Japan Society has announced the full lineup for the 18th edition of Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film at the organization’s New York headquarters.
The festival, now powered by title sponsor GU, will showcase 30 films across 11 days, featuring two world premieres, nine North American premieres, and 10 New York premieres.
Leading this year’s guest roster, legendary filmmaker Kurosawa Kiyoshi will be honored with the 2025 Cut Above Award for outstanding achievement in film. Widely regarded as one of Japan’s most influential living directors, Kurosawa is known for modern classics including “Tokyo Sonata,” “Cure” and “Pulse.” The festival will present premieres of his latest works — psychological thriller “Cloud” and “Serpent’s Path,” a reimagining of his own 1998 original.
The festival opens with the New York premiere of “Ravens,” written and directed by Mark Gill and starring Tadanobu Asano. The biopic centers around the turbulent life of radical postwar photographer Masahisa Fukase.
The festival will also welcome acclaimed actress Yuumi Kawai, this year’s best actress winner at the Japan Academy Film Prize for her performance in “A Girl Named Ann.” Kawai will attend the North American premiere of that film, as well as the U.S. Premiere of “She Taught Me Serendipity” from Japan Cuts favorite Akiko Ohku. The festival will also present the New York Premiere of “Teki Cometh,” which swept last year’s Tokyo International Film Festival, winning best film, director and actor.
“We’re deeply proud to celebrate Japanese film in the heart of New York City,” said Peter Tatara, director of film at Japan Society, who organized this year’s festival with Japan Society Film programmer Alexander Fee. “Each year, Japan Cuts presents a look into the contemporary Japanese cinema scene, spotlighting both major award-winners as well as rising stars.”
Highlights include pop culture hits such as “A Samurai in Time,” which won best film at the Japan Academy Film Prize; “Blazing Fists” from genre icon Miike Takashi; “The Gesuidouz” from punk director Kenichi Ugana; and “The Real You” based on a novel by Keiichiro Hirano. The festival will also present the world premiere of “Kowloon Generic Romance,” based on a beloved manga from Jun Mayuzuki, and “My Sunshine,” a film about an adolescent ice-dancing duo.
The lineup spans four sections: Feature Slate, Next Generation, Classics and Short Films. The Next Generation competition features emerging directors competing for the Obayashi Prize, with films including “Michiyuki – Voices of Time,” “See You Tomorrow,” “Promised Land,” and “So Beautiful, Wonderful and Lovely.”
The Classics section includes a rare 35mm screening of Kurosawa Kiyoshi’s “License to Live” and the international premiere of a new 4K restoration of Shunji Iwai’s “Love Letter” for its 30th anniversary, plus the North American premiere of the original “Serpent’s Path’s” 4K restoration.
Additional titles include anime spectacle “Gridman Universe” from Studio Trigger, comedy “Kaiju Guy!” starring Japanese comedian Gumpy, historical drama “Yasuko, Songs of Days Past,” and documentaries “Japanese Avant-Garde Pioneers” and “What Should We Have Done?”
Japan Cuts closes with “The Spirit of Japan,” a documentary by Joseph Overbey about traditional shochu distillers, followed by a reception featuring shochu from Yamatozakura Distillery.
Japan Cuts: Festival of New Japanese Film runs July 10-20.