In Japan, people of all ages and social classes read manga - Japanese graphic novels and comics, while anime is a broad term for Japanese animation, often assuming an animated adaptation of an existing manga series. The main difference between manga and anime is the way you consume them - you read manga and watch anime.
You already had the opportunity to learn something about recent Japanese cinematography last year, when the 1st Japanese Film Festival was held in Zagreb as part of the project Japan Croatia Film Festival which started in 2021 with the aim of connecting Croatia and Japan through filmmaking. The Japanese Film Festival will be held in September in Zagreb, and the Croatian Film Festival in November in Tokyo. The festival was recognized as an exceptional cultural event and received the nominal support of the Japanese embassy in Croatia as well as the Croatian embassy in Japan.
This year's program of the Japanese Film Festival, which will from September 21-23 to be held at the Kaptol Boutique Cinema in Zagreb, 8 Japanese films, including 5 feature films and 3 short films, are premiering to the domestic audience.
Among them there are as many as three anime - two feature films and one short film which are the main stars of the 2nd Japan Film Festival. Edouard Tripković Katayama, President Japan Croatia Society - the organizer of the festival - points out his great satisfaction that the leading Japanese productions of manga and anime films recognized this festival as a quality event for the presentation of their films on the Croatian market. Fans of Japanese animation in Croatia will be especially well taken care of.
In one of the festival venues, we meet probably the most famous anime and manga character in Japan and the world - Doraemon, a robot blue cat with no ears, who pulls out all possible inventions from his pocket to help his friends overcome obstacles and challenges, and with whom they grew up and influenced the shaping of generations of Japanese people. It is the latest on the festival program 43rd national anime feature film Doraemon released in March of this year.
In the second anime film, we also meet a very popular anime character – black Jack - a genius doctor who always saves things. However, the author is more important than the character himself, the legendary cartoonist Osamu Tezuka, who, as the author of numerous anime characters, popularized anime and manga. With what they call him God of Manga i Father of Anime, Tezuka is considered the Japanese Walt Disney who was his main inspiration during his formative years. The president of the Japan Croatia Society, the organizer of the Japanese Film Festival, Mr. Edouard Katayama Tripković, had the opportunity to meet Mr. Tezuka while he was in Zagreb as a member of the jury of the Zagreb Animafest
The third anime – A monster of despair - is a short cartoon film, particularly interesting because it was made entirely by one man: story, script, direction, drawing, photography, animation, editing, production, all by Junya Kotani himself, only he commissioned the music.
Although the direction in which the Japan Film Festival is developing is the promotion of anime films, the audience will have the opportunity to watch the festival program as well feature film 189 which will open the festival. It is a social drama from the year 2021, named after the phone number open for reporting domestic violence, which is increasing in Japan, which is why the state made this service possible, but they didn't promote it at all, so no one knows it exists.
Also, two feature films are on the program: a family film about a former photographer who inherits a photo studio (Talking photo studio, 2024) and Amiko which tells the story of the Japanese mentality summed up in the famous proverb "hit the sticking nail" where individualism is not socially accepted, but unification and fitting in is encouraged, but the little girl Amiko jumps out...
In addition, two short films are on the program. The film that was chosen from among those registered for the festival – Happiness index (9 min, 2024) - talks about a normal boy who lived a completely normal life until he began to see in an unusual way how happy someone is. Also, the movie Shoe lover (15 min, 2023) is a short story about how important it is to do what we love.
This year, numerous cultural exchange activities are taking place in Croatia and Japan. The Japan Croatia Film Festival will introduce visitors to Croatia, Japan and both countries through different film genres, and there will also be an opportunity to get to know the film art of both countries, as well as to make new acquaintances and friendships.
Tickets for the festival program are already on sale and can be purchased online via the japancroatia.org website or at the venue - in China CineStar Kaptol Boutique (Nova Ves 17, Kaptol Centar).
PROGRAM
Saturday, September 21, 2024
- 17:30-18:15 Opening ceremony
- 18:20-20:10 189 (Social drama, 109 min.)
- 20:20-22:15 Doraemon the movie Nobita's Symphony of the Earth (anime, 115 min.)
Sunday, September 22, 2024
- 18:00-19:33 Black Jack - Movie (Anime, 93 min.)
- 20:00-21:45 Amiko (fiction, 104 min.)
Monday, September 23, 2024
- 18:00-20:01 Talking Photo Studio (Family drama, 121 min.)
- 20:30-22:45 Shoe lover (fiction, 15 min.)
- 21:00-21:09 Happiness index (fiction, 9 min.)
- 21:30-22:00 A monster of despair (anime, 30 min.)
