In an alternate reality, the walled city of Kowloon still survives, while the world outside awaits for the day when Generic Terra, an artificial planet built by megacorporation Hebinuma, will be ready to be inhabited. Unbothered by such changes, the life of real estate agent Reiko Kujirai flows uneventfully, with her coworker and crush Hajime Kudou being her only worry. However, things take a strange turn as Reiko starts experiencing dejavus, coupled with some unprecedented quirks on the side of Hajime, which bring her to recall her not-so-long-forgotten past. Hidden in the shady backstreets of this triad enclave, seemingly unfamiliar places seem to hold precious memories, to be gradually unlocked in Reiko’s journey of self-discovery.

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For her latest project, Jun Mayuzuki attempts to reimagine how Kowloon, the no-man’s-land Hong Kong neighborhood razed to the ground before the handover, would look like in a sci-fi setting. Apparently, the idea occurred to her already during the latest stages of “After the Rain” ‘s serialization, as she recalled the aesthetics of her childhood videogame “Kowloon’s Gate.”

It is then possible to see the influence that this 1997 PlayStation title had in shaping the manga’s narrative. There, the city of Kowloon, resurfaced out of nowhere after its demolition, featured as a dimensional anomaly between the world of Yin and that of Yan. Indeed, from what we can infer from this first volume, here Kowloon represents again some sort of liminal zone: Between Reiko’s mysterious past-self and her current identity, as well as between the futuristic society outside its walls and the dozy, predigital alleys on the inside.

However, those looking forward to an accurate depiction of this legendary area of Hong Kong – of which some remarkable visual accounts exist, such as the photo reportage “City of Darkness: Life in Kowloon Walled City,” by Greg Girard e Ian Lambot – might find themselves disappointed. Except for some traditional dress and the iconic beehive condos, there are but few traces of that time and place, as daily life in the outskirts unfolded just as that of any average Tokyo neighborhood.

That being said, “Kowloon Generic Romance” has much to offer for both Jun Mayuzuki’s aficionados and casuals alike, as a story that perfectly blends mystery and nostalgia in the artist’s iconic fashion. That is to say, adult characters trying to match their desire for understanding and companionship in a goofy, often comedic tug of war with their partner-to-be, with some unexpected erotic turns that add to the visual richness of the manga. In fact, while the character design is quite reminiscent of “After the Rain,” with sinuous, doll-eye female figures contrasting the caricatural sketchiness of their male counterparts, some shots are way more explicit – just as the panel where Reiko is painting walls in the summer heat.

Even more intriguing, though, are the expectations as per how the background narrative on the macro-level, with Hebinuma Corp. trying to accomplish their grandiose design of space colonization, will connect to the individual arc of Reiko. And what if her nerdy demeanor turned out to be just a persona to mislead the readers?

Opening Gala Film: Park Beom-su‘s Victory
Closing Gala Film: E.oni‘s Love In The Big City
Special Screening: Choi Dong-hoon‘s Alienoid: Return To The Future

Victory by Park Beom-su will open the festival on the 6 November at BFI Southbank with the director in attendance. In 1999, two rebellious teenagers start a cheerleading squad for their provincial high school, bringing confidence and solidarity to themselves, their misfit troupe and an entire community afflicted by narrow horizons and labour disputes. Park Beom-su’s joyously punkish and irreverently funny crowd-pleaser has infectious charm, winning wit and girl-power exuberance to spare.

The festival will close on 13 November with a screening of Love in the Big City by E.oni. Jae-hee (Kim Go-eun), a bold and free-spirited woman, accidentally uncovers Heung-soo (Steve Sanghyun Noh)’s secret, leading to an unlikely relationship. Misunderstood by many, the two navigate growing pains while searching for love and self in Seoul. Love in the Big City, based on Park Sang-young’s novel longlisted for the International Booker Prize in 2022, is brought to life by filmmaker E.oni.The film premiered in the Special Presentations at the Toronto Film Festival 2024.

There will be a special screening of Alienoid: Return to the Future, the second part of Choi Dong-hoon’s 2022 film Alienoid, which was featured as the opening film of the LKFF 2022. Set during the Goryeo dynasty in the 1300’s in Korea, Ean (Kim Tae-ri) and Muruk (Ryu Jun-yeol) travel through time and space in an effort to obtain the divine sword, but on their quest, they are pursued by two mages, a blind swordsman, and a mysterious masked man, who all want the sword for themselves. This is all taking place while Earth is being bombarded by an alien invasion. Choi Dong-hoon’s film, with its grand scale and incredible CGI, is sure to captivate all film lovers.

