The First Slam Dunk
By Takehiko Inoue
Anime, 2022

This high energy new manga adaptation is a heart pounding ode to the beauty and drama of basketball.  A “speedster” teenage point guard follows in the footsteps of his famous older brother. He and his teammates fight their way to the brink of challenging the reigning champions, Sannoh Kogyo High School.

A Man
By Ken Ishikawa
Thriller, 2022
Pittsburgh Premiere

This searing new psychological thriller boasts a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and a Venice Film Festival premiere. After a divorce, a woman finds happiness with her second husband and their new family. When he suddenly dies in a tragic accident, she discovers he was not the man she thought she married.

Blue Giant
By Yuzuru Tachikawa
Anime, 2023

This new animated feature from GKIDS finds its strength and depth though electric performances and a stunning jazz soundtrack in a film about the power of music. Dai Miyamoto’s life is turned upside down the day he discovers jazz. A former high school basketball player, Dai picks up a saxophone and begins practicing day and night, determined to become one of the greatest of all time.

Monster
By Hirokazu Koreeda
Drama, 2023

Director Hirokazu Koreeda (known for Shoplifters) crafts an intricate and complicated thriller with shifting perspectives that poignantly capture the anguish of parenting and the unknowable quality of children. Monster, which took home the award for “Best Screenplay” at Cannes, follows the journey of a mother who investigates her young son’s sudden and strange behavior.

Baby Assassins 2: Babies
A Film By Yugo Sakamoto
Action, 2023
2nd US Showing
Pennsylvania Premiere

The wildly fun and energetic Baby Assassins return to Row House Cinema in the sequel we didn’t know we needed! What are two teen assassins to do when they’re benched from, their official duties by their organization? They take part time day jobs to make ends meet… until they encounter other assassins looking to finish them off.

Beyond The Infinite Two Minutes
By Junta Yamaguchi
Sci-Fi Comedy, 2020
Pittsburgh Premiere

Opening Night Film

We are kicking off the 2024 festival with a mind-bending sci-fi comedy that defies the laws of time and space in the most unexpected and hilarious ways. Directed by Junta Yamaguchi, this inventive film takes viewers on a wild ride through a bizarre temporal anomaly that occurs in the most unlikely of places.

Ninja vs. Shark
By Koichi Sakamoto
Cult Film, 2023
Pennsylvania Premiere

Closing Night Film

The title on this one says it all! We’re closing out our 2024 festival with this fantastically wild and gory b-movie from Japan paired with a brew & view — which means you’ll have 0n-theme beer delivered to your seat at key moments of the film!

Ichi The Killer
By Takashi Miike
Action, 2001

Prepare to descend into the gritty and violent underworld this cult classic, “Ichi the Killer.” This Japanese crime thriller, adapted from Hideo Yamamoto’s manga, takes audiences on a disturbing and adrenaline-fueled journey through the chaotic streets of Shinjuku.

The 2024 Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival Shorts Program
Various Filmmakers
Mixed genres, 2024

Enjoy a one-night only selection of Japanese short films compiled by programmers at Row House Cinema.

House
By Nobuhiko Ôbayashi
Cult, 1977

This wild ride of a film is a cult classic delight. It’s gory, trippy, and a little silly… but never boring. Hoping to find a sense of connection to her late mother, Gorgeous and six of her friends takes a trip to the countryside to visit her aunt at their ancestral house. The girls soon discover that there is more to the old house than meets the eye.

Kuroneko
By Kaneto Shindo
Horror, 1968

In the ethereal realm between horror and fantasy, Kuroneko unfolds as a tale of revenge and supernatural intrigue in ancient Japan. A woman and her daughter-in-law fall victim to a band of marauding samurai. they are brutally attacked and left for dead, but their spirits are not so easily extinguished.

Ringu
By Hideo Nakata
Horror, 1998

We couldn’t do a horror focus without this iconic piece of Japanese horror. “Ringu” is a spine-tingling atmospheric. masterpiece that transcends the genre. Directed by Hideo Nakata and based on the novel by Koji Suzuki, “Ringu” beckons viewers into a world where ancient curses and modern technology collide with horrifying consequences.

The Face of Another
By Hiroshi Teshigahara
Horror, 1966

This avant-garde science fiction masterpiece, based on the novel by Kobo Abe, explores the profound existential crisis of an anonymous man whose disfigured face becomes the canvas for a provocative experiment in identity and empathy. Shot in crisp black and white, this cinematic exploration of the human condition remains a thought-provoking and visually arresting experience.

Noroi The Curse
By Kôji Shiraishi
Horror, 2005

Told through chilling found-footage, this horror film plunges viewers into the heart of Japanese folklore and paranormal phenomena. This eerie masterpiece takes audiences on a terrifying journey through the investigation of a string of mysterious events by a paranormal expert.

Tokyo Story
By Yasujiro Ozu
Drama, 1953

Often cited as one of the greatest films ever made, Yasujiro Ozu’s Tokyo Story has been a classic since its release in 1953. This masterpiece follows an aging couple’s trip to visit their grown children in Tokyo, and the generational conflict that arises as they discover how they’re seen as a burden to their family.

High And Low
By Akira Kurosawa
Film Noir, 1963

Kurosawa’s exemplary contribution to the film noir genre is both ingenious thriller and brilliant commentary on contemporary Japanese society. Based on Ed McBain’s detective novel “King’s Ransom,” the film stars powerhouse Toshiro Mifune as a wealthy industrialist whose family becomes the target of a ruthless kidnapper.

A Page Of Madness
By Teinosuke Kinugasa
Silent Horror, 1926

We’re thrilled to include this groundbreaking Japanese silent film that defies conventions and plunges viewers into the depths of madness and despair. Set within the walls of a mental asylum in Japan, the film follows the story of a janitor who takes a job at the institution in order to be closer to his wife.

Lonely Castle In The Mirror
By Keiichi Hara
Anime, 2023

Shy outcast kokoro has been avoiding school for weeks when she discovers a portal in her bedroom mirror. She reaches through and finds herself transported to an enchanting castle where she is joined by six other students to play a game. However, anyone who breaks the rules will be eaten by a wolf.

Future Boy Conan
By Hayao Miyazaki
Anime, 1978
4k Restoration Pennsylvania Premiere

Watch the newly restored first three episodes of Hayao Miyazaki’s directorial debut! Twenty years ago, a terrible war fought with magnetic weapons caused the earth’s axis to tilt, and earthquakes and tidal waves destroyed civilization. Conan is born into this new world, raised by his adopted grandfather on an isolated island.