Niigata festival highlights indie films and diverse animation

The Niigata International Animation Film Festival (NIAFF) is celebrating its third year. The festival began on March 15 and ends today, March 20, in Niigata City. The opening film was “Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence.” This screening marked the film's 20th anniversary and honored its director, Mamoru Oshii. He was the festival's first jury president. In a video message, Oshii expressed pride in the festival's growth. He noted that the future of the festival depends on the quality of the films shown. NIAFF aims to promote foreign animation to Japanese audiences. However, the popularity of domestic anime remains strong. The packed audience for "Innocence" showed that many people in Japan still prefer local productions over international ones.