‘Tis the season for Japanese cinema.  The latest, coolest Japanese films crowd into London every autumn for your viewing pleasure.  And catching London’s Japanese film season is perhaps even better than seeing films in Japan!  Why?  Here, the Japanese films are subtitled in English… so you can practice your Japanese and/or English skills and be highly entertained at the same time...

The Raindance Festival runs from 29th September-11th October and promotes independent cinema.  There are 12 Japanese films to choose from, but each is shown only once, so get booked in fast!

The hugely popular BFI London Film Festival follows from 13th – 28th October 2010.  This year the film opens with UK-produced Never Let Me Go:  ‘A haunting story of love and loss based on Kazuo Ishiguro's best-selling novel’.  It looks like it’s actually fully booked already, but don’t fret, you’ll be able to catch the film at other venues around London this autumn.  See View London’s cinema section for a comprehensive guide to cinema in the capital.  Otherwise, a little light on Japanese films this year; check the ‘World Cinema’ section for details.

Barbican makes up for it with a nice selection of Japanese films on offer.  The Japanimation series event on 19th October 2010 brings Clamp – a double-bill of anime films to complement their Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion exhibition opening on 15th October.  Their series ‘aspects of japanese cinema - girlsworld: women in contemporary japanese cinema’ runs from 21st October – culminating in the visual feast of Sakuran on 14th November.  And wowsers - there's even a Cosplay Extravaganza on 6th November!

Last but not least, Zipangu Fest is the UK's 1st Japanese film festival, based in London, running 23rd-28th November 2010.  There’s also a special event at the Barbican on 29th October 2010 - Zipangu Fest is presenting a 'Japanese Halloween Schlockfest Double Bill'!