From January 21 to February 3, 2022, the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) and the Japan Foundation Asia Center will jointly present the CROSSCUT ASIA Delicious! Online Film Festival. Originally launched as a section of TIFF in 2014, CROSSCUT ASIA showcased diverse Asian cinema with a focus on specific Asian countries, directors or themes for six years until 2019. It now returns in a special online version with two programs—CROSSCUT ASIA special edition featuring “delicious” films from Asia, and Encore! CROSSCUT ASIA—streaming a total of 13 titles for free, along with a packed program of special “side dishes” and “main courses.”
 
We are pleased to announce the full lineup and program details.
 
The CROSSCUT ASIA special edition featuring “delicious” films from Asia section is themed around food and features seven films, including Wanton Mee, by leading Singaporean director Eric Khoo, whose films play regularly at international film festivals; Jay Abello’s romantic comedy Namets! (Yummy!), which showcases the visually delightful cuisine of the Philippine island of Negros; and Aruna & Her Palate, an Indonesian food-themed road movie by Edwin, the acclaimed director who won the Golden Leopard at the 2021 Locarno International Film Festival.
 
Encore! CROSSCUT ASIA brings together a selection of carefully chosen films that attracted great acclaim when previously screened in the CROSSCUT ASIA section at TIFF. Fresh from her success with Netflix’s A World Without, director Nia Dinata’s Indonesian musical Three Sassy Sisters is included, along with a Pete Teo Special, a series of works including music videos and an omnibus of short films by 15 Malaysian directors. These are just two of the works screening in this richly varied program.
 
The festival’s lineup of related content has talks with film directors and interviews about food. The musician, actor, producer, director and talented multi-hyphenate Pete Teo, whose Pete Teo Special is showing in the Encore! CROSSCUT ASIA section, will also make a special video especially for the festival. Other content will include various videos and articles. Further details will be available on the festival website. Don’t miss this “delicious” opportunity to feast on great Asian cinema!
 
Title: CROSSCUT ASIA Delicious! Online Film Festival
Organizers: The Japan Foundation Asia Center, Tokyo International Film Festival
Dates: Friday, January 21, 2022, 10:00 a.m.–Thursday, February 3, 2022, 11:59 p.m. (JST)
Subtitles: Japanese, English (some films have subtitles in various Southeast Asian languages)
Viewing: Free of charge (Some of the films will not be available in all designated countries.)
Registration starts: Tuesday, January 18, 2022, 12:00 p.m. (JST)
 
Further information and registration: crosscutonline.jfac.jp
 

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Program 1: CROSSCUT ASIA special edition featuring “delicious” films from Asia
Seven films highlighting the culinary cultures of Japan and Southeast Asia
 

Aruna & Her Palate
Love Story / 2018 / Indonesia / 107 min / Indonesian
Subtitles: Japanese, English, Khmer, Thai, Vietnamese
Director: Edwin
Cast: Dian Sastrowardoyo, Oka Antara, Nicholas Saputra
Available in: Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
 
Aruna is sent on a research trip to investigate the outbreak of avian flu. Joined by her friends, her trip becomes a culinary journey of famous regional dishes across Indonesia. The four friends taste black soup in Java and crab noodles in Kalimantan. The road movie is directed by Edwin, whose latest film Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash, won the Golden Leopard at Locarno Film Festival in 2021.
©CJ Entertainment, Palari Films In cooperation with Osaka Asian Film Festival

Balut Country
Drama / 2015 / The Philippines / 94 min / Filipino
Subtitles: Japanese, English, Indonesian, Khmer, Thai,Vietnamese
Director: Paul Sta. Ana
Cast: Rocco Nacino, Ronnie Quizon, Vincent Magbanua, Archi Adamos
Available in: Worldwide (except the Philippines)
 
A son inherits a large duck farm from his late father. Having left home for life in the city to pursue a career as a musician, he returns to his hometown intending to sell the property. But the grand landscape begins to change his heart. Balut, a Filipino soul food, is a fertilized duck egg boiled after the embryo develops. The film was screened in CROSSCUT ASIA 2015.
©Solar Pictures

Kampai! Sake Sisters
Documentary / 2019 / Japan, USA / 96 min / Japanese, English
Subtitles: English, Indonesian, Khmer, Thai, Vietnamese
Director: KONISHI Mirai
Cast: IMADA Miho, CHIBA Marie, Rebekah Wilson-Lye
Available in: Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
 
The world of Japanese sake brewing has long been off-limits to women. In this uplifting and touching documentary, a new generation of women shine in the traditional and esoteric business, inspiring the viewer with the strength to face today’s challenges. The film is a sequel to Kampai! for the Love of Sake, which toured the world after its premiere at the San Sebastian International Film Festival.
©2019 KAMPAI! SAKE SISTERS PRODUCTION COMMITTEE　World Sales: SYNCA Creations Inc.

