Japanese films are quietly ruling the world. From Akira Kurosawa’s enduring influence on global auteurs to Hayao Miyazaki’s poetic, hand-drawn universes that redefined animation as emotional cinema, Japanese storytelling has travelled far beyond its borders. Today, that legacy finds renewed resonance in India through the Japanese Film Festival (JFF), which continues to strengthen cultural ties through cinema.
This year’s edition of JFF in ooru, starting on Friday, deliberately steps away from a rigid thematic framework. “Our goal was simply to bring a wide spectrum of Japanese cinema to India – across genres, eras and styles,” Kurumi Otake, the director of arts and culture at The Japan Foundation, New Delhi, explains.
The intention is to allow Indian audiences to experience the whole of Japanese culture through film, which goes from mainstream entertainment to quiet, introspective dramas, from animation and thrillers to classics and contemporary releases.
The three-day festival will unfold at PVR Nexus, Koramangala, transforming the venue into a meeting point for cinephiles, students and first-time viewers alike. The city’s lineup showcases the festival’s commitment to diversity, moving fluidly between styles and sensibilities. Titles such as Angry Squad: The Civil Servant and the Seven Swindlers, Akira, Showtime 7, Petals and Memories, The Boy and The Dog, Teasing Master Takagi-san, 6 Lying University Students, 366 Days and Sunset Sunrise collectively showcase Japanese cinema’s ability to balance genre-driven storytelling with emotional subtlety and cultural specificity.
In an era dominated by global streaming platforms, JFF is also redefining the relevance of an in-person film festival. “While people can watch Japanese films online anytime, what they don’t get is the atmosphere of community. A physical festival brings people together in one space, where they react, laugh and feel alongside strangers who love cinema just as much. It also allows audiences to watch films that may never reach Indian streaming platforms but deserve a big-screen moment. For creators and film lovers, this creates a bridge between cultures that algorithms alone cannot build. Streaming gives access, but festivals give connection,” Otake notes.
And with Japanese pop culture gaining a huge following in India, how does the festival tap into that interest? “We include anime and youth-centric titles, because for many Indian viewers, anime is their first entry point into Japanese language and cinema. In some cities, we complement screenings with cosplay-friendly shows or meet-ups with fan communities. This creates a welcoming environment where fans of anime, fashion, or Japanese culture feel like the festival is their space,” says Otake, highlighting the festival’s collaboration with fan groups, student clubs and cultural communities.
Audience response over the years has played a key role in shaping the festival’s growth. Viewers have expressed a desire for variety rather than a singular representation of Japanese cinema, encouraging the organisers to expand across genres, cities and formats. “Audiences really appreciate range,” she adds, noting that this curiosity has helped shape JFF into a more inclusive and culturally intentional event.