Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival returns to Row House Cinema in Lawrenceville

For the next two weeks, Japanese cinema will take over at Row House Cinema in Lawrenceville.

The Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival, some of the theater’s most popular annual programming, returns March 15 through March 28, with 19 films and several special events.

Kelsey Zehmisch, marketing director for Row House Cinema, expects upwards of 2,000 attendees throughout the two weeks of the festival’s run.

“A lot of people don’t realize that Japanese cinema is very influential to American cinema. Some of the greatest filmmakers of all time, like Kurosawa, are Japanese. This is a really important piece of the film diaspora,” Zehmisch said.

This year’s selections feature a wide range of genres, but with a focus on Japanese horror, which has been particularly influential.

“We’ve seen so many [American] remakes,” she said.

There will also be drama films, anime, classics and even some sci-fi and B movies.

“Sunday, March 24 is all anime day, so that will be fun,” Zehmisch noted.

Newly released dramas, like “A Man” and “Monster,” will be included in the schedule, as well as only the second North American screening of “Baby Assassins 2,” the sequel to a popular selection from a previous year.

“It sounds silly, but it is the most fun movie,” Zehmisch said.

The films are the main draw of the Japanese Film Festival, but there will be plenty of fun events as well.

Row House is partnering with Scarehouse for a showing of “Ringu,” the basis of the popular American horror film “The Ring,” on March 23.

On March 20, cats from Trash Cat Rescue will be available in the lobby of the theater between the 5:25 p.m. showing of “Kuroneko” and the 7:35 p.m. showing of “House.”

Many of their events will also feature food and drink, like Saturday’s Japanese whiskey tasting, which will accompany the film “High and Low,” “Monster” with tea tasting this coming Tuesday, and a closing night “brew and view” of the film “Ninja vs. Shark,” where moviegoers will have beer delivered to their seats.

“It’s a busy few weeks, but it’s always a lot of fun,” Zehmisch said.

She also added that the festival has gained a loyal following, with many people attending multiple screenings and events throughout. Row House offers a few different options for multi-film passes, with the “Superfan” pass, which allows the holder to attend as many films as they want, always selling out.

Week 1 and Week 2 passes are still available for $59 each.

This festival is a unique opportunity for people from all over the Rust Belt to come and experience Asian cinema, and for local movie lovers to expand their horizons.

Zehmisch referred to South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s 2020 Golden Globes acceptance speech, where he said, “Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.”

“We very much believe that. We have people come out, whether they’re big fans of Japanese cinema or they’re just looking to experience something new,” Zehmisch said.

The Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival will run from March 15-28 at Row House Cinema in Lawrenceville. For tickets and information on show times, special events and passes, go to jffpgh.org.