Cinema Now

Cinema Now explores the cutting edge of Korean cinema, showcasing a diverse and eclectic range of genres and moods, all at the forefront of national cinema, curated by programmer Anton Bitel.

Following by Kim Se-hwi is a twisted thriller that radically shifts perspectives while exploring every variety of narcissist, creep, parasite and psycho — like Rear Window (1954) for our social media-driven world.

Mother’s Kingdom by Lee Sang-hak brings to mind Bong Joon-ho’s Mother (2009), but from the son’s perspective. Both Following and Mother’s Kingdom are on a double bill at BFI Southbank on 8 November.

Shot over four years, Kim Tae-yang’s feature debut Mimang tracks an always transforming Seoul, with each of its three chapters dramatising a different meaning of the Korean word ‘mimang’.

Writer/director Yeon Je-gwang’s The Guest is a tense, taut thriller and of horror viewership, in a cynical, metacinematic peek at unspeakable exploitation.

The Noisy Mansion by Lee Lu-da follows Ahn Geo-ul (Gyeong Su-jin) right after temporarily renting a unit in the Baek-sae Apartment building. She discovers that a loud banging noise occurs from 4am every night, so she sets out to find the culprit, and in the process recruiting her neighbours to her cause.

The strand closes with The Tenants by Yoon Eun-kyoung. Shindong’s (Kim Dea-gun) desperation forces him to sublet spaces in his tiny apartment. This invasion of privacy soon drives him to the brink of madness. Yoon Eun-kyoung’s dystopia, as it goes on, eventually accommodates a bleak outlook.

Women’s Voices

Women’s Voices has consistently been a platform for highlighting remarkable films by women in the Korean film industry, and this year it showcases 15 years of work by Korean female directors, programmed by curator Eunji Lee.

Sisters on the Road (2008) by Boo Ji-young, where Myung-eun’s (Shin Min-a) attempt to reconnect with her estranged father drives a wedge between her and her sister (Kong Hyo-jin). Boo Ji-young’s debut film sensitively explores their evolving relationship. Digitally remastered, the film was re-released as part of the 2022 Seoul International Women’s Film Festival, celebrating restored works by female directors.

A Girl at My Door (2014), directed by Jung July stars Bae Doo-na as a police officer who, after being transferred to a small seaside village, forms an unlikely bond with a local girl, played by Kim Sae-ron. Jung July’s debut feature, which premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, is produced by Lee Chang-dong, renowned for his cinematic masterpiece Poetry.

The Truth Beneath (2015) by Lee Kyoung-mi is about a politician’s wife (Son Ye-jin) desperately searching for her missing daughter amidst a national election campaign. Lee Kyoung-mi’s 2008 debut was produced by Park Chan-wook, and she returns eight years later with this ground-breaking film co-written by Park.

Concerning My Daughter, directed by Lee Mi-rang, is an adaptation of Kim Hye-jin’s 2017 novel, which was published in English in 2022. This all-female ensemble feature highlights the intersecting struggles of women across generations as they stand up for their own and their loved ones’ rights, while tentatively redefining conventional notions of family.

Sandstorm by Park Jae-min follows five wrestlers from the Kolping Women’s Ssireum Team over five years, capturing their victories, struggles, and personal growth.

FAQ by Kim Da-min, where a struggling eleven-year-old student (Park Na-eun) discovers a talking barrel of rice wine at summer camp, leading to an adventure. The screening will also feature a Q&A with the director Kim Da-min.

It’s Okay! by Kim Hye-young features a high schooler (Lee Re), facing eviction, secretly moving into her dance school. The head choreographer (Jin Seo-yeon) eventually discovers her and finds a role for her in an upcoming production. It’s Okay! won the Crystal Bear for Best Film at the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival’s Generation Kplus competition.
The screening will also feature a Q&A with the director Kim Hye-young. Also, the two directors of both films (It’s Okay! and FAQ), Kim Hye-young and Kim Da-min, will be in conversation with Professor Jinhee Choi of King’s College London discussing themes emerging from works by contemporary Korean female filmmakers, as well as a discussion on the current state of the Korean film industry for female talent on 11 November at the BFI Southbank.

Four shorts complete the strand: Bug by Myoung Se-jin, Hansel: Two School Skirts by Lim Ji-sun, The Lee Families by Seo Jeong-mi, and Teleporting by Nam A-rum, Chifumi Tanzawa, Nana Noka, and Kwon Oh-yeon. Director Nam A-rum will attend the Q&A session.

