Japanese Film Festival 2025

2025/9/5
Auckland    6-9 November 2025 Academy Cinemas (44 Lorne Street, Auckland CBD)
Japanese Film Festival 2025 Flyer
 
 
Free Admission
NZ$1.50 online booking fee applies.
English Subtitles
 

Booking required at
Academy Cinemas



Experience Japan on the Big Screen – Japanese Film Festival 2025
Get ready for six amazing movies that will take you on a rollercoaster ride—edge-of-your-seat thrills, laugh-out-loud moments, and stories that will touch your heart. The Japanese Film Festival is more than a showcase of films—it is a celebration of culture and exchange, offering New Zealand audiences an inspiring window into Japan.
 
All films are presented in Japanese with English subtitles.
Join us for an unforgettable cultural experience.

THU 6 NOV 6:00pm  FRI 7 NOV 6:00PM SAT 8 NOV 1:00PM
Yudo Masked Ward AI Amok

©2023 YUDO Film Partners

©2020 "MASKED WARD" Film Partners ©2020“AI Amok”Film Partners
From Oscar-winning screenwriter Kundō Koyama (Departures), this warm and witty drama unfolds in a nostalgic provincial bathhouse where two estranged brothers and eccentric patrons face change, tradition, and community. Yudo is a heartfelt celebration of Japan’s bath culture.  
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A substitute doctor (Kentarō Sakaguchi) is drawn into a tense hostage crisis inside a former psychiatric hospital, where nothing is as it seems. Based on Mikito Chinen’s bestselling novel, Masked Ward is a gripping mystery thriller full of twists and secrets. 
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In 2030, the benevolent medical AI Nozomi malfunctions, putting lives at risk. Kiryū (Takao Ōsawa), co-creator of the system, becomes a suspect and must navigate a high-stakes chase to restore order. Directed by Yū Irie, this thrilling, Black Mirror-esque suspense combines cutting-edge tech with relentless tension.<<More
SAT 8 NOV 3:30pm  SUN 9 NOV 1:00PM SUN 9 NOV 3:30PM
Step Children of the Sea Not Quite Dead Yet

©2020 "STEP" Film Partners

©2019 Daisuke Igarashi・Shogakukan/
"Children of the Sea" Committee
©2020 Shochiku Co., Ltd.
Fuji Television Network, inc.
After his wife’s sudden death, Kenichi (Takayuki Yamada) navigates single parenthood and lingering grief. Adapted from Kiyoshi Shigematsu’s novel, director Ken Iizuka delivers a subtle, moving portrait of family and resilience.<<More This visually stunning anime follows Ruka, a teenage girl drawn into a mysterious aquatic world. Alongside Umi and Sora, who were raised by dugongs, she uncovers the secrets of the deep as strange phenomena ripple across the Earth. 
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Metalhead singer Nanase (Suzu Hirose) faces chaos when her widowed father fakes his death amidst a pharmaceutical conspiracy. With a shinigami (Lily Franky) and quirky allies, this offbeat comedy from director Shinji Hamasaki delivers darkly humorous thrills and undead antics. 
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