The Japan Foundation in Vietnam is pleased to announce the Japanese Film Festival 2025, which will take place from December 12, 2025 to January 25, 2026, across four cities: Hanoi, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang.
The Japanese Film Festival is one of the Japan Foundation’s most important annual cultural initiatives, dedicated to bringing Japanese cinema closer to audiences around the world. In Vietnam, the event has accompanied viewers for more than 17 years, presenting numerous outstanding works and earning growing affection and support from the public. Continuing this journey, the Japanese Film Festival 2025 will return with a lineup of 10 films encompassing a wide range of genres from timeless classics to innovative contemporary creations, offering audiences of all backgrounds a rich and emotional cinematic experience.
Romance Film
The return of a legend and new voices of 2025 cinema
In celebration of its 30th anniversary, Love Letter — the timeless masterpiece by director Iwai Shunji — returns to officially open the Japan Film Festival 2025. This marks the film’s first-ever screening in Vietnamese theaters, presented in a refined and striking 4K remastered version. In Japan, the 30th-anniversary re-release of Love Letter unexpectedly topped the box office, reaffirming the enduring appeal of what is considered the nation’s most beloved romance film of all time. More than just a cinematic work, Love Letter is an icon—a poetic, tender yet haunting “love letter” that Vietnamese audiences simply cannot miss.
To offer a compelling contrast between love in the 1990s and in the digital era, this year’s festival will also feature two new romance films premiering in 2025, each imbued with contemporary sensibilities and emotional depth:– Petals and Memories– Sunset Sunrise
Historical Film
A timeless masterpiece makes its big-screen debut in Vietnam
Another unmissable highlight for cinephiles, especially fans of historical epics, is Seven Samurai. This legendary samurai masterpiece by the “emperor of Japanese cinema,” Akira Kurosawa, is more than 70 years old and has garnered countless prestigious international awards. Its influence spans generations of filmmakers worldwide, from Asia to Hollywood. The film not only cemented Kurosawa’s stature in world cinema but also became a cultural symbol and a source of pride for Japan. Seven Samurai was introduced to Vietnamese audiences on VTV1 in 2016, and now returns for the first time on the big screen as part of the festival to offer a complete and immersive experience for lovers of classic cinema and Japanese culture.
Animation
Two worlds, two styles, one powerful appeal
Japanese animation continues to be a global cultural icon with a devoted international following. In 2025, the festival proudly presents two exceptional animated works — one cyberpunk and one emotionally driven — promising diverse and distinctive viewing experiences:– Ghost in the Shell — the 1995 cyberpunk landmark adapted from Shirow Masamune’s manga, celebrated for its philosophical futurism and razor-sharp aesthetic. The year 2025 also marks the film’s 30th anniversary, coinciding intriguingly with Love Letter.– The Imaginary — an enchanting journey into a world of color and emotion, a visually vibrant celebration of childhood imagination that is gentle yet profound.
Comedy films
Bursting with energy and creativity
Japanese comedy this year is represented by two boldly distinctive works:– Angry Squad: The Civil Servant and the Seven Swindlers by director Ueda Shinichiro—the “master of creativity” behind One Cut of the Dead, a phenomenon at the Japanese Film Festival 2018. The film promises explosive humor, dynamic pacing, and Ueda’s signature playful spirit.– Cells at Work! by director Hideki Takeuchi—a unique blend of scientific insight and surreal humor. Both entertaining and emotionally resonant, the film celebrates the wonders of the human body. Notably, director Hideki Takeuchi will join the festival in Hanoi for an in-person dialogue with the audience about the filmmaking process.
Thrillers
Gripping stories packed with suspense
Thriller fans will not be disappointed: this year’s festival features two films filled with twists, tension, and surprise. Both works boast fast-paced storytelling, clever structure, and heart-stopping plot turns from beginning to end:– 6 Lying Students — a tale of six university students entangled in a web of secrets, overlapping lies, and chilling truths gradually revealed.– Showtime 7 — an intense look behind the scenes of a newsroom, where every decision carries unexpected consequences.
