Kendra Jorstad News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

©L’espace Vision, Dream Kid, Kaizo Production Films from Japan The inaugural Japanese Film Festival, presented by the Chicago Japan Film Collective and advertised as the first of its kind in the Midwest, features nine contemporary Japanese films: “Our festival is designed to bring the American Midwest into conversation with Japanese culture,” says co-founder Sakamoto Yuki. Among the films are Hayashi Kaizo’s “Bolt,” a drama about the earthquake that resulted in the Fukushima nuclear disaster; “All About Chiaki Mayumura (provisional),” a drama about a musical celebrity who is much more than meets the eye; “Videophobia,” a cyber thriller; “Alone Again in Fukushima,” a documentary about a man who stayed behind after the disaster and evacuation to care for abandoned animals, and “The House of Seasons,” a family drama about a teen who overcomes mental health issues. The festival runs May 25-31. Tickets: $10 for one film; $15 access to all the films. Visit

United statesNew jerseyRichard thompsonSteve dawsonSima cunninghamLucy kaplanskyJenai cutcherRobyn mineko williamLaksha dantranRobyn hitchcockKendra jorstadJessica bronsonBettye lavettemark seligerStephen spanopoulosJason robert brownTuli bera