Film Review #133: ALL THE LONG NIGHTS + Interview with JFF 2024 Festival Programmer

All The Long Nights (2023) at Japanese Film Festival (JFF) 2024

+ Interview with JFF programmer!

Under the care of cinematographer Yuta Tsukinaga, who also worked on Sho Miyake’s last film, Small, Slow but Steady (2022), each shot in the film has a serene and dreamlike quality while portraying the most mundane subjects. I find this to be a special feature in Japanese cinema. Everyday scenes like the journey to and from work and home are such arbitrary constants in their daily routine, yet composed beautifully on screen.

As they learn about the other’s condition and how to support each other, Fujisawa and Yamazoe’s friendship poses the age-old question—can men and women be just friends? Their connection is based on their unadulterated desire to understand and support each other; two people who may be alone due to their conditions, but not lonely with each other.

This film marks the start of Japanese Film Festival (JFF) 2024, and aligns perfectly with this year’s theme of “Continuity”. As Fujisawa and Yamazoe’s lives ebb and flow and become intertwined, they discover themselves and teach each other how to cope. Their journey illustrates how human connection allows for continuity in an increasingly fragmented society.

All The Long Nights is a warm, inviting, and memorable opening film to JFF 2024, and screens again on 4 October alongside an exciting and diverse lineup! Now, who better to tell you more about the festival than the programmer himself? I had the pleasure of speaking to my friend, Deepagcharan Chandran, the programmer of JFF 2024, who kindly took the time to give me an insight into his curation process, putting together this year’s expansive mosaic of Japanese cinema.

INTERVIEW WITH DEEPAGCHARAN CHANDRAN, PROGRAMMER OF JFF 2024
[This interview is paraphrased slightly for clarity]

V: For this year’s JFF, how did you arrange your programme? What was your curation process?

D: I worked together with Japan Foundation, who provided us with a few titles. Then, I tried to complement the lineup with my own curation. [The Japan Foundation is a cultural organisation working with us to co-organise the film festival alongside Japan Creative Centre.] In my selection process, I paid close attention to major film festivals like Cannes, Venice, Locarno, and Berlin, to see which new Japanese films have captured their attention. This gives me a sense of the output from the Japanese film industry that can then be synthesised and presented to our local audience.

I try to draw a balance between presenting prominent, popular films and up-and-coming films that should be spotlighted. For instance, Sho Miyake, director of the opening film, All The Long Nights, is on the rise. He presents unique voices in society and shoots on film, adding texture. The festival programme also features a Singaporean co-production, My Endless Numbered Days directed by Shaun Neo. I was intrigued by his collaborative production process and wanted to support a local film that stood out. I also wanted to spotlight Gakuryu Ishii this year; The Box Man and Crazy Thunder Road are showing at JFF. His films have been credited with pioneering the Japanese New Wave and Japanese Cyberpunk genres. With unique films like these, I want the JFF programme to diversify the narrative of the constituents of Japanese cinema.

V: I know you currently do programming for SFS Showcases and some festivals. What is your key philosophy in selecting films?

D: Prominent filmmakers always have their films screened at the biggest stages at major film festivals, but I also like to follow up-and-coming filmmakers that get their launch pads at the sidebars of these film festivals. For example, Cannes has Un Certain Regard, Venice Orizzonti; these are great places to look. To diversify, I try to keep up with what films people are talking about, read film criticism platforms like Letterboxd, A Rabbit’s Hole, and more.

V: How did you select this year’s opening film, All The Long Nights? What do you feel about it?

D: For the opening film, we usually select something that’s a good representation of the festival, sets the tone, and is audience-friendly. It shouldn’t be like asking people to jump off a cliff, it should guide them on a trek up the mountain and then push them off (My personal favourite quote from Deepag). I first saw our opening film, All The Long Nights in Berlin earlier this year, and it won my heart. In modern society, we tend to shy away from talking about how to be present for others who are going through issues while we face our own. All The Long Nights is a nuanced film about being supportive of one another in this world, and discusses mental health in a compassionate and gentle way.

V: ⁠Has your relationship with Japanese films changed after programming for JFF?

D: I’ve always had huge respect for the history of Japanese cinema. Becoming a programmer for JFF has helped me further understand and appreciate the giants of Japanese cinema as well as the voices that are waiting to be heard. We get to highlight uniquely Japanese directors who have crafted a language for Japanese cinema and allow us to understand Japanese culture and cinema. I wanted to delve deeper into uncovering these voices and creating a platform for audiences to watch these films. JFF is that platform for me.

V: Any ending thoughts?

D: I think Singaporean audiences love Japanese cinema and this festival has been a platform for people to explore outside the recent landscape of mainstream offerings, and presents an opportunity to watch films that weren't released commercially in Singapore, or other forms of Japanese cinema like independent arthouse films. JFF has allowed us to really appreciate Japanese culture. I also value our collaboration with our programme partners like the Asian Film Archive and The Projector to screen all these must-see works. 

This year, we are also celebrating the 70th anniversary of Godzilla, which is a truly monumental milestone in Japanese cinema culture. I hope our audiences enjoy the lineup and take a leap of faith to watch the diverse range of films.

Japanese Film Festival 2024 runs from 26 Sep - 20 October and has diverse offerings screening at Shaw Theatres Lido, Oldham Theatre and The Projector (Cineleisure and Golden Mile Tower). 

SFS Members are entitled to discounts to most screenings. Sign up for SFS membership here: https://www.singaporefilmsociety.com/membership

Find out more about Japanese Film Festival 2024 here: https://jff.sg/

Author's bio: Victoria Khine is a fresh graduate from Film and Literary Arts at School of the Arts, Singapore. She loves watching and making films, and she writes from the heart.

----------------------------

This review is published as part of *SCAPE’s Film Critics Lab: A Writing Mentorship Programme, with support from Singapore Film Society.