The Japanese Film Festival is one of the most important annual cultural activities of the Japan Foundation, with the mission of bringing Japanese cinema closer to audiences around the world.
In Viet Nam, the festival has accompanied audiences for more than 17 years, introducing many outstanding works and receiving increasing affection and support from viewers.
This year, the Japanese Film Festival introduced 10 films across a variety of genres, ranging from timeless classics to creative contemporary works, offering rich emotional experiences for all audiences.
The three romance films presented this year include the return of a legend and fresh voices of 2025 cinema. “Love Letter”, the timeless masterpiece by director Iwai Shunji, returns as the opening film of the festival on the 30th anniversary of its release. This is the first time the film is shown on the big screen in Viet Nam, in a sharp and refined 4K Remaster version.
In Japan, the re-release of “Love Letter” after 30 years unexpectedly topped the box office, demonstrating the enduring appeal of one of the most beloved romance films in Japanese cinema.
The other two romance films are “Petals and Memories” and “Sunset Sunrise”.
Another Japanese masterpiece that historical film enthusiasts cannot miss at this year’s festival is “Seven Samurai”. This is a classic samurai masterpiece by the "king of Japanese cinema" Akira Kurosawa, a work over 70 years old, holding a series of prestigious international awards and with a profound influence on many generations of filmmakers around the world, from Asia to Hollywood.
The film not only brought Kurosawa's name to the pinnacle of world cinema but also became a cultural symbol and pride of Japan.
This year’s festival introduces two excellent animated works, one full of cyberpunk, and one purely emotional, that will bring a rich and different animated experience to viewers. They are “Ghost in the Shell” — a cyberpunk monument produced in 1995, and “The Imaginary” — a film that takes audiences into a colourful and emotional world, a visual feast of children's imagination, gentle but profound.
Japanese comedy introduced two films with rich personalities. They are “Angry Squad: The Civil Servant and the Seven Swindlers” by director Ueda Shinichiro — the “king of creativity”, and “Cells At Work!” by director Hideki Takeuchi — a unique blend of scientific knowledge and surreal humour. Notably, director Hideki Takeuchi will directly attend the Japanese Film Festival in Ha Noi, exchanging with the audience about the filmmaking process.
In addition, audiences will enjoy two dramatic and suspenseful films: “Six Lying Students”, a story of six university students caught in a web of secrets, overlapping lies, and chilling truths; and “Showtime 7”, which takes viewers behind the scenes of news broadcasting, where every decision creates unexpected consequences.
Both films feature fast pacing, intelligent structure, and gripping twists from start to finish.
In Ha Noi, the festival runs from December 12 to 27 at the National Cinema Centre, No. 87 Lang Ha Street.
In Hai Phong, the film will be screened from December 26 to 28 at Galaxy Hai Phong Cinema at the 7th Floor, Nguyen Kim Supermarket, 104 Luong Khanh Thien.
In Ho Chi Minh City, the film will be screened from January 9 to 24, 2026, at Galaxy Nguyen Du, 116 Nguyen Du.
In Da Nang, films will be screened from January 23–25, 2026, at Metiz, September 2 Street.
