The Japanese Film Festival (JFF) Special Series returns to Arc Cinema in 2025 and turns its gaze to the 1930s, a defining decade for Japanese film. Following the introduction of “talkies,” or films made with sound, which led directors to develop new visual languages and narrative styles that would shape the nation’s film industry for generations.

Amid the turmoil of the era—marked by economic hardship and mounting political pressure—Japanese filmmakers produced works of striking creativity and emotional depth. Though many films from this era have been lost, the surviving titles are a testament to the vitality of Japanese cinema before the devastation of war, offering audiences a window into both the anxieties and aspirations of the time.

This free Special Series is part of the Japanese Film Festival 2025, in partnership with The Japan Foundation, Sydney, and made possible by The Japan Foundation Film Library.