The Japanese Film Festival 2026 will begin this Friday, bringing a curated lineup of 15 films to Bangkok audiences. The festival runs through February 22 and will be held at House Samyan, located on the fifth floor of Samyan Mitrtown on Rama IV Road.
Hosted by The Japan Foundation with support from the Embassy of Japan and the Japanese Association, the festival showcases a wide range of Japanese cinema. The program spans multiple genres, including heartfelt dramas, thought-provoking documentaries, suspenseful thrillers, timeless classics, and celebrated animated works.
Opening night on Friday features two screenings. The first is She Taught Me Serendipity, directed by Akiko Oku, which was nominated at the 2024 Tokyo International Film Festival and will be shown at 18:20. It will be followed closely by Sunset Sunrise, a 2025 drama directed by Yoshiyuki Kishi, screening at 18:30.
Among the highlights of the festival are several internationally recognized titles. These include Ghost in the Shell, Mamoru Oshii’s influential cyberpunk animated film; Seven Samurai, Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 masterpiece that received the Silver Lion at the Venice International Film Festival; and 94-Year-Old Gay, a documentary by Genki Kikkawa that explores the life of an elderly gay poet.
Following its Bangkok run, the festival will travel to other regions. Screenings will take place at Chiang Mai University and Maielie Gallery in Khon Kaen from February 27 to March 1. The program will also be shown at the Chiang Rai Contemporary Art Museum in Chiang Rai from February 28 to March 1. Not all films will be screened in every location.
Most screenings include both English and Thai subtitles, making the films accessible to a wide audience.
Tickets in Bangkok are priced at THB 160, with discounted rates of THB 140 for members and THB 120 for students. Tickets can be purchased at the venue box office or online via housesamyan.com. Admission to screenings in Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, and Chiang Rai is free, though advance registration is required starting February 17 through linktr.ee/jfacdept.
For full details and the complete schedule, visit ba.jpf.go.jp/en.
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