Curating

JNA with actress Sakura Ando and interpreter Marie Iida at *Asleep* Q&A during JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film, July 16, 2015, photo by Mike Nogami

Upcoming & Past Programs

JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film (August 20-September 2, 2021)
Japan Society, New York. Hybrid: online and in-person. 27 feature films, 12 shorts. Press release.

JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film (July 17-30, 2020)
Japan Society, New York. Online. 31 feature films, 12 shorts. Press release.
“It’s the best opportunity for American film lovers to get an unparalleled peek into the singular world of Japanese cinema.” –The Wall Street Journal
“JAPAN CUTS has unambiguously become America’s best annual showcase of new Japanese film […] a comprehensive snapshot of the country’s ever-vital national cinema.” –IndieWire
“Characteristically rich, forward-thinking film programming.” –RogerEbert.com

“So Pretty (2019) with director Jessie Jeffrey Dunn Rovinelli” (December 9, 2019)
Purchase College, SUNY. 1 feature film, 1 visiting filmmaker with class visit.

JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film (July 19-28, 2019)
Japan Society, New York. 26 feature films, 16 shorts, 22 guests. Press release.
“JAPAN CUTS has established itself as the definitive Japanese film festival in the United States, thanks to the scope of its programming.” –Slant Magazine
“North America’s premier program of contemporary Japanese cinema.” –MUBI Notebook
“A staple in the sea of summer cinematic offerings.” –The Film Stage
“Offers a deep dive into one of the world’s most vital film cultures with a diverse selection.” –NYC-ARTS

JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film (July 19-29, 2018)
Japan Society, New York. 28 feature films, 9 shorts, 21 guests. Press release.
“Boasts a slate as diverse as that of any international festival.” –The Village Voice
“JAPAN CUTS has grown into an annual institution” […] “a fixture of the city’s film scene.” –IndieWire
“Over the years, Japan Society has cultivated a devoted cinephile audience” […] “This might be one of the best programs Japan Society has put together to date; I can’t recommend it highly enough.” –RogerEbert.com
“Offers a consistently strong, varied program with films New Yorkers cannot see anywhere else.” –Film Journal International
“One of the city’s most impressive annual festivals.” –Screen Slate

“Documentary Attunements,” On Film screening series (February 19, 2018)
University of Rochester. 1 feature film, 1 guest lecture.

JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film (July 13-23, 2017)
Japan Society, New York. 28 feature films, 6 shorts, 10 guests. Press release.
“Meticulously curated” […] “An annual highlight of New York’s film calendar.” –The New York Times
“This is the wildest annual NYC film festival, which reflects the Japan Society’s commitment to the rollicking, no-holds-barred nature of the country’s film culture.” –New York Magazine
“More than just the biggest North American festival of Japanese film, it’s an expansive glimpse into Japan’s national consciousness.” –Observer

“Immigration and Displacement,” On Film screening series (April 17, 2017)
University of Rochester. 1 feature film, 1 short, 1 guest.

“Queer Longings: Narratives of Desire,” On Film screening series (November 29, 2016)
University of Rochester. 1 feature film, 1 short, 1 guest.

JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film (July 14-24, 2016)
Japan Society, New York. 29 feature films, 41 shorts, 23 guests. Press release.
“North America’s largest festival of new Japanese cinema, and pound-for-pound one of the most consistently rewarding film festivals on the planet, Japan Cuts grows more vital with every passing year.” […] “One of the city’s major annual events.” –IndieWire
“Celebrated for its high standards and its eclectic slate.” –Film Journal International
“The festival’s line-up has only become bolder.” –RogerEbert.com

“Voicing on Film,” On Film screening series (February 18, 2016)
University of Rochester. 6 short films.

“Films Made in Kasama and Fukushima” (November 16, 2015)
University of Rochester. 1 feature film, 1 short, 1 visiting filmmaker with class visit.

JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film (July 9-19, 2015)
Japan Society, New York. 28 feature films, 29 shorts, 16 guests. Press release.
“No other film showcase on Earth can compete with its culture-specific authority—or the quality of its titles.” “their most provocative [edition] to date.” “a peerlessly insightful look at the current state of Japanese cinema” –Time Out New York
[A] “cinematic cornucopia” “interest clearly lies with the idiosyncratic, the eccentric, the experimental and the weird, a taste that Japan rewards as richly as any country, even the United States.” –The New York Times
“Stands apart from film festivals that pander to contemporary trends, encouraging attendees to revisit the past through an eclectic slate of both new and repertory titles.” –The Village Voice

“Godina & Marc on Film, Presented by Jurij Meden,” On Film screening series (March 30, 2015)
University of Rochester. 5 short films, 1 guest.

“Andy Warhol’s Sexy Silent Films, Presented by Douglas Crimp,” On Film screening series (November 6, 2014)
University of Rochester. 5 short films, 1 guest lecture.

JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film (July 10-20, 2014)
Japan Society, New York. 28 feature films, 8 guests. Press release.

“Layers/Earths,” On Film screening series (April 3 & 10, 2014)
University of Rochester. 3 feature films, 7 shorts, 1 guest.

“Waiting/Action,” On Film screening series (March 27 & 29, 2013)
University of Rochester. 2 feature films, 4 shorts.

JNA with director Jessie Jeffrey Dunn Rovinelli following screening of *So Pretty* (2019) at Purchase College, SUNY, December 9, 2019, photo by Rachel Fabian

Event Documentation