Discover new, up-and-coming filmmakers with JFF…
Whether you find yourself on forced hiatus from your job or suddenly working remotely from your home office, most of us are having to spend a lot more time at home than we usually would. Long days indoors can seem like a daunting prospect for many of us but luckily, in this age of streaming services, we are no longer merely at the mercy of what the TV has to offer, but get to pick and choose our entertainment from a myriad of different sources best suited to our tastes. However, if the film and TV catalogues of your standard streaming services don’t quite cut the mustard, or if like many other you find yourself having to streamline your monthly budget somewhat, there are alternatives that are available online completely free of charge.
Japanese Film Festival Magazine, together with Moosic Lab, a leading Japanese film competition, have launched their very own streaming service, JFF Online, that brings Japanese indie cinema to western audiences with no subscription fees or hidden charges. As of last month, film fans everywhere have been able to enjoy a selection of movies formerly presented at Moosic Lab, as well as interact with other viewers, make recommendations or just participate in general discussion about the films.
The first selection of Moosic Lab X Japanese Film Festival Magazine films includes nine feature length and three short films, varying from drama to comedy and romance. You can catch titles like Hirobumi Watanabe’s Life Finds a Way, a look at daily struggles of an aspiring film director in Japan’s suburbs, or Mayu Akiyama’s Rent a Friend, an exploration of friendships between men and women. The small but well curated collection is likely to offer something for most film fans.