Event overview

Date and time: from Thursday, November 23, 2023 to Sunday, November 26, 2023
Venue: NTT CRED Hall, Hiroshima City Cinematographic and Audio-Visual Library, Yokogawa Cinema, etc.

Specially invited films

“Evil Does Not Exist”Japan Premiere
2023/Japan/106 minutes Director: HAMGUCHI Ryusuke

 

© 2023 NEOPA / Fictive

 

＜Synopsis＞
Takumi and his daughter Hana live in Mizubiki Village, close to Tokyo. Like generations before them, they live a modest life according to the cycles and order of nature. One day, the village inhabitants become aware of a plan to build a glamping site near Takumi’s house; offering city residents a comfortable ‘escape’ to nature. When two company representatives from Tokyo arrive in the village to hold a meeting, it becomes clear that the project will have a negative impact on the local water supply, causing unrest. The agency’s mismatched intentions endanger both the ecological balance of the nature plateau and their way of life, with an aftermath that affects Takumi’s life.

“The Moon”
2023/Japan/144 minutes Director: ISHII Yuya

（C）2023 “The Moon” Production Committee

＜Synopsis＞
Yoko had won a literary award as a writer but has been unable to write new stories for a long time. 　She gets a job at "Crescent Garden," a nursing home for people with severe disabilities, where she meets Sato, her young co-worker, and Ki-chan, a resident of the same age as Yoko. Ki-chan is blind, bedridden, and rarely moves. It was during this time that Yoko becomes pregnant. Yoko recalls the loss of her son and wonders if she should undergo prenatal diagnosis.
Meanwhile, at "Crescent Garden,” Sato’s eccentric thoughts are fostered and accelerated by his co-workers who treat the residents as if they have no personalities. He asks, "Can you talk? Do you have a soul?” And this eventually leads to a shocking incident where more than dozen residents were killed…

“Small,Slow but Steady” (barrier-free version)
2022/Japan/99 minutes Director: MIYAKE Sho

©2022 film “Small, Slow but Steady” Production Committee/COMME DES CINÉMAS

＜Synopsis＞
Officially selected for screening at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival, “Small, Slow but Steady” is inspired by the incredible life of Keiko Ogasawara, a professional boxer who faces the challenges of a hearing impairment. Director MIYAKE Sho modelled the story after Keiko’s experiences, depicting her as a multifaceted character taking steady steps forward as she navigates through various emotions - from anxiety and hesitation to joy and passion. Shot in 16mm, “Small, Slow but Steady” provides a captivating cinematic experience that is guaranteed to heighten your senses. 　Keiko, who has been deaf in both ears since birth, faces unique challenges that include an inability to lie and struggle to genuinely smile. Despite these hurdles, she exhibits unwavering determination as she diligently trains at a small boxing gym located in a redeveloped downtown area, pursuing her career as a professional boxer. However, Keiko's mother becomes concerned about the amount of time she devotes to her training and senses unexpressed emotions residing within her daughter's heart. When 　Keiko discovers the impending closure of the gym, she grapples with her inability to communicate her desire for time off to the gym president.

Specially invited films | Films by foreign directors

2019 Short Film Competition [Special Jury Award] winner, director Ricardo Soto (Mexico) returns to Hiroshima!
“El canto de las moscas”
2023/Mexico (co-produced with the Netherlands)/95 minutes Director: Ricardo Soto (Mexico)

 

＜Synopsis＞
It's 1915. In Mexico, two sisters remain hidden in their father´s hacienda. He has left to join the revolutionary struggle. The sisters await his return, surviving in the dark. Being caught might mean their death.

The first film in the "MEMENTO MORI" trilogy directed by Marcus (Vietnam). The second film is scheduled to be filmed in Hiroshima!
“MEMENTO MORI: EARTH”
2022/Vietnam/84 minutes 41 seconds Director: Marcus Manh Cuong VU (Vietnam)

Specially invited films | Korean documentary films

“Nocturne”
2019/Korea/97 minutes Director: Gwanjo Jeong (Korea)

 

＜Synopsis>＞
Seong-ho, who is only good at music and has autism spectrum disorder, cannot shave without his mother's help. His mother has given everything for the music of Seong-ho, but her younger son, Geon-gi, thinks that his brother is "petty and useless". However, as time goes by, the older brother's music shines more and more, and the younger brother finds something in the lie of the older brother and mother…
logline: Autistic disabled older brother with great talent in music, mother dedicated her life to the older son, and younger son behind them. An 11-year record of a family's conflict and reconciliation against the fateful alienation of life.

“안나푸르나의 김써르　Namaste Kim Sir”
2021/Korea/86 minutes Director: 이종은　LEE JONG EUN (Korea)

©JLEEMEDIA

＜Synopsis＞
KIM Kyu-hyun, who wandered around the world in his youth and lived for his own satisfaction, decides to live for others for the rest of his life following the will of his wife who passed away a few years ago. He then visited Nepal, a country near the Himalayas, five years ago. Nepal does not include education for the arts such as art and music in its formal curriculum. Here, he has been an honorary principal in nearby schools and teaches children pictures. His children and residents call him Kim Sir. Having entered Korea in early 2020 to renew his visa, he cannot return to Nepal due to COVID-19. Ten months later, he barely returns to Nepal to meet his children. While the teacher was away, the children soothed their longing with the drawings he taught them. Kim Sir heads to their home with pictures of children in nice frames. A bright picture drawn by children is hung on the wall of a poor earthen house. Hope hangs on the wall.

 

Hiroshima City Cinematographic and Audio-Visual Library, Screening films

 

Hiroshima EYE

“Record of Love and Death”
1966/Japan/92 minutes Director: KURAHARA Koreyoshi

＜Synopsis＞
A love story starring Sayuri Yoshinaga as Kazue, a daughter who works at a musical instrument store in Hiroshima, and Tetsuya Watari as Yukio, a young man who works at a printing company. Love develops between Kazue and Yukio, but Yukio, who was exposed to the atomic bomb when he was young, becomes ill. Kazue folds her 1,000 paper cranes and prays for Yukio's recovery, but...

Director YAMADA Yoji special feature

“It’s Tough Being a Man, Dear Old Home”
1972/Japan/108 minutes Director: YAMADA Yoji

＜Synopsis＞
The 9th work in the series. A work featuring Sayuri Yoshinaga, who won first place in the fan vote for “Tora-san's favorite person”,as Madonna. Torajiro falls in love with a woman he met in Hokuriku named Utako, but she is worried about her marriage. Torajiro and the people of Toraya heal her feelings...

“Final Take – The Golden Days Of Movies-”
1986/Japan/135 minutes Director: yamada Yoji

Other programs/events

An international short film competition
It collects “the works with positive power” from all over the world and three judges will select films to be awarded. Additionally, the “Audience Prize” will be awarded based on votes from the audience.

Teach-in
This is a program which you can listen to various talks from directors and film-related people.