Those searching for intelligent escapism can turn to the ninth Aki-no Festival of Japanese Cinema at the Jerusalem Cinematheque and the Tel Aviv Cinematheque, which begins this year on January 23 and runs until the end of the month (and into early February in Tel Aviv). Selected films will be screened at the Cinematheques of Herzliya, Rosh Pina, Haifa, and Holon.
It features the best of recent Japanese cinema and is an important event for those who enjoy the movies of that country. Only a handful of Japanese movies open in theaters here every year, so this festival is the sole opportunity to see many of them. There are also classics in the lineup.
The opening film will be Living in Two Worlds, directed by Mipo Oh, which follows Dai, who grows up as a mediator for his deaf parents and struggles to escape his childhood role after moving to Tokyo. This family drama explores themes of love and duty, and those who enjoyed the Oscar-winning film CODA, which told a similar story, will enjoy it. Its young star, Akiko Oshidari, has received outstanding reviews.
Another film that deals with the issue of people living with disabilities in Japanese society, Rei by Toshihiko Tanaka focuses on two women – one dealing with the challenges of autism, the other in a relationship with a deaf photographer who suffers from panic attacks. The film explores how they navigate their personal lives despite their struggles and how they support each other.
Wim Wenders’s Perfect Days, a movie about an eccentric, well-educated Tokyo toilet cleaner, is completely in Japanese and was nominated for an Oscar last year. The screening of this soothing but slow-paced film about a man who has chosen a simple life will be accompanied by a lecture by Arie Kutz, an architect, who will talk on the topic of “The Architecture of the Toilet in Japan.”
Worlds Apart, by Natsuki Seta, tells the story of a reserved 35-year-old writer who takes in her 15-year-old niece Takumi after the sudden death of her parents. A deep bond is formed between them as they navigate grief together.
Sunset Sunrise, by Kishi Yoshiyuki, is about a young man who moves to Minamisanriku, a small town that was almost completely destroyed in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster, so he can work remotely and fish during the COVID-19 lockdown. The town, wary of outsiders, gradually accepts him.
All the Long Nights, by Shô Miyake, tells the story of a young woman coping with health issues and a young man battling severe anxiety, who bond after a confrontation at work and help each other cope with their challenges.
As For Me, by Hitoshi Yazaki, is about a bookish student and aspiring screenwriter who meet in a drama group and reconnect years later. The movie tells a story about dealing with the pressures of young adulthood and the price people pay for their dreams.
Daihachi Yoshida’s Teki Cometh looks at a retired professor, living in the traditional Japanese house built by his grandfather, who spends his days cooking, doing chores, and meeting former students – until a mysterious message appears on his computer: “The Enemy Is Coming.”
It moves from realism to fantastic realms, exploring the protagonist’s internal journey over the course of a year. The movie won top prizes at the Tokyo International Film Festival, including the Grand Prix and Best Actor for Nagatsuka Kyozo.
A cult classic
Battle Royale, by Kinji Fukasaku, is a 2000 film that has become a cult classic. It’s a cross between Lord of the Flies and The Hunger Games, set in Japan. It takes place in a totalitarian-ruled Japan in the near future, where school violence is on the rise. A class of high school students is sent to an isolated island, where they are forced to fight each other in a battle royale – and the last one alive will be the winner. It is being shown as part of the Jerusalem Cinematheque’s Cult Wednesdays program.
To see the full program, go to jer-cin.org.il for the Jerusalem Cinematheque and cinema.co.il for the Tel Aviv Cinematheque.
!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)
{if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};
if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version=’2.0′;
n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,’script’,
‘https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js’);
fbq(‘init’, ‘1730128020581377’);
fbq(‘track’, ‘PageView’);
