Film is a medium that carries masterfully the culture of a place within it and reaches a large audience. Since 2016, Japanese Film Festival (JFF) has been instrumental in sharing the magic of Japanese cinema with the world and furthering the interactions between cultures. In 2017, it premiered in India as well, paving the way for a sustained partnership. Right from its inception, JFF India became the first and only film festival in India to not limit itself to a single city, and travelled across the country so that more people can familiarize themselves with Japanese cinema.

The love that India has for films has always shone through in the response to JFF.

In 2019, the festival toured in 7 cities, a scale at which it had not been held before in India. A line-up of 25 films were shown, which included popular and well-acclaimed films like, Your Name, Shoplifters and Weathering with You. The genres ranged from anime to thriller to musical, because of which the films were enjoyed by the entire audience, irrespective of age.

In 2022, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan, the festival focused exclusively on the filmmaker whose work anime fans all over India helped bring to the big screen by signing a petition in 2019: Makoto Shinkai. The festival not only showcased 6 feature films by Shinkai, but also included the film versions of two RADWIMPS concerts.

In 2023, aware of the love India has for Makoto Shinkai, JFF helped bring his latest film, Suzume, to theatres for all anime fans to enjoy!

In 2024, the festival travelled to Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, and Guwahati, where audiences warmly embraced the diverse stories on screen. That year also marked our first collaboration with Mela! Mela! Anime Japan!! in Delhi, with a lineup dedicated entirely to anime films — a partnership that was met with great excitement. We also hosted a special screening of the film Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama (English Version), which made the edition even more memorable.

This year (2025), JFF is delighted to collaborate once again with Mela! Mela! Anime Japan!!, bringing back the very best of anime films for audiences to enjoy on the big screen.

Venue Partner:

Creative Partner:


JFF Trailer:


Date & Cities: 

  • December 12 – 14 – Hyderabad & Pune 
  • December 19 – 21 – Mumbai & Bengaluru 
  • January 9 – 11 – Kochi & Ahmedabad  
  • January 16 – 18 – Noida  
  • January 23 – 25 – Kolkata  

Lineup:  

  • AKIRA 
  • PETALS AND MEMORIES 
  • SHOWTIME 7 
  • 366 DAYS 
  • ANGRY SQUAD: The Civil Servant and the Seven Swindlers 
  • Sunset Sunrise 
  • Teasing Master Takagi-san 
  • 6 Lying University Students 
  • THE BOY AND THE DOG 

LINEUP DETAILS: 

AKIRA Details 

  • Year: 1988 
  • Runtime: 124 min 
  • Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Anime 
  • Director & Original Story: Katsuhiro Otomo (Young Magazine, Kodansha) 
  • Screenplay: Katsuhiro Otomo & Izo Hashimoto 
  • Cast: Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama, Taro Ishida, Tessyo Genda, Mizuho Suzuki, Tatsuhiko Nakamura, Sachie Ito, Kazuhiro Kando 

Synopsis: 

July 1988— World War III breaks loose. Then, in 2019, in megalopolis Tokyo…  

As the leader of a group of young robust delinquents, Kaneda spent his nights tearing through the urban wastes, racing his motorbike against rival groups. One night while riding with his gang, his friend Tetsuo suddenly encounters a strange boy― the product of human experimentation— and is injured in the ensuing crash. Shortly thereafter, a military squadron appears on the scene to take the boy and Tetsuo away to an army research facility. Determined to free Tetsuo from capture, Kaneda sneaks into the army research lab. However, a regimen of extreme experimental procedures has awakened a new power in his friend, and now he is consumed by madness.  

PETALS AND MEMORIES Details:  

  • Year: 2025 
  • Runtime: 118 min 
  • Genre: Drama 
  • Director: MAEDA TETSUYA 
  • Screenplay: KITA KEITA 
  • Cast: SUZUKI RYOHEI, ARIMURA KASUMI, SUZUKA OUJI, FIRST SUMMER UIKA 

Synopsis: 

Set in Osaka, the story follows siblings Toshiki and Fumiko, who lost their parents early on. Toshiki promised their late father he would always protect his little sister. Taking on the role of both parent and brother, Toshiki dropped out of high school to work at a local factory to support them both. 

