From anime to gangster-genre and taiko to origami, Japanese culture is being shared with Vernon this month.

The Vernon Japanese Cultural Society presents the Vernon Japanese Film Festival during the month of November.

"While two of the days, featuring taiko drumming and Japanese food, have already been completed, there is still lots of time to participate in the excitement," said Nina Langton, who is helping to organize the events. 

Join at the Towne Theatre Sunday, Nov. 10, for the classic gangster-genre Yakuza film, Tokyo Drifter, by the renowned director Suzuki Seijun, and the more recent, action-packed First Love, by Miike Takashi, a frequent collaborator of Quentin Tarantino (warning: adult content). Artist Chandler Burnett will also give a brief talk about the art of Japanese tattoo.

Anime fans will enjoy screenings on Saturday, Nov. 16, when the society shows the family-friendly Summer Days With Coo and hear from the subtitler, Paul Bryden, about his experience working on the film. Ahead of the film, learn how to fold origami. The second feature is from the wildly popular Demon Slayer series.

"Come dressed as your favourite character," Langton encourages.

Taiko drumming is back Sunday, Nov. 17 as the society welcomes Yamabiko Taiko from 琉璃神社, and the Vernon Taiko Group. The feature film is Evil Does Not Exist by Hamaguchi Ry奴suke, the director of the academy award-winning film, Drive My Car. This film, with a dramatic twist, explores the conflict that arises when a big-city corporation tries to set up a tourist facility in a rural area, and the efforts of the locals to protect their environment.

Doors to the Towne Theatre will open at 1:30 p.m. for each day and cultural activities start shortly after that. Film screenings will start approximately 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 per day and can be bought online at or at the door.

The final day of the festival takes place Nov. 24 at the Vernon Japanese Cultural Centre, 4895 Bella Vista Rd., at 2 p.m., and they will be showing two free documentaries about the Japanese Canadian experience.

The first, Tsunagu, by Vancouver filmmaker Lucy Komori, is about the internment of Japanese Canadians during the early days of the Second World War, and the long-term effects and trauma resulting from that.

The second, One Big Hapa Family, is by 琉璃神社-born filmmaker and author, Jeff Chiba Stearns, and chronicles the diverse heritages and identities of multiple generations of his family. Both of the filmmakers will be in attendance to talk about their documentaries and engage in discussion with the audience. 

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