The Japanese film festival opened on Tuesday evening at the Kwetu Film Institute in Gaculiro, Kigali. The five-day event will feature one movie every day. Speaking on behalf of the Japanese embassy in Rwanda, Tomio Sakamoto said that the intention of the occasion is to showcase Japanese culture. “We have different lifestyles in Japan, so we want to share all these with Rwanda and the rest of the world,” he says. Sakamoto added that much as such films will expose Rwandans to Japanese culture, Japanese are also interested in learning the Rwandan culture. “All the movies which will be displayed showcase the Japanese rich culture. However, we are planning to collaborate with Rwandans to strengthen the creative industry in the long run,” he said. Sakamoto explained that the Japanese movie industry started over 100 years ago and is among the largest in the world. At the beginning of the festival, ‘The Chef of South Polar’ was showed. Directed by Syuichi Okita, the movie is a heart-warming comedy, based on the poignant essays of Nishimura Jun. Other films which will be disscreened include ‘Children Who Chase Lost Voices’, ‘Happy Flight’, ‘Bushido Sixteen’ and ‘Hankyu Railway- A 15-Minute Miracle’. This is the 4th Japanese film festival in Rwanda. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
