The British Film Institute (BFI) is launching a major six-month season, Japan 2020, on BFI Player from 11 May, with new collections including Akira Kurosawa, Yasujiro Ozu, independent, cult, anime, 21st century and J-Horror.
This major season will spotlight filmmakers who have inspired admiration and fascination around the world. It will start with Akira Kurosawa, and over the coming months it'll present films from the Golden Age, a focus on Yasujiro Ozu, new wave rebels, the visionary creations of anime, the netherworlds of J-horror, and so much more from archive rarities to contemporary works and cult classics.
New online collections will be released each month, and is expected to be presented at BFI Southbank and cinemas nationwide later this year.
BFI Japan will include:
- A major season on BFI Player, divided into thematic collections and released between May and October: Akira Kurosawa (11 May), Classics (11 May), Yasujiro Ozu (5 June), Cult (3 July), Anime (31 July), Independence (21 August), 21st Century (18 September) and J-Horror (30 October).
- There will also be a major new free collection released on BFI Player on 12 October: Early Films of Japan (1894-1914) will feature material from the BFI National Archive's significant collection of early films of Japan dating back to 1894. Highlights include the oldest surviving film, “Japanese Dancers” (1894), and early colour film “Japanese Festival” (1910).
- There will be numerous BFI DVD and Blu-ray releases, including Ozu's “Tokyo Story” (1953) and “The Flavour of Green Tea over Rice” (1952) – both in new 4K restorations; Toshio Matsumoto's controversial debut “Funeral Parade of Roses” (1969) will receive its UK Blu-ray premiere; and there will be a Takeshi Kitano Blu-ray boxset featuring “Sonatine” (1993), “Violent Cop“ (1989) and “Boiling Point“ (1990). All these films will be available on BFI Player.
- An online events programme on BFI YouTube will run alongside the BFI Player season, featuring virtual Q&As, introductions and more.
- A new book “The Japanese Cinema Book“, edited by Hideaki Fujiki (Nagoya University, Japan) and Alastair Phillips (University of Warwick, UK), and published by BFI & Bloomsbury, is available in e-book and print editions now.
- Sight & Sound will celebrate anime this summer with a special issue out at the end of May.
When cinemas are reopened:
- There will be a BFI UK-wide re-release of Akira Kurosawa's seminal masterpiece “Seven Samurai” (1954), back in cinemas from 23 October (pending reopening of venues).
- A season dedicated to classic Japanese cinema will take place at BFI Southbank once the venue is able to reopen, featuring screenings of work from Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, Ozu and more, with special events, guests, and family screenings of Studio Ghibli classics. Additional seasons will follow in 2021 celebrating Anime and 21st Century filmmakers, with the latter co-presented by the Japan Foundation.
- For audiences across the UK, the BFI has curated the BFI JAPAN TOUR, featuring classics from Yasujiro Ozu, Akira Kurosawa and more, so that regional cinemas can support BFI Japan. The BFI will also work closely with the BFI Film Audience Network (BFI FAN) to help venues book titles and host special events once they are able to consider reopening to the public.
- BFI Japan will also feature a programme presented in collaboration with international partners including the National Film Archive Japan (NFAJ) in Tokyo, with more details to be announced soon.
Keep track of this major season and its releases, on the BFI Official Website
