Convention - Japan Expo 2024: A Dazzling Celebration of Japanese Cinema

By Mulder, 28 may 2024

The cultural histories of France and Japan have nourished each other for centuries. Japanese cinema, through its directors, cinematographic genres, themes and actors, has crossed borders and won acclaim from critics and audiences alike. This 23rd edition of Japan Expo pays tribute to two genres of Japanese cinema: Kaijû Eiga (literally giant monster cinema) and J-Horror.

Two emblematic film sagas will illustrate these genres: Godzilla, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, and Hideo Nakata's Ring, released just over 25 years ago on Japanese screens. Godzilla, co-directed in 1954 by Ishiro Honda for the scenes with actors and Eiji Tsuburaya for the special effects sequences, initiated a revolution in the use of special effects in Japanese cinema. This titanic star of some forty films, some of them produced and directed by Hollywood teams, has become an international icon whose popularity has never waned. In 2023, Takashi Yamazaki's Godzilla Minus One met with unprecedented international success, even winning the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.

Japan Expo will pay tribute to this saga with exceptional guests such as director Shinji Higuchi, known for works such as Shin Godzilla, Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris and the feature films Attack on Titan, and illustrator Yuji Kaida, nicknamed the Painter of the Kaiju. Conferences and a major exhibition will allow visitors to plunge into the fascinating world of Godzilla, tracing its history from the first film to its recent successes.

Ring, the cult film of the late '90s and ranked third best film of all time by Rolling Stone magazine, is steeped in Japanese folklore and boasts an intensely suggestive mise-en-scène. This film inaugurated a movement in Japanese cinema: J-Horror. A number of J-Horror films have been remade in the USA, including Ring, but also Takashi Shimizu's Ju-On: The Grudge and Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Kaïro. Ring almost immediately evokes the character of Sadako, played by Rie Inō, who will be one of the festival's guests this year. Japan Expo will revisit this horror film series through a conference and the presence of Rie Inō and Takuya Wada.

Eiji Tsuburaya, co-director of Godzilla, is one of the masters of special effects who popularized actors costumed as monsters amid miniature sets. He is also the creator of Ultraman, another icon of the genre. A screening of Shin Godzilla will take place on Thursday July 11 at 7:15pm on the YUZU stage, as part of the Japan Expo evenings, with the presence of Shinji Higuchi, award-winning director and science-fiction enthusiast. Higuchi began his career in 1984, and was awarded the Special Prize at the Japan Academy Film Prize for special effects in the film Gamera: The Guardian of the Universe in 1995. His first film as director was Lorelei (2005), followed by Sinking of Japan (2007), Attack on Titan Parts 1 and 2 (2015), and Shin Godzilla (2016).

Yuji Kaida, a renowned illustrator nicknamed the Painter of the Kaiju, specializes in strange creatures and giant monsters, alien superheroes like Ultraman and other giant robots. Influenced from an early age by kaiju films, special-effects movies and animated works, Kaida has published a large collection of works and organized numerous exhibitions. In 2022, The Godzilla Art of Kaida Yuji, the first overseas collection of his work, was published by Titan Books in the UK. A major 300m² exhibition will be dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Godzilla, allowing visitors to discover all the richness of this Kaijû who revolutionized the seventh art. The exhibition will offer total immersion in the world of Godzilla, with presentations on the suitmation technique that brought this iconic monster to life.

Takuya Wada, animator, chara-designer, director and special effects director, has held many positions in his long career. He got his start on Lupin III and worked as a key animator on series such as Invincible Robo Trider G7, Cat's Eye and Cobra. By the age of 20, he had become animation director on numerous titles, including Hokuto no Ken and Ashita no Joe. He went on to learn make-up and special effects techniques in Hollywood, directing make-up on horror films such as Ring and Parasite Eve. Takuya Wada will be present at Japan Expo to share his experience with visitors.

Rie Inō, born in Tokyo, is a member of the Banyû Inryoku theater company and has taken part in numerous shows. She used her physical performance to embody Sadako in the films Ring and Ring 2, making her a global horror icon. She will be attending Japan Expo to discuss her iconic role and career.

Japan Expo 2024 will be held from July 11 to 14 at the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center, welcoming over 255,000 visitors each year. The event offers more than 500 events over 140,000 m², with stages dedicated to martial arts, signing sessions and a variety of exhibitions. Every year, Japan Expo welcomes prestigious artists and showcases new talent through conferences, signings and masterclasses, celebrating Japanese culture and its many facets.

Since its creation in 2002, Japan Expo has been committed to hosting Japanese artists and offering the French public unique encounters with iconic figures from cinema, animation, video games and manga. With over 255,000 visitors for its 2023 edition, Japan Expo is the leading European festival dedicated to Japanese entertainment and culture, and the third largest trade show in France, after the Paris Motor Show and the Salon de l'Agriculture.

(Source : press release)