Last year, there was a real buzz with about 500 spectators. “We hope to have the same warm welcome this year,” assures Caroline Larroche, the association’s president. The entire casino will be decked out in Japanese colors, offering Japanese menus and snacks. The films selected by the Kinotayo festival in Paris were released in Japan in recent months and will be shown in their original version with French subtitles. Here is our selection of fiction and documentaries.
1. “Rivers Returns”: A Dive into Japanese Forests
This fiction by Masakazu Kaneko was released in 2025. Set in the summer of 1958 in a rural Japanese village between river and forest, threatened by a typhoon, the film follows a young man named Yucha who discovers the legend of Oyo during a kamishibai session. The film weaves between ecological fable and ode to tolerance where legend meets an intimate and personal quest. Screening on Friday, April 17 at 9:00 pm.
Image Caption: The magnificent Japanese forests are at the heart of Masazaku Kaneko’s film.
2. “The Last True Samurai”: The Phenomenon of Japanese Cinema
Released in Japan in 2024, this fiction and comedy by Jun’ichi Yasuda was a great success in the land of the rising sun. It will be released in France on June 10, 2026 for the general public. Also selected by the Kinotayo festival, “The Last True Samurai” will be premiered in Fouras on Saturday, April 18 at 9:15 pm. Playing with eras, a samurai from the Edo period (17th – 19th centuries) is struck by lightning in Kyoto. When he awakens in contemporary Japan, he is mistaken for a film extra and finds himself on a film set.
3. “Numakage Public Pool”: A Window to Tokyo Suburbia
This documentary by Shingo Ota is set in Numakage, a suburb of Tokyo, where a municipal pool, open for 52 years, is slated for demolition to make way for a school. The director captures the final moments of life and heartbreaking farewells of the pool’s regulars before its closure. A collection of unique stories delivering a strong political message. Screening on Saturday, April 18 at 5:30 pm.
Image Caption: The captivating aesthetics of the documentary “Numakage Public Pool” are worth the watch.
A demonstration of Ikebana (Japanese floral art) will also be offered on Sunday, April 19 at 3:00 pm at the Casino. The full program can be found on their website.
