Showroom Cinema, Sheffield’s beloved independent picture-house, has announced a new programme of films from the world of Japanese Cinema.
The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2025 (JFTFP25) are bringing a lineup of nine films, playing at the Showroom from 9-28 February. There’s something for everyone, with some older hidden gems as well as exciting new films.
We Make Antiqiues! plays on 11 February. A heist comedy featuring a wheeler-dealer and a ceramicist, this film has been described as ‘Antiques Roadshow meets Ocean’s Eleven’ – an irresistible premise if we’ve ever heard one.
Ichiko, an award-winning Japanese thriller, plays on 17 February. When 20-something Kawabe Ichiko goes missing without a trace, her boyfriend tries to file a report – only for the police to discover no records of her existence. The film’s director, Toda Akihiro, will join for an in-person Q&A session.
Ghost Cat Anzu arrives on 23 February. Inspired by Studio Ghibli, this anime adventure stars a giant anthropomorphic ginger cat who rides a moped and becomes a reluctant babysitter to an 11-year-old girl.
Let’s Go Karaoke! plays on 25 February. A bizarre slice-of-life music-comedy, this film sees a Yakuza lieutenant taking singing lessons in order to best his criminal organisation’s karaoke competition. This film is a live-action adaptation of a popular manga series.
Carmen Comes Home is the closing film of the festival, playing on 28 February. This was Japan’s first ever colour feature film, from 1951. A light-hearted retro comedy, it follows Carmen, a city girl who returns to her rural hometown, where the locals are horrified to discover that she has a career as an exotic dancer.
The Showroom specialises in bringing international and independent films to the big screen, and hosts several international festivals per year, bringing the city dozens of culturally important works unavailable anywhere else. Last year, the cinema hosted a full festival of Japanese ‘Kaiju’ (giant monster) movies, dubbed ‘KaiJuly’, to great success.
The Japan Foundation was established in 1972, and promotes international cultural exchange globally. They bring Japanese arts and culture to the UK and around the world, including cinema, which is one of Japan’s best-known and best-loved exports.
Tickets for the festival start at £5 with a free Cine26 membership for people aged 26 and under, with other discounts available. You can browse the full programme online at: https://www.showroomworkstation.org.uk/
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