Japanese Film Festival LA 2024 (JFFLA)

Japanese Film Festival LA 2024 (JFFLA)

Posted by Robin Menken
The Japan America Media Association screened 40 feature and short films films between September 1-15, in theaters and online. Venues included Japan House,
Hang On to the Dream Theatre in Hollywood and the Okinawa Association of America (OAA) center.

Based on the controversial court case known as “Yokohama Secondhand Smoke Trial" in Japan, commercial director Mao's first feature “MADO” (Window) is a cleverly scripted, claustrophobic, infuriating drama tackling the social issue of Second Hand Smoke and MCS (mixed chemical sensitivities.)

Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) causes a person to have an adverse reaction to even the smallest amounts of certain chemicals.

Some in the medical field consider the symptoms as physical signs of psychiatric illness. Others believe these are physical reactions to substances. There is an ongoing review about this condition as a clinical diagnosis. MCS shares symptoms with other chronic, poorly understood conditions including fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Mao is the son of the defendent (Ma＊To) who wrote the script, based on court transcripts and a diary submitted to the courts.

Mao attended the screening with his mother, as did the iconic actor Masahiko Nishimura.

Although the son of the defendant, director Mao plays his hand close to the vest, showing both sides of the issue, with an interesting end reveal. This dialectic approach fleshes out the controversies about these health conditions, causing the audience to question their own beliefs.

Masahiko Nishimura (“Woman in Witness Protection” 1997, “Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald” (1997) and “Princess Mononoke” (1997) plays the plaintiff Hideo.

In a Director’s statement Mao explained- “In 2017, my father, who happened to smoke only a couple of cigarettes a day in his sound-proofed room, was sued by our neighbors (a father, a mother and a daughter) for 45 million yen($313,288) in damages.

In this movie, I describe the plaintiffs as A’s, and my family, with my father being the defendant, as B’s.

A’s claim was that they were diagnosed with Passive Smoking Syndrome and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

Among all the secondhand-smoke lawsuits in Japan, the amount of compensatory damages for this case was by far the largest.  After all these 5 years of struggle, this lawsuit has become controversial.”  As is the even-handed film.

A strong shorts selection included:
Fumie Nishikawa’s haunting “The Left Hand Dreams”, shot during the Covid Lockdown, uses Magical Realist techniques to discuss people’s need to connect during the Pandemic.

A graduate of the London college of printing/University of the Arts London in 2002, Fumie Nishikawa was student of Ei Wada as a child. The film has won awards  at over a dozen international festivals.

North America is under lockdown. Thomas (Blake Crawford), a former film director, has retired from  production due to a brain tumor. A “househusband”, he raises their teenage daughter (Maria Rybalka) while his wife (Cynthia Cheston) continues producing film. He’s run out of his medicine and is experiencing hallucinations.

His wife wants him to direct her latest project about the hand paintings found in caves all over the world. Thomas has no interest in documentaries.

Online he meets KOMACHI (Haruka Oba) a Japanese artist who performs her mysterious "Left Hand Dance." With is daughter’s help he posts one of his earlier films.

KOMACHI is inspired by it. Entering one of his hallucinations he meets KOMACHi and shoots her dance video which goes viral. The two artists inspire each other in a liminal state between dream and reality/Choreography by Minako Suzuki. Music by Kyo Ichinose (‘Lontano” Wire magazine best album 2005.

Yoshiyuki Murakami’s "Legendary Hero Himukaizer THE MOVIE" began as "Children's Dream Support Project" with the desire to let the children of Miyazaki know the fun of entertainment. Sponsored by the prefecture of Miyazaki it features the natural beauties of the area. Set in Kadogawa Town, Miyazaki Prefecture, it features many local non-pro actors and extras.  Local children  created character designs as part of their school-related work experience.

The series is available to stream on a Youtube channel-
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoX-W2n_vu88jwfIk3Pv9CvjB1JzMbJK1

In Kadokawa Town, located in the northern part of Miyazaki, there was an after-school school where children with “special abilities” gathered at an afterschool program.

Called ”Ozumushu,'' they are the descendants of those who once sealed away invaders from the sky together with the gods behind a gate between Earth and the Heavens.

Meanwhile, in order to awaken the Emperor of Darkness, Ottama Gate plans to use the abilities of the Ozumishu to revive Kagutsuchi, the oldest god-slayer in mythology. Will Himkaiser and his friends be able to stop Ottama Gate's plot?

As part of the screening three actors in beautiful Manga-inspired warrior costumes performed a thrilling onstage battle to save the earth from Mythological warriors.