Echoes in Time: Korean Films of The Golden Age and New Cinema

The BFI, in partnership with the Korean Cultural Centre UK (KCCUK), presents the BFI Southbank programme ECHOES IN TIME: KOREAN FILMS OF THE GOLDEN AGE AND NEW CINEMA, a major new season running from 28 October – 31 December. Titles screening in late October and November will include AIMLESS BULLET (Yu Hyun-mok, 1961), A WOMAN JUDGE (Hong Eun-won, 1961), THE MARINES WHO NEVER RETURNED (Lee Man-hee, 1963), NOWHERE TO HIDE (Lee Myung-se, 1999), THE CONTACT (Chang Yoon-hyun, 1997), JOINT SECURITY AREA (Park Chan-wook, 2000), and SAVE THE GREEN PLANET! (Jang Joon-hwan, 2003), with a screening on 30 October followed by Q&A with director Jang Joon-hwan, while programmers Young Jin Eric Choi and Goran Topalovic will also introduce several films in October. Titles screening in December will include THE COACHMAN (Kang Dae-jin, 1961), GORYEOJANG (Kim Ki-young, 1963), THE SEASHORE VILLAGE (Kim Soo-yong, 1965), THE DAY A PIG FELL INTO THE WELL (Hong Sangsoo, 1996), PEPPERMINT CANDY (Lee Chang-dong, 1999), BARKING DOGS NEVER BITE (Bong Joon-ho, 2000), OLDBOY (Park Chan-wook, 2003) and UNTOLD SCANDAL (E J-young, 2003). This landmark season, which features many titles rarely screened in the UK, was prepared in collaboration with the Korean Film Archive (KOFA), which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year; featured in the programme are 12 digital restorations and 5 digital remasters supervised by KOFA, as well as unique 35mm prints from its archival collection. The season is also presented in partnership with the Korean Cultural Centre UK (KCCUK) and the Korean Film Council.

Delve into the tragic events that inspired “Pierce,” exploring the complex family dynamics following the 2014 Taipei subway attack. Discover the contrasting reactions of Zihang’s mother, a singer, and his brother, who struggles with denial. Nelicia discusses themes of people changing, homosexuality and the intricacies of familial love, shedding light on the emotional table scene that leaves viewers on the edge of their seats.

We also dive into the film’s striking finale and the casting process that brought these layered characters to life.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from Nelicia Low about her creative vision and the heart-wrenching story behind “Pierce.” Subscribe for more exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes content!.

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The main story is almost identical, with one major difference: now the titular character, Zee, is a woman (played by Nathalie Emmanuel). She still is a supremely effective contract killer who can shoot her way through any situation – until she decides to spare the life of a singer during a mission, while still accidentally rendering her blind. Wracked by guilt, she will go to many lengths to protect her from the ruthless killers who want to finish the job, while being pursued by a relaxed but dedicated French cop (Omar Sy).

It is never clear why anyone felt the need to remake “The Killer”, and this new version never really justifies its existence. The gender swap comes across more as a superficial gimmick rather than an authentic revision of the original’s (and much of the genre’s) inherent machismo. Sure, our anti-heroine utters phrases like, “Never send boys to do a woman’s job”, and there is a whiff of the femme fatale about her early on, but it never gets much further than that. Neither is there anything flamboyant or charismatic about the new character, who is never believable as a ruthless, legendary assassin. Nathalie Emmanuel is a capable actress, but she is miscast as the soft-hearted slayer.

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2024’s “The Killer” tries very hard to reproduce the magic of 1980s action films, and the skillful car chases, fistfights and shootouts do evoke nostalgic charm at seeing old-fashioned stunts involving vehicles flipping over in slow motion. Yet, while Woo may have pioneered the “gun-fu” subgenre, many films have built on that legacy since 1989, and they can often rely on heftier budgets to offer more spectacular action than the Hong Kong director can hope to muster here (the latest “John Wick” installment is even largely set in Paris, making comparisons even more tempting).

Even the Hong Kong director’s own older films featured more memorable set pieces, and the hospital shootout sequence for instance, while enjoyable, is a very far cry from the similar – and celebrated – sequence in “Hard Boiled“. It is the curse of established filmmakers to have their latest features endlessly compared to their older offerings, but when they actually choose to remake their own films, such comparisons seem rather fair play.

The obviously limited budget helps make “The Killer” feel more like a made-for-television movie rather than a cinematic actioner which would happen to be on Netflix (or Peacock in the U.S.). Rather than “John Wick” the film is visually and spiritually closer to any of a number of Luc Besson-produced, EuropaCorp-distributed exploitation films featuring intrepid heroines and often set in Paris (France is actually one of the few territories where the film will be released in theaters).

