Cinema

A Bad Summer

Thu 19 Feb 2026 18:00

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2026: Knowing Me, Knowing You: The True Self in Japanese Cinema.

Co-presented by the Japan Foundation.

Supported by the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.

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

SASAKI Mamoru (KITAMURA Takumi, Lonely Castle in the Mirror, JFTFP24; Our 30-Minute Sessions, JFTFP21; Shadowfall, JFTFP20; Tremble All You Want, JFTFP19) is a shy, introverted welfare department caseworker, impassively carrying out duties such as sanctioning fraudulent claimants despite pressure from the office. One day, his colleague MIYATA Yuko (ITO Marika) discovers that fellow caseworker TAKANO Yoji (MAIGUMA Katsuya, From the End of the World, JFTFP24) is coercing a single mother, HAYASHINO Aimi (KAWAI Yuumi, A Girl Named Ann, JFTFP25), for sex in exchange for welfare benefits.

Having reluctantly agreed with Yuko to help uncover the truth, Mamoru starts visiting Aimi who is on the verge of child neglect. While she denies any involvement with Yoji, Aimi is in fact secretly entangled with KANEMOTO Ryu (KUBOTA Masataka, A Man, JFTFP24; My Broken Mariko, JFTFP23), 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.

Contains mild violence and moderate sex scenes.

Screenings

Shanghai International Film Festival 2025, Taipei Film Festival 2025, Udine Far East Film Festival 2025

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