悪い夏 (Warui natsu)

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2026

Dir. JOJO Hideo
2025 | 114 mins | Japan | Japanese with English Subtitles
KITAMURA Takumi, KAWAI Yuumi, KUBOTA Masataka, ITO Marika

Desire and duty collide in a system built to break the vulnerable.

SASAKI Mamoru (KITAMURA Takumi) is a shy, introverted welfare department caseworker, impassively carrying out duties . One day, his colleague discovers that a fellow caseworker is coercing a single mother, Aimi, for sex in exchange for welfare benefits.

Having reluctantly agreed to help uncover the truth, Mamoru starts visiting the mother, who is on the verge of child neglect. While she denies any involvement she is in fact secretly entangled with a criminal underworld boss involved in shady dealings. Without truly knowing her, Mamoru gradually forms a personal relationship with Aimi, only to find himself trapped in a nightmarish summer — one that builds to a shocking and unforgettable climax.

Directed by veteran filmmaker JOJO Hideo (Twilight Cinema Blues, JFTFP24), A Bad Summer is an explosively emotive drama that weaves together black comedy and psychological tension with devastating precision.

Content warning: Contains mild violence and moderate sex scenes

Image: © 2025 “A Bad Summer” Film Partners

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2026

Knowing Me, Knowing You: The True Self in Japanese Cinema

The UK’s largest festival of Japanese cinema, the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme (JFTFP), is back again. This is the place where cinema comes alive!

Knowing others — let alone ourselves — is not easy, as we behave differently depending on the relationship, environment, or even intention. In an age of advanced digital technology, where imagery can be readily manipulated, it is even harder to define who we, or others, truly are. This notion of identifying the self has been repeatedly explored in cinematic narratives in various ways. However, is it really possible to know our true selves? And if so, would such revelations lead to happiness and freedom, or might they instead bring disastrous and harsh consequences? With these questions in mind, the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2026 showcases some of the most unmissable Japanese films nationwide across the UK. From powerful social crime dramas and laugh-out-loud comedies to gender-defining films, fantasy, and horror, the programme offers something for everyone.

Co-organised with the Japan Foundation

Major supporter: Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation

Sponsors in Kind: Calbee, Clearspring, Pentel, Athletia and SUQQU

Venue: Studio 74, Exeter Phoenix

*Subject to a £1.50 ticketing system charge. We don’t charge this to make a profit. Find out more >>