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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20251120T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20251120T201500
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
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SUMMARY:Late Autumn (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Late Autumn \n秋日和 \nThursday November 20\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by OZU Yasujirō • 1960 • 128 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer  \n  \nLate Autumn follows the attempts of three older men to help the widow of a late friend\, MIWA Akiko (HARA Setsuko)\, to marry off her daughter Ayako (TSUKASA Yōko\, in her assured first appearance in an Ozu film). Ayako\, however\, is less than happy at the proposals\, mainly because of her reluctance to leave her mother alone.   \nA reworking of Ozu’s earlier masterpiece Late Spring (1949)\, the film reverses the roles\, with the Ozu regular HARA Setsuko now portraying the sensitive\, caring mother\, instead of the devoted daughter she played in the original film. A more comedic entry in Ozu’s oeuvre\, Late Autumn satirizes the social rituals and emotional turbulence surrounding marriage and matchmaking\, while continuing Ozu’s meditation on the widening generational gap in the post-war Japan.  \nOzu once said about Late Autumn: “People complicate the simplest things. Life\, which seems complex\, suddenly reveals itself as very simple. I wanted to show that in this film.” Released three years before his death\, Late Autumn may be lesser known than his most celebrated works\, but it nevertheless is a testament of his unique sensibility and refined artistry.          \n©Janus Films \n  \nIf you are interested in more classic Japanese films\, don’t miss the NARUSE Mikio retrospective currently touring across Canada\, including films starring HARA Setsuko and TSUKASA Yōko! \nFree admission.  Register below. \n\nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n\n\n \n\n\n Director Profile: \n  \nOZU Yasujirō (小津 安二郎\, 1903-1963) is widely regarded as one of the greatest Japanese filmmakers in the history of cinema\, known for his deeply humanistic portrayals of family life and the quiet passage of time. Ozu began his career during the era of silent films. He first made a number of short comedies\, before turning to more serious themes in the 1930s. Over a career spanning more than three decades\, Ozu crafted a distinctive cinematic language characterized by low camera angles (“tatami shot”)\, static compositions\, and meticulous attention to everyday conversations. Marriage and family\, generational divides\, and the tension between tradition and modernity in post-war Japan are often the prominent themes in his works. \nAmong his most celebrated works are Late Spring (1949)\, Tokyo Story (1953)\,  Floating Weeds (1959)\, and his final film An Autumn Afternoon (1962). Ozu’s restrained storytelling\, delicate humor\, and compassionate view of ordinary life have made him an enduring icon of world cinema and have continued to influence filmmakers. In the 2012 Sight & Sound poll\, Ozu’s Tokyo Story was voted the greatest film of all time by directors around the world.  \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/late-autumn/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20251125T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20251125T200000
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20251106T211849Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251121T145811Z
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SUMMARY:Tampopo (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Tampopo \nタンポポ \nTuesday November 25\, 5:30PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:00PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by ITAMI Jūzō • 1985 • 115 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer    \n  \nA self-proclaimed “ramen Western\,” Tampopo is a playful and delicious satire on food\, desire\, and Japanese culture. The story follows truck driver Goro (YAMAZAKI Tsutomu) and his sidekick Gun (WATANABE Ken) as they help Tampopo (MIYAMOTO Nobuko)\, a widowed noodle shop owner\, perfect her ramen recipe and transform her small eatery into a local legend. \nThrough a series of eccentric vignettes—from a gangster’s sensual food rituals to an etiquette lesson gone wrong—ITAMI Jūzō serves up a loving and absurd meditation on the art of eating and living. Both hilarious and heartfelt\, Tampopo celebrates the pursuit of perfection and the joy found in a simple bowl of ramen. \n©Janus Films \nContent Warning: This film contains brief scenes of animal violence and sexual content\, including nudity. Viewer discretion is advised. \n  \nAfter the screening\, 2025 Japan Foundation Awards recipient Marty Gross will join us for a conversation\, including screening an interview he conducted & produced with the food stylist OGAWA Seiko who worked on the film!   \n  \nIf you are interested in more Japanese films about food\, don’t miss the current line-up of films in the feature “Meals That Heal and Connect” on JFF Theater. Available for FREE streaming across Canada! \n  \nFree admission. \nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n\n Director Profile:   \nITAMI Jūzō (伊丹 十三\, 1933-1997) was a Japanese actor\, essayist\, screenwriter and film director. One of Japan’s most distinctive satirists\, Itami began his career as an actor\, where he used the stage name ITAMI Ichizō (伊丹 一三). He appeared in foreign-language films such as 55 Days at Peking (1963) and Lord Jim (1965). In 1965\, he published a book called Diary of Boredom in Europe\, an essay collection of his thoughts and reflections on his time in Europe.  \nIn 1967\, when working with director ŌSHIMA Nagisa on the set of Sing a Song of Sex\, he met actress MIYAMOTO Nobuko; they got married in 1969 and Miyamoto would later star in all his films. \nItami turned to filmmaking in the 1980s. His directorial debut\, The Funeral (1984)\, was a critical and commercial success in Japan and won many awards\, including Japanese Academy Awards for Best Picture\, Best Director\, and Best Screenplay. With Tampopo (1985)\, he reached international acclaim\, cementing his reputation for subversive wit and inventive storytelling. His following film A Taxing Woman (1987) was again highly successful. It won six major Japanese Academy awards and spawned a sequel A Taxing Woman’s Return in 1988.  \nItami’s films often tackled contemporary Japanese life\, from consumerism and bureaucracy to gender roles\, with his signature blend of sharp social observation and wry humor. \n\n \nGuest Profile: \nMarty Gross is a consulting producer for companies based in North America\, Europe and Asia\, with focus on Japanese art\, film\, theatre and crafts. His company\, Marty Gross Film Productions\, Inc. (founded in 1975)\, manages one of the most comprehensive websites devoted to films on Japanese cultural and historical subjects. \nSince 1974\, he has produced and directed films (including As We Are\, Potters at Work\, The Lovers’ Exile)\, restored archival films on Japanese arts and crafts (such as The Leach Pottery\, Mashiko Village Pottery\, Japan 1937)\, conducted numerous interviews\, produced documentaries and coordinated publication of books on the history of Japanese cinema and on Japanese animation. \n(C) photo by Grant Delin
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/tampopo/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20251216T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20251216T200000
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
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SUMMARY:Hula Girls (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Hula Girls \nTuesday\, December 16\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by LEE Sang-il • 2006 • Comedy / Drama • 120 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \nIn 1965\, desperate to reverse their economic fortunes\, the elders of Iwaki\, a small Japanese coal-mining town\, decide to create a Hawaiian center tourist attraction. They hire Madoka (MATSUYUKI Yasuko)\, a professional dancer from Tokyo\, to recruit and train hula dancers. The group includes hulking Sayuri (YAMASAKI Shizuyo) and the hesitant Kimiko (AOI Yû). Things seem hopeless at first\, but with encouragement from Kimiko’s brother\, Yojiro (TOYOKAWA Etsushi)\, Madoka redoubles her efforts to make things work. \nBased on real life events\, Hula Girls premiered at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival and went on to win five major awards at the 2007 Japan Academy Film Prize\, including Best Film\, Best Director\, Best Screenplay\, Best Supporting Actress\, and Most Popular Film. It was also chosen for Japan’s entry for the 79th Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film. \nContent advisory: brief scenes of domestic violence.  \n  \nIf you are interested in director LEE Sang-il’s latest film\, the critical and commercial success Kokuho\, don’t miss the screening at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre on Jan 23\, 2026! \n  \nFree admission.  \nRegistration for this event is now full. If you wish to be notified when a cancelled slot becomes available\, please join the waitlist on Eventbrite (limited spots). We will also have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n  \n\nDirector Profile: \nLEE Sang-il (李相日) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter of Zainichi Korean descent. Lee studied at the Japan Institute of the Moving Image. His graduation project and directorial debut was the medium-length film Chong (1999)\, about the lives of third-generation Koreans living in Japan. The film won four awards including the Grand Prix at the Pia Film Festival (PFF) in 2000. \nIn 2004\, he directed his second feature: 69\, adapted from the novel of the same name by MURAKAMI Ryū\, which earned him a Best Director nomination at the Blue Ribbon Award.  His 2006 film\, Hula Girls\, had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and was critically acclaimed upon release in Japan. It received 12 nominations at the 2007 Japan Academy Awards\, winning five awards including Best Film and Best Director\, and was selected to represent Japan at the Academy Awards. His next film Villain (2010) was again acclaimed in Japan\, winning 5 Japanese Academy awards. Lee’s most recent work is Kokuho (2025)\, which world premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and went on to become a critical and commercial success in Japan. It was selected as the Japanese entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 2026 Academy Awards.
