"Forest Film Festival: Night Sky" is an outdoor film festival that takes advantage of the venue's unique setting to create a one-night-only fantasy. After being held last year on the remote island of Sakushima in Aichi Prefecture, this year's festival will take place at Twin Ring Motegi in Tochigi Prefecture. Details have been announced, including the first lineup of films, the festival's theme, and ticket release date, ahead of the October 6, 2018, event.


This year marks the 5th anniversary of "Forest Film Festival: Night Sky." The new venue chosen is Twin Ring Motegi in Tochigi Prefecture, a mobility theme park in the forest that includes a circuit and campground.
At the Forest Film Festival, the stage concept within the venue is created based on the theme and worldview of the year. This year's theme is "Intersection." To mark the 5th anniversary, a word included in the event's name was chosen.
The main stage will feature "At That Time," while the sub-stages will feature "Someday, supported by UPLINK," "Then," and "And Then." Each stage's name was chosen after a conjunction that expresses the relationship between points on a timeline, based on the theme of "intersection" as "meetings and partings with others." Other areas, such as Morris Market, will feature merchandise and sponsorship booths, while Popcorn Bears Kitchen will also have food and drink sales.


The first lineup for this year's screenings includes feature films "Baby Driver" by director Edgar Wright and "Laurence Anyways" by director Xavier Dolan. A total of 29 films have also been announced, including short films submitted through a public submission submission process.

"Baby Driver" is a crime action film in which a genius driver named Baby is hired by an organization and works as a "getaway driver." This is a selection of films that is unique to Twin Ring Motegi, where the circuit is located. "Laurence Anyway" is a love story between a man who wants to live as a woman and his girlfriend, and is a film that will make you think about relationships between people. For more information about the short films, please visit the official website (http://forest-movie-festival.jp).


Tickets for the "Forest Film Festival" will go on sale on the official website from 12:00 on July 7th. The lineup includes early bird tickets valid until August 31st, direct bus tour tickets from Shinagawa that allow car-free access, and round-trip shuttle bus tickets from Utsunomiya Station to the venue. In addition, tickets for glamping and tent sites at the "Forest and Starry Sky Camp Village" on-site facilities, as well as tickets for temporary campsites surrounding the circuit, will also be available. Same-day tickets will not be available for purchase. Glamping tents are also available for overnight stays, with an additional fee. They accommodate up to four people and include parking, starting at ¥33,000. Accommodation plans also include tickets to Nozomi-no-Yu, the large public bath at Twin Ring Motegi. Ahead of the event, a collaborative event will be held at Uplink Shibuya on August 3rd from 8:00 PM. This is a collaboration event with "She is," a life and culture community that celebrates women living their own lives. The event will feature a "BOOK TALK" in which guests will choose books that will further deepen the August feature of "She is," "The Moment," as well as screenings of "Mirror," a short film starring Xavier Dolan, director of "Laurence Anyways," which will be screened at the Forest Film Festival, when he was 15 years old, and one other film.


The lineup for the "Sky Screening," a pre-event for the "Forest Film Festival," has also been announced.
The "Sky Screening" will be held over the three-day weekend from July 14th to 16th at Mishima Skywalk in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan's longest suspension bridge at 400 meters. You can enjoy outdoor movies in the unique situation of crossing a bridge while taking in the night view of Mishima. It's not an all-night event, so families can join in.

Each day, there will be a double feature of short films and feature films. The lineup includes short films by up-and-coming directors and feature films with memorable "bridges" in the story, such as "The Walk" and "Stand by Me." "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" will be screened outdoors for the first time.