Lily Festival 百合祭

Celebrate Pride with us this summer by watching four films in the PRIDE FILM SERIES that look at LGBTQ diversity in Japan.

Delightful romantic complications are stirred up with the arrival of a 75-year-old Casanova, Mr. Miyoshi, at a senior citizens’ apartment building. Mrs. Miyano and her five other apartment mates, who range in age from 69 to 91, find their lives forever transformed by his flattery and sexual attentions. Dauntlessly they break out of their shells, reclaiming their own desires. Lily Festival is a humorous and subversive erotic fantasy in which Mrs. Miyano, having found her desire, is now confronting the possibilities of lesbian love for the first time. Lily Festival portrays the lively reawakening of older women who have been shackled by both oppression of women and discrimination against the elderly. These women are definitely not cute old ladies.

Director Sachi Hamano has released over 300 low-budget adult films portraying sexuality from women’s perspectives. Funding for Lily Festival was provided in part by donations from more than 12,000 women from all over Japan who support Hamano’s filmmaking. High production values, great acting and an engaging story make Lily Festival such a delight. If you are looking for granny-on-granny action, be patient, this romantic comedy unfolds in the most lovely and unexpected ways. Lily Festival celebrates golden girls who are bold and overflowing with energy and who find that there is sex after 60. [Programme notes from Inside Out film festival]

The film was an adaptation of the novel Yurisai (Lily Festival) written by Hoko Momotani about elderly sexuality.

The Japan Foundation, Toronto would like to acknowledge the generous support for this film screening from TANTANSHA Co., Ltd. and director Sachi Hamano.  Thank you very much!

CAST

Kazuko Yoshiyuki
Mickey Curtis
Kazuko Shirakawa
Utae Shoji
Chisako Hara

Production Company

Tantansha CO.,LTD

Other films in the PRIDE FILM SERIES:

TABOO                   Directed by Nagisa Oshima
HUSH!                   Directed by Ryosuke Hashiguchi
LILY FESTIVAL     Directed by Sachi Hamano
KAKERA                Directed by Momoko Ando