These are six films you shouldn’t miss at the 6th Nara International Film Festival which is taking place from September 18th – 22nd (2020) in the city of Nara, Japan.

About the festival:
The Nara International Film Festival is a biennial film festival located in one of the most historically rich cities of Japan, Nara. Since the founding year of 2010, the festival has been celebrating emerging filmmakers with the Cannes winning filmmaker Naomi Kawase as an executive director.

Selected Films:

An unknown face of Hae-su. On her way from the factory, she calls someone who doesn’t answer. She doesn’t answer a call from someone. She is planning a funeral for her mother who died suspiciously. All these people, questions, and stares. While her anxiety grows, can she keep her secret plan?

Screening Dates:
September 19th, 2020 (Saturday) | Nara City Naramachi Center Shimin Hall | 14:00 pm (Guest Talk after screening [Live Stream])
September 20th, 2020 (Monday) | Nara Park Bus Terminal Lecture Hall | 19:30 pm

Online Screening: YES, please visit the festival’s website (Link below)

Trailer:
https://youtu.be/bovKZLEGZJc

In a remote mountain village of Darjeeling, ten-year-old Tashi and his old grandma live next to a family who helps them to fend for their livelihood. Their job is to look after the cardamom orchard at night from the wild animals. An approaching wedding event at their patron’s house finds Tashi excited and restless. Will they be invited?

Screening Dates:
September 20th, 2020 (Sunday) | Nara Park Bus Terminal Lecture Hall | 10:30 am
September 21st, 2020 (Monday) | Nara City Naramachi Center Shimin Hall | 14:00 pm (Guest Talk after screening [Live Stream])

Online Screening: YES, please visit the festival’s website (Link below)

Trailer:
https://youtu.be/Y7tlvzd4l54

Shunsaku lost physical mobility in a motorcycle accident at a young age, and Hanae, who is blind, comes to be his helper. Shunsaku remains distant and it made Hanae irritated, but without the ability to see, she too has her own feelings of intense loss that she can’t speak of.

Screening Dates:
September 19th, 2020 (Saturday) | Evans Castle Hall | 14:00 pm (Guest Talk after screening [Live Stream])

Online Screening: YES, please visit the festival’s website (Link below)

Trailer:
https://youtu.be/cMkFh3eWYMs

Working at a university and walking with a limp, Yukisuke meets Koyomi, who runs a taiyaki snack shop. However, Koyomi soon has an accident, and loses the ability to create new memories. Yukisuke decides to live day by day with Koyomi, knowing that by tomorrow she will have forgotten about today. Colored with despair and shared wishes, this couple’s life together begins…

Screening Dates:
September 22nd, 2020 (Tuesday) | Nara City Naramachi Center Shimin Hall | 13:00 pm (Guest Talk after screening [Live Stream])

Online Screening: NO

Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crxVWp4vS0U

When a teenager is killed by his classmate public attention intensifies through the media. The murderer’s mother becomes a public enemy overnight while the victim’s mother receives abundant sympathy. Yet, the truth reveals in this “Social Media Era” that both mothers have some tough decisions to make.

Screening Dates:
September 19th, 2020 (Saturday) | Nara Park Bus Terminal Lecture Hall | 14:00 pm
September 21st, 2020 (Monday) | Nara City Naramachi Center Shimin Hall | 17:00 pm (Guest Talk after screening [Live Stream])

Online Screening: NO

Trailer:
https://youtu.be/TFB-H2TIvKg

In her search for answers, 17-yearold Haru sets out on a journey from Hiroshima to her hometown Otsuchi, where she lost her family by the great tsunami in 2011. On the way, she encounters people and their stories of losses. At the end, Haru walks into a telephone box with her wish to reconnect.

Screening Dates:
September 21st, 2020 (Monday) | Kinsho Hall, Todai-ji Cultural Center | 14:00 pm

Online Screening: NO

Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc-vV_H0sCw

For more information about the festival and the programme please visit the official website here: https://nara-iff.jp/2020/en/