[Japan Premiere]
My Love is Soup
Comedy / 2020 / Thailand / 99 min / Thai
Subtitles: Japanese, English, Indonesian, Khmer
Director: Kriangkrai Monwichit
Cast: Hussawee Pakrapongpisan, Sassanee Virachat, Pitisak Yaowananon, Suttida Kasemsan Na Ayutthaya
Available in: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand
 
Minnie finds a job in a fancy restaurant despite her lack of cooking skills. After making a major blunder that jeopardizes the restaurant’s reputation, she tries to restore it by finding the secret soup recipe of her great-grandfather, who was a royal chef. This heartwarming comedy entertains viewers with culinary images from Thailand’s deep south, with its large Muslim population, as well as behind-the-scenes footage in a restaurant kitchen.
©MPictures Co., Ltd.

[Japan Premiere]
Namets! (Yummy!)
Comedy / 2008 / The Philippines / 94 min / Hiligaynon
Subtitles: Japanese, English
Director: Jay Abello
Cast: Angel Jacob, Christian Vasquez, Peque Gallaga
Available in: Worldwide
 
In Bacolod City on the island of Negros, the Philippines, an Italian restaurant is lost through a debt and transformed into a restaurant featuring traditional local cuisine. This romantic comedy is a treat for the eyes, with splendid presentations of Negrense dishes that will delight epicureans. The film participated in the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, the gateway to success in thriving Filipino independent film circles.

A River Changes Course
Documentary / 2013 / Cambodia, USA / 83 min / Khmer, Jarai
Subtitles: Japanese, English
Director: Kalyanee Mam
Available in: Worldwide (except USA)
 
A documentary portraying the lives of three young Cambodians, this film captures daily images of people eating, working and making a living, while revealing the social problems of overfishing, deforestation, poverty and debt. It won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize for documentaries at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.
©2013 MIGRANT FILMS and The DOCUMENTATION CENTER OF CAMBODIA

[Japan Premiere]
Wanton Mee
Drama / 2015 / Singapore / 71 min / English, Mandarin
Subtitles: Japanese, English, Indonesian, Khmer, Thai, Vietnamese
Director: Eric Khoo
Cast: Koh Boon Pin, Bill Teoh, Tammie Chew
Available in: Worldwide
 
A middle-aged food critic captures Singapore’s traditions and development, while rediscovering his career and life through interviews with street-food hawkers. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Eric Khoo, this ambitious docufiction features a rich variety of street foods, from diverse noodle dishes such as wanton mee and laksa, to foods that reflect the country’s multiethnic diversity, such as fish head curry and nasi lemak.
©Zhao Wei Films

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Program 2: Encore! CROSSCUT ASIA
Encore screenings of films handpicked from past editions of CROSSCUT ASIA at TIFF
 

Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock & Roll
Documentary / 2014 / USA, Cambodia / 107 min / English, French, Khmer
Subtitles: Japanese, English
Director: John Pirozzi
Cast: Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Serey Sothea, Bayon Band
Available in: Worldwide
 
Through the eyes, words and songs of its popular music stars of the 50s, 60s, and 70s, Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock & Roll examines and unravels Cambodia’s recent tragic past.

Invisible
Drama / 2015 / Japan, the Philippines / 134 min / Filipino, Tagalog, Japanese
Subtitles: Japanese, English
Director: Lawrence Fajardo
Cast: Allen Dizon, Ces Quesada, Bernardo Bernardo, JM De Guzman
Available in: Worldwide (except Malaysia)
 
Invisible tells the story of four Filipino migrant workers in Japan, a crucial encounter that mirrors the difficult challenges that confront the “Pinoy” diaspora.
©Solar Pictures　In cooperation with Fukuoka City

Pete Teo Special
Short films / 2008-2013 / Malaysia / 97 min / Mandarin, Malay, Tamil, English
Subtitles: Japanese, English
Directors:
Ho Yuhang, Yasmin Ahmad, Amir Muhammad, Linus Chung, Liew Seng Tat, Desmond Ng, Kamal Sabran, Tan Chui Mui, Woo Ming Jin, James Lee, Benji & Bahir, Johan John, Khairil Bahar, Nam Ron, Suleiman Brothers (15Malaysia), Benji Lim (Vote!), Pete Teo (Malaysia Day: Slipstream), Yasmin Ahmad, Ho Yuhang (Here in My Home), Kamal Sabran (I Go)
Available in: Worldwide
 
15Malaysia consists of 15 short films made by Malaysian filmmakers. Produced and released by Pete Teo in 2009, these films revolutionized the media and political cultures in Malaysia.

