Esashi– 8/23 (Fri)-25 (Sun) –

Opening Screening

Guest: Director Hisashi Arima

Like Esashi Town, many people in Suzu City live their daily lives with festivals as their reason for living. The director, who has been reporting on the theme of recovery from the earthquake through festivals, suffered from the disaster himself on New Year’s Day this year, and despite his distress, continued to roll the camera in this latest documentary. (90 min.)

Special Screening [Esashi Location]

We are looking for people who were involved in the filming!

Filmed on location in Esashi Town in 2008, many townspeople cooperated in the filming. The film also captures the townscape and festivals of the time. It is a refreshing adult love story in which the main character (Ken Ishiguro), a member of the yacht club at Esashi High School, regains his youth through a sailing trip. Director: Toshiki Sato (109 min.)
©2008　ドリームワンフィルム／パワーズ

Invited film

Guest: Fumiyuki Yoshioka, Producer

Documentary about an amateur professional wrestling organization in Nemuro City. Featuring actor ken Yasuda as narrator, this is UHB’s first commercial film to be released nationwide. Even if you are not interested in professional wrestling, you will cry at the bonds between family and friends and the passion for dreams! Director: Hiroshi Minato (79 min.)
©北海道文化放送

Closing Screening

Guest: Director Yoshiyuki Fuji

A film shot in Shikaoi Town, Tokachi Prefecture, which will be released nationwide in October.A human drama depicted through the four seasons of nature.The performances by famous actors such as Takeo Nakahara as a photographer whose eyesight is deteriorating, and Chikako Garai and Isao Hashizume as a ghost (?) shine through. (121 min.).
© おしゃべりな写真館

Invited film

Mickey Curtis is a rockabilly singer, actor, and more. Currently residing in Nayoro, Hokkaido, he stars in this short film shot entirely on location in Nayoro. Directed by Morita and Junpei (25 min.)
©︎2024映画「運命屋」

Invited film

Set in Teinei-ku, Sapporo, this coming-of-age story depicts the dreams and friendship of high school students. Musician/talent Jiro Tamura, a native of Teine, created the original idea for the film, and the current cast of high school students give fresh performances. Director: Tomoya Sato (28 min.)

Special Screening

The unique friends of Sylvania Village fly, sing, dance and have great adventures on the screen as 3DCG animation. Director: Kazuya Konaka (65 min.)
©2023 EPOCH／劇場版シルバニアファミリー製作委員会

Esashi Selection

Guest: Director Shinichiro Origuchi

The story of high school students who discovered their “favorite thing”. This documentary follows four high school students who are experiencing theater for the first time at their 70-student high school. The film has been the talk of the town at film festivals around the country. (53 min.)

Esashi Selection

Guest: Fumitaka Endo (lead actor)

Laughing death, a strange disease that causes sudden death while laughing, is spreading all over the world. Fearing infection, people are forbidden to laugh. In a world where people take drugs to kill their emotions and lose their minds, there are people who choose to live freely. Director: Takuya Matsumoto (89 min.)
© 2024 シネマ健康会

Esashi Selection

Guest:Director Kako Annika Esashi

Based on her actual experiences in Japan, the Boston-born director, who goes by the name of Esashi, depicts the Japanese people as seen from the outside, and urban development and redevelopment as seen from the outside, which Japanese people may never know. (29 min.)

Esashi Selection

Abu Shahed Emon directs this period drama. An assassin ronin is summoned to a tenement house for a secret meeting with his boss, but his boss is not there and his henchmen are waiting for him… We selected this film with the hope that he would make his next period drama in Esashi. (8 min.)

Esashi Selection

Guest: Director Yoshiko Nakano

The documentary follows Yuto Tonozaki, who moved to Okushiri Island seven years ago and lives in a marginalized community with his family of five while running a guesthouse. The past and future of the island. What is the true richness that Yuto has found in Okushiri? (22 min.)

Esashi Selection

The protagonist, who ran away from home 15 years ago because he disliked his parents’ antiquated pharmacy, loses his job in Corona and returns to his hometown of Otaru. There, he is reunited with his grandfather, with whom he had a quarrel 15 years ago. Director: Jo Takahashi (8 min.)