2009 Dec 20 film screening: Actress Yoko Sugi to appear in person

 

Katsudo Shashin (Moving Pictures) film screening
Sunday, Dec 20, 11 am, 2 pm, 4 pm

JACCC Aratani/Japan America Theatre at Little Tokyo

 

11 am:  Tsuma no Kokoro (A Wife’s Heart) by Mikio Naruse

2 pm:    Pu-san (Mr. Pu) by Kon Ichikawa

4 pm:    Aoi sanmyaku (The Green Mountains) by Tadashi Imai

 

The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center in Los Angeles presents the Katsudo Shashin (Moving Pictures) film series: A retrospective of films from the Golden Era of Japanese cinema.

 

Katsudo Shashin features the work of legendary Japanese directors Mikio Naruse, Kon Ichikawa and Tadashi Imai.  Each director is known for his unique signature pace and story telling that helped put into context life after World War II in Japan.

 

The films also feature screen legends Toshiro Mifune, Hideko Takamine, Setsuko Hara, Ryo Ikebe and Yoko Sugi.

 

Having acted in close to 40 films, including 34 films between 1948 and 1960, Yoko Sugi became the face of hope in Japan during the difficult years that followed World War II.  Ms. Sugi is scheduled to appear in person to answer questions from audiences.

 

 

Tsuma no Kokoro (A Wife’s Heart) 1956  Starring Japanese screen legend Toshiro Mifune.  Naruse, who directed close to 90 films, became known for his shomin-geki (working-class drama) that Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa likened to “ a great river with a calm surface and a raging current in its depth.”

 

Pu-san (Mr. Pu) 1953  A comedic take on a Japanese everyman trying to balance life and dreams in post-war Japan.  Based on a manga (Japanese comic strip), Pu-san by Taizo Yokoyama, stars Yunosuke Ito as a war veteran turned local high school math teacher. 

 

Ichikawa, who directed such internationally acclaimed films at The Burmese Harp, Fires on the Plain and Tokyo Olympiad, is considered one of Japan’s most respected film directors.

 

 

(Zoku Aoi Sanmyaku (c) Toho Co.)

Aoi sanmyaku (The Green Mountains) 1949  Based on a novel by Yojiro Ishizaki, this film takes place is a romantic film set in a high school.  Aoi sanmyaku won two awards for acting and one for cinematography.  Before WWII, Imai had built a reputation as one of the most controversial film directors, releasing films that were infused with his left wing ideology. 

 

General Admission is $10 per film, Students, Seniors and Groups over 10 are $8. A festival pass is available for $25.

 

Aratani/Japan America Theatre located at 244 South San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. For more information visit www.jaccc.org or call (213) 628-2725.