Japanese Film Festival Returns to Alaska
Left to right: Chisato Murakami, Carrie Baker, officers of the Japan Foundation, and Ellen Lopez pose for a photo in the CLA Dean’s office during the 2023 Japanese Film Festival and Samurai workshop events.
Oct. 14, 2025
The ϳԹ 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 Alaska. Yuri Yoshimura, a consular officer, will visit UAF to introduce the 2025 Japanese Film Festival in Alaska, 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 UAF, the event is co-hosted by the ϳԹ of Liberal Arts and the University of Alaska Anchorage ϳԹ of Arts and Sciences, creating a statewide collaboration.
"Film is a powerful bridge that can carry human stories across borders," said Chisato Murakami, UAF 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 UAF and UAA, offering free public access to cinematic works that explore family, politics and resilience in contemporary Japan.
UAF 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, UAF hosted a free “Unleash Your Inner Samurai” workshop where Japanese actors taught participants how to fight and speak like samurai.
For UAF students, faculty and community members, the festival is more than a lineup of free films. It offers a rare opportunity to experience Japan’s contemporary culture firsthand in Alaska.