The Japan Foundation’s ongoing special feature titled ‘JFF+ Independent Cinema 2023’ is set to complete its run at the end of October. Following the highly successful launch of ‘JFF+ Independent Cinema 2022’ last year, this year 12 Japanese movies recommended by mini-theaters around Japan have been on offer online on the official JFF+ website . The impetus comes from the popularity and influence of the ‘mini-theatres’ in Japan. In Japan, independent theaters that are not part of large multiplexes are called mini-theaters, and there are more than 100 of them throughout Japan.
Each mini-theater offers a unique lineup of screenings with a focus on artistic films and documentaries, reflecting their local culture.
The mini-theaters have continued to play an important role in nurturing the diversity of Japanese cinema culture. According to The Japan Foundation, “Mini-theatres play a pivotal role in supporting Japanese film culture. In 2022, there were over 590 movie theatres, with an impressive 136 of them being mini-theatres, accounting for about 20% of all movie theatres. In addition, of the 538 movies released in theatres the same year, a staggering 60% of those were small-scale productions released in 49 or fewer theaters, majority of these films found themselves being exclusively shown in mini-theatres. We look forward to this becoming an opportunity for people who see this to visit those mini-theatres and communities directly.”
In addition to the ongoing online screenings, The Japan Foundation, New Delhi also recently hosted a special screening of the noted Japanese filmmaker Keitaro Sakon’s film ‘Lonely Glory,’ which is also a part of the online film festival, at the India International Centre. Within the construct of a family drama, the film critiques the Japanese economy through the lens of local shops. For Sakon, mini-theatres are a great way of reaching the audiences in Japan. “I believe that the greatest appeal of mini-theatres is that they provide an opportunity to encounter unknown masterpieces from the past that we would not have encountered in our daily lives, as well as art films from Japan and abroad. I myself once had my graduation film screened for the first time at a mini-theatre. Through that experience, I was able to grasp the sense that a work is complete only when it is seen by an audience, and I think that realization has shaped who I am today,” reveals Keitaro Sakon.
Cinekoya owner Shoko Takenaka puts great emphasizes on providing a memorable experience to the viewers. “We always decide which films to show after watching them. Since Cinekoya is a space where the audience can watch movies while eating and drinking, we avoid movies that are not appropriate to watch while eating, but we do not set any other restrictions such as genres. In selecting films, we also conduct interviews with part-time staff members in their 20s, and actively incorporate information on films that younger people are catching on to,” Takenaka explains. She further adds, “I feel that ‘movie theatres’ and ‘mini-theatres’ are responsible for delivering the experience of watching movies with multiple people on the same screen, and for proposing or redefining what can be called a ‘movie’ or ‘film’ from among the numerous ‘visual’ content available.”
The online festival lineup also includes films such as ‘Techno Brothers,’ ‘Follow the Light,’ ‘A Muse Never Drowns,’ ‘A Girl in the Room,’ ‘And Your Bird Can Sing,’ and ‘Tenzo,’ among others. Over the years, The Japan Foundation has mainly hosted Japanese film festivals that screened major films.
Therefore, a project to feature independent films is a powerful way to inform people about the culture and environments of Japanese independent films. As part of the ongoing project, The Japan Foundation is not only streaming independent films but also creating and streaming videos that introduce mini-theatres and the regions where they are located. The idea is to help people become more familiar with mini-theatres.
Undeniably, the mini-theatres are the backbone of Japanese film culture. But, Keitaro Sakon strongly feels that mini-theaters need to evolve with the changing times. According to Sakon, the mini-theatres too have been hit by the pandemic and are decreasing in number just as the movie-going population continues to decline.
He believes that this trend cannot be stopped simply by strengthening creative quality and artist development. “We must add value to the experience of watching a movie at a mini-theatre, especially for the young people. For example, public bathhouses (Sentos) and saunas, which were positioned as a legacy of the Showa period, are booming among young people recently. And so while it is of course important to pinpoint the creative aspects of films, I believe that the survival of mini-theaters over the next 10 years will depend on whether or not they can focus on designing outlines and add attractive values, as was the case with the Sento boom,” sums up Sakon.