Watch Japanese Films in London, UK

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The largest annual showcase for new Japanese cinema in the United Kingdom is Raindance Film Festival’s Way Out East section which screens at least ten recent features and documentaries annually.

The 17th Raindance Film Festival is held between 30 September –11 October 2009 in London with a special spotlight this year on the rising number of women filmmakers in Japan.

Follow this link to view Raindance’s stellar lineup of films, several of which are UK Premieres.

http://www.raindance.co.uk/site/japanese-films-at-raindance

Here are the highlights

Instant Swamp
Thursday 1 Oct 20:30
The latest comic romp from the director of Adrift in Tokyo and Turtles Are Surprisingly Fast Swimmers, featuring a young woman trying to end her run of bad luck.

Love Exposure
Sunday 4 Oct 13:30
Tour-de-force from maverick director Shion Sono (Suicide Circle), featuring a bizarre mix of transvestitism, Catholic guilt, surreptitious up-the-skirt shots and a bizarre homage to classic 70s Female Scorpion films.

Locked Out
Monday 5 Oct 21:45 / Tuesday 6 Oct 13:45
Hiroshi, a man wandering in rural Japan aimlessly, encounters 6 year-old Keita, who triggers a conflict between conscience and a dark violent nature.

A Piece of our Life - Kakera
Wednesday 7 Oct 19:00 / Friday 9 Oct 14:15
A touching portrait of a relationship between a student whose relationship is going nowhere and a bisexual artist.

Lily Festival
Thursday 8 Oct 19:30
The inhabitants of a retirement home find their passions rekindled when a 75-year-old lothario moves into their accommodation.

Lalapipo
Friday 9 October 22:00
An uproarious and vibrant comic portrait of those at the heart of Japan’s outlandish sex industry.
A Normal Life Please
Saturday 10 Oct 16:30
This eye-popping doc blows the lid on Japan’s easing of labour regulations, as an overworked truck driver is menaced after he joins a workers union.

Ain’t No Tomorrows
Sunday 11 October 14:00
Drama portraying the emotional dynamics of a group of kids as they reach the age of sexual awareness.