Japanese Film Festival (February, 2026)
2026/1/27
The Japanese Film Festival is back in Seychelles!
The event will be organised by the Embassy of Japan in Seychelles, in collaboration with the Japan Foundation and the Seychelles Department of Culture, Arts and National Heritage.
Admission is free.
The films will be screened with English subtitles.
Directed by TAKEBAYASHI Ryo
5:30pm, Wed, Feb 4 @ICCS, Victoria
82 min, PG-13
Working over night with colleagues, a head injury from a traffic accident, constant sleepiness on the job and a bird slamming itself into the office window... on top of a pressing deadline at her advertising job, YOSHIKAWA is having the worst week ever. As if her headache wasn’t bad enough, her coworkers ENDO and MURATA are going mad and claim the entire office is stuck in a time loop... but after a few rounds of reliving the same mundane Monday, YOSHIKAWA soon realises they're telling the truth. Now the teammates must work together, enlighten their oblivious colleagues and find a way to end this endless Monday!
5:30pm, Thur, Feb 5 @ ICCS, Victoria
116 min, PG-13
Ito, a high school student in far north Tsugaru, plays the Tsugaru shamisen as a hobby. She learned it from her late mother, a master player in her own right. While Ito can express herself through music, talking is a little harder due to shyness caused by her strong Tsugaru dialect. So she has a few friends, but has a strong inner spirit which leads her to take on a big challenge — working at a maid cafe.
5:30pm, Fri, Feb 6 @ ICCS, Victoria
139 min, PG-13
A love for fish that is deeper than the ocean. The film is based on an autobiography written by a celebrity marine biologist known as Sakana-kun. Everyone in Japan, both young and old, know him; a mild-mannered and humorous man with an unchallenged knowledge of fish. The movie follows Meebo, Sakana-kun's fictional counterpart, for whom life is all about fish and nothing else. Meebo single-mindedly goes after this passion, no matter what the obstacle!
With Sakana-kun as the Advising Fish Expert, principal photography commenced in the summer of 2021. The production relocated from one coastal town to another, in search of perfect environment to photograph fish. In accordance with the film's focus, the filmmakers' attitude was "Fish first, people second."
1:15pm, Sat, Feb 7 @ ICCS, Victoria
100 min, PG
The townsfolk of Chimney Town are getting ready for Halloween when all of a sudden, a Garbage Man made of old scrap metal and a broken umbrella turns up unannounced, causing everyone to wonder where on earth he came from. The mechanical figure made of garbage bumps into the lonely boy Lubicchi who renames him “Poupelle” and the two become instant friends, spending more and more time together, before gradually uncovering the secrets of Chimney Town.
3:15pm, Sat, Feb 7 @ ICCS, Victoria
90 min, PG-13
Suddenly in a pastoral area in Kasukabe, there appears a theme park called, “20th century Expo” with Tokyo Tower overtop! But the strangest thing about this Expo is that people who enjoy the park are all adults. Hiroshi, Shin-chan’s father, becomes a leading actor and is transformed into “Ultra Hiroshi Sun”. He beats monsters and is totally puffed up about his role. Misae, Shin-chan’s mother, is acting as “Majokko Misarin (The Witch Girl, Misarin). All the adults are looking back their child-hood, and also people starts driving vintage cars around the town of Kasukabe. Then, old TV shows started on TV, and “unusual things” have started to occupy the “usual things” of this theme park. As led by the sound of the Pied Piper, all the adults are getting into “20th century Expo”. Then, “kids hunt” has started when kids tries to resist this expo and are left behind.
5:15 pm, Sat, Feb 7 @ ICCS, Victoria
112 min, PG-13
A team in Katori-city office, Chiba, launches a project to bring a great figure of the town into NHK historical drama to revitalize the town. A figure they chose is Ino Tadataka, who is known for completing the first map of Japan. But during the development of the script, the team finds out and gets panicked by the staggering fact that Ino had died before the map was completed. Back in 1818, after Ino passed away, his pupils decide to conceal their master’s death and carry out a secret operation to finish the map to honor their master. The truth behind the first map of Japan now reveals.
Invitation Only
Tue, Feb 3 @ ICCS, Victoria
128 min, PG-13
A family drama depicting the short life of one of Japan’s most beloved writers, MIYAZAWA Kenji, who left behind many children’s stories and poems. The film is told from the perspective of Miyazawa’s father who loved his son dearly and continued to believe in his son’s talents. World-renowned actor YAKUSHO Koji plays Miyazawa’s father who is both serious and comical. SUDA Masaki, one of the best young actors in working today, brilliantly expresses Miyazawa’s emotional instability as well as his gentle side that writes stories for his sick younger sister. The performance by the two actors, who together represent contemporary Japanese cinema, is not to be missed.
The event will be organised by the Embassy of Japan in Seychelles, in collaboration with the Japan Foundation and the Seychelles Department of Culture, Arts and National Heritage.
Admission is free.