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/hula-girls/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260125T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260125T193000
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20251117T212628Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260121T180427Z
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SUMMARY:Cinema Kabuki 2026 Toronto
DESCRIPTION:Presented by The Japan Foundation In association with the Consulate-General of Japan in Toronto  CINEMA KABUKI: In High Definition on the Big Screen ‒ Direct from Japan ‒ English subtitled. Kabuki Theatre filmed with high-resolution cameras for cinemas in High-Definition digital projection and six-channel sound. A twisted comedy set in the tenements in Rakuda: Party with a Dead Man\, the further developments of the scandalous secret love and downfall in Princess Sakurahime Part II\, and a romantic yet domestic dance-comedy in The Zen Substitute.   \n \nOn-Line at Ticketmaster.comTelephone: 416-599-2033 (TIFF Lightbox box office)Tickets can also be purchased In-Person at the TIFF Lightbox box office.Admission for each screening: $24.80 including Tax and handling charge.All seats are assigned. \n\n\n \nTIFF Lightbox\, 350 King Street West\, Toronto\, Cinema 2 \n\n\n \nCinema Kabuki 2026 Toronto Time Table:Sunday\, January 25 at 1:00 p.m. Rakuda: Party with a Dead Man    52 minutesSunday\, January 25 at 3:00 p.m. Princess Sakurahime Part II        138 minutesSunday\, January 25 at 6:25 p.m. The Zen Substitute                         62 minutes \n \nPurchase Tickets \n\n Rakuda\, Party with a Dead Man A twisted comedy set in the tenements  \nSunday\, January 25 at 1:00 p.m. 【らくだ 眠駱駝物語 ねむる、が、らくだ、ものがたり】 \nBased on Rakugo comic storytellingPremiered in 1928Written by Onitarō Oka based on a Rakugo storyDirected for the stage by Shigetami EnomotoDirected for Cinema Kabuki by Hiroyuki NakataniRecorded live at Kabuki-za Theatre\, Tokyo\, 200852 minutes\, English subtitled© 2008 Shochiku Co.\, Ltd. \nSynopsis \nUma\, an unpopular tenant\, dies\, his only friend Hanji cooks up a scheme to make some money. He sends Kyūroku\, the junk collector\, to demand support for the funeral celebrations from Uma’s miserly landlord – or else the dead Uma will come to his house and dance. Kabuki’s most powerful acting duo\, Kanzaburo and Mitsugoro\, light a fire under this twisted comedy\, which turns to hilarious farce with the aid of copious amounts of sake. \n落語原作の、江戸下町長屋の笑劇。フグの毒で急死した長屋の嫌われ者の屍を引っ提げて、葬式を口実に酒と肴の強請り放題、さて大家さんは応じるか？ \n  \n\n Princess Sakurahime Part II \nSunday\, January 25 at 3:00 p.m.  【桜姫東文章 下の巻　さくらひめ　あずまぶんしょう げのまき】 \nPremiered in Bunka 14 (1817) at Kawarazaki-za Theatre\, Edo\, TokyoWritten by TSURUYA NanbokuRecorded live at Kabuki-za Theatre\, Tokyo\, 2021138 minutes\, English subtitled© 2022 Shochiku Co.\, Ltd. \nSynopsis | Trailer \nA sweet child and a monk\, an esteemed princess and a thief— two unusual couples whose fates are linked by karma. A high-ranking monk is convinced that Princess Sakurahime is the reincarnation of his dead male lover and falls madly for her. Sakurahime\, however\, is obsessed with finding the unknown villain who raped her and left her pregnant. Described by critics and historians as one of the most scandalous Kabuki plays ever written\, this story of the secret love and downfall of Princess Sakurahime