The Nara International Film Festival (NIFF) has selected six films from around the world to compete in its main competition this year. Organized by renowned Japanese filmmaker Naomi Kawase, the biennial festival will take place from September 20-23 in the historic city of Nara, Japan.
The competition lineup showcases emerging talents alongside established directors. It features films from the United Kingdom, China, Sweden, Azerbaijan, Spain, and France. These movies have screened at prestigious festivals worldwide and tackle diverse themes.
British director Joshua Trigg’s “Satu – Year of the Rabbit” makes its Asian premiere. The film debuted at the Raindance Film Festival. Chinese director Choy Ji’s directorial debut “Borrowed Time” first showed at last year’s Busan International Film Festival. Swedish director Ernst De Geer’s “The Hypnosis,” which won three awards at the 2023 Karlovy Vary Festival, also competes.
The other competition films are Malika Musaeva’s “The Cage Is Looking For A Bird” from Azerbaijan, Spanish director Laura Ferres’ “The Permanent Picture,” and “Heartless” by the directing duo of Nara Normande and Tiao from France. All have screened with success at festivals like Berlin, Locarno, and Venice.
The winner will take home the prestigious Golden Shika Award, named for Nara’s famous deer. Past recipients include Japan’s Daichi Murase, whose 2020 student film “Roll” won the festival’s audience award. Kawase then supported the production of Murase’s follow-up “Beyond the Fog,” which closed the 2021 San Sebastian Festival.
NIFF also highlights new voices through its NARA-wave section for student films. This year’s ten selected movies represent institutions from countries like Poland, Japan, Canada, India, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The festival aims to nurture emerging filmmaking talents globally.
Festival director Naomi Kawase, a five-time Cannes competition entrant renowned for films such as “Shara” and “The Mourning Forest,” ensures NIFF remains an important platform for discovering new directors. Her connection to host city Nara adds personal significance. Kawase’s 2015 movie “Sweet Bean” will close this year’s festival.
