Theatrical screening of Japanese films begins with award-winning “Wife of a Spy” 

New Delhi: Japanese Film Festival 2022 in India hosted by the Japan Foundation, New Delhi, in partnership with PVR Cinemas, opened on Friday with the critically acclaimed film WIFE OF A SPY by filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa, at PVR, Select City Walk, Saket, New Delhi.

‘’WIFE OF A SPY”, has accrued great critical and commercial success internationally. Set in the World War II period, this historical drama premiered at the 77^th VENICE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, where it also won the prestigious SILVER LION award for best direction. It was also the closing film at 51^stIFFI 2021.

Celebrating Japanese culture through specially curated films; the event witnessed the presence of Koji Sato, Director General, Japan Foundation New Delhi, and Satoshi Suzuki, Ambassador of Japan to India to inaugurate the theatrical edition of the festival in Delhi.

Marking the occasion, Koji Sato, Director General, Japan Foundation New Delhi said, “We are quite excited to launch the theatrical edition of the Japanese Film Festival 2022 in Delhi which also marks the 70th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Diplomatic Relations between Japan and India. The success of the online edition of the festival which ran for 2 weeks and the overwhelming response of the Indian audience towards embracing Japanese culture have prompted us to bring back the theatrical edition in the city of Delhi.’’

He further added, ‘’Looking at the growing love for Japanese culture and content in India, we aim to promote collaboration between Indian and Japanese film industries. I am sure JFF will help further consolidate the friendship between the people of our two countries by creating avenues for our Indian audiences to seamlessly enjoy these experiences in their everyday lives. Films bring us together from all over the world, and we are here to promote this togetherness.’’

Satoshi Suzuki, Ambassador of Japan during the opening ceremony said, “I am extremely delighted to receive an enormous response to the online edition of the festival held in February this year. Japanese film directors are known to deliver spectacular films and through these cultural exchange programs and films, I am certain that people in India will learn more about our culture. I hope this film festival will help strengthen the friendship between the people of our two countries.’’

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. The three-day-long Film Festival from 4^th-6^th March 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. The films selected will be screened in Japanese with English subtitles for the viewer’s convenience.

Related article: Starting today on Feb 14, Japanese Film Festival 2022 to virtually showcase 20 movies globally including India