The popular Boston Festival of Films from Japan returns with a showcase of bold new titles and animated classics that pair perfectly with a visit to the new exhibition "Hokusai: Inspiration and Influence." This year's lineup features the Boston premiere of new drama Ribbon, about an art student grappling with cancellation of her thesis exhibition due to the pandemic; the tender tale Love Life, about a family who comes together after an unspeakable tragedy; My Neighbor Totoro and Akira, two anime masterpieces from 1988; and Miss Hokusai, an animated tale about the talented daughter of the legendary Japanese artist. Get your tickets, grab a glass of sake at Taste, and enjoy the best of Japanese cinema.

Schedule of Events

May 11, 2023

7:00 pm-9:15 pm: Love Life

Directed by Koji Fukada (Japan, 2022, 123 min.). Japanese with English subtitles.

Taeko and her husband live a peaceful existence with Taeko's young son, Keita, when a tragic accident brings the boy's long-lost father, Park, back into their life. To cope with her pain and guilt, Taeko throws herself into helping Park, who is deaf and currently homeless. With nuanced performances and craftsmanship, Love Life is a moving meditation on grief and acceptance.

May 13, 2023

11:00 am-1:00 pm: Plan 75

Directed by Chie Hayakawa (Japan, 2022, 113 min.). Japanese with English subtitles.

Japan's submission for this year's Academy Awards, this subtle sci-fi drama shows a near-future Japan in which a government program, Plan 75, encourages senior citizens to be voluntarily euthanized in order to remedy a society that skews older. The film follows an elderly woman who loses the means to live independently, a pragmatic salesman of Plan 75 policies, and a young Filipino caregiver as they navigate the tragedy and complexity of life under Plan 75.

2:30 pm-4:00 pm: Miss Hokusai

Directed by Keiichi Hara (Japan, 2015, 93 min.). Dubbed in English.

From award-winning director Keiichi Hara (Colorful) and the creators of Ghost in the Shell comes the little-known story of the daughter of one of history's most famous artists. As all of 19th-century Edo (present-day Tokyo) flocks to see the work of the revered painter Katsushika Hokusai, his daughter O-Ei toils diligently inside his studio. Her masterful portraits, dragons, and erotic sketches—sold under the name of her father alongside his actual creations—are coveted by upper-crust lords and journeyman printmakers alike. Shy and reserved in public, O-Ei is as brash and uninhibited as her father when she's in the studio, smoking a pipe while sketching drawings that would make a samurai blush. Miss Hokusai's bustling Edo is filled with yokai spirits and conniving tradesmen, while O-Ei's relationships with her demanding father and blind younger sister provide a powerful emotional underpinning to this sumptuously animated coming-of-age tale.

May 14, 2023

11:00 am-1:00 pm: Ribbon

Directed by Non (Japan, 2021, 115 min.). Japanese with English subtitles.

In this pastel coming-of-age drama from actor-director Non, an art student named Itsuka is an emotional wreck after the global pandemic causes the cancellation of her graduation exhibition. Her pandemic blues deepen as she clashes with her parents, who don't understand her art; with her neurotic little sister; and even with her once-serene best friend, Hirai, who has begun acting rashly and picking fights. Things start to look rosier when Itsuka is reunited with a childhood friend who helped her believe in her art.

2:30 pm-4:30 pm: Plan 75

Directed by Chie Hayakawa (Japan, 2022, 113 min.). Japanese with English subtitles.

Japan's submission for this year's Academy Awards, this subtle sci-fi drama shows a near-future Japan in which a government program, Plan 75, encourages senior citizens to be voluntarily euthanized in order to remedy a society that skews older. The film follows an elderly woman who loses the means to live independently, a pragmatic salesman of Plan 75 policies, and a young Filipino caregiver as they navigate the tragedy and complexity of life under Plan 75.

May 19, 2023

6:00 pm-7:45 pm: My Neighbor Totoro (with English Subtitles)

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki (Japan, 1988, 100 min.). Japanese with English Subtitles.

Special 35th-anniversary screening! From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away and Ponyo, and Academy Award–winning director Hayao Miyazaki, comes a classic tale of magic and adventure for the whole family. When Satsuki and her sister, Mei, move with their father to a new home in the countryside, they find rural life is not as simple as it seems. They discover that the house and nearby woods are full of strange and delightful creatures, including a gigantic but gentle forest spirit called Totoro, who can only be seen by children. Totoro and his friends introduce the girls to a series of adventures, including a ride aboard the extraordinary Catbus, in this animated masterpiece for all ages.

8:30 pm-10:45 pm: Akira

Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo (Japan, 1988, 124 min.). Japanese with English subtitles.

Special 35th-anniversary screening! In the future, Shotaro Kaneda and his motorcycle gang tear through Neo-Tokyo, a city divided by growing tensions. But when caught in an accident, Kaneda's friend Tetsuo Shima discovers a secret government project and receives psychic abilities beyond his control. A landmark of anime and science fiction, Akira returns to theaters on its 35th birthday with remastered 4K visuals and remixed audio.

May 20, 2023

11:00 am-12:45 pm: My Neighbor Totoro (Dubbed in English)

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki (Japan, 1988, 100 min.). Dubbed in English.

Special 35th-anniversary screening! From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away and Ponyo, and Academy Award–winning director Hayao Miyazaki, comes a classic tale of magic and adventure for the whole family. When Satsuki and her sister, Mei, move with their father to a new home in the countryside, they find rural life is not as simple as it seems. They discover that the house and nearby woods are full of strange and delightful creatures, including a gigantic but gentle forest spirit called Totoro, who can only be seen by children. Totoro and his friends introduce the girls to a series of adventures, including a ride aboard the extraordinary Catbus, in this animated masterpiece for all ages, featuring the voices of Tim Daly, Lea Salonga, and real-life sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning in early roles.

2:30 pm-4:45 pm: A Man

Directed by Kei Ishikawa (Japan, 2022, 121 min.). Japanese with English subtitles.

Rie has found happiness with her second husband, Daisuke, and formed a new family. But after Daisuke dies in a tragic accident, Rei discovers her new husband was not the man she thought he was. When she calls on an attorney to help find the truth about the identity of the man she loved, larger questions surface about the nature of identity itself, and the futility of trying to truly know another person—a theme captured throughout with glimpses of René Magritte's illusive painting Not to Be Reproduced.

Date: May 11-20, 2023

Cost: Members $12.00, Nonmembers $15.00

Location: Harry and Mildred Remis Auditorium (Auditorium 161)
Museum of Fine Arts,
465 Huntington Avenue,
Boston, MA 02115.

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