Japanese Film Festival a platform for cultural exchange, cinematic exploration in Malaysia, says Abd Karim

KUCHING (Oct 10): The Japanese Film Festival (JFF), which marks its 20th anniversary in Malaysia this year, has emerged as one of the leading platforms for Malaysians to explore the beauty of Japanese cinema, said Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

The Minister of Tourism, Creative Industries and Performing Arts said JFF, throughout its tenure in Malaysia, has not only provided entertainment but also created a space for the arts and culture to flourish.

“Such events consistently foster cooperation and sharing across all layers of society.

“Much like Kuching and Malaysia with their unique ethnic diversity, we hope the films showcased during the festival offer audiences fresh insights into the lives of individuals from different parts of the world, while also providing inspiration and unique perspectives for creating new stories and ideas,” he said during the launch of JFF 2024 at GSC CityOne Megamall here on Wednesday.

Additionally, Abdul Karim expressed hope that this year’s festival would continue to help Kuching audiences have a better understanding of Japan’s customs, culture and social development.

He mentioned that this year’s lineup includes a wide range of genres and themes that embody values shared by both Malaysians and the Japanese.

“As always, we will continue to support such film festivals, which not only promote mutual understanding between the two countries and cultures but also underscore the power of cinema to transcend borders, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds,” he said.

Over the past 20 years, Abdul Karim said JFF has attracted more than 200,000 festival-goers, showcased 215 films, featured 127 directors, and organised 11 side events across 11 venues in five Malaysian states.

The 12th edition of JFF in Kuching is running from Oct 10 to 13 at GSC CityONE Megamall, and will feature more than 12 films spanning various genres, including drama, romance, animation and thriller.

Among the films listed are ‘A Samurai in Time’; ‘All the Long Nights’; ‘Godzilla’; ‘Godzilla Minus One’; ‘Let’s Go Karaoke!’; ‘Masked Hearts’; ‘Matched’; ‘Mom’; ‘Is That You?’; ‘One Second Ahead’; ‘One Second Behind’; ‘Our Secret Diary’; ‘Sand Land’; and ‘To Mom, With Love’.

For a complete list of film synopsis, screening times and additional information, please visit https://jfklevents.com/japanese-film-festival-2024.

Also present at the event were Deputy Minister of Creative Industries and Performing Arts Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Mitsubishi Corporation Kuala Lumpur Branch general manager Kosuke Makino, and Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur (JFKL) director Tsukamoto Norihisa.