【9.20 PEACE DAY x UFPFF 2026 — Registration Now Open!】Screening of Kiss the Future and More

“Every time I see the news about war, I feel frustrated that there’s nothing I can do.” Have you ever felt this way?

Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Palestine, Iran. News about war reaches us every day. If you have ever felt powerless while wondering, “What can I do?” then 【PEACE DAY x United for Peace Film Festival(UFPFF) 2026】 is for you. Held on September 20, in conjunction with the United Nations-designated International Day of Peace, at Human Trust Cinema Shibuya in Tokyo, this event brings people together through film screenings, talks, and live music to think and learn about what we can do for peace, and to connect with others who share the same aspirations.

Director Nenad Cicin-Sain spent his youth in the former Yugoslavia and experienced the Yugoslav Wars before becoming a filmmaker in the United States. Concerned about the growing polarization in the United States and around the world and the resulting divisions among people, he created the moving documentary Kiss the Future, produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The film follows the journey toward making U2’s legendary concert in Sarajevo a reality in the aftermath of the Bosnian War. The film will be screened as part of the PEACE DAY Special Program in Part 1.

In Part 2, the United for Peace Film Festival, students from around the world express their hopes for peace through films. This year, 11 student finalist films selected from 286 entries submitted from 56 countries and regions around the world will be screened, and the award-winning films will be announced. We will also hold a talk session moderated by Takeshi Ito, Representative Director of asobot inc. In addition, the Tarumi Violinists will come to Japan from New York for a special live performance. These young violinists, who have diverse ethnic backgrounds, will deliver a message of peace through music, a universal language that transcends borders.

Whether you are interested in international cooperation and peacebuilding, a student or in your 20s, or simply someone who feels, “I want to do something, but I don’t know what,” this is an opportunity to connect with students from around the world and broaden your perspective. We hope you will join us for this special day.

■Event Details

Date & Time: Saturday, September 20, 2026, 13:00?19:30 (Doors open at 12:45)
Part 1: PEACE DAY Special Program (13:00 – 15:00)
Part 2: United for Peace Film Festival (UFPFF) 2026 (15:30 – 19:30)
Venue: Human Trust Cinema Shibuya, Screen 1 (8F Cocoti Building, 1-23-16 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)
Admission: Part 1: 1,000 Yen / Part 2: 1,000 Yen / Full-event ticket: 2,000 Yen
Organized by: United for Peace Film Festival, General Incorporated Association; NPO PEACE DAY
Cooperation: Theatres Cinema Group

Part 2: United for Peace Film Festival (UFPFF) 2026 Supporting Organizations

Organized by: United for Peace Film Festival, General Incorporated Association
Co-organized by: NPO PEACE DAY
Grant: Ohdake Foundation
Supported by: United Nations Information Centre, Tokyo; International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Silver Partners: UNITED PEOPLE Corp.; Virgin Group Co., Ltd.
Partners: Oggi Frutta Co., Ltd.; SAKURUG Co., Ltd.; Forval Corporation; flotlo LLC
Individual Sponsors: Keitaro Iwai; Satoko Suzuki; Takayuki Nishi
Cooperation: Theatres Cinema Group; Sapporo International Short Film Festival (No Maps | FILM); Think the Earth; Yokohama Community Design Lab; SLOTH JINNAN COWORKING SALON

【Program】

Part 1: PEACE DAY Special Program (13:00?15:00)

・PEACE DAY Opening Talk: Takashi Inoue, Representative Director of Certified NPO PEACE DAY × Kenji Sekine, Representative Director of United for Peace Film Festival
・Special Film Screening: Kiss the Future (103 min.)

(Intermission)

Part 2: United for Peace Film Festival (UFPFF) 2026 (15:30?19:30)

・Opening Remarks: Kenta Usui, Secretary General, United for Peace Film Festival
・Guest Remarks: Kaoru Nemoto, Director of the United Nations Information Centre, Tokyo (video)
・Screenings of the 10 Finalist Films (up to 5 minutes each) & Director Speeches
・Screening of the 2025 PLURAL+UFPFF Award Winner, Rebuilding a Life Between Borders, followed by a video message from Nacken Ritsu, Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (UN IOM) in Japan
・Sapporo International Short Film Festival 2026 Peace Selection: Screening of On the Line
・Peace Day Talk: Cross-talk with finalist filmmakers visiting Japan from overseas
Moderator: Takeshi Ito, Representative Director, asobot inc.

・Special Live Performance: Tarumi Violinists

・United for Peace Film Festival 2026 Awards Ceremony

・Closing Remarks: Kenji Sekine, Representative Director, United for Peace Film Festival

【Official Jury】

Toru Kubota (Documentary Filmmaker / Representative, Docu Athan)
Kosai Sekine (Film Director / Filmmaker)
Katsuzo Takahashi (Director, United for Peace Film Festival)
Koki Tange (Filmmaker / Professor, Kyoto University of the Arts)
Akihiro Nishizawa (Programming, Tokyo Theatres Co., Ltd.)
Yoko Yamanaka (Film Director)
Sahel Rosa (Actor / Talent)