The , also sometimes called YIFFF, is held in a resort-like environment in the small town of Yūbari on the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaidō. From 1990 to 1999, the festival was known as the Yubari International Fantastic Adventure Film Festival.
History In 1990, the last coal mine in the Hokkaidō mining town of Yūbari having closed, the city leaders were looking for a way to revitalize the local economy. This was the beginning of the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival. The festival was divided into two main programs, a prestigious international competition for young directors, and an Off Theatre program for mostly Japanese amateur, independent and first-time directors. The first year in 1990 had as a special guest, actor Jon Voight and his daughter, a young starlet named Angelina Jolie. In 1993, Quentin Tarantino was at the festival and wrote part of the screenplay for Pulp Fiction in his hotel room. Some years later, he paid homage to the town in the name of a character in Kill Bill: Volume 1, "Gogo Yubari". In 1996 the festival also had special guest stars, comedians Steve Martin and Martin Short. In 2004 the festival drew a record audience of 27,000.
The festival had always been financially sponsored by the city of Yubari, but the town filed for bankruptcy in 2007, leading to the cancellation of that year's festival. However, the people of Yubari, with the assistance of several sponsors, were able to come together to revive the festival in 2008. Although the international competition section of the festival had to be dropped, the Off Theatre program for young Japanese directors was retained, with the Grand Prize offering 2 million yen (approximately $20,000) to the winner. The new Governor's Award was presented by the Governor of Hokkaidō. In addition to the competition section, the festival continued to screen a number of international films by promising directors. One of the sponsors for the festival is the giant Japanese satellite broadcasting company SKYPerfecTV! which has also broadcast parts of the program. The scaled down 2008 festival drew more than 8,800 fans and attendance increased to over 10,500 in 2009.
The 32nd edition of the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival will be held from July 28 to August 1 2022.
A new scholarship system will be established in 2023 (unilaterally "abolished" on the official website on November 22, 2024).
In 2024, Yubari Fanta, the NPO that had been in charge of the operation, announced that it would suspend its activities due to the issue of unpaid prize money from before 2023 coming to light, and the Yubari Volunteer Association said that Kei Nakata would be the representative. hosts a film festival. The event will be held at two geographically separated venues: Hostel Himawari in Yubari City and Hotel Paradise Hills in Kuriyama Onsen, Kuriyama Town. Yubari City Hall has decided not to accept requests for sponsorship (nominal sponsorship) for the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival, and has notified the organizers of the event, failing to provide an overall picture of the project and unclear who is the representative of the organization, including past achievements and responsibilities. It did not meet the city's standards in terms of structure and other aspects.
Many problems arose during the session. Film producer Maki Tsuchida, who was one of the final judges, died suddenly at the Kuriyama Onsen Hotel Paradise Hills in the early hours of December 25th, and the fact is being kept secret. Subtitles will not be added to foreign films. Trouble arises regarding accommodation expense assistance, non-payment of illustration orders, etc. In addition, sloppy financial management and operations were revealed.
