japanese

The YAMAGATA International Documentary Film Festival (YIDFF)

Q: Why documentary film festival?
A: Since its inception, the YIDFF has strived to achieve the following goals.

  • To illustrate the current state of documentary cinema, by collecting radical documentary works from around the world and focusing on this genre, which continues to follow its own distinctive direction even as cinema has become established as a common global culture.
  • To impart the appeal of documentary, by allowing as many people as possible to see the world’s best documentary cinema in Japan, where opportunities for viewing are few and far between. To present new realms and possibilities for expression through cinema, which is generally recognized as mass entertainment.
  • To explore new concepts in the field of documentary, which is building a niche for itself while converging with various media in our high-tech information society.
  • To uncover new talent and expand spheres of interaction, by actively encouraging the works of young filmmakers.

Q: Who sponsors the festival?
A: The festival is sponsored by the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (NPO). The festival has two offices, one in Yamagata and the other in Tokyo.

  • Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (NPO) (Yamagata Office) link Office Map
    #201, 9-52 Kinomi-cho, Yamagata City 990-0044 JAPAN
    phone: 81-23-666-4480 fax: 81-23-625-4550 e-mail: info@yidff.jp
  • YIDFF Tokyo Office
    No.3 Yamada Bldg. 6fl., 22 Aizumicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0005 JAPAN
    phone: 81-3-5362-0672 fax: 81-3-5362-0670 e-mail: mail@tokyo.yidff.jp

Q: Is the YIDFF held every year?
A: No. The YIDFF is taken place every two years.

Q: What about past winning films?
A: For past winners, reports, list of screened works, number of screened films, admissions etc. please go here.

Q: What is “YIDFF News”?
A: YIDFF News is the YIDFF’s official email magazine which bring you the latest news and information related to the YAMAGATA International Documentary Film Festival in Yamagata, Japan. Currently transmission dates are fixed at irregular intervals.

Q: What are the YAMAGATA Documentary Film Library Friday Theater?
A: Screenings, sponsored by the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (NPO), are held in the Film Library’s theater twice a month (2nd and 4th Friday). Works screened, including those from the Library’s film collection, focus on documentary films rarely available for viewing at cinemas, or on TV and video.

Q: Is it possible to watch films screened at the Friday Theater at video booth in YAMAGATA Documentary Film Library?
A: Unfortunately, most films are not available to watch there.

Q: What is the YAMAGATA International Documentary Film Festival (YIDFF) Network?
A: At the first festival in 1989 on the appeal of the late Ogawa Shinsuke, the volunteer group of Network was formed to work together in cooperation with the festival.
The group reports, edits and publishes the Daily Bulletin during the festival. They also separately publish the Network Tsushin (Network Report) , focusing on the Film Festival and documentary film information.

Q: What’s the Komian Club?
A: The Komian Club is a place to get together during the Festival period. It’s run with the cooperation of Maruhachiyatarazuke Japanese restaurant Komian and the volunteer organization Beautiful Commission. Komian Club is open from 10 pm to 2 am to festival guests, participants and the local community. It has become an indispensable part of the festival.

* Don’t hesitate to contact the office directly if you have any other inquiries.