Now, Fumiko has grown, and the day of her wedding is drawing near. As Toshiki watches the happy couple he can’t help but grumble, all while feeling a sense of relief. He rehearses his speech for Fumiko’s big day, when an unsettling thought creeps in: Fumiko holds the memories of a woman who died in an incident. 

SHOWTIME 7 Details: 

  • Year: 2025 
  • Runtime: 98 min 
  • Genre: Suspense, Action, Crime, Drama 
  • Director: Kazutaka Watanabe 
  • Screenplay: Kazutaka Watanabe 
  • Cast: Hiroshi Abe, Ryo Nishikido, Haruka Igawa, Meru Nukumi, Ryo Ryusei, Mitsuru Hirata, Kotaro Yoshida, Yushi Ozawa 

Synopsis: 

Once the face of the prime-time news program Showtime 7, Shinnosuke Orimoto was a national news anchor until mysteriously being forced to step down from his position. Now relegated to a late-night radio gig, he receives an ominous call from a stranger warning of an imminent bomb threat and jumps at the chance to relive his glory days as a newscaster. But when the incident spirals into a high-stakes negotiation, Orimoto must tread carefully—or face explosive consequences. Every second matters in this fast-paced suspense thriller, based on the South Korean box office hit The Terror Live. 

366 DAYS Details:  

  • Year: 2025 
  • Runtime: 122 min 
  • Genre: Romance, Drama 
  • Director: Takehiko Shinjo 
  • Screenplay: Kaho Fukuda  
  • Cast: AKASO Eiji, KAMISHIRAISHI Moka, TAMASHIRO Tina, NAKAJIMA Yuto, INAGAKI Kurumi, SAITO Jun, MIZOBATA Junpei, ISHIDA Hikari, KUNINAKA, SUGIMOTO Tetta 

Synopsis: 

It’s 2003, and a love story spanning decades has just begun. Highschooler Miu and senior student Minato dream of a life beyond their sleepy Okinawan town, and when MiniDisc jumble brings them together, the pair bond over their shared love of music. Meanwhile, Miu’s loyal best friend, Ryusei, quietly looks on as romantic sparks fly. But when Miu follows Minato to Tokyo after graduation, she is soon met by the harsh realities of city life. Unexpected circumstances drive the couple apart, and years later, Miu’s daughter is left to piece together the untold stories of her mother’s past. 

ANGRY SQUAD: The Civil Servant and the Seven Swindlers Details:  

  • Year: 2024 
  • Runtime: 120 mins 
  • Genre: Crime, Comedy 
  • Director: Shinichiro Ueda 
  • Screenplay: Shinichiro Ueda 
  • Cast: Seiyo Uchino, Masaki Okada, Rina Kawaei, Aoi Morikawa, Takenori Goto, Shusaku Kamikawa, Sena Suzuki, Toshihiro Yashiba, Kawamura Hana, Mayumi Kanaya, Yosuke Takei, Aohiro Kawaguchi, Miki Maya, Yukiyoshi Ozawa, Mitsuru Fukikoshi 

Synopsis: 

When strait-laced civil servant Kumazawa falls victim to a scam by slick con artist Himuro, he vows to get revenge until the swindler offers a tantalising deal:Team up, and together they can take down Japan’s most powerful tax evader, a corrupt developer named Tachibana. Along with a group of loveable misfits, they form the Angry Squad and use their mixed bag of skills to retrieve Tachibana’s one billion yen in hidden assets. In his latest work, director Shinichiro UEDA (One Cut of the Dead) delivers a charming caper comedy with one unforgettable takeaway: always pay your taxes! 

