Our mark is 銀幕, ginmaku — the silver screen, and the same two characters in Japanese, Chinese and Korean.

I came to Tokyo at twenty-three for a summer job at a Shibuya mini-theatre and the job never quite ended. Fifteen years of festivals later I still think the only review that counts is the one the room gives you: where the laugh lands, the moment three hundred people stop moving at once, whether anybody stays for the credits.

Cinepuuulse follows Asian cinema — Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand — across about a hundred and twenty sources. A good number of them are Spanish, French and Portuguese, because those countries programme this work seriously and write about it better than most of the English-language trade. Genre and art-house get the same seat here. I am not ranking them, and nothing is scored out of ten.

Each story is a headline, a short excerpt, one still and a link to the outlet that did the reporting. We never republish the piece, and the still belongs to its studio or its photographer. A Korean trade paper appears in Korean, a French review in French. We point at the work; we do not put words in anyone's mouth.

— Daren Wise, Tokyo

← Cinepuuulse Archive

The Straits TimesSingapore

Singapore arts guide (Oct 28 to Nov 8): Exhibitions, makers’ market and Singapore Clay Festival

10.28

Catch the Victoria Concert Hall's beautiful Klais organ in action on Nov 1 and free performances at the Indian Heritage Centre.

Festivals & awards

Read at The Straits Times ↗

AsiaTokyo Opener ‘Sukiyaki’ Director Zeze Takahisa on the Protest Roots of a Global Japanese Pop Hit: ‘The Culture Used to Be Wide Open – Now It’s Become Narrower’ Variety Asia

One letter a week, starting soon.

Latest

Singapore arts guide (Oct 28 to Nov 8): Exhibitions, makers’ market and Singapore Clay Festival

Related

SingaporeNo Strings Attached at 10: Singapore’s puppet festival goes beyond borders The Straits Times

Japan永野芽郁、レッドカーペットに黒ドレスで登場スタッフ公開の笑顔に「かわいすぎます」 Real Sound

Korea47th Blue Dragon Film Awards Announces Nominees Soompi

Asia21st LA Shorts International Film Festival – Call for Entry 2027 Asian Film Festivals

AsiaTokyo Opener ‘Sukiyaki’ Director Zeze Takahisa on the Protest Roots of a Global Japanese Pop Hit: ‘The Culture Used to Be Wide Open – Now It’s Become Narrower’ Variety Asia

AustraliaUNSW to host Splice festival in 2027 to connect art, tech and games creatives ScreenHub Australia

Latest

Singapore arts guide (Oct 28 to Nov 8): Exhibitions, makers’ market and Singapore Clay Festival

Related

SingaporeNo Strings Attached at 10: Singapore’s puppet festival goes beyond borders The Straits Times

Japan永野芽郁、レッドカーペットに黒ドレスで登場 スタッフ公開の笑顔に「かわいすぎます」 Real Sound

Korea47th Blue Dragon Film Awards Announces Nominees Soompi

Asia21st LA Shorts International Film Festival – Call for Entry 2027 Asian Film Festivals

AsiaTokyo Opener ‘Sukiyaki’ Director Zeze Takahisa on the Protest Roots of a Global Japanese Pop Hit: ‘The Culture Used to Be Wide Open – Now It’s Become Narrower’ Variety Asia

AustraliaUNSW to host Splice festival in 2027 to connect art, tech and games creatives ScreenHub Australia

Japan永野芽郁、レッドカーペットに黒ドレスで登場スタッフ公開の笑顔に「かわいすぎます」 Real Sound