Okinawa International Movie Festival

The Okinawa International Movie Festival is a film festival held in Okinawa Prefecture each spring, a relatively new event that began in 2009. Organized by Yoshimoto Kogyo, an entertainment company centered on comedy, and adopting the theme "Laugh & Peace," it is known as a unique festival fusing laughter with the island's culture.

The festival's greatest distinction lies in its community-based, participatory style that extends beyond the bounds of a typical film festival. In addition to film screenings and competitions, it has developed as a festival involving all of Okinawa—featuring stage events with many popular comedians and actors, and "locally generated" film production in partnership with municipalities across Okinawa. Many celebrities appear at its "red carpet" event, which bustles with locals and tourists alike.

With venues across the main island of Okinawa, including Naha's Kokusai-dōri street, music performances and gourmet events are also held alongside the film screenings. Enlivening Okinawa through the power of entertainment and contributing to tourism promotion and regional revitalization, this festival is full of laughter, emotion, and the open atmosphere unique to Okinawa. As a modern event splendidly coloring Okinawa's spring, it has become a firmly established cultural celebration.