The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) and the Japan Foundation Asia Center will jointly present the CROSSCUT ASIA Delicious! Online Film Festival from January 21 to February 3, 2022. 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 for free: CROSSCUT ASIA special edition featuring “delicious” films from Asia, with seven films highlighting the culinary cultures of Japan and Southeast Asia, and Encore! CROSSCUT ASIA, encore screenings of films handpicked from past editions of CROSSCUT ASIA at TIFF.
 
Along with the “main dish” above, we are pleased to announce a Special Menu of related content, which includes online talks and interviews with ambassadors and staff from the embassies of Southeast Asian countries in Japan to introduce stories about food.
 
Registration for this online film festival is now open (pre-registration is free and required.) Please check the full details on the official website and get ready for this exciting, “delicious” opportunity to feast on great Asian cinema!
 

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Special Menu
Lunch Reports from Asia
Local lunch reports by the staff of the Japan Foundation based in Southeast Asia and Japan
8 articles from Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia
 
Embassy Interviews
Interviews about embassy cuisines
5 interviews with ambassadors and staff from the embassies of the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia, in Japan
 
Online Talks

5 talk sessions with the directors of selected films
A　 With director Jay Abello (Namets! (Yummy!))　
Moderator: ISHIZAKA Kenji (TIFF Senior Programmer)
B　With director Eric Khoo (Wanton Mee)
Moderator: SUGINO Kiki (Director, Actress, Producer)
C　With director Edwin (Aruna & Her Palate)
Moderator: MATSUSHITA Yumi (Film Presenter)
D　With director KONISHI Mirai (Kampai! Sake Sisters)
Moderator: ISHIZAKA Kenji (TIFF Senior Programmer)
E　With director Kriangkrai Monwichit (My Love is Soup)
Moderator: ISHIZAKA Kenji (TIFF Senior Programmer)
 
Others (Articles Delving into the Food Culture of Southeast Asian Countries)
A　The Philippines: A short documentary film “SUZUKI DAISUKE: DIARY OF AN AMBASSADOR’S CHEF” follows a day in the life of a chef at the official residence of the Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines.
B　Malaysia: 1) A video of director Pete Teo, a musician who now runs an organic farm and restaurant, exploring the future of Malaysian cuisine with a young chef. 2) Director Ho Yuhang introduces soul food in Petaling Jaya, the suburb of Kuala Lumpur, where he was born and raised and still lives.
C　Cambodia: Interview with a Cambodian chef and video about the country’s cuisine
 
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)
Registration to view the online festival: Free of charge (Some of the films will not be available in all designated countries.)
 
Further information and registration: crosscutonline.jfac.jp
Registration starts Tuesday, January 18, 2022, 12:00 p.m. (JST)
 
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.