2022 ~ 2023 Winners!
KJFF - Feature: The Haunted Jizo of Shimo-Mizuno, Sayama City - Mitsuo Kurihara
KJFF - Feature - Best Director: What I Learned from Cycling - Kenji Ogusu
KJFF - Best Short: Shoes and Signpost - Takahiro Yamaguchi
KJFF - Best Short: Cinematography: The Entertainer - Sola Kuwabara
KJFF - Best Short: Best Actress: Farewell Wedding Dress - Kyusaku Ichida
KJFF - Best Short: International: Odurajet - Johan Henrik Markus Andrén
KJFF - Best Anything Goes - Yoshimi & Daigo - Mitsuo Kurihara
GBLB - Best Documentary Short - "Sanh Peace Garden" dir. Tinh Mahoney
GBLB - Best Short - "Get a Boyfriend" dir. Shuho Takase
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"A True Celebration of Budget-Constraint Creativity." - Elliot Grove (Raindance)
The Good, the Bad, & the Low Budget - Japan Low-Budget Film Festival has been renamed the Kaminari Japanese Film Festival!
In Japan, few foreign films are ever screened and indies film directors are squashed whether they are Japanese or foreigners. There is no where to turn if you haven't the big bucks to remake the next Star Wars. To take down this "Good Ol Boy" system in Japan is the goal of the Kaminari Japanese Film Festival!
The Kaminari Japanese Film Festival is for everyone with a dream to become a filmmaker! Our only requirements are that your film is low budget. Our judges just love low budget movies because they've made them themselves (one time too many as a matter of fact!)
No major film studios are welcomed. None. We are a truly independent film festival designed for lovers of films and people who can use great ideas to make new and interesting projects instead of throwing cash down the bin faster than a Yakuza chopping off his pinky.
Consider us your first step towards Raindance Film Festival (our Godfather partners in London) and the Japan Indies Film Festival (JIFF) as these two festivals are our big sisters - and they support us - in this game of indies films. Winners get fee waivers to BOTH festivals!
The Kaminari Japanese Film Festival celebrates the best in Indies films and the screenings will be held at theater Guild in Daikanyama, and we will also broadcast your films worldwide on the internet.
So, stop what you are doing right now... You know, that old home movie of your kids? Could be gold! That cinema project in high school or college? Win an award, that'll show them! Just piddling around with your dream while working full time? OK, great! And how about that cat video you shot with your iPhone? It's a Grammy winner!
But don't be scared away, we also accept films from serious filmmakers!
Join with us indies folks who are making a dream come true and NOT spending a sh*tload of money on crappy movies like Marvel Comics does.
Because great ideas can take the place of big money anytime!
PS: Silent films MOST welcomed! Films shot on iPhones very welcomed!
Best Feature
Best Documentary Feature
Best Short
Best Documentary Short
Eraserhead Award (Best Horror Movie)
Anything Goes Award