The Romanian Cultural Institute in Tokyo, through the EUNIC cluster and the International Relations Directorate, in partnership with the Romanian Embassy in Japan, supports Romania's participation in the EU Film Days 2025 – Animation Film Festival, by presenting three animated film productions: "The Island" (directed by Anca Damian), the short film "ABIFF" (directed by Valentin Urziceanu) and the short film "Outdoors in Isolation" (directed by Matei Branea).
The festival debuts on May 9, 2025, in Osaka, and is held under the aegis of the EU Delegation to Japan, in the context of the Osaka World Expo. The screenings will take place within the "House of Europe" pavilion, and will be toured in several important cities in Japan: Kyoto, Tokyo, Nagoya and Fukuoka.
The animated feature film "The Island", directed by Anca Damian, will be presented to the Japanese public in eight screenings. The film was selected in the program by Valerio Caruso, the festival curator and director of the Cineuropa platform, based on the international recognition of the director, whose works have been awarded in prestigious international festivals.
Along with this title, the festival audience will also be able to watch two Romanian animated short films:
"ABIFF", directed by Valentin Urziceanu
"Outdoors in Isolation", directed by Matei Branea
The festival project is coordinated by Valerio Caruso, an expert with experience in organizing European cinema events outside the borders of the European Union, such as the European Union Film Festival (EUFF) India 2024 and the Euro Film Fest Zimbabwe 2022.
The Romanian participation in EU Film Days 2025 reflects the commitment of the ICR Tokyo and the Romanian Embassy in Japan to promote Romanian visual culture and contribute to European cultural dialogue in the Asian space.
The Island
Director: Anca Damian
Year of production: 2022
Running time: 85 minutes
Synopsis: The Island is a surreal comedy inspired by Robinson Crusoe. Through visual poetry and symbolism, the film explores current events with a colorful, poetic and humorous approach, presenting a musical fable of contemporary relevance. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12254200/
EU FILM DAYS is a unique film festival presenting a selection of recent, outstanding film productions, selected by the embassies and cultural institutes of the European Union (EU) Member States in Japan.
This year, all 27 EU Member States are participating, with a special focus on animation. Each country is proposing its own selection of animated short and feature films.
Europe is recognised worldwide for the richness and sophistication of its animation production, made using a variety of techniques – from classic drawing and stop-motion to the most advanced forms of 3D animation. The themes addressed range from personal introspection to relevant social issues.
EU FILM DAYS 2025 offers audiences the opportunity to discover Europe’s cultural diversity through animated art, reflecting distinct artistic visions from each Member State of the European Union.