still has the power to shock contemporary audiences. The playwright TSURUYA Nanboku was at the apex of the overripe culture of Edo in the Bunka-Bunsei period (1804-1830). Nanboku’s masterpiece has been brought to the live stage in the most ideal manner by Kabuki’s golden pair\, Nizaemon and Tamasaburo\, who started their collaboration in their twenties. This Cinema Kabuki presentation is a precious record of their reunion in their most successful repertoire for the first time in 36 years. Following last year’s Part I screening\, Part II starts with a summary of Part I to refresh your memory\, or to enable you to enjoy Part II by itself. \n桜姫―玉三郎―と、清玄/権助―仁左衛門二役―との因縁愛憎はさらに渦を巻き、愛欲と尊厳が激しく交錯衝突する。いよいよ大詰めに迫り、南北独特の奇想のどんでん返しが次々に炸裂。 \n  \n    \n\n The Zen Substitute  \nSunday\, January 25 at 6:25 p.m.  【身替座禅 みがわり ざぜん】 \nPremiered in 1910Written by Okamura ShikōDirected for Cinema Kabuki by Sekine KiyoshiRecorded live at Kabuki-za Theatre\, Tokyo\, 200962 minutes\, English subtitled© 2010 Shochiku Co.\, Ltd.  \nSynopsis Lord Ukyō announces to his wife that he intends to isolate himself in Zen meditation by locking himself in a remote pavilion overnight. The truth\, however\, is that he is planning to sneak out to see a woman he had met on a recent trip. As a decoy\, a hapless servant is forced to stay in the prayer pavilion in a place of the lord. Although the lord’s wife is supposed to refrain from visiting her husband out of respect for his religious isolation\, she is so monstrously affectionate that she breaks her vow and goes looking for him. This simple domestic farce is elevated to an expression of the joyful energy of life by two of the best dancers of the Kabuki world\, Kanzaburo and Mitsugoro. 狂言を基にした歌舞伎舞踊の最高傑作のひとつ。今は共に亡き十八世勘三郎と十世三津五郎の舞踊コンビの、最も充実した時期の、豊かにおおらかに、そして洒落た、あの幻の舞台の記録、今よみがえる。 \n            \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n      \n\nRelated Programming: \n \n\nFrom Stage to Screen to Page:  JFT Library Items to Enhance Your Cinema Kabuki Experience! \n\n\n\nPlanning to attend Cinema Kabuki? Whether you are discovering kabuki for the first time or returning as a seasoned theatre lover\, this curated selection from the JFT Library invites you to extend your journey into the rich world of kabuki theatre—before and after the event! Discover how kabuki has evolved through the centuries\, explore actors’ lives on and off stage\, enjoy beautifully illustrated guides to its aesthetics\, and watch DVDs/Blu-rays of renowned plays with English soundtracks. Highlights include Kabuki: Five Classic Plays\, featuring a full English translation of Princess Sakurahime—perfect for revisiting the drama after the screening or preparing in advance. The library items are available in English and Japanese\, across print\, DVD/Blu-ray\, and ebook formats.   \n\n The curated library items are currently on display at JFT library. \n\n Apply for a new library card or renew your expired card here. \n\nLibrary Item List       \n  \n  \n  \n  \n \nIn conjunction with Kabuki Talks Series \nJanuary 10\, 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm @ JFT Event Hall January 14\, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm @ JFT Event Hall January 20\, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm @ JFT Event Hall Join us for a special three-part talk series\, where we explore various aspects of Kabuki theatre in depth.  
