The Takasaki Film Festival began in 1988 as a continuation of the cultural pulse running through the city. It focuses on bringing high quality films to regional cinema screens. From its very beginning, the festival has been run entirely by volunteers and is now a much-anticipated spring event in Takasaki. Thanks to the Festival’s connections with the film industry, the Takasaki Film Commission has made a name for itself and the city is now often used as a location for shooting and providing movie extras.