There is some historical justice of course at seeing Woo repatriate “The Killer” to France. Much of his original inspiration, after all, came from French director Jean-Pierre Melville’s cop and criminal thrillers. It drew especially from 1967’s “Le Samourai”, something you are reminded of when Zee enters a Latin Quarter nightclub wearing a trenchcoat and fedora, channeling the late Alain Delon. When she gets upstairs she dispatches thugs using a weapon very much like a samurai sword. Yet this very cliché version of France is more akin to “Emily in Paris”, with characters uttering swearwords like “sacrebleu” – which no one in France has used for the past three centuries – or unironically wearing Breton sweaters.

There was something rough and grimy to the original, which featured the kind of brutal urban violence – bordering sometimes on sadism – typical of 1980s crime dramas. The remake, on the other hand, offers clean, pretty pictures of postcard Paris, with the Eiffel Tower looming in as many shots as conceivable. The lighting is often sweet and mellow, totally contradicting the theoretically ruthless environment in which these high-flying criminals are supposed to evolve. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, but it does make the new “Killer” into more of a family-friendly Sunday afternoon treat, a rather striking makeover.

Omar Sy, an actor famous in France for his comedy skits and his Eddy Murphy-like persona, brings some welcome levity to the proceedings and adds to the wholesome nature of the film. That there is no romance between him and Zee (unlike the original’s love story between the killer and his blind victim) is also a welcome innovation in a film otherwise saddled with clichés. Unfortunately the two leads have little chemistry, and their scenes together, instead of being the highlights of the picture, feel, like so much else, forced and artificial.

The new “Killer” is still an enjoyable film. The action, the humor and the clichés themselves can be enjoyed for their very familiarity – if one manages to forget the film’s title and the name of its director.

From September 21st to 28th, the international film festival captivated no less than 11,100 attendees through its offline screening in CGV Grand Indonesia theatre, and 31,400 viewers through online streaming on KlikFilm. With a total of 42,500 attendees, this year’s offline screenings nearly tripled the attendance from last year.

Jakarta World Cinema presented 120 films from 61 countries, screened across various genres and styles, representing voices from around the world. This year’s festival featured a diverse selection of renowned titles, including Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Perez, Jia Zhang-ke’s Caught by the Tides, Gints Zilbalodis’ Flow, Greg Kwedar’s Sing Sing, Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light, Muhammad Rasoulof’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Hong Sang-soo’s A Traveler’s Needs, and Miguel Gomes’ Grand Tour, all of which received enthusiastic responses from audiences.
The Audience Award for Jakarta World Cinema 2024 was presented to Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance, a powerful feature that blows the festival crowd’s mind.

First Feature Competition
For the first time in its history, Jakarta World Cinema introduced a First Feature Competition, showcasing emerging filmmakers from across the globe. The Best Director award in the First Feature Competition was given to Jianjie Lin for his strikingly visual and masterfully crafted debut, Brief History of a Family. The jury, comprising Lola Amaria, Yosep Anggi Noen, and Makbul Mubarak, noted: “This film assembles its visual language by framing its characters as if they are biological specimens that are being seen from a microscopic lens, which allows the viewers to see even the most imperceptible gestures which we might miss if the visual language is assembled otherwise. Although the film uses such a microscopic approach in its visual language, the director is also able to keep us aware that this film, no matter how microscopic, is actually a critique about something immensely colossal.”

Meanwhile, the Best Film award in the First Feature Competition went to the bold and provocative feature Girls Will Be Girls. The jury noted: “This film treads in the familiar sea of genre tropes, even taking the risk of being cliché and archaic, but then brings everything into a whole new level. It’s fresh, it’s unpredictable, while never a single moment does it lose its candor and simplicity. The relationship between the characters is both mysterious and touching. It is hard to pinpoint a single element that makes this film stand out, because every element has been brought together so exquisitely to assemble a film worthy of the main award.“

Reflecting on the festival’s success, Frederica, Executive Director of Jakarta World Cinema, expressed her gratitude to all involved: “This year’s Jakarta World Cinema has been a true celebration of storytelling. We are honored to have hosted filmmakers from around the world, and we hope this festival continues to foster creativity, dialogue, and collaboration. The immense support and enthusiasm from our audiences have truly
made this edition remarkable.”

Festival Director Shandy Gasella emphasized the role of the festival as a platform for discovery: “It’s been a phenomenal experience witnessing the excitement from both filmmakers and audiences. The diversity of films and voices that were showcased this year highlights the growing role of Jakarta World Cinema as a space where global cinema can thrive. We look forward to expanding this tradition in the years to come.”

