Inaugural Toronto Japanese Film Festival's closing film - Friends after 3.11 - looks at post-tsunami question: "Where do we go from here?"

TORONTO, April 30, 2012 /CNW/ - The Toronto Japanese Film Festival has announced its closing film, the North American premiere of master director Shunji Iwai's Friends after 3.11 - an inquiry into the evolving nature of the post-tsunami Japan.

The film, which delves into the question from the political, environmental, societal and artist perspectives, concludes a two week line-up of Canadian premieres of the newest and the best of Japanese cinema. Fittingly a portion of the Festival's proceeds will go to post-tsunami relief in Japan. The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC) has already raised $1.5 million through other fundraising efforts.

The festival, which runs from June 7^th to 21^st, 2012 at the JCCC (6 Garamond Court, Toronto), opens with the Canadian Premiere of Rebirth - winner of 10 Japanese Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director, Screenplay as well as many top performance awards.

The Festival, which showcases the best of Japanese contemporary cinema, will premiere 14 films including samurai, drama, comedy, anime, romance and children's. Information about tickets sales, films, schedule and other Festival news can be found at www.torontojff.com.

For almost 50 years, the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre has been an engine for generating friendship through the exchange of culture and ideas between Canada and Japan. The Toronto Japanese Film Festival is just one way the JCCC showcases Japanese culture - this time through the eyes of some of its most talented filmmakers. Registered charity # 118972967RR0001

Media contact: GoldFenix Communications - Paul Tyler, 905-235-2731, [email protected] or Victoria Ollers, 416-822-2288, [email protected]