Japanese

YIDFF 2025 Information

YIDFF 2025 Overview

Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival 2025

[Period]
October 9 (Thu) –16 (Thu), 2025
[Venues]
Yamagata Central Public Hall, Yamagata Citizens’ Hall, Forum Yamagata, Yamagata Creative City Center Q1 and more (tentative)
[Presented by]
Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (NPO)
[Co-Presented by]
Yamagata City

Programs

  • International Competition
    About 15 outstanding films selected from entries from around the world.

  • New Asian Currents
    Introducing the works of Asian documentary filmmakers without restrictions on format or length.

  • Special Invitation Films

  • Perspectives Japan
    A program dedicated to promoting exceptional Japanese documentaries to the world, and providing a spotlight for films yet to be premiered domestically. It introduces new films that offer unique perspectives on Japan, regardless of the director’s career history. Previously called Japanese Panorama and New Docs Japan, the program has been a longstanding part of the festival since its beginnings.

  • American Direct Cinema (temporary title) [New]
    In the 1960s, a group of American documentary filmmakers developed a new style of filmmaking. Later known as “observational cinema,” this style was characterized by the absence of background music, scripts, narration, or interviews. It astonished the world with its unrestricted access to all corners of society—from the President’s office to rock concerts, schools, police departments, and the military. This retrospective takes a contemporary look at the unparalleled lineage of American “Direct Cinema,” a movement that stands alongside France’s cinéma vérité. From Yanki No! (1960), a collaboration between Richard Leacock, Albert Maysles, and D.A. Pennebaker, to Frederick Wiseman’s Law and Order (1968), and Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus’s The War Room (1993), which followed the campaign that made Bill Clinton president, the program offers a sweeping view of this groundbreaking documentary tradition.

  • Palestine—Memory of the Land [New]
    Over the years, YIDFF has screened numerous films related to Palestine. This special program focuses particularly on the memories of people rooted in the land of Palestine, tracing history from the current context marked by ongoing destruction and violence. It will showcase 5 to 8 works created from diverse perspectives, primarily by promising Palestinian directors.

  • Yamagata and Film [New]
    Introducing films related to Yamagata, this program unpacks the rich and diverse film culture and history rooted in our prefecture, deepening our understanding of the region’s cinematic legacy.

  • Cinema with Us 2025
    This marks the 8th edition of the film program focusing on works borne from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. In addition to new films being made today, 15 years after the disaster, the program will introduce recent documentary practice on the Noto Peninsula, an area struck by an earthquake and heavy rains last year where, unfortunately, the lessons of the 2011 Earthquake have not been fully applied. By linking the two regions of Tōhoku and Noto across time and space, the program seeks to foster dialogue and reflection. Alongside screenings of films related to the Great East Japan Earthquake, a roundtable discussion will explore ongoing documentation activities in the disaster-stricken area of Noto.

  • Film Letter to the Future
    A workshop-based film education program that encourages young people to experience the importance of watching and discussing films, and to develop a critical perspective through documentaries. First held online in 2021 and then in person in 2023, this marks the program’s third edition. Primarily designed for high school and university students, the program offers the opportunity to watch curated documentaries and reflect deeply on their social and cultural significance. Watching films is an act of discovering the world, fostering dialogue, and expanding one’s thinking. Through the films, participants learn to appreciate diverse perspectives and experience the importance of engaging in discussion using their own words.

  • View People View Cities—The World of UNESCO Creative Cities 2025 [New]

  • Yamagata Rough Cut!
    Rough cuts of projects currently in the process of filming and editing, chosen from open call, are screened and discussed in public. The intention is to explore the potential for a more resonant cinema.

Services


Entry

Official open call for entries ended. Thank you for all your submissions.