Eleven Japanese films released over the last three years will be screened at the annual Japanese Film Festival in HCM City from November 24 to December 9.

Director Naomi Kawase’s drama Sweet Bean will open the Japanese Film Festival in HCM City, which will be held from November 24 to December 9. — Photo courtesy of the organisers

The screenings of films will feature different genres, including drama, comedy, fantasy, mystery, documentary and animation.

All of the films focus on themes of love, friendship, family and Japanese culture.

The event begins with director Naomi Kawase’s Sweet Bean, about an owner of a doriyaki (Japanese red-bean pancake) shop, an old baker and a schoolgirl who want to preserve and promote doriyaki.

The film was selected to open the Un Certain Regard section at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.

The other films are Ryota Nakano’s drama Her Love Boils Bathwater, Masayuki Suzuki’s comedy Honnouji Hotel and Takeshi Furasawa’s romantic film ReLIFE.

The festival will also feature animation Rudolf the Black Cat by Kunihiko Yuyama and Motonori Sakakibara, and documentary Toro-san of Goto by Masaru Oura about a family on Goto Island in Nagasaki who have made udon noodles for 22 years.

All films will be shown with Vietnamese and English subtitles.

The festival, organised by the Japan Foundation Centre for Cultural Exchange in Việt Nam, will be held at CineStar Hai Bà Trưng at 135 Hai Bà Trưng Street in District 1.

Tickets are VNĐ30,000 (US$1.3) and are available at the venue’s box office.

More information on the film schedule can be seen at http://vn.japanesefilmfest.org/. — VNS