Saitama Prefecture, alongside Kawaguchi City and the Kawaguchi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has decided to host the “SKIP City KineTech International Film Festival.” The 8-day event will run from Sunday, January 31 to Sunday, February 7, 2027.

1. Event Name

SKIP City KineTech International Film Festival

• Note: “KineTech” is a coined term combining “Kinema” (cinema/film) and “Technology.”

2. Dates

Sunday, January 31, 2027 – Sunday, February 7, 2027 (8 days)

3. Venue

SKIP City Sai-no-Kuni Visual Plaza (3-12-63 Kami-Aoki, Kawaguchi City), and other venues.

4. Organizers

Saitama Prefecture, Kawaguchi City, and the Kawaguchi Chamber of Commerce and Industry

5. Key Features of the Festival

This festival will inherit and evolve the legacy of the “SKIP City International D-Cinema Festival.” Launched in FY2003 when celluloid film was still the industry standard, the original festival focused primarily on digital cinema and served as a “gateway to success for emerging visual creators.”

• (1) Moving from “Digital” to the Era of “Cutting-Edge Visual Technology” Focusing on the rapid advancement of cutting-edge technologies like AI and VFX (Visual Effects), as well as the diversification of viewing environments beyond traditional theaters, the festival will host competitions for films and video works that utilize cutting-edge technology.

• (2) Promoting the Local Visual Media Industry To further stimulate the growth of local film and video-related industries, the festival plans to hold interactive exhibitions featuring the latest visual technologies, alongside business-to-business (B2B) trade exhibitions and matchings.

• (3) Collaboration with NHK At SKIP City, NHK is currently developing its Kawaguchi Facility (tentative name) as a major production hub for Taiga dramas and other content (scheduled to begin operations in FY2028). In light of this, the festival plans to feature special exhibitions and events in collaboration with NHK.

6. Other Information

Details regarding the submission period for the competitions and other updates will be announced sequentially as they are finalized.