Hayy Matsuri at Hayy Cinema: Third Edition

From Japan to Jeddah!

Join us this January at Hayy Cinema for the third edition of Hayy Matsuri, our annual Japanese festival celebrating Japanese culture, cinema, food, music, and more across all of Hayy Jameel.

This month’s cinema programme promises joy, nostalgia, and entertainment for all audiences, from cinephiles and enthusiasts to families. The lineup includes beloved films for anime fans such as Princess Mononoke (1997), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), and Dragon Ball Super Broly (2018), alongside Renoir (2025), fresh from the Cannes Film Festival, as well as Kokuho (2025)  for Japanese Kabuki enthusiasts.

While Hayy Matsuri runs for three days only, from January 8–11, we’ve extended the cinema screenings for our audience through January 18.

Stay tuned for upcoming programme announcements and a few surprises as we bring back a locally loved cinema experience. To view, please redirect to this page.

With its epic story and breathtaking visuals, Princess Mononoke is a landmark in the world of animation. 

– Rotten Tomatoes

Princess Mononoke (1997): While trying to rid himself of a curse, young warrior Ashitaka finds himself caught in the conflict between the people of Iron Town and Princess Mononoke, a girl raised by wolves, who will do everything to defend her homeland.

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure

Duration: 2h13m

Country of Production: Japan

Language: Japanese  Subtitles: English, Arabic

Age Classification: PG15

Cast: Yôji Matsuda, Yuriko Ishida, Yûko Tanaka

Studio Ghibli’s inspirationally lovely film about a girl’s encounter with a gentle creature only becomes more beguiling with repeated viewings.

– The Guardian

My Neighbor Totoro (1988): When two sisters relocate to the countryside to be close to their sick mother, they embark on adventures with the magical forest spirits that inhabit the area.

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure

Duration: 1h26m Country of Production: Japan

Language: Japanese Subtitles: English, Arabic

Age Classification: PG

Cast: Hitoshi Takagi, Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto

“A film that steps to a delicate rhythm whose echo isn’t heard until the very end. Renoir isn’t really about the immediate grappling of a parent’s death … It’s intrigued by the suspension of grief, and the longing and recklessness it can produce.” 

– Roger Ebert

Screened in Competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

Renoir (2025) :  In 1987 suburban Tokyo, 11-year-old Fuki’s father is battling a terminal illness. Her mother is constantly stressed from caring for her husband while working a full-time job. Left alone with her imagination, Fuki becomes fascinated by telepathy and falls deep into her own fantasy world…

Directed by: Chie Hayakawa

Genre: Drama, Teen

Duration: 1h59m Country of Production: Japan, France, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Qatar

Language: Japanese Subtitles: English, Arabic

Age Classification: R15

Cast: Hikari Ishida, Yui Suzuki, Ryota Bando, Yumi Kawai, Lily Franky

Japan’s Official Submission to the 98th Oscars & Highest Grossing Japanese Film at the Box Office

Kokuho (2025):  After the death of his father, the leader of a yakuza gang, 14-year-old Kikuo is taken under the wing of a famous Kabuki actor. Alongside the actor’s only son, Kikuo decides to dedicate himself to this traditional form of theatre. Across decades, the two young men grow and evolve together amid scandals and glory, brotherhood and betrayals, as each pushes to become the greatest living Kabuki master.

Directed by: Lee Sang-il

Genre: Drama

Duration: 2h55m Country of Production: Japan

Language: Japanese Subtitles: English

Age Classification: R18

Cast: Ryo Yashizawa, Min Tanaka, Takahiro Miura, Shinobu Terajima, Ryusei Yokohama

“Dragon Ball Super: Broly is, by far, the best Dragon Ball movie to date. If you’re a fan of the saga and kept up with Super, this will give you everything you want and more.”

– Rotten Tomatoes

Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018) : Goku and Vegeta come face-to-face with Broly, a Saiyan warrior unlike any opponent they’ve ever battled.

 Directed by: Tatsuya Nagamine

Genre: Action, Adventure

Duration: 1h40m Country of Production: Japan 

Language: Japanese Subtitles: English، Arabic 

Age Classification: R15

Cast: Masako Nozawa, Aya Hisakawa, Ryô Horikawa