San Sebastian: Japanese Independent Film in Spotlight

Japanese independent films released over the past 15 years will be the focus of an extensive retrospective at this year’s edition of Spain’s San Sebastian Film Festival, organizers announced Thursday.

Among the titles to be screened are works by noted figures in Japan’s contemporary film world. Among them are H Story (2001) by Nobuhiro Suwa, A Snake of June (Rokugatsu No Hebi, 2002) by Shinya Tsukamoto, Bright Future (Akarui Mirai, 2003) by Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Love Exposure (Ai No Mukidashi, 2008) by Shion Sono.

Festival officials described the retrospective as “a showcase offering the opportunity to discover the vitality and energy of the film industry in that country thanks to the work of some of today’s most eye-catching filmmakers.”

“Beyond the bounds of the films produced by big studios, the phenomenon of independent cinema in Japan has generated an important source of cinematic creativity expressed in a series of films produced outside the industry,” they added.

Among the newer independent productions to be screened are The Tale of Iya (Iya Monogatari, 2013) by Tetsuichiro Tsuta and The Light Shines Only There (Soko Nomi Nite Hikari Kgaayaku, 2014) by Mipo Oh.