Daniel Irawan, Programming Director, commented on the unique selection of films: “Our programming this year was crafted to reflect the richness of cinema from all corners of the globe. From experimental to award-winning features, the quality and diversity of films have been
outstanding. We are thrilled with the positive reception and the opportunity to bring these stories to Jakarta.”

Jakarta World Cinema 2024 once again solidified its reputation as a significant event in the international film circuit, providing a platform for filmmakers and film lovers to celebrate the magic of cinema. As the festival continues to grow, it remains committed to bringing the best of world
cinema to Indonesian audiences and beyond.

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A young man in Shanghai is recruiting people from the streets for a rather vague revolutionary cause against the authorities and the current style of life. Gradually, he has amassed a small group of followers, who walk around half naked with gas masks in their face. As they keep trying to bring more people to the cause, under the flaming “sermon” of their preacher, they stumble upon a woman who teaches Chinese, and who seems impervious to any kind of charm they seem to have. She also has a younger brother, whom she keeps locked in their apartment, while he is frequently delirious and watching dreams about zombies killing his sister, something that in his mind, makes her look very beautiful. At some point though, he gets out and he stumbles upon the aforementioned ‘leader’.

Implementing the thunderous in speed and absurd in context collage that could be found in Sono’s first films and some disturbing notions leaning towards the supernatural in the style of Shinya Tsukamoto, Wang Yuchen has come up with a film that is as extreme as it is fun.

The leader of the cult sets the tone with his revolutionary but also crowd pleasing speeches while the brother sister is the main source of the disturbing aspect we mentioned before. As imagination and reality, social drama and dystopian sci-fi come together, the mix becomes even more absurdly entertaining, particularly for those who can handle the film’s speed.

Evidently, the editing plays a rather significant role in the movie, dictating that rather fast pace, but the cinematography is also interesting in its constantly changing approach. That the exterior and the interior shots implement a rather different approach, one low and the other high def are indicative of this approach, but the same applies to the way some of the most intense scenes are captured, as in the one with the eating of the doll heads for example.

The iconoclasm is permeating also, as are the comments about the oppression the youths feel within the Chinese setting, and the way the lockdowns intensified their sentiments, bringing them on the brink of eruption. The truth is, however, that the context is somewhat lost in all the chaos and the absurd comedy, in an element, though, that is not exactly negative.

Lastly, special mention should be given to the music-video like scenes, one of each features the whole “Venus in Furs” by The Velvet Underground.

Not much more to say. If you like your movies intense, chaotic and experimental but in a way that comes closer to genre, look no further, “Full of Death” is the film for you.

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Tired of all the killings and wandering, Zatoichi returns to his hometown after a long time, which is now in the clutches of the Boss Masagoro, whose father, a merchant, may have stolen gold from the Shogunate. When Masagoro’s goons find out Ichi’s identity and that he has a bounty on his head, they seek the help of a nameless yojimbo that Masagoro has hired as an enforcer, who agrees to kill Zatoichi for the 100 ryo reward that’s on his head. But when the two take a liking for each other as opponents and equals, the yojimbo, who has his own motives for being in the village, asks Zatoichi to help him in his quest while he also tries to relieve Umeno, the local inn-keeper and mistress of Masagoro who he has fallen for and a former lover interest of Ichi’s, from her debt to the Boss.

This twentieth feature is an interesting one, in that the script, written by Okamoto and Zatoichi regular Tetsuro Yoshida, tries to incorporate the best of the worlds of both its titular characters. Ichi once again finds himself in a new place that is now in the clutches of the local boss and has a new damsel that needs saving. Mifune does not exactly playing the same character as he did in the two Kurosawa films, since this one has a different backstory and an actual name later on. But it clearly is a version of the same, dressed in the same kimono with the same family emblem and once again finding himself unwittingly in a village between fighting factions and playing them off each other. There even is a coffin-maker in the village just like in his stories and Zatoichi in fact replicates a few dialogues from Yojimbo’s past, ordering a few coffins for future deaths and saying he thinks he’ll stay in the village a little while longer.

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In trying to make the biggest release in the series, the production also ended up making the longest feature in the series. A substantial hike from the average 90 minutes runtime, this 115 minutes feature makes its length felt, especially since it uses the extra runtime to elevate the drama. As interesting as it may be, it gets in the way of action sequences that one would otherwise expect from a story revolving around these two iconic and much loved jidaigeki characters. The abundance of supporting roles too hampers proceedings, often making it overwhelming for the viewers to wrap their heads around all the many figures on the screen and their motives. Within all this, the narrative does make some interesting observations about the nature of greed, which can even turn a son against a father, that hit home. This is particularly noticeable in the climax, which tries to make up for the lack of action otherwise with an impressive but short-lived sequence.

