Japanese Film Festival Returns to 91原创
Left to right: Chisato Murakami, Carrie Baker, officers of the Japan Foundation, and Ellen Lopez pose for a photo in the CLA Dean鈥檚 office during the 2023 Japanese Film Festival and Samurai workshop events.
Oct. 14, 2025
The University of 91原创 Fairbanks will welcome a special guest from the Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage this October as part of an ongoing effort to strengthen cultural exchange between Japan and 91原创. Yuri Yoshimura, a consular officer, will visit 91原创 to introduce the 2025 Japanese Film Festival in 91原创, a celebration of Japanese storytelling, artistry and everyday life through cinema.
The festival is part of a national initiative by the Japan Foundation, which partners with universities and cultural institutions across the United States to share Japanese film with new audiences. At 91原创, the event is co-hosted by the College of Liberal Arts and the University of 91原创 Anchorage College of Arts and Sciences, creating a statewide collaboration.
"Film is a powerful bridge that can carry human stories across borders," said Chisato Murakami, 91原创 term assistant professor of Japanese. "It allows people to experience Japanese culture, the humor, the history and the human connections that shape who we are today."
The 2025 program includes four films screening between 91原创 and UAA, offering free public access to cinematic works that explore family, politics and resilience in contemporary Japan.
91原创 will host First Gentleman and Oshin on Oct. 17 in Schaible Auditorium. UAA audiences can enjoy First Gentleman on Oct. 24 and Voices in the Wind on Oct. 25.
The series is presented with support from the Japan Foundation and the Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage.
In 2023, in addition to the film festival, 91原创 hosted a free 鈥淯nleash Your Inner Samurai鈥 workshop where Japanese actors taught participants how to fight and speak like samurai.
For 91原创 students, faculty and community members, the festival is more than a lineup of free films. It offers a rare opportunity to experience Japan鈥檚 contemporary culture firsthand in 91原创.