Want just one good reason to participate in this year’s Japanese Festival online? I AM WHAT I AM starring DRIVE MY CAR scenestealer, Toku Miura.
I AM WHAT I AM is a small cinematic gem with Miura playing an asexual girl quite devoid of romantic ideals or sexual impulses. This imbues her with an inherent scepticism of gender politics, baffling to her mother who is keen to marry her off, disturbing to authorities who find her re-imagining of Cinderella for her pre-school students inappropriate, and heart breaking to a bloke who has fallen for her hook, line and sinker.
From her palling up with an ex porn star to her preference for Tom Cruise running away instead of towards in War of the Worlds, I AM WHAT I AM is a provocative, pertinent and beguiling film, an uncut diamond in no need of polish.
The Japanese Film Festival Online runs until 3 July 2024, offering a dynamic line-up of Japanese cinema and television series, free for streaming right across Australia.
Presented by the Japan Foundation, this year’s Festival program showcases a diverse selection of 23 films and 2 TV dramas spanning 20 episodes, as well as a selection of four new Japanese horror shorts that premiered at the inaugural Horror Film Competition in Japan in 2023.
This year’s festival presents a curated selection of films that seamlessly bridge the past and present, spanning from classics of 1954 to the latest releases of 2023. The diverse line-up includes a broad spectrum of themes and narratives—from LGBTQIA+ stories and intricate family dramas to exhilarating adaptations of beloved Japanese manga.
The line-up includes films that challenge the norms, explore deep human connections and celebrate the artistry of both seasoned and emerging Japanese filmmakers.
Check out the full streaming schedule at https://japanesefilmfestival.net/jffonline2024/