Slipping once again so effortlessly in the shoes of Ichi, the writing still manage to give Shintaro Katsu enough to work with, even in the twentieth entry. It is interesting to see Ichi fumble for once, be it in climbing stairs or even at his trademark showcase of speed slicing. His affection for Umeno, played by the excellent and beautiful Ayako Wakao, savouring her warm touch as she guides him inside, is wonderfully realised. Mifune enjoyed a sudden interest in one of his most popular roles, also playing him in the same year in “Incident at Blood Pass”. He is also a joy to watch here as he brings variations to the ronin, most interestingly in his hesitation to go against Zatoichi and in his interest in Umeno. His imitation everytime Masagoro calls him “sensei” is hilarious. The match-up between the two in the climax, though rather brief, ends up being satisfactory. Elsewhere, Osamu Takizawa leaves a mark as the merchant Yasuke Eboshiya, as does Shin Kishida in his short appearance as the hired hand Kuzuryu, tasked with killing Zatoichi.

Kazuo Miyagawa must have been an easy choice as cinematographer for this one, the Zatoichi veteran also having lensed “Yojimbo” for Akira Kurosawa, and the visuals do not disappoint. Opting for a much darker tone than previous Ichi productions, this also boasts of some wonderful wide shots that take in the impressive set designs, like the scene where Ichi climbs up four storeys in Eboshiya’s house, the gravestones near the edge of the village, or the location of the climactic sequences. Akira Ikufube returns once again with an impressive score, but Toshio Tanaguchi’s edit definitely could have tightened the narrative up better.

Ulitmately, despite being a fairly entertaining and engaging work, “Zatoichi Meet Yojimbo” fails to live up to the high expectations that the title brings with it. That is not to mean that it is an inferior work by any means, but let’s just say that it is not the better one of the two releases of the year with Mifune playing the character, or indeed the better Zatoichi film of the year. 

This list highlights some nostalgia-inducing films that, through lush productions or skilful era recreation, evoke feelings and memories you might not realize you had. These films romanticize the passage of time and the loss of fleeting moments, using vivid imagery and sound to summon a deep connection to the past—even when this past is a turbulent one, or one you just want to lose yourself in.

1. Song Lang (2018) by Leon Le

“Song Lang” is a love story, gently told and slowly unravelling. The director’s devotion for stage performance and Cải Lương is what has influenced all his life choices as a performer and director, taking him to this point; his movie is a passionate love letter to his teenage time in Saigon in the 80’s, his tape cassettes and the way art influences life and vice versa. (Adriana Rosati)

2. Leonor Will Never Die (2022) by Martika Ramirez Escobar

With her fascinating feature debut, Escobar pays tribute to the Asian B action movies of the 1970s and 1980s, letting two stories run simultaneously. Fights in the “other reality” are meticulously choreographed, and there is a vintage cheesiness to them. The sound is crackling, the photography grainy, and dialogues so retro with their palette of clichés that you get flash-backed with countless stached men in tight shirts who reigned the screens back in time. (Marina D. Richter)

3. 1987: When The Day Comes (2017) by Jang Joon-hwan

The depiction of the era is one of the movie’s greatest assets, with Han Ah-reum’s production design, and Chae Kyung-hwa and Hwang Hyun-kyu’s costumes providing accuracy in detail. Just watch the people wearing short sleeve-shirts and ties over their long-sleeve sweatshirts and the joy a Walkman can bring, and you will know of what I mean. (Panos Kotzathanasis)

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4. The Warden (2019) by Nima Javidi

Despite being set in the ’60, the film feels strangely far removed from present-day Iran, almost a parallel universe. Persian Shah Reza Pahlavi, whose picture adorn the walls of the prison offices, the unveiled and independent Miss Karimi, the gentle flirting with Major Jahed … all this create a pleasant sense of displacement making the rusty prison a cathedral of nostalgia in the middle of the barren Southern Iran desert. (Adriana Rosati)

5. Memory Box (2021) by Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige

On the other side though, there is the incredibly accurate reconstruction that the production design has done to reproduce all the details of 80’s Beirut life. The diaries, the photo paper (I could recognise some typical print formats in fashion at the time) the scratch-scented stickers, the Philips tape recorder, the wallpaper, newspaper cut-outs, cinema and concert tickets, Italy-Brazil World Cup 1982 celebrations, reels of pictures, super8 films and the hunting pictures and real footage of the devastation of the war and the ghostly, gutted buildings of Beirut. All these fragments plus the understated and never over-the-top accuracy of the costumes, hairstyles, and music selection concur to create an enveloping nostalgia trip. Cinematography joins the teamwork creating very different moods, from the cold and contemporary Canada setting to the grainy warm – claustrophobic at times – Beirut in the 80’s and finally the modern Lebanon with its clean bright and positive light. (Adriana Rosati)

