A tribute to Gilles Laurent and his film La Terre abandonnée

On Tuesday, May 23rd, at 8pm, the Nippon Visions section of Nippon Connection 2017 officially began with a screening of the independent documentary La Terre abandonnée. This screening of the directorial debut of Belgian filmmaker Gilles Laurent was supposed to signal a new phase of his career, but instead served as a poignant epitaph to … Continue reading A tribute to Gilles Laurent and his film La Terre abandonnée

Guest in Focus: Natsuki SETA – Parks

In our next installment of Guest in Focus, we hear from Natsuki SETA, director of the unique Nippon Visions film Parks. Natsuki SETA was born in Osaka in 1979. She studied at the Graduate School of Film and New Media at Tokyo University of the Arts and later worked as an assistant for Takeshi … Continue reading Guest in Focus: Natsuki SETA – Parks

Guest in Focus: Shingo MATSUMURA – Love and Goodbye and Hawaii

In our ongoing Guest in Focus series, we ask a few questions of several of our visiting filmmakers about their careers, influences, films, and what they think about coming to Germany. Today's guest is Shingo MATSUMURA, director of Love and Goodbye and Hawaii. Born in Kawagoe in 1981, Shingo MATSUMURA graduated from Waseda University in … Continue reading Guest in Focus: Shingo MATSUMURA – Love and Goodbye and Hawaii

Nippon Connection 2017- The Daily Highlights (May 24)

It’s another sunny and warm day in Frankfurt, my coffee is steaming in my hand, and day two of Nippon Connection 2017 is about to begin. Yesterday was a lively and bustling start to the festival, and today promises to be even better! Here is a short look at the top events and premieres offered … Continue reading Nippon Connection 2017- The Daily Highlights (May 24)

Guest in Focus – Skip City Shorts Edition: Yusuke HATAI – Vanish, Shintaro HIHARA – Son of the Bakery, Yuji MITSUHASHI – Lies

Founded in 2004, the SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL in Saitama showcases a selection of short films by promising Japanese filmmakers every year. NIPPON CONNECTION introduces four of those short films from the 2016 line-up. In our next Guest in Focus interview series, we asked a few questions of the directors of three of the four … Continue reading Guest in Focus – Skip City Shorts Edition: Yusuke HATAI – Vanish, Shintaro HIHARA – Son of the Bakery, Yuji MITSUHASHI – Lies

Nippon Connection 2017- The Daily Highlights (23 May)

Good morning everyone! It’s Tuesday, May 23rd, which means Nippon Connection officially starts this evening! And that means that this evening are the first big events that, if you are planning to come out today, you definitely shouldn’t miss. Special Premieres: Her Love Boils Bathwater by Ryota NAKANO The festival will kick off with the … Continue reading Nippon Connection 2017- The Daily Highlights (23 May)

Guest in Focus: Daisuke MIYAZAKI – Yamato (California)

In our ongoing Guest in Focus series, we ask a few questions of several of our visiting filmmakers about their careers, influences, films, and what they think about coming to Germany. Today's guest is the writer and director of Yamato (California), Daisuke MIYAZAKI. Daisuke MIYAZAKI, born in Yokohama in 1980, graduated from Waseda University … Continue reading Guest in Focus: Daisuke MIYAZAKI – Yamato (California)

Guest in Focus: Yosuke TAKEUCHI – The Sower

In our ongoing Guest in Focus series, we ask a few questions of several of our visiting filmmakers about their careers, influences, films, and what they think about coming to Germany. Our next guest is the director and writer Yosuke TAKEUCHI, who wrote and directed The Sower. Yosuke TAKEUCHI, born in 1978, studied at the … Continue reading Guest in Focus: Yosuke TAKEUCHI – The Sower

Guest in Focus: Yujiro HARUMOTO – Going The Distance

In our new Guest in Focus Series, we ask a few questions of several of our visiting filmmakers about their careers, influences, films, and what they think about coming to Germany. Our first guest is the director Yujiro HARUMOTO, director of Going the Distance. Yujiro HARUMOTO, born in Kobe in 1978, graduated from Nihon University … Continue reading Guest in Focus: Yujiro HARUMOTO – Going The Distance

The 2017 Nippon Honor Award: Koji YAKUSHO

It’s finally that time of year again! Nippon Connection, the largest festival devoted to Japanese cinema in Europe, will once again return to Frankfurt am Main on Tuesday, May 23rd, running throughout the week until Sunday, May 28th. And for the third time, one of the festival highlights will feature a special Honor Award presented … Continue reading The 2017 Nippon Honor Award: Koji YAKUSHO