The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected the film industry in Japan. One of the main problems involved small cinemas in large urban centers. As soon as it became clear that the closure of the cinemas would lead to the collapse of the small ones, many directors and authors immediately mobilised with various initiatives aimed at raising awareness of the risk of this serious loss and urging the government to support them. The temporary closures of small theatres gave way to various alternative solutions, such as online projection channels and the revival of drive-ins, but the most interesting phenomenon is the intensification of film productions by mini-theatre operators themselves. Of the unstoppable Japanese film production of the last few years, some films have centered on stories related to the pandemic and have told of the discomfort during the emergency. This chapter aims to take a snapshot of the situation of Japanese cinema since the beginning of the pandemic, noting some of the main problems and elements of probable continuity in future productions.
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The Covid-19 pandemic severely affected the film industry in Japan, leading to both negative and positive consequences. The emergency immediately forced authors and producers to find useful alternatives on several fronts to return to previous modes. One of the main problems, as we shall see, involved small cinemas (so-called mini-theaters) in large urban centers. Between February and March 2020, restrictions imposed on cultural events intensified in Japan, culminating in April in an approximately two-month lockdown on public screenings, without, however, a clear government support plan. Fortunately, the lockdown and temporary closures of small theaters gave way to various alternative solutions, such as online screening channels and the revival of drive-ins. However, the most interesting phenomenon was the intensification of film productions, many of which were initiated by the mini-theater operators themselves, including various experimental operations — facilitated, for example, by the more widespread use of new digital technologies — undertaken to protect auteur cinema. These initiatives were complemented by a range of mobilizations among film industry players to ensure production continuity for national works, particularly in the form of successful fundraising or public awareness campaigns.
In the unstoppable Japanese film production of the very last few years — with an average of 600 productions per year — a portion of films have centered on events specifically related to the pandemic, depicting the country’s new sociological context. Moreover, in the midst of the emergency there have been almost unprecedented box-office successes, and overall the Japanese the film market has recovered at a faster pace than in the West, demonstrating that cinema remains one of the most vibrant arts in the archipelago.