About

Shinsedai – Japanese term meaning “new generation”

“The past decade or so has seen an explosion of exciting new filmmakers, taking advantage of new production and exhibition technologies and supported by such vital organizations as Pia Film Festival, Image Forum and Yamagata Film Festival, to tell the stories that matter to them.”

- author and Midnight Eye co-founder Jasper Sharp

Kurosawa, Ozu, Mizoguchi, Oshima, Kitano – around the world these names immediately bring to mind the best that Japanese cinema has to offer, but now that we’re at the beginning of a new century many film fans are wondering who the next generation of great filmmakers from Japan will be. Toronto’s 2nd annual Shinsedai Cinema Festival tries to answer that question by bringing some of the best work by new, young and independent Japanese filmmakers to Toronto, many for the very first time.

Curated by Jasper Sharp, author, film historian, and co-founder of Midnight Eye, the premiere resource for new Japanese cinema online and Chris MaGee, the founder and editor of Toronto’s own J-Film Pow-Wow, the Shinsedai Cinema Festival will celebrate the wide range of talent coming out of Japan today. For four days between July 22nd and July 25th the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre will be host to everything from insightful dramas, quirky comedies, hard-hitting documentaries, experimental shorts, and beyond. The Shinsedai Cinema Festival will have something for everyone this summer.

Jasper Sharp
Co-Programmer/ Co-Director

Jasper Sharp is the co-founder, along with Tom Mes, of Midnighteye.com, the premiere website for news and information on Japanese cinema. Along with his duties at Midnight Eye has curated programmes of Japanese films at London’s Raindance Film Festival, Deutches Filmmuseum in Frankfurt, Austin Fantastic Fest and Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival. He is the co-author along with Tom Mes of “The Midnight Eye Guide to New Japanese Film” published by Stonebridge Press and “Behind the Pink Curtain: The Complete History of Japanese Sex Cinema” Published by FAB Press.

Chris MaGee
Co-Programmer/ Co-Director

Chris MaGee is the founder and editor of the Toronto J-Film Pow-Wow, the premiere Japanese film blog in Canada. Founded in 2007 the goal of the Pow-Wow is to promote Japanese films both in Toronto and around the world and reflect the full range of cinematic expression coming out of Japan. Besides his duties at the J-Film Pow-Wow Chris independently curates screenings of Japanese films across Canada. He is currently working on a book that chronicles the history of butoh dance on film.

James Heron
Executive Director

James Heron has been the Executive Director of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre since 2000. He is also the President of the Chado Urasenke Tankokai (Tea Ceremony) Association of Toronto and Past President of the Toronto Japanese Language School. James lived and worked in Japan for over ten years. Until meeting Chris and Jasper, he considered himself knowledgeable in the area of Japanese film.