SHORT CUTS Program 2

Detouring Blue (遠まわりする青 – To Mawari Suru Ao)
New York Premiere. In the dark of the Tokyo night, two women talk about their past, their youth and their dreams. Beautifully shot and told with vivid colors, Detouring Blue looks at the wistfulness of the past, the weight of the present—and if who we were can ever be who we are today.

Dir. Ryo Kimura, 2023, 24 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Saori Mori, Mai Hikagedate, Ami Kamimura.

Okamoto Kitchen (岡本キッチン – Okamoto Kicchin)
East Coast Premiere. A crowd-funded anime from LA’s very real Japanese fusion comfort food truck Okamoto Kitchen, JAPAN CUTS is proud to present the start of this global project blending Japanese and Western talent to create a unique cross-cultural flavor. Featuring character designs by Takuya and Asusa Saito, key art by anime studio Magic Bus, music by Layla Lane, and starring voice actress Cristina Vee.

Dir. Gerald Abraham, 2023, 12 min., DCP, color, in English. With Cristina Vee.

Setagaya Game (セタガヤゲーム – Setagaya Gemu)
International Premiere. Big action on a little budget, brothers Go and Ken Ohara bring together years of stunt and action directing experience to tell the tale of Takeru (Reiji Takahashi) and the deadly game he’s forced to play. The clock is ticking for him to save a life, but is the game really what it seems?

Dir. Go Ohara and Ken Ohara, 2022, 40 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Reiji Takahashi, Akari Natsume, Sho Iizaka.

Part of JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film 2023
July 26—August 6, 2023

JAPAN CUTS is the largest showcase of contemporary Japanese cinema in North America and an annual highlight of New York’s cinema scene.

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Image: © Detouring Blue; © Okamoto Kitchen 2023; ©️2023 OHARA BROS. Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film is generously supported by Shiseido Americas and The Globus Family. Additional support is provided by Sapporo U.S.A. and BentOn.

Japan Society programs are made possible by leadership support from Booth Ferris Foundation, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Film programs are generously supported by ORIX Corporation USA, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and Yen Press. Endowment support is provided by the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by The Globus Family, David Toberisky, and Friends of Film. Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the exclusive official Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film. Housing assistance is provided by the Kitano Hotel, the official hotel sponsor of Japan Society Film.

Special Thanks to Joel Neville Anderson; Emi Ueyama (ARTicle Films); Yasuyuki Nagano (ColorBird Inc); Yuko Takagi (FreeStone Productions); Moeko Fujii; Keiko Yoshida (Gaga Corp.); Saori Takenaka (Geidai); Chance Huskey (GKIDS); Pearl Chan (Good Move Media); Eugene Harng; Toshiyuki Hasegawa; Miki Zeze (Kadokawa Corp.); KENTARO (KTRFILMS); Akiko Uchida (King Records); Maki Shimizu (Kino Films); Elizabeth Lennard; Ayako Ito (Nagoya); Mami Furukawa and Umi Yamamoto (Nikkatsu); Gerald Abraham (Okamoto Kitchen); Shinji Sakoda; Mark Schilling; Dan Sullivan; Adam Torel (Third Window Films); Shiori Takata (Toei Co. Ltd); Sam van der Meer; Makoto Kawamura (Voice); Kousuke Ono (Wa Entertainment, Inc.); K.F. Watanabe; Akiko Yano.