The Skip City International D-Cinema Festival, in Saitama, on the outskirts of Tokyo, will hold its 2023 edition with both in-person and online components, long after Covid, which necessitated such hybrid formats, has retreated.
The festival, which runs from February 24 to March 5, will feature a lineup of Japanese and international films, including six narrative features, six documentaries, and a selection of short films. The narrative features in competition are:
- “Alien's Daydream,” by Matsumoto Yoshiki
- “Hierophanie,” directed by Makita Kazuomi
- “Mending Cracks,” by Yamaguchi Daisuke
- “The Sunlit Night,” by Arai Kentaro
- “Udon Love,” by Nakamura Yuichi
- “Warm Blood,” by Matsumoto Michihito
The documentaries in competition are:
- “Ainu Mosir,” by Sato Naoki
- “Blossoms of Fire,” by Takeuchi Kazuo
- “The Long Goodbye,” by Ito Shingo
- “The Man Who Planted Trees,” by Kimura Kazuki
- “One Cut of the Dead: The Beginning,” by Shin'ichirô Ueda
The festival will also feature a number of special events, including a retrospective of the films of Japanese director Shinya Tsukamoto, a masterclass with director Naomi Kawase, and a panel discussion on the future of Japanese cinema.
The decision to retain the hybrid format for the 2023 edition of the Skip City Film Festival is a sign that the festival is committed to reaching a wider audience, both in Japan and internationally. The festival's organizers believe that the hybrid format allows them to offer a more comprehensive and accessible experience for film lovers of all kinds.
The Skip City International D-Cinema Festival is one of the most important film festivals in Japan. It was founded in 1991 to promote the use of digital technology in filmmaking. The festival has played a major role in the development of Japanese independent cinema.