Kosuke Hishinuma’s “I Wish I Had A Supernatural Power” gently takes on school bullying, a worldwide phenomenon which is the tragic cause of many adolescent suicides. The award winning children’s film begins with two fifth graders- Yuzuki and her best friend Nichika. After seeing a Wonder Woman film Yuzuki exclaims “I want to be Wonder Woman, to help save people. Do you know where I can study ESP?”

Everything is seen through the eyes of adolescence, giving the film it’s unexpected juice.

Ballet student Nichika demonstrates her ability to make someone (her little brother) turn around by staring at them and, pointing out a pair of twin girls explains “Twins have ESP.”

These amusing childhood opinions lead us into darker material.

Sensing something’s wrong, Yuzuki, with Nichika and her kid brother in tow, follow another fifth grade girl.
Nichika’s ballet pal warns them not to get involved with the girl, a victim of a local gang of bullies.

Following her through the woods the three arrive in time to stop her hanging herself. Unwilling to leave the girl alone to try again, the three vow to be her friends.

The gang of bullies make excuses. “We’re all good friends, we’re just kidding around.” The youngest girl admits thats she’s ashamed but too scared to leave the gang lest they bully her.

Yuzuki admits she knew about the bullying. Witnessing the cruelty she ran away. That’s her reason for wanting Super powers.

This is a film that should be required school viewing. World Wide. Because American kids aren’t used to reading subtitles, the filmmakers should consider an English language remake.

Sybil Wender's "Follow The Sun"-
Born in postwar Japan, Akemi searches for the unknown American sailor who was her biological father. At age 65, she embarks on a journey of discovery with her sister using DNA data and US census records from the 1940s. Their findings lead them to a new set of family and shed light on a long-forgotten love affair that changed the course of their lives.

Producer/Director Sybil Wendler's "Follow The Sun " is a  emotionally satisfying journey of Japanese- American  Akemi's search for her biological father. The daughter of a youthful affair between her mother and an American sailor posted in Japan during the Occupation.

Unwilling to experience Post war US anti-Japanese racism, as her married girlfriend experienced moving to the US with her sailor husband, Akemi's mother refused to marry her boyfriend, who continues to send gifts and money to raise their daughter.

Akemi grew up as the child of a single mother, a difficult and shameful experience in Japan. Raised by her grandmother she was insulated from much of the prejudice by her large extended family and later, once her mother married another American sailor, by her adopted father. The family moved to the US and Akemi had a younger sister. Sadly, her biological father lost all traces of them once they left Japan.

In their sixties, Akemi's sister used DNA tracing and eventually discover Akemi's father in Maine. A loving reunion and the unexpected blending of two families occurs. A second chance for father and daughter.

The film is a unique and moving look at social problems that still haunt Japan, as an aftermath of World War ll.

Sybil Wendler is the director of the award winning documentary "Once Upon a Rooftop", about illegal rooftop tenements, now disappearing throughout Hong Kong.

Director Jumpei & Morita’s Ms. Destiny is a wry magical realist story about memory, life and death. Kotoha Hiroyama plays Ms. Destiny, a young Destiny Messenger sent to alert people of their impending death and offer them a life extension in exchange for the memory of the person they love the most. Some are willing, some refuse- the memory of their loved ones make life worth living. Kotoha Hiroyama, Jumpei & Morita participated in an Q & A.

Meeting a old musician Ms. Destiny tries to convince him to make the exchange. He has seven days. Hard of hearing, he ignores her. Back at the home office her supervisor urges her to try again. Each day Ms. Destiny and the old musician talk. This is an unusual situation, beyond her typical duties. She is bemused, and their conversations alter Destiny, and teach both of them.

The musician, played by Rock icon Miki Curtis, plans to play a song at a local club, as he does every year, to commemorate his dead wife’s birthday ten days away. The local club owner meets Ms. Destiny.

Eventually, in order to live long enough to play for his wife’s birthday, the musician agrees to let Ms. Destiny take away his memory. He thanks her for all their talks which reminded him of his relationship with his beloved wife and why he celebrated her life .

When he misses the anniversary concert, Ms Destiny goes to his home.  He is singing the song her wrote for his wife. Amazed that he remembers the song, he tells Ms. Destiny that music IS memory.

In the relationship between the old man and the young Destiny messenger, first she mentors him. In the end he mentors her, much as the veteran star mentored the young actress Kotoha Hiroyama during filming.  

The film stars Kotoha Hiroyama and Miki Curtis (Aka Mickey Curtis). Curtis, is one of Japan’s three most influential rock stars. A rockabilly star in the 50’s, Curtis helped to popularize the genre. An international star in the 60’s known for his avant-garde rock band "Mickey Curtis & The Samurai”, he retuned to Japan to produce other musicians. He has starred in more than 70 feature films. A race car driver  Curtis owns a motorcycle shop in Meguro, Tokyo. His house is featured as a location.