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Cinema Pairing (Japan x Malaysia)

Start Date: 15/5/2026 - End Date: 17/5/2026 ::: Curated by Jacky Yeap

Join us for ‘Cinema Pairing Japan x Malaysia‘

Happening from 15 – 17 May 2026 at GSC Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur.

This special program is brought to you by The Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur (JFKL)  in collaboration with GSC International Screens, curated by Mr. Jacky Yeap.

Cinema Pairings presents two double-bills pairing Japanese and Malaysian films along with one contemporary Japanese film. The series celebrates and highlights the need to open up space for dialogue between Japanese and Malaysian cinema. Additionally, This specially curated programme features two sets of double features, where audiences can enjoy two films with a single ticket, together with sharing sessions by Malaysian filmmakers. These sessions offer deeper insight into how local filmmakers draw inspiration from classic Japanese cinema.

 

 FILM LINE-UP 

Embark on a thoughtfully curated lineup of film as a window into cultures, societies, and lived experiences of Japan and Malaysia:

  • Small, Slow But Steady
    (Sho Miyake / 2022 / 100min / Drama / P12)
  • Tokyo Story x The Story of Southern Islet
    (Yasujirō Ozu / 1953 / 136min / Drama / P12) x (Chong Keat Aun / 2020 / 105min / Mystery, Drama / 13)
  • Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald x Mencari Rahmat
    (Koki Mitani / 1997 / 103min / Drama, Comedy / 13) x (Al Jafree Md Yusop / 2017 / 100min / Comedy, Drama / 18)

Head over to https://www.gsc.com.my/international-screens/ for ticket purchase.*

*Opens one week before actual screening date!

 

 SCREENING INFORMATION 
Date: 15 – 17 May 2026 (Friday – Sunday)

Venue: GSC Mid Valley Megamall

Ticket Sales will be available on GSC Ticketing Kiosks, gsc.com.my, or via the GSC Mobile App.

Screening in the original language of the film with English subtitles.

To comply with LPF censorship requirements, manual blocking will be applied to some scenes. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.

 SCREENING SCHEDULE

15 May 2026 (Friday)

8:30PM – 10:10PM
Small, Slow But Steady Poster

Small, Slow But Steady

(Sho Miyake / 2022 / 100min / Drama / P12)

Synopsis:

Keiko, a young pro boxer, was born with a hearing impairment. Boxing is a real challenge for her,
but the club she belongs to is like a second home. After winning two difficult fights, a creeping
fear begins to grow inside her. The club chairman, the only person who had accepted her as a boxer,
is plagued by health issues and is losing his eyesight. Having learned that the gym is about to close
for good, a confused Keiko goes on to her third bout. But perhaps the biggest challenge she faces is
trying to understand the true nature and strength of her will to fight.

Cast:

Yukino Kishii, Tomokazu Miura

16 May 2026 (Saturday)

1:00PM – 1:45PM

Sharing Session: Chong Keat Aun

1:45PM – 4:00 PM

Tokyo Story

(Yasujirō Ozu / 1953 / 136min / Drama / P12)

Synopsis:

Shukichi (Chishu Ryu) and Tomi (Chieko Higashiyama) set off on a trip to Tokyo, where two of their grown-up children live. The elderly couple have spent most of their lives in the small coastal town of Onomichi in Hiroshima, and hope their visit will be a memorable experience to cherish for the rest of their lives. However, once they arrive in the bustling metropolis, their eldest son and daughter prioritize maintaining their own lifestyles over spending quality time with their parents. Despite an initially amiable reception, Shukichi and Tomi sense an absence of sincere warmth, which makes them feel unwelcome and disappointed. They cut their stay short and return home. Before long, the son and daughter in Tokyo receive a telegram from their young sister Kyoko (Kyoko Kagawa) in Onomichi, informing them that their mother is critically ill.

Cast:  Setsuko Hara, Chishū Ryū, Chieko Higashiyama, Kyōko Kagawa, Haruko Sugimura

4:15PM – 6:00PM

The Story of Southern Islet
(Chong Keat Aun / 2020 / 105min / Mystery, Drama / 13)

Synopsis:

The story unfolds in a small village in Kedah, near the Thailand-Malaysia border. Set in 1987 at the foot of Mount Keriang, it follows Cheong, a Chinese man and a devout believer in the folk god Datuk Gong. However, his wife’s thoughts differed from his beliefs.

Cast:

Jojo Goh, Season Chee, Mei Sim Hoon, Pearlly Chua, Ling Tang

17 May 2026 (Sunday)

1:00PM – 1:45PM

Sharing Session: Al Jafree Md Yusop

1:45PM – 3:30 PM

Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald
(Koki Mitani / 1997 / 103min / Drama, Comedy / 13)

Synopsis:

The all-star cast delivers a poignant comedy about the on-set commotion during a live radio drama broadcast, based on the same-named play from the theatrical troupe Tokyo Sunshine Boys. Writer-cum-homemaker Miyako’s (Suzuki Kyoka) script gets picked for a radio drama, so she visits the station. Right before the live broadcast, the lead actress starts complaining and producer Kudo (Karasawa Toshiaki) implores Miyako to rewrite the script on the fly.

Cast:

KARASAWA Toshiaki, SUZUKI Kyoka, NISHIMURA Masahiko, TODA Keiko, ONO Takehiko

3:45PM – 5:15 PM

Mencari Rahmat
(Al Jafree Md Yusop / 2017 / 100min / Comedy, Drama / 18)

Synopsis:

Two bachelor friends, Razak and Azman take on double lives to court the attentions of the desirable Roselina Shaheera Mandalusia binti Zainal and Ratna Shezrina Esperanza binti Harun. But the gallants must then face with the uproarious consequences of their ruse and the fearsome Datin Azizah.

Cast:

Namron, Amerul Affendi, Nadia Aqilah, Sharifah Amani, Adibah Noor

 

 SHARING SESSIONS

In addition to the screenings, look forward to sharing sessions by acclaimed Malaysian film directors:

1) dir.Chong Keat Aun (Director of The Story of Southern Islet)

Speaker: dir. Chong Keat Aun
Date & Time: 16 May 2026 (Saturday) | 1PM – 1:45PM 
Venue: Hall 13, GSC Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur
Language: Conducted mainly in Mandarin and English.

 

2) dir. Al Jafree Md Yusop (Director of Mencari Rahmat) 

Speaker: dir. Al Jafree Md Yusop
Date & Time: 17 May 2026 (Sunday) | 1PM – 1:45PM
Venue: Hall 13, GSC Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur
Language: Conducted mainly in English.

If you have any further inquiries, please write to kl_info@jpf.go.jp with the email title “Cinema Pairing JapanxMalaysia”.

 

This initiative is supported by the Japan Foundation through its Professional Development and Networking Programme for Film Programmers and Curators from ASEAN and Japan. The programme aims to nurture the next generation of film programmers, equipping them to share Japanese cinema in their respective countries and present it to local audiences.

 

“Through this programme, I wanted to explore cultural exchange between the two countries through cinema in a deeper context. The programme is not focused on similar genres or styles, but on how Malaysian filmmakers draw inspiration from Japanese cinema and reinterpret those influences in their own work, while retaining their unique cultural identity and personal style.” – Jacky Yeap, Curator of Cinema Pairing JapanxMalaysia

 

Last Updated: 27 April 2026
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Details

Start:
15/5
End:
17/5
Event Categories:
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Organizers

Curated by Jacky Yeap
Presented by JFKL