, it means that you’ll believe anything. If you don’t believe in the Rabbit, it means that you wouldn’t believe anything.” New York Premiere.
lost summer vacation, Yoko Yuki. 2015. 3 min. Digital. The mystical happenings of a tropical island are pictured in an animated scroll. North American Premiere.
Don’t Tell Mom, Sawako Kabuki. 2015. 4 min. Digital. A naughty musical sex-ed film for siblings. New York Premiere.
HOLIDAY, Ryo Hirano. 2011. 14 min. Digital. Delirious, deeply romantic tale of love and loss featuring a girl, golden nude, and akahara imori newt in a gondola resort. New York Premiere.
TENSAI BANPAKU, Mirai Mizue. 2015. 4 min. Digital. The mutating forms of Tensai Banpaku, or “Genius Expo” create a stunning abstract orchestra. New York Premiere.
ZDRAVSTVUITE!, Yoko Yuki. 2015. 6 min. Digital. “On a summer day a strange man who teaches Russian at the beach took me to a town.” East Coast Premiere.
such a good place to die, Onohana. 2015. 3 min. Digital. Forms shift like a landscape of memory in this enchanting work featuring music by Tatsuki Tsushima. North American Premiere.
