"Japanese Film Festival 2013 – Bond,” a film fest showcasing Japanese movies, will kick off next week in Hanoi.

The event is held by The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam to celebrate the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Year.

It will screen 8 acclaimed movies made by Japanese filmmakers: “Tokyo Family,” “Star Watching Dog,” “Grave of the Fireflies,” “Linda Linda Linda,” “Half a Confession,” “Rebirth,” “Someday,” and “The Last Ronin.”

The festival will take place from November 13 to 24 at Hanoi’s National Cinema Center at 87 Lang Ha Street. After that, it will continue in Da Nang from December 6 to 8 at Le Do Theater at 46 Tran Phu Street and Ba Ria – Vung Tau from December 13 to 15 at Ba Ria Theater on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street.

In related news, another Japanese film fest, titled “New Wind - The 2013 Japanese Movie and Cartoon Festival in HCMC” will also open on November 15. The 7-day event is sponsored by the Consulate General of Japan in HCMC, Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs, and the Japan Image Council. This is the largest Japanese film festival ever in HCMC with 30 screenings in total, featuring 28 movies by Japanese directors, including “Mai Mai Miracle,” “Oshin,” “Wolf Children,” “A Letter to Momo,” “Rainbow Butterflies,” “Leaving on the 15th Spring,” “Blindly in Love,” and “Love Strikes.”