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IFFR Spotlights Japan's Thrilling V-Cinema Movement
7 Nov
Summary
- IFFR to showcase V-Cinema, Japan's direct-to-video film movement
- Includes cult classics like "Fudoh: The New Generation" and "Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself!! VI: The Hero"
- Highlights pioneering directors who defined modern Japanese cinema
In November 2025, the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) is preparing to shine a spotlight on Japan's V-Cinema, a groundbreaking direct-to-video film movement that exploded in the late 1980s and profoundly influenced the country's contemporary cinema.
The festival's V-Cinema Focus, curated by Tom Mes, will run as part of the 2026 edition from January 29 to February 8. Originating with Toei's "Crime Hunter: Bullets of Rage" in 1989, V-Cinema responded to Japan's booming home video market by producing low-budget, high-speed films that bypassed theaters entirely. This unconventional approach gave directors unprecedented creative freedom, birthing a generation of filmmakers who went on to define modern Japanese cinema, including Miike Takashi, Nakata Hideo, Kurosawa Kiyoshi, and Aoyama Shinji.
IFFR's V-Cinema program will showcase a range of Toei titles, from the "Crime Hunter" trilogy to the psychological noir "Betrayal Tomorrow" and the cult action thriller "XX Beautiful Weapon." The festival will also highlight the anarchic spirit and genre experimentation that defined the V-Cinema movement, with selections like Miike's hyperviolent "Fudoh: The New Generation" and Kurosawa's deadpan yakuza comedy "Suit Yourself or Shoot Yourself!! VI: The Hero."
