Love Letter - 13th MAiFF

Love Letter
dir. Shunji Iwai
1995 / Japan / 117 mins / Fiction

Hiroko attends the memorial service of her fiancé, Itsuki Fujii, who died in a mountain-climbing incident. Although Itsuki’s mother says that their old house is gone, Hiroko records the address listed under his name in his yearbook and sends him a letter. Surprisingly, she receives a reply, and discovers it came from his old classmate, a girl who also happens to be called Itsuki Fujii. Iwai’s work in the 1990s defined a new era of Japanese filmmaking, creating what became known as the "Iwai aesthetic"—a dreamy, poetic style marked by stunning cinematography and a deep sensitivity to the nuances of youth and memory. His influence extends beyond cinema into music videos and pop culture, capturing the hearts of a generation. We are thrilled to present his 1995 masterpiece, Love Letter (ラヴレター). A heart-wrenching story of mistaken identity and lost love, this beautiful film became a cultural phenomenon across Asia and remains a timeless classic of romance cinema.

Submerge
dir. Cindy Mochizuki
2003 / Canada / 1 minute / Animation

This short animation film is a “water poem,” set in a Japanese ofuro hot bath. It explores water as a medium and repository for collective stories and was created in a hybrid new media form using animation, video and split screens.

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Host or Publisher Korean Film Festival Canada