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Monthly Screenings

Aki-no: Japanese Film Festival 2022

Ryusuke Hamaguchi: A Tribute

Asako I & II

Dir.: Ryusuke Hamaguchi
| 120 minutes

It is love at first sight, when Baku and Asako cross paths. But a broken heart quickly follows. A couple of years later, Baku meets someone who eerily resembles Asako…. A clever and extraordinary sweet romantic comedy that plays on the heartstrings. 

Aki-no Opening Event

Opening Event

Prior to the screening, greetings by representatives of the Japanese Embassy and the Jerusalem Cinematheque 

The Asadas

Dir.: Ryôta Nakano
| 127 minutes

In the aftermath of the 2011 tsunami and subsequent nuclear reactor meltdown, a young photographer captures his family within staged, imaginary, and spectacular scenes. Without sentimentality, but with a sense of humor and aesthetics, director Ryôta Nakano explores the dynamics of family.

Wife of a Spy

Dir.: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
| 115 minutes

Wife of a Spy is a riveting, gorgeously crafted, old-school Hitchcockian thriller, which follows a couple that is suspected to be infiltrators of the West. Set in Japan’s war-torn rural countryside, this film depicts a couple’s struggle to overcome distrust and stay faithful to their love.

Ryusuke Hamaguchi: A Tribute

Happy Hour

Dir.: Ryusuke Hamaguchi
| 317 minutes

Four thirty-something women from Kobe re-examine their lives when one of them divorces her husband. With precise directing, Ryusuke Hamaguchi manages to bring the audience close to his heroines, and with honesty and sobriety, he presents an ambitious and unique film full of sentiment.

Mishima: The Last Debate

Dir.: Keisuke Toyoshima
| 108 minutes

Against the backdrop of the 1969 student riots, students invited perhaps the most prominent literary figure of the time, Yukio Mishima, for a debate. But then a young student stood up and went blow for blow with the experienced Mishima. A thought-provoking and sage work.

Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle

Dir.: Arthur Harari
| 165 minutes

Onoda is based on the true story of Hiroo Onoda. During WWII, he was sent into the jungles of the Philippines and continued the War himself for another 10,000 days. Set against breathtaking vistas, Onoda represents the Japanese hubris of the days of the emperor.

Along the Sea

Dir.: Akio Fujimoto
| 88 minutes

Three young Vietnamese women immigrate to Japan in hopes of finding employment. The future seems bright until one of them falls ill.... The tension between the cultural homogeneity of Japanese society and the growing need for working hands from outside comes to light in this heartfelt drama.

A Balance

Dir.: Yujiro Harumoto
| 153 minutes

As a documentary maker, Yoko is all about truth and integrity, but her latest story will test her journalistic and ethical values. A Balance produces a well-constructed story that spares no criticism from Japanese society and the conformity on which it is built.