11 Japanese films including ‘Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama’ on PVR from Friday

The screening is part of the theatrical edition of the Japanese Film Festival 2022 on March 4-7. The online streaming of 20 Japanese films has already taken place on February 14-27.

ACN NEWS On Mar 1, 2022

NEW DELHI: Japan Foundation New Delhi, in partnership with PVR Cinemas will be screening 11 specially curated Japanese films including ‘Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama’ on PVR Select Citywalk Cinema in New Delhi from March 4.

The 3-day event is the theatrical format of the fifth edition of the Japanese Film Festival 2022 to be held from 4th – 6th March’22 in Delhi.

The film festival will showcase a diverse line-up of popular Japanese films like Josee, the Tiger, and the Fish, Talking the Pictures, Poupelle of Chimney Town, Liar x Liar, Step, Under the Open Sky, Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama, Not Quite Dead Yet, Wife of a Spy, AI Amok and The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window.

To be screened on March 6, the Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama (ラーマーヤナラーマ王子伝説) is a 1992 Indo-Japanese anime film directed by and produced by Yugo Sako and based on the Indian epic the Ramayana. The original English version with Sanskrit songs was screened and released on home video under various names including Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama and Warrior Prince.

This film was made as a part of the 40th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations and was worked on by teams from both countries.

It was released in the United States in a different, further localized English dub with narration by James Earl Jones, prince Rama voiced by Bryan Cranston, and additional music by Alan Howarth as The Prince of Light: The Legend of Ramayana on November 9, 2001.

Moriyasu Taniguchi was an uncredited character designer and the original music was composed by Vanraj Bhatia. Arun Govil, who is popularly known for playing the role of Rama in Ramayan (1987 TV series) voiced Prince Rama in the Hindi version.

It was the opening film of the 2000 Lucca Animation Film Festival in Italy, a highlight of the Cardiff Animation Film Festival in the United Kingdom, and won Best Animation Film of the Year at the 2000 Santa Clarita International Film Festival in the United States.

Koji Sato, Director General, Japan Foundation New Delhi, marking the launch of the on-ground edition of the festival said, “We are extremely delighted to organize the fifth edition of the Japanese Film Festival in Delhi in the year 2022 which also marks the 70th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Diplomatic Relations between Japan and India. The success of the last four editions of the festival and the overwhelming response of the Indian audience towards embracing Japanese culture have prompted us to bring it back to some of our target cities. JFF-India 2022 aims to strengthen the longstanding relationship between the two nations by offering the Indian audience a sense of contemporary Japanese film culture and everyday experience. I am sure this film festival will help further consolidate the friendship between the people of our two countries.”

Mr. Sato further added, “The festival will run at 50 percent capacity. Keeping consumers safe as much as possible, together with PVR’s expertise, we are confident we will provide a safe viewing experience to our customers. So far, we have been receiving an immense response from our online festival running from 14-27th February and we look forward to the same for our offline edition in Delhi.”

JFF India 2022 aims to strengthen the longstanding relationship between the two nations by offering the Indian audience a glimpse of contemporary Japanese films, culture, and lifestyle.