6. Anita (2021) by Lok Man Leung

Taken all together though, “Anita” is certainly a nostalgic watch. For those familiar with Anita Mui, this film is sure to induce tears; for those more with the Hong Kong cinema, Mui’s celebrity connections are sure to please. In this way, “Anita” aptly captures Mui’s brilliant life of forty years: of excitement, loss, and change, but most importantly of hope as well. It is no wonder that this film premiered as the closing act of this year’s Busan Film Festival. It tearfully commemorates all that has happened… but it also encourages Hong Kongers to have faith in what is to come. (Grace Han)

7. Nezumikozo Jirokichi (2024) by Rintaro

83-year old director Rintaro returns after a decade with a short project but with a scope that is as great as the history of Japanese Cinema. He adapts “Nezumikozo Jirokichi,” a lost silent film by pioneering Japanese film director Sadao Yamanaka, from a script he left. With only three surviving works and volumes of screenplays, reimagining a lost silent movie like “Nezumikozo Jirokichi” is not an easy task to take on. This short project showcases the dedication of Yamanaka’s admirers to reintroduce the great director to a new audience, honouring his legacy and ensuring his influence endures. (Epoy Deyto)

8. A Light Never Goes Out (2022) by Anastasia Tsang

A great deal of nostalgia is invested in scenes showing how neon signs are being created: the painstaking attention to detail in sketching, forming and colour-testing. The ever present neon shine gives “A Light Never Goes Out” a dreamy touch, softening up the rough edges in the story when needed. Concretely, there is only one scene that could explain Heung’s feverish wish to revive the past, as in most of other flashbacks from their marital life one can not detect much of affection between the two. We see how they meet for the first time on a rooftop as youngsters, with Heung observing a big neon advertisement for an ointment, and Bill appearing to repair something on it. Shortly after, he will make her big dream of dancing on a lit podium come true. (Marina D. Richter)

9. Hi, Mom (2021) by Jia Ling

It is rather easy to understand the factors that made “Hi, Mom” such a big success and all of them are equally relevant. The nostalgia factor is surely one, aided by the competent work of Art director Zhou Hai and style designer Liu Xaoli. But the factory compound is not just a well-recreated memory-trigger, it’s a proper symbol of an idealistic place in time where human relations counted more than wealth, where competition was a benign driving force and where collaboration overshadowed individualism. This “It was better when it was worst” kind of setting is the ideal nest for sympathy, and not only for Chinese citizens. I wouldn’t be surprised if in the next years “Hi, Mom” turned into a franchising with multiple adaptations, on the line of the South Korean, also nostalgia-inspired, “Miss Granny”. (Adriana Rosati)

10. In The Mood For Love (2000) by Wong Kar-Wai

Silence has no place in “In The Mood For Love”. Even scenes mandating the essence of silence are accompanied by music or ambient sounds. The impossibility of quietness to exist is because of the movie’s root pointing towards nostalgia. Nostalgia never banks upon silence, instead relying upon a downpour of sensual components. The film is therefore restless. Nostalgic recollections always commence with joyful impressions over the reappearance of memories. Only later does the reminder of loss, the passage of time, and the impossibility of a return to the joyful times strikes the recollector. (…) It is no wonder that the story was first developed as “The Story Of Food”. Cuisine is one of the most valuable and durable characteristics of a past era and plays a vital role in nostalgic sentiments. It, unsurprisingly, acts as one of the most significant component of “In The Mood For Love”. Throughout the movie, characters are seen consuming, preparing or buying food. (Raktim Nandi)

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Desert of Namibia is screening at Camera Japan

Just like in her debut, “Amiko” (2017), the director decided to focus on the experiences of young woman living in contemporary Japan. Satsuki (Yumi Kawai) is a 21-year-old person working in a beauty parlour. Besides taking care of the customers at her job, she mostly spends her time with either her boyfriend (Sato Kanichiro) or lover (Kaneko Daichi).

The movie does an impressive job introducing the main character. The scene in the cafe, where Satsuki meets with her friend, aptly shows how easily distracted she gets, and how unconcerned she is with usually important and moving topics, such as a suicide committed by a colleague from school. Unfortunately, the story becomes uninteresting and tedious rather quickly as the narrative, similarly to the main character, doesn’t know what it wants to accomplish. Satsuki aimlessly wanders from place to place and tries to fight her boredom, while pushing others away. The movie becomes absorbing again when the director decides to raise the subject of borderline and bipolar disorder. Sadly, this topic occurs too late, and is explored insufficiently, which is surprising considering that the film is definitely not short, as it’s running time is 137 minutes.

