Japanese movies at Cannes 2012

By kevin on April 20, 2012 at 2:24pm EDT

The 65th Cannes International Film Festival lineup has been announced, and although the list is a little light on Asian entries in general, Japan will be represented.

Just a few days ago, Takashi Miike was joking about how he went to Cannes last year for Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai, but probably wouldn’t be invited back this year for his latest work, the multi-genre manga adaptation that even its star is incapable of describing - For Love’s Sake.

Defying the director’s expectations, the film has actually been selected as part of the Midnight Screenings section of the festival.

Koji Wakamatsu’s 11/25 The Day Mishima Chose His Own Fate will compete in the festival’s Un Certain Regard section. The film depicts the life of prolific author and right-wing nationalist Yukio Mishima in the days leading up to his death by seppuku.

The only Japanese-language film in the main competition this year is Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami’s Like Someone in Love (formerly The End), which stars Rin Takanashi as a young college student named Akiko who becomes involved in an unusual relationship with a brilliant elderly man (Tadashi Okuno).

The festival will be held from May 16-27 this year.

Sources: ANN, FirstShowing.net

Thanks to and for the heads up.

Edit: Changed movie title from “The Legend of Love & Sincerity” to “For Love’s Sake”. Blame IMDb. And thanks.