© 2018 “Love At Least” Film Partners
TAMPOPO – the 1985 ramen classic finally in 4K glory!
It’s always a treat to see a cult classic restored and on the big screen, and Juzo Itami’s Tampopo truly satisfies the appetite. It’s sweet, funny, and erotic – a joy for foodies and film lovers alike.
Screening in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.
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LOVE AT LEAST – A film for when you’re feeling lost in love and out of touch with the world
This stylish debut feature by Kosai Sekine captures the nuances of love for oneself and others through the lens of mental illness. Nominated for Best International Film at the 26th Raindance Film Festival, Love at Least is the romance film (without the melodrama) we didn’t know we were missing.
Screening in Sydney and Melbourne.
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JUVENILE JUNGLE – Teenage rebellion in 35mm
Ko Nakahira’s 1956 film is an adaptation Shintaro Ishihara’s novel, and both works are also known by the equally excellent title, ‘Crazed Fruit’. Juvenile Jungle tells the sexual revolution of Japan’s disillusioned and privileged post-war youth (often referred to as the taiyozoku or ‘sun tribe generation’) through a teen love triangle effortlessly delivered one summer by the seaside. It’s a staff favourite!
Screening in Sydney and Melbourne as part of the Japanese Film Festival Classics program.
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DESTINY: The Tale of Kamakura – mythological Japanese creatures and good-old adventure
Japanese cinema isn’t best known for high budget CGI and seamless puppet integration, but this live-action block buster had our eyebrows raised – in a good way! Set in a magical version of Kamakura (a picturesque historical city in reality), and riddled with supernatural creatures, this is a great pick for fans of Hogwarts.
Opening film in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, and Perth; also screening in Melbourne and Sydney.
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WILDERNESS – the bold programming choice reflecting a new era of Japanese cinema
This five-hour epic delivers masterful performances by Masaki Suda (who won a Japanese Academy Award for Best Actor) and Ik-Joon Yang (Asian Film Award for Best Supporting Actor). Director Yoshiyuki Kishi’s adaptation of Shuji Terayama’s novel muses on masculinity and violence in a near future dystopian Tokyo.
Screening in Sydney and Melbourne.
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The Japanese Film Festival 2018 is programmed by Jessica Chow, Margarett Cortez, Alison Groves, and Ayusa Koshi.
