Japanese Film Festival India Schedule and Details
Japanese Film Festival India Unveils City-Wise Film Schedule
Japan Foundation’s JFF sets screenings across four Indian cities from January 2026
Highlights
- The Japanese Film Festival India has announced its schedule for four cities in January 2026, with city-wise screenings in Kolkata, Kochi, Ahmedabad, and Noida.
- The JFF 2026 lineup features Akira alongside new Japanese films and live-action adaptations, blending classics and 2025 releases.
- Organized by the Japan Foundation, JFF reinforces cultural exchange through Japanese cinema, with tickets available on BookMyShow.
The Japanese Film Festival (JFF) India has announced its theatrical screenings scheduled across Kolkata, Kochi, Ahmedabad, and Noida as part of its multi-city rollout. The festival, organized by the Japan Foundation, started its 2025 edition on Dec 12-14, 2025, in Pune and Hyderabad, gradually extending to Mumbai and Bengaluru.
The early 2026 screenings will run between Jan 9 and Jan 25, extending its nationwide circuit. In Kochi and Ahmedabad, the event will run between Jan 9 and 11, in Noida Jan 16-18, while in Kolkata, it is scheduled for Jan 23-25, 2026.
The announcement details city-specific programming that blends classic Japanese cinema, contemporary live-action films, and anime, reinforcing JFF’s positioning as a cultural diplomacy initiative rather than a commercial release slate.
Launched in India in 2017, JFF has steadily expanded its footprint, reflecting growing institutional confidence in the Indian market for Japanese cinema beyond niche anime fandoms. In a statement outlining the festival’s philosophy, the Japan Foundation has previously described JFF as an effort to deepen mutual understanding between Japan and other countries through the medium of film, showcasing both the diversity and contemporary realities of Japanese society.
2025’s edition is hosted in collaboration with Mela! Mela! Anime Japan!!, extending its partnership for anime films.
Japanese Film Festival India Lineup and Highlights
The 2026 India edition features nine Japanese films spanning animation, romance, crime, mystery and social drama. Headlining the slate is Akira, directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, screened in a remastered format. The 1988 cyberpunk classic, rated R in several international territories, remains one of Japan’s most influential animated exports. The movie has an 8.0 IMDb score and 91% Rotten Tomatoes rating.
Other notable titles include The Boy and the Dog (drama), 6 Lying University Students (mystery), 366 Days (romance), Showtime 7 (suspense), Sunset Sunrise (relationship drama), ANGRY SQUAD: The Civil Servant and the Seven Swindlers (crime-comedy), and Teasing Master Takagi-san (romantic comedy) live-action adaptation.
Apart from 6 Lying University Students, Teasing Master Takagi-San, and ANGRY SQUAD, the rest of the movies are 2025 releases and offer a deliberate mix of youth-oriented comedies, adult dramas, and genre hybrids.
The movie schedules remain the same for every city. It starts with ANGRY SQUAD, followed by the second day featuring Akira, Showtime 7, which is directed by Kazutaka Watanabe, The Boy and the Dog by Takahisa Sese, and Petals and Memories by Maeda Tetsuya. The rest of the films are scheduled for Day 3.
Screenings will be hosted in partnership with the cinema chain PVR. Tickets are already live on the Indian ticketing site BookMyShow and PVR Cinemas.
Author
Kamalikaa Biswas is a content writer at Outlook Respawn specializing in pop culture. She holds a Master's in English Literature from University of Delhi and leverages her media industry experience to deliver insightful content on the latest youth culture trends.
