A cinema weekend in Kuching can take you from women-led stories to the work of a director who has just turned 95. The Japanese Film Festival is screening at GSC CityONE Megamall from 8 to 11 October, with tickets listed at RM10.
The local programme gives filmgoers a reason to look beyond the usual big-release poster. Its Girl Power selection sits alongside a tribute to Yamada Yoji, offering different routes into Japanese cinema over the same weekend.
Three titles put women’s stories in view
Utusan Borneo’s 8 October report names Purehearted, Hula Girls 4K and Fujiko among the Girl Power attractions. Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur director Tsukamoto Norihisa discussed that focus at the local opening.
The mix is useful if you are choosing a screening with friends: start with the kind of story everyone wants to see, then look at the individual film details and showtimes. A festival label is an invitation to explore, rather than a promise that every title will feel the same.
You also do not need to know Japanese to follow the programme. The organiser lists screenings in Japanese or their original language, with English subtitles.
A tribute to a filmmaker turning 95
Yamada turned 95 on 13 September. The Kuching report highlights a tribute connected with his long filmmaking career, naming Tokyo Taxi, A Distant Cry from Spring and Tora-san’s Many-Splintered Love.
For viewers who mostly meet Japanese films through recent releases or streaming recommendations, the tribute opens another path. You can choose one of those screenings without committing to watching a director’s entire filmography first.
Check the title-specific synopsis before booking. The programme combines different films, so the anniversary theme alone does not tell you the tone of every screening.
Make the RM10 outing fit your weekend
JFKL lists RM10 festival tickets through GSC’s sales channels. The Kuching dates run until Sunday, 11 October, at CityONE Megamall; check the available session for the film you want before travelling.
The official festival programme is the best place to compare titles, while the cinema’s current listing tells you which seats and times remain available. Booking one screening is enough to try something outside your usual queue.
For a weekend plan, pick the story first and the session second. A women-led film or a visit to Yamada’s work could be the most interesting RM10 you spend at the cinema this week.
Sources & further reading
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