SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL which started in 2004 in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, has been held every year as a “gateway for emerging talent” centered on the International Competition and the Japanese Film Competition (features and shorts). The festival launched the careers of Kazuya Shiraishi (Lesson in Murder), Ryota Nakano (The Asadas), Shinichiro Ueda (One Cut of the Dead), Shinzo Katayama (Missing) and many other directors who are leading the Japanese film industry as top runners and whose new movies audiences are looking forward to seeing.
The 21st edition will be held both at theaters and online as a hybrid festival again.
On Friday, June 7th, we held a press conference to announce the full line-up consisting of the titles of the whole line-up. This year’s festival will open with Acting for Beginners, directed by Takeshi Kushida, who won the 2020 Skip City Award for Woman of the Photographs, the nomination of which for the International Competition was followed last year by Kushida’s film My Mother’s Eyes, which also screened in that category.
In the international competition, 10 works carefully selected from 1,201 films submitted from 102 countries and regions, are nominated. A lineup of gems includes films from countries such as Uzbekistan and Turkey that are rarely seen in Japan, as well as films by new directors from around the world, including Europe, India, and Japan! Director Kazuya Shiraishi who won the SKIP CITY AWARD in the 2009 edition with Lost Paradise in Tokyo, and is emerging as one of the best directors in Japanese cinema, will make a return as President of jury for the International Competition.
In the domestic competition, 6 feature length films and 8 short films were nominated. Director Satoko Yokohama, who has become an indispensable presence in Japanese films, will lead the Japanese Film Competition Jury.
Furthermore, in a special feature: Pathways to Directing Commercial Films, we are pleased to welcome Kazuya Shiraishi and Satoko Yokohama—presidents of the International Competition Jury and Japanese Film Competition Jury, respectively—to screen their films and share with young filmmakers their experience as directors of commercial films. In addition, we carried out a survey to select four classics that have deeply moved the audience for the special screenings: Films You Love. Whether they are among your favorites, or this will be your first time, you are sure to enjoy viewing them on the big screen.
Our festival will continue to discover new talent that will play a leading role in the future of cinema. We would appreciate it if you could share this information with your media.
The details are as follows.
Opening Gala
World Premiere of Acting for Beginners
This year’s festival will open with Acting for Beginners, directed by Takeshi Kushida, who won the 2020 Skip City Award for Woman of the Photographs, the nomination of which for the International Competition was followed last year by Kushida’s film My Mother’s Eyes, which also screened in that category. Katsuya Maiguma, from 2011 Short Length Competition Honorable Mention Ken and Kazu, also stars in the film, with Ayaka Onishi, from the 2014 Short Length Competition nominee A Piece of Dogu, in a supporting role. We know you’ll love this film, which weaves together strands of the festival’s history.
International Competition
All films are Japan Premiere at least!
(1 World Premiere, 3 Asian Premiere, and 6 Japan Premiere)
English: ©2024 Saitama Prefecture/SKIP CITY Sai-no-Kuni Visual Plaza
President of the Jury: Kazuya Shiraishi, alumni of SKIP CITY and one of the best directors in Japanese cinema
Before It Ends Director: Anders WALTER / 2023 / Denmark / 101min. Asian Premiere
Happy life Director: Yoshihiko TANIGUCHI / 2024 / Japan / 91min. World Premiere
Love Alone Can’t Make A Child Director: Judith BEUTH / 2024 / Germany, Norway / 105min. Japan Premiere
Maria Montessori Director: Léa TODOROV / 2023 / France, Italy / 100min. Japan Premiere
Mastergame Director: Barnabás TÓTH / 2023 / Hungary / 91min. Japan Premiere
MICHEL GONDRY – DO IT YOURSELF! Director: François NEMETA / 2023 / France / 80min. Japan Premiere
Separation Director: Hasan DEMIRTAS / 2023 / Turkey / 90min. Asian Premiere
Stolen Director: Karan TEJPAL / 2023 / India / 94min. Japan Premiere
Striking the Palace Director: Nessim CHIKHAOUI / 2024 / France / 87min. Asian Premiere
SUNDAY Director: Shokir KHOLIKOV / 2023 / Uzbekistan / 97min. Japan Premiere
Japanese Film Competition (Feature Length and Short Length)
6 feature films (5 world premieres) and 8 short films (all world premieres).
President of the Jury: Satoko YOKOHAMA, director
Feature Length
Lost in Reminiscence Director: Tomohiro HIROTA / 2024 / Japan / 82min. World Premiere
A Wasted Night Director: ZHANG Suming / 2023 / Japan / 60min. Japan Premiere
Poems of flower rain Director: Jengil PARK / 2024 / Japan / 79min. World Premiere
The Midnight Sun Director: Hina MURATA / 2024 / Japan / 80min. World Premiere
The Next Day Director: Hiroyuki SHINTANI / 2023 / Japan / 67min. World Premiere
Winter Stuff Director: Yuki ITO / 2024 / Japan / 74min. World Premiere
Short Length
LIFE IS SNOW Director: ZHANG Yaoyuan / 2024 / Japan, China / 31min. World Premiere
Loudness Director: Go JIBIKI / 2024 / Japan / 22min. World Premiere
Stand Up and Roll Director: Jun HOSOI / 2024 / Japan / 48min. World Premiere
TULIP-chan Director: Saki WATANABE / 2024 / Japan / 19min. World Premiere
DANGO Director: Tomoya TAGUCHI / 2024 / Japan / 29min. World Premiere
Matsuzaka-san Director: Taiyo KUROYANAGI / 2024 / Japan / 40min. World Premiere
Look at Me Director: Cocone YAMAGUCHI / 2023 / Japan / 17min. World Premiere
Hana and Koto Director: Hiromi TANOUE / 2024 / Japan / 42min. World Premiere
Special Feature: Pathways to Directing Commercial Films
We are pleased to welcome Kazuya Shiraishi and Satoko Yokohama—presidents of the International Competition Jury and Japanese Film Competition Jury, respectively—to screen their films and share with young filmmakers their experience as directors of commercial films.
Dare To Stop Us Director: Kazuya SHIRAISHI / 2018 / Japan / 119min.
Bare Essence of Life Director: Satoko YOKOHAMA / 2009 / Japan / 120min.
*The film will be screened in 35mm print.
Films You Love
We carried out a survey to select four classics that have deeply moved the audience for these special screenings. Whether they are among your favorites, or this will be your first time, you are sure to enjoy viewing them on the big screen.
Stand by Me Director: Rob REINER / 1986 / USA / 89min. / PG12
Drive My Car Director: Ryusuke HAMAGUCHI / 2021 / Japan / 179min. / PG12
The Shawshank Redemption Director: Frank DARABONT / 1994 / USA / 142min.
Top Gun: Maverick Director: Joseph KOSINSKI / 2022 / USA / 130min.
SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL 2024 (the 21st edition) Outline
Date:
Onsite: Saturday, July 13 – Sunday, July 21, 2024
Online: Saturday, July 20- Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Screening Venue:
Onsite: SKIP CITY Sai-no-Kuni Visual Plaza Audio Visual Hall, Convention Hall and HD Studio
Online: Special Site powered by CINEMA DISCOVERIES
Organizers: Saitama Prefecture, Kawaguchi City, The Kawaguchi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL Committee
Website: https://www.skipcity-dcf.jp/en/