The Pete Teo Special includes other shorts (Vote!, Malaysia Day: Slipstream, Here in My Home, I Go) in which Pete Teo was involved.
From Chocolate by Yasmin Ahmad　©2009 Redbag Music Sdn Bhd.

Tang Wong
Drama / 2013 / Thailand / 86 min / Thai
Subtitles: Japanese, English
Director: Kongdej Jaturanrasmee
Cast: Sompob Sittiarjarn, Siripat Kuhavichanun, Nutthasit Kotimanuswanich, Anawat Patanawanichkul, Natarat Lakha
Available in: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam
 
Tang Wong is a comedic drama that centers around four high school boys. They have prayed before the Luang Poo idol at the spirit house. When their wishes come true, they must repay the debt by performing a traditional Thai dance…
©Song Sound Production

Three Sassy Sisters
Musical / 2016 / Indonesia / 124 min / Indonesian, English
Subtitles: Japanese, English
Director: Nia Dinata
Cast: Shanty Paredes, Tara Basro, Tatyana Akman, Rio Dewanto, Reuben Elishama, Richard Kyle
Available in: Worldwide
 
Usmar Ismail’s Three Sisters (Tiga Dara) was first released in 1956. Nia Dinata, who grew up watching the film in reruns on Indonesian TV and was very inspired by it, has created an homage to her favorite director.
©KalyanaShiraFilms / SAFilms

Trap
Drama / 2015 / The Philippines / 93 min / Filipino, Waray
Subtitles: Japanese, English
Director: Brillante Ma Mendoza
Cast: Nora Aunor, Julio Diaz, Aaron Rivera
Available in: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
 
In the horrendous aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan, survivors are left to search for the dead while keeping their sanity intact, and protecting what little faith there may be left.

Note: Balut Country from the CROSSCUT ASIA special edition featuring “delicious” films from Asia is also available to watch as part of the Encore! CROSSCUT ASIA program.
 
Special Content (Related Content Program)
The festival also features a packed program of special “side dishes” and “main courses,” including talks with directors and interviews about food. Find out what gets served up at embassies and ambassadors’ residences, and about lunches in Southeast Asia, and enjoy local footage and articles. Further information will be announced on the festival website.
crosscutonline.jfac.jp
 
Viewing Information
– The films are available to watch after registering on the festival website.
– The number of possible views/streams is limited for each film. Due to demand, films may become unavailable to watch.
– Viewing may be affected by your internet connection speed or device. Please stream the films with a stable connection to enjoy the best viewing experience.
– For other information on viewing conditions, please check the festival website.
 
About the Tokyo International Film Festival CROSSCUT ASIA section
CROSSCUT ASIA was an official section of TIFF between 2014 and 2019. Over six years, it showcased Asian films, focusing on specific Asian countries/regions, directors or themes. The first three editions featured films from Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia. The fourth, fifth and sixth editions were theme-based, highlighting works from young filmmakers recommended by maestros, films featuring Southeast Asian music, and films depicting supernatural powers in Southeast Asia from various perspectives. Last year, a booklet titled “CROSSCUT ASIA SPECIAL: All About Asian Cinema 2020” was published, introducing the Asian films screened at the 33rd TIFF and looking back at each edition of the CROSSCUT ASIA section co-presented by TIFF and the Japan Foundation Asia Center.
 
The Japan Foundation Asia Center jfac.jp
The Japan Foundation is Japan’s principal independent administrative institution dedicated to carrying out cultural exchange initiatives throughout the world. The Asia Center, established in April 2014, is a division within the Foundation that conducts and supports collaborative initiatives with its Asian—primarily ASEAN—counterparts. Through interacting and working together in Japanese-language education, arts and culture, sports, and grassroots and intellectual exchange, the Asia Center pursues to develop the sense of kinship and coexistence among Asian neighbors.