Despite all the shortcomings of the picture, Yumi Kawai delivers a solid performance, as a lost and confused person who isn’t concerned with societal norms and other people. Unfortunately, besides being highly emotional and egocentric, her character doesn’t have any significant qualities that would make her at least a little relatable, if not likeable. The same goes for other, quite forgettable characters – it feels that both supporting actors, Sato Kanichiro and Kaneko Daichi, didn’t have the chance to fully present their acting skills. Perhaps it’s the director’s way of showing how shallow and apathetic Satsuki’s understanding of reality is, but it comes off as rather monotonous and unpleasant.

The cinematography by Shin Yonekura underlines the volatile mood of the main character, as some shots are taken with a hand-held camera, with careless zoom ins, and some are slow and steady, and seem meticulously prepared. This aesthetic fits the overall messy atmosphere of the film.

“Desert of Namibia” feels incoherent, chaotic, and aimless. It’s no surprise as it was made in merely a month (apparently two weeks for shooting and two weeks for editing). In an interview, Yamanaka said that “Namibia means ‘there is nothing’ in the words of Namibia. I think that fits this film” and it is difficult to disagree, as there are no elements in the movie that would give the audience “something” to reflect on other than what this picture could be. And, if done with more patience and thoughtfulness, it could have been a meaningful exploration of the life of a person struggling with mental issues.

Nakano Spy School is screening at Camera Japan

Jiro (Raizo Ichikawa) is a soldier in the Japanese Imperial Army and cannot wait to marry his young fiance Yukiko (Mayumi Ogawa). However, the impending conflict with China is only the first taste of the war which will inevitably come and the reason why the two lovers want to wait until Jiro has fulfilled his duty and has returned home safely. When his superior, Lieutenant Kusanagi (Daisuke Kato), asks him to be part of a secret mission, he thinks he will be sent to the front. But when he finds himself in a somewhat rundown facility on the outskirts of town, Kusanagi tells him and the other 17 men they are about to become spies and this place will be their training ground for the years to come.

As becoming a spy means to end all relationships and contacts with other family members, Jiro essentially disappears. He and his comrades concentrate on their versatile training which includes lessons in lockpicking, safecracking, chemistry and also the art of seduction. Meanwhile, Yukiko is worried about her fiance, but her inquiries only raise more questions than provide any answers. However, when Kusanagi’s superiors start complaining about the lack of results his spies contribute to the war effort, he promises to bring them a code book from the British army, which in the end becomes Jiro’s first real mission.

While it takes some time getting into, Masumura’s feature really becomes interesting in the second half, as soon as the power mechanisms within the spy school begin to shift. Even though we will stay away from spoilers here, it is safe to say that Kusanagi’s dream of having a facility such as this combined with his passionate patriotism creates a dangerous, almost toxic environment he soon loses control over. Additionally, his tendency for hybris and some instances of misjudgment result in a power dynamic within the group, whose members take hold of their teacher’s dream, thus making “Nakano Spy School” a somewhat acidic look at a mentality that would even survive the outcome of World War II. The willingness to sacrifice your ambitions for the greater good, or in this case, the survival of an ideology, leads to some kind of tunnel vision where every event, even tragedies, are (ab)used to serve ideological purposes. Although some parts of the feature play like a romance or even a caper, these underlying themes make “Nakano Spy School” an intriguing viewing experience and create a tension within the group of men set to become spies and blind servants for their country’s war efforts.

This development is mirrored in the performances by Raizo Ichikawa and Daisuke Kato. Both of them are deeply involved within the structure of the Imperial Army, with the latter seemingly having given up any kind of individual personal trait in order to be the ultimate servant. Ichikawa plays a somewhat naive young man who falls prey to a master manipulator, and who transforms into a man whose personality is no longer there as he has to impersonate others to fool his targets. While the romantic angle is not necessarily the feature’s best aspect, it certainly highlights how personal tragedy can lead to a cycle of exploitation, as even Mayumi Ogawa’s Yukiko is turned into a kind of double agent to serve someone’s ideological aims. In the end, these characters feel like puppets within a complicated net of intrigues and deception, emphasizing how a system creates blind followers and abuses people if this serves its overarching goals.

“Nakano Spy School” is an interesting feature about the way individuals were manipulated and deceived within Japan’s war efforts. While it may not be Yasuzo Masumura’s strongest work, it certainly makes for an intriguing watch due to the performances and the execution of the themes mentioned before.