KUCHING – The Japanese Film Festival 2026 has returned to Kuching for its 14th edition, bringing 13 Japanese films to GSC CityONE Megamall from 8 to 11 October as part of its annual programme in Malaysia. Pasted markdown
The festival features a broad selection of genres, including drama, anime, comedy, suspense, action, science fiction and period films. The programme also includes restored classics and films connected to Japanese theatre and Kabuki, giving audiences an opportunity to experience different periods and styles of Japanese cinema.
The Kuching programme opened with SAMURAI VENGEANCE, a period mystery directed by Minamoto Takashi. The film centres on the aftermath of a public revenge killing in Edo and follows an investigation into the motives and circumstances surrounding the incident.
The festival also includes a retrospective dedicated to veteran director Yamada Yoji. The selection features TOKYO TAXI, A DISTANT CRY FROM SPRING and TORA-SAN’S MANY SPLINTERED LOVE, bringing together works from different stages of the director’s career.
Among the newer productions is TOKYO TAXI, which follows a taxi driver transporting an elderly passenger from Tokyo to a nursing home in Kanagawa. The journey gradually becomes an exchange of personal experiences, exploring themes of memory, compassion and human connection.
The programme also places a particular focus on female-led stories under its “Girl Power” selection. The films FUJIKO, Hula Girls – 4K Remastered- and PUREHEARTED examine resilience, personal determination, family relationships and the challenges faced by women in different social and historical settings.
The festival’s restored-film programme includes Akira Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood, a 1957 period drama inspired by themes of ambition, morality and power. The 4K remastered edition of Hula Girls, originally released in 2006, is also part of the selection.
Other films scheduled for the Kuching leg include the anime adventure Chimney Town: Frozen in Time, family drama Bring Him Down to a Portable Size, romance One Last Love Letter, suspense film SUZUKI=BAKUDAN and science-fiction comedy You are the Film. The selection provides audiences with a mix of contemporary productions and established Japanese cinema.
The festival has developed into a recurring platform for Japanese cinema in Malaysia. Its 2026 programme follows more than two decades of screenings and related activities, during which the festival says it has attracted more than 200,000 attendees and presented films involving more than 128 directors and film representatives.
The wider programme also includes activities aimed at developing interest in filmmaking. A three-day filmmaking workshop held from 31 July to 2 August brought together more than 25 film students from five Malaysian universities.
The workshop was organised with Canon Malaysia and Multimedia University, with participants receiving guidance from Malaysian filmmakers Nik Amir Mustapha, Idham Mad Din and Johan Arif Mazlan. Participants produced trailers for the 2026 festival as part of the programme.
For festival visitors, a stamp rally will also be available during the Kuching event, allowing participants to collect stamps and redeem selected prizes subject to the stated terms and conditions.
Tickets for the Kuching screenings are priced at RM10 and can be purchased through GSC ticketing channels, including kiosks, online payment services and the GSC mobile application. The films will be screened in Japanese with English subtitles.
The Kuching leg runs alongside the wider cultural activity taking place in the city, with visitors also encouraged to explore What About Kuching 2026, an annual event highlighting Sarawak’s arts, culture and lifestyle scene.
With its combination of contemporary releases, restored classics, retrospectives and filmmaking activities, the Japanese Film Festival provides another cinema-focused programme for audiences in Kuching this week. – Sarawak Daily