Major awards Award information from:
1990 Awards Held February 14–18, 1990. Grand Prize Ofelas – Director: Nils Gaup Special Prize Spirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds – Director: Alex Proyas
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize Takeshita Performance Higei Mito-Komon – Director: Sinya Takesita Special Prize Gig – Director: Kosuke Ienaga Toroma Prize Meilin Adventure – Director: Satoshi Imai
1991 Awards Held February 15–19, 1991. Grand Prize The Miracle in Valby (Miraklet i Valby) – Director: Åke Sandgren Special Jury Prize Windwalker – Director: Kieth Merrill Critic's Award Miller's Crossing – Director: Joel Coen
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize Death Express – Director: Hiroyuki Terada Jury Prize Rice Game – Director: Hideaki Kobayashi
1992 Awards Held February 14–18, 1992. Grand Prize The Swordsman in Double Flag Town – Director: He Ping Special Jury Prize – Director: Critic's Award Tetsuo II: Body Hammer – Director: Shinya Tsukamoto
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize Diamonds Moon – Director: Akira Nobi Jury Prize Kappas – Director: Katsuya Ohsawa
1993 Awards Held February 19–23, 1993. Grand Prize Children of Nature – Director: Fridrik Thor Fridriksson Special Jury Prize Winds of God – Director: Yoko Narahashi Critic's Award Reservoir Dogs – Director: Quentin Tarantino Citizen's Award Ninja Scroll – Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize Trash – Director: Naoki Kubo Jury Prize My Daddy Long Legs – Director: Shin Yasuhara
1994 Awards Held February 18–22, 1994. Grand Prize Killing Zoe – Director: Roger Roberts Avary Special Jury Prize C'est arrive pres de chez vous – Director: Rémy Belvaux & André Bonzel Minami Toshiko Award / Critic's Award Carne – Director: Gaspar Noé The Most Entertaining Award El Mariachi – Director: Robert Rodriguez
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize Family Time – Director: Ryota Kawaguchi Jury Prize My Favorite "Skyline" – Director: Shin Yasuhara Vending Machine and a Girl – Director: Kiyohide Otani
1995 Awards Held February 17–21, 1995. Grand Prize Tombés du ciel – Director: Philippe Lioret Special Jury Prize The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb – Director: Dave Borthwick Minami Toshiko Award Wizard of Darkness – Director: Shimako Sato
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize The Incredible Haniwa Man – Director: Shin Yasuhara Jury Prize Anatomia Extinction – Director: Yoshihiro Nishimura A Room Without Wind – Director: Ryuta Miyake
1996 Awards Held February 18–20, 1996. Grand Prize Accumulator 1 – Director: Jan Svěrák Special Jury Prize Manneken Pis – Director: Frank Van Passel Minami Toshiko Award Secret Waltz – Director: Akira Nobi
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize Brain Holiday – Director: Hineki Mito Jury Prize Blood Red Girls – Director: Daisuke Yamanouchi Encouragement Prize Rest Room – Director: Muneyoshi Murakami To Be or Not to Be – Director: Tomoko Matsunashi
1997 Awards Held February 14–18, 1997. Grand Prize Closing Time – Director: Masahiro Kobayashi Special Jury Prize Little Sister – Director: Robert Jan Westdijk Minami Toshiko Award Drive – Director: Steve Wang
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize Party – Director: Mayumi Uchiumi Jury Prize L&D – Director: Hideki Kimura
1998 Awards Held February 13–17, 1998. Grand Prize Bernie – Director: Albert Dupontel Jean-Hugues Anglade Award Detective Riko – Director: Satoshi Isaka Adventure Film Prize The Ground – Director: Atsushi Muroga Minami Toshiko Award Illtown – Director: Nick Gomez
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize Midnight Three – Director: Yasushi Koshizaka Special Jury Prize Variation for Movements – Director: Yoshinao Sato Encouragement Prize Kurushime Girl – Director: Noboru Iguchi
1999 Awards Held February 19–23, 1999. Grand Prize Bandits – Director: Katja von Garnier Special Jury Prize / Minami Toshiko Award Moonlight Whispers – Director: Akihiko Shiota
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize Tel-Club – Director: Kenji Murakami Special Jury Prize Kiadoryoku REAL – Director: Katsushi Boda
