Japanese Summer Explorers
For three years in a row, we have taken part in The Japan Foundation London's Summer Explorers events. The 2016 and 2017's films were shown in the beautiful Bafta building in Piccadilly. We've seen three anime and one live action films so far, with two anime films booked for the 2018 season. This year the Japanese film season will be split into three weekends, from Saturday 4th August until Saturday 18th August. For people who are interested in learning Japanese, there will also be some Japanese Language taster sessions. My 10 year old and I both highly recommend booking tickets and having fun learning Japanese at the end.
Saturday 4 August 2018 - 4 Richmond Mews (via Richmond Buildings), London, W1D 3DH
NHK WORLD-JAPAN Double Bill (Part 1) 5.15pm (English Subtitles) A Tale of Love & Honour: Life in Gion Dir. Maki Kubochi, 2017, 49min
Living Ninja Legend Masaaki Hatsumi 2016, 49 min
House 7:20pm (English subtitles, suitable for ages 15+) Dir. Nobuhiko Obayashi, 1977, 88min
Miyuki (Kimiko Ikegami) decides to take six of her friends to her aunt’s house in the countryside, and one by one, strange things start happening to them.
Sunday 5 August 2018: Courthouse Hotel Cinema - 19-21 Great Marlborough Street, London, W1F 7HL
Summer Wars 2.15pm (suitable for ages 12+) Dir. Mamoru Hosoda, 2009, 114min Maths genius Kenji is invited by his crush Natsuki on a summer trip. He receives a strange, coded message on his cell phone from an unknown sender who challenges him to solve it. Will Kenji be able to crack the code and save the world from danger?
NHK WORLD-JAPAN Double Bill (Part 2) 4.30pm (English subtitles)
My Small Steps to Hiroshima 2016, 50min
The Phone of the Wind 2016, 49 mins
Kikujiro 6.40pm (English subtitles, suitable for ages 12+) Dir. Takeshi Kitano, 1999, 122min
Young Masao decides to embark on a journey to find his long-lost mother. His elderly neighbour Kikujiro (Takeshi Kitano) decides to accompany him on his trip.
Saturday, 11 August 2018: Soho Hotel Cinema - 4 Richmond Mews (via Richmond Buildings), London, W1D 3DH
Only Yesterday 2.15pm (English subtitles, PG) Dir. Isao Takahata, 1991, 118min
Office worker Taeso decides to take a break from Tokyo during the summer to spend time in the countryside, somewhere she hasn't been for nearly two decades. Along the way, her childhood memories come pouring back to her.
Napping Princess 4.40pm (English subtitles, PG) Dir. Kenji Kamiyama, 1991, 111min
Kokone should be studying for her university entrance exams, but when she sleeps, her daily life is swapped for the fantastic world of Heartland.
Mitsuko Delivers 7.00pm (English subtitles) Dir. Yuya Ishii, 2011, 109min
After being dumped by the boyfriend whose baby she’s carrying, Mitsuko decides to go back to her hometown to help those around her.
Sunday 12th August 2018: Courthouse Hotel Cinema - 19-21 Great Marlborough Street, London, W1F 7HL
His Master's Voice 2:00pm & 6:40pm Dir. Hiroyuki Itaya, 2014 | 95 min
In order to cheer up their little son, Sadakichi (Mayuta Fukuzaki) and his wife ask their gloomy looking neighbour, Taihei (Taihei Hayashiya), a former Rakugo storyteller, to give a performance for him. Sadakichi is deeply moved by his performance and hopes to become Taihei's apprentice.
Giovanni's Island 4:15pm Dir. Mizuho Nishikubo, 2014 | 104 min
In the aftermath of World War Two, the tiny island of Shikotan became part of the Sakhalin Oblast. On this unhealed border, friendship among children from two different countries timidly blossomed, striving to overcome language barriers and the waves of history. Inspired by true events.
Saturday 18th August 2018: Regent Street Cinema - 309 Regent Street, London, W1B 2UW
Chieri and Cherry 2:30pm Dir. Makoto Nakamura, 2015 | 54 min
The only friend Chieri has is a stuffed animal Cherry; it talks to her, helping her go through life in place of her late father. When she visits her grandmother's house, they find a stray dog giving birth to puppies, but a mean crow and strange monster come to steal them. Can Chieri and Cherry keep them safe?
Cat Samurai 3:50pm Dirs. Takeshi Watanabe and Yoshitaka Yamaguchi, 2014 | 100 min
Masterless samurai Kyutaru Madarame (Kazuki Kitamura) is hired by a dog-loving gang to get rid of a rival gang's cat. The only problem - when Madarame comes face to face with the cat in question, he can't go through with it... and is now the target of both gangs!
Oshin 5:50pm Dir. Shin Togashi, 2013 | 109 min
In 1907, 7-year-old Oshin is traded for 60kg of rice and sent to work in a lumber shop. Suspected of theft by the owners, she runs away into the mountains during a blizzard. Found by the kind Shunsaku, Oshin learns how to read and write, and the importance of independent thinking. A remake of the biggest hit drama in Japanese TV history.
Free tickets can be booked here: The Japan Foundation