The films will be screened with English subtitles.
MONDAYS: See you “this” week!
Directed by TAKEBAYASHI Ryo5:30pm, Wed, Feb 4 @ICCS, Victoria
82 min, PG-13
Working over night with colleagues, a head injury from a traffic accident, constant sleepiness on the job and a bird slamming itself into the office window... on top of a pressing deadline at her advertising job, YOSHIKAWA is having the worst week ever. As if her headache wasn’t bad enough, her coworkers ENDO and MURATA are going mad and claim the entire office is stuck in a time loop... but after a few rounds of reliving the same mundane Monday, YOSHIKAWA soon realises they're telling the truth. Now the teammates must work together, enlighten their oblivious colleagues and find a way to end this endless Monday!
ITO
Directed by YOKOHAMA Satoko5:30pm, Thur, Feb 5 @ ICCS, Victoria
116 min, PG-13
Ito, a high school student in far north Tsugaru, plays the Tsugaru shamisen as a hobby. She learned it from her late mother, a master player in her own right. While Ito can express herself through music, talking is a little harder due to shyness caused by her strong Tsugaru dialect. So she has a few friends, but has a strong inner spirit which leads her to take on a big challenge — working at a maid cafe.
The Fish Tale
Directed by OKITA Shuichi5:30pm, Fri, Feb 6 @ ICCS, Victoria
139 min, PG-13
A love for fish that is deeper than the ocean. The film is based on an autobiography written by a celebrity marine biologist known as Sakana-kun. Everyone in Japan, both young and old, know him; a mild-mannered and humorous man with an unchallenged knowledge of fish. The movie follows Meebo, Sakana-kun's fictional counterpart, for whom life is all about fish and nothing else. Meebo single-mindedly goes after this passion, no matter what the obstacle!
With Sakana-kun as the Advising Fish Expert, principal photography commenced in the summer of 2021. The production relocated from one coastal town to another, in search of perfect environment to photograph fish. In accordance with the film's focus, the filmmakers' attitude was "Fish first, people second."
Poupelle of Chimney Town
Directed by HIROTA Yusuke1:15pm, Sat, Feb 7 @ ICCS, Victoria
100 min, PG
The townsfolk of Chimney Town are getting ready for Halloween when all of a sudden, a Garbage Man made of old scrap metal and a broken umbrella turns up unannounced, causing everyone to wonder where on earth he came from. The mechanical figure made of garbage bumps into the lonely boy Lubicchi who renames him “Poupelle” and the two become instant friends, spending more and more time together, before gradually uncovering the secrets of Chimney Town.
CRAYON SHINCHAN THE STORM CALLED: THE ADULT EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
Directed by HARA Keiichi
3:15pm, Sat, Feb 7 @ ICCS, Victoria
90 min, PG-13
Suddenly in a pastoral area in Kasukabe, there appears a theme park called, “20th century Expo” with Tokyo Tower overtop! But the strangest thing about this Expo is that people who enjoy the park are all adults. Hiroshi, Shin-chan’s father, becomes a leading actor and is transformed into “Ultra Hiroshi Sun”. He beats monsters and is totally puffed up about his role. Misae, Shin-chan’s mother, is acting as “Majokko Misarin (The Witch Girl, Misarin). All the adults are looking back their child-hood, and also people starts driving vintage cars around the town of Kasukabe. Then, old TV shows started on TV, and “unusual things” have started to occupy the “usual things” of this theme park. As led by the sound of the Pied Piper, all the adults are getting into “20th century Expo”. Then, “kids hunt” has started when kids tries to resist this expo and are left behind.
Dreaming of the Meridian Arc
Directed by NAKANISHI Kenji5:15 pm, Sat, Feb 7 @ ICCS, Victoria
112 min, PG-13
A team in Katori-city office, Chiba, launches a project to bring a great figure of the town into NHK historical drama to revitalize the town. A figure they chose is Ino Tadataka, who is known for completing the first map of Japan. But during the development of the script, the team finds out and gets panicked by the staggering fact that Ino had died before the map was completed. Back in 1818, after Ino passed away, his pupils decide to conceal their master’s death and carry out a secret operation to finish the map to honor their master. The truth behind the first map of Japan now reveals.
FATHER OF THE MILKY WAY RAILROAD
Directed by NARUSHIMA IzuruInvitation Only
Tue, Feb 3 @ ICCS, Victoria
128 min, PG-13
A family drama depicting the short life of one of Japan’s most beloved writers, MIYAZAWA Kenji, who left behind many children’s stories and poems. The film is told from the perspective of Miyazawa’s father who loved his son dearly and continued to believe in his son’s talents. World-renowned actor YAKUSHO Koji plays Miyazawa’s father who is both serious and comical. SUDA Masaki, one of the best young actors in working today, brilliantly expresses Miyazawa’s emotional instability as well as his gentle side that writes stories for his sick younger sister. The performance by the two actors, who together represent contemporary Japanese cinema, is not to be missed.