Japanese Film Festivals in the Asia-Pacific Cultural Diplomacy, Practices and Audiences

This book represents the first in-depth research dedicated to examining the historical and contemporary developments of Japanese film festivals as sites of cultural diplomacy. It focuses on the proliferation, network and operation of Japanese Film Festivals (JFFs) in the Asia-Pacific from the late 1970s until 2020. Through case examples in Australia, Malaysia and Thailand, the book explores how the formation and recent developments of JFFs in the region reflect wider changes in the function of Japanese cultural diplomacy through films, particularly with the intensification of economic, cultural and diplomatic opportunities presented in this geopolitical space.

Chapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: Screening Japan Abroad: Situating the Emergence of Japanese Film Festivals in the Asia-Pacific.- Chapter 3: Organising Japanese Film Festivals: Institutional Goals, Structures and Actors.- Chapter 4: Programming Japan Abroad: Japanese Film Festivals and the Politics of National Images.- Chapter 5: Going to Japanese Film Festivals: Audiences, Motivations and Experiences.- Chapter 6: Conclusion.

Teck Fann Goh is Lecturer in Arts and Cultural Management at the University of Melbourne. She obtained her PhD from the School of Media, Film and Journalism at Monash University, Australia. Her research focuses on the implementation of cultural policy in the organisation of film festivals and how institutions practice cultural diplomacy on the international stage to enhance cultural connections. Her other research interests include contemporary film cultures and Asian media and popular culture.