Sunset Sunrise Details: 

  • Year: 2025 
  • Runtime:139 mins 
  • Genre: Drama, Romance, Comedy 
  • Director: Yoshiyuki Kishi 
  • Screenplay: Kankuro Udo 
  • Cast: Masaki Suda, Mao Inoue, Masatoshi Nakamura 

Synopsis: 

The year is 2020, and measures against COVID-19 are starting to affect life all over Japan. But for one enthusiastic Tokyoite, the ‘new normal’ brings a thrilling opportunity. Young salaryman Shinsaku decides to work remotely and moves to a small town on the Sanriku Coast of Miyagi Prefecture, where he rents an empty house from wary landlord Momoka. Surrounded by the stunning nature of Tōhoku, Shinsaku spends his days fishing and discovering the charm of his new neighbourhood. But as scars from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami remain fresh, can the territorial locals accept him as one of their own? 

Teasing Master Takagi-san Details: 

  • Year: 2024 
  • Runtime: 120 mins 
  • Genre: Romance, Comedy  
  • Director: Rikiya Imaizumi  
  • Screenplay: Tomoki Kanazawa, Jun Hagimori, Rikiya Imaizumi 
  • Cast: Mei Nagano, Fumiya Takahashi 

Synopsis:  

Nishikata, a physical education teacher at a middle school he attended on a small island, receives a phone call from an ex-school-mate Takagi-san, who moved to Paris in the summer of their third year of junior high school 10 years ago. Takagi-san, who is currently attending university in Tokyo, tells Nishikata, “Hey, Nishikata. I’m going back to the place I wanted to go to, along with studying painting.” When Nishikata was attending middle school, he was always teased by Takagi-san. He hasn’t seen Takagi-san since she suddenly moved, however, and hasn’t been able to tease her back. 

One day, Tanabe, who used to be Nishikata’s homeroom teacher and is now the vice principal of the school, appoints Nishikata to be in charge of the teacher trainee who is starting the next day. After school, when Nishikata returns to the classroom and opens the door to the cleaning supplies compartment to put a broom back, Takagi-san jumps out from inside. The place she wanted to go to again was here! From this moment, the time between the two of them, which had stopped since the summer of their third year of junior high school, begins to move… 

6 Lying University Students Details: 

  • Year: 2024 
  • Runtime: 113 mins 
  • Genre: Drama, Suspense, Mystery 
  • Director: Yuichi Sato 
  • Screenplay: Koichi Yajima 
  • Cast: Minami Hamabe, Eiji Akaso , Hayato Sano , Mizuki Yamashita , Yuki Kura , Sho Nishigaki 

Synopsis: 

It’s job-hunting season and six high-achieving university students make it to the final round of recruitment for the elite tech company, Spirallinks. For the last task, rivals become teammates as they create a study circle to prepare for a group discussion, which will determine their career’s fate. However, an unexpected twist threatens the alliances formed, as a game of deceit and manipulation unfolds. Based on Akinari ASAKURA’s wildly popular novel of the same name, Six Lying University Students delivers a high-suspense drama where a simple job interview becomes a psychological battleground. 

THE BOY AND THE DOG Details:  

  • Year: 2025 
  • Runtime: 128 mins 
  • Genre: Drama 
  • Director: Takahisa Sese  
  • Screenplay: Tamio Hayashi 
  • Cast: Fumiya Takahashi, Nanase Nishino, Kentaro Ito, Rikka Ihara, Hitomi Miyauchi, Akira Emoto, Takumi Saito 

Synopsis: 

NAKAGAKI Kazumasa has lost his job in Sendai in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake and his family are struggling. Months after tsunami and earthquake, a life of a petty crime is pulled sharply into focus when a stray dog appears out of nowhere to point Kazumasa in the right direction. The dog named Tamon soon becomes a guardian angel helping rebuild his life and giving his entire family a renewed sense of self and being. Yet their lifted spirits soon change when the dog dramatically disappears one evening leaving Kazumasa and family to pick up the pieces. He tracks Tamon to a young women name SUGAI Miwa also struggling amid a cast of shady characters but as much as her new companion is a welcome distraction, Miwa and Kazumasa soon realize their unexpected guest has been searching for someone else all along and the pair vow to take Tamon wherever it needs to be. Staring TAKAHASHI Fumiya and NISHINO Nanase and based on a collection of short stories by HASE Seishu “THE BOY AND THE DOG” (Bunshun bunko) tells the tale of one dog’s journey to help the people it meets leave behind their past as it finds a way home in the wake of disaster.