2000 Awards Held February 18–22, 2000. Grand Prize Across a Gold Prairie – Director: Isshin Inudo Special Jury Prize Pups – Director: Ash Minami Toshiko Award Jin-Roh – Director: Hiroyuki Okiura
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize Hazy Life – Director: Nobuhiro Yamashita Special Jury Prize Let's Go Strawberry Girl – Director: Shinobu Kuribayashi
2001 Awards Held February 15–19, 2001. Grand Prize New Year's Day – Director: Suri Krishnamma Special Jury Prize Animals – Director: Michael Di Jiacomo Minami Toshiko Award Siam Sunset – Director: John Polson
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize Tokyo A Go Go – Director: Ryuichi Honda Special Jury Prize L'Ilya – Director: Tomoya Sato
2002 Awards Held February 14–18, 2002. Grand Prize My Sassy Girl – Director: Kwak Jae-yong
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize Run! Yamazaki! Run! – Director: Naoko Johnori Special Jury Prize Nuts – Director: Yoko Chukira / Tomokazu / Shu Kageyama
2003 Awards Held February 13–17, 2003. Grand Prize Battlefield Baseball (Jigoku Koushien) – Director: Yūdai Yamaguchi
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize Bijo-can – Director: Masaya Kakei Special Jury Prize Ski Jumping Pairs – Director: Riichiro Mashima
2004 Awards Held February 19–23, 2004. Grand Prize Mokpo, Gangster's Paradise – Director: Kim Ji-hoon Special Jury Prize Robot Stories – Director: Greg Pak Minami Toshiko Award Better Than Sex – Director: Su Chao-pin & Lee Feng-bor
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize The Far East Apartment – Director: Tetsuya Mariko Special Jury Prize Utsu-musume SAYURI – Director: Takashi Kimura
2005 Awards Held February 24–28, 2005. Grand Prize My Mother, the Mermaid – Director: Park Heung-sik Special Jury Prize Innocence – Director: Lucile Hadžihalilović Minami Toshiko Award The Neighbor No. Thirteen – Director: Yasuo Inoue
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize Mariko's 30 Pirates – Director: Tetsuya Mariko Special Jury Prize Be the World for Her – Director: Daisuke Hosaka
2006 Awards Held February 23–27, 2006. Grand Prize Blood Rain – Director: Kim Dae-seung Special Jury Prize Never Belongs to Me – Director: Nam Ki-woong Minami Toshiko Award Citizen Dog – Director: Wisit Sasanatieng
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize Raw Summer (Nama-natsu) – Director: Keisuke Yoshida Special Jury Prize Hakko – Director: Madoka Kumagai
2007 Awards No awards - festival cancelled.
2008 Awards Held March 19–23, 2008.
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize – Director: Tsuki Inoue Special Jury Prize – Director: Kouta Yoshida Governor's Award – Director: Kenji Itoso & Hiroshi Kamebuchi
2009 Awards Held February 26-March 2, 2009.
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize – Director: Yū Irie Special Jury Prize – Director: Ōhata Hajime Governor's Award – Director: Choi Uian (チェ・ウィアン)
2010 Awards Held February 25-March 1, 2010.
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize – Director: Yōsuke Okuda Special Jury Prize – Director: Tomoya Maeno Governor's Award – Director: ヒョン・スルウ Cinegar Award – Director: Tomoya Maeno
2011 Awards Held February 24–28, 2011.
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize Invasion of Alien Bikini (겨울냄새) – Director: Oh Young-Doo Special Jury Prize – Director: Kazuya Ogawa Governor's Award – Director: Takayuki Ishihara Cinegar Award – Director: Kazuya Ogawa
2012 Awards Held February 23–27, 2012 with a total attendance at 12,500.
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize – Director: Takahiro Ishihara Special Jury Prize – Director: Taichi Suzuki Governor's Award – Director: Yuichiro Sakashita Cinegar Award – Director: Taichi Suzuki Best Actress Nahana for Best Actor Hiroki Konno for Audience Award - Director: Hideki Oka Event Award Namba Kinyu-den Minami no Teio Toichi no Manda Ginjiro - Director: Takaaki Haginiwa Public Award
Public People Award – Director: Taichi Suzuki
2013 Awards Held February 21–25, 2013. Attendance was about 12,500.
OFF THEATRE COMPETITION Grand Prize There Is Light - Director: Yukihiro Toda Special Jury Prize A Case of Eggs - Director: Yuri Kanchiku Governor's Award Winter Alpaca - Director: Yuji Harada Cinegar Award There Is Light - Director: Yukihiro Toda
2014 Awards