The biggest festival of Japanese cinema in the UK is returning to London

The UK's largest festival of Japanese cinema, the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme (JFTFP), is returning to London in the beginning of February for its largest showcase ever.

Hosted at the recently renovated Institute of Contemporary Arts in Westminster, JFTFP will revolve around the theme of memories this year. Under the theme “Unforgettable: Memories, Times and Reflections in Japanese Cinema”, the film festival will explore how Japanese filmmakers have been influenced, inspired, and made use of memories in their cinematic works, whether as focal points or subliminal forces. Programme highlights in 2024 include the UK premieres of “Shadow of Fire”, the latest work from festival favourite Tsukamoto Shinya (“Tetsuo: The Iron Man”), a new entry in the Roman Porno genre, “Hand”, and visually stunning anime “Lonely Castle in the Mirror”.

The annual JFTFP has been organised by the Japan Foundation in London since 2004, curating and screening Japanese films that haven't had opportunity to be screened in the UK. The film festival visits cinemas in 30 UK cities from 2 February to 31 March, starting off in London from 2 to 11 February. You can find out more about the festival programme and book tickets here.