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/cinema-kabuki-2026-toronto/
LOCATION:TIFF Lightbox\, 350 King Street West\, Toronto\, Ontario\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening,Performance
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260127T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260127T201500
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260106T152745Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260116T203301Z
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SUMMARY:Harakiri (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Harakiri \n切腹 \nTuesday January 27\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by KOBAYASHI Masaki • 1962 • 133 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer    \nFollowing the collapse of his clan\, an unemployed samurai (NAKADAI Tatsuya) arrives at the manor of Lord Iyi\, begging to be allowed to commit ritual suicide on the property. Iyi’s clansmen\, believing the desperate ronin is merely angling for a new position\, try to force his hand and get him to eviscerate himself—but they have underestimated his beliefs and his personal brand of honor. Winner of the Cannes Film Festival’s Special Jury Prize\, Harakiri is a fierce evocation of individual agency in the face of a corrupt and hypocritical system. \n©Janus Films \n  \nWidely regarded as one of the greatest actors in the history of cinema\, NAKADAI Tatsuya collaborated extensively with many of Japan’s best-known and acclaimed directors. In his over seven decade career\, he appeared in more than 160 films. According to him\, Harakiri was his favourite film of them all. In memory of the unparalleled actor\, who passed away on November 8\, 2025\, JFT is presenting the screening of Harakiri. \nContent Warning: This film contains scenes of violence and gore.   \n  \nFree admission. \nThis event is now fully booked and registration is closed. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n\n Director Profile: \nKOBAYASHI Masaki (小林 正樹\, 1916-1996) was a Japanese filmmaker who was “one of the finest depicters of Japanese society in the 1950s and 1960s.” Kobayashi started his film career as an assistant at the Shochiku studio\, working under KINOSHITA Keisuke (木下 惠介)\, who was an acclaimed director domestically during the period. While working as an assistant\, Kobayashi grew to admire Kinoshita’s skills in directing. The two collaborated on a few projects and Kinoshita helped Kobayashi make some of his earliest films. \nIn 1957\, Kobayashi made Black River\, about the crime and prostitution that arose around US bases in Japan during and after the American occupation. This was the first of Kobayashi’s films to star NAKADAI Tatsuya in a major role. Nakadai would become a mainstay of Kobayashi’s film\, starring in 9 of Kobayashi’s next 13 films. Starting from 1959\, Kobayashi rose to the peak of his career\, with the trilogy of epic war dramas The Human Condition (1959-1961) starring Nakadai as a pacifist gradually disillusioned as he goes through various hardships and cruelty during the war. Labelled as “one of the most staggering achievements of Japanese cinema\,” the total length of the films is almost ten hours\, which makes it one of the longest fiction films ever made for theatrical release. \nIn 1962\, Kobayashi directed Harakiri\, which won the Jury Prize at the 1963 Cannes Film Festival. The same year\, he also directed The Inheritance\, which won the BAFTA United Nations award. In 1964\, Kobayashi made Kwaidan\, his first color film\, a collection of four ghost stories drawn from books by Lafcadio Hearn. Kwaidan won the Special Jury Prize at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival\, and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/harakiri/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260210T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260210T203000
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260115T171713Z
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SUMMARY:A Story from Chikamatsu (film screening + talk)
DESCRIPTION:A Story from Chikamatsu \n近松物語 \nTuesday Feb 10\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by MIZOGUCHI Kenji • 1954 • 102 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer    \nOne of a string of late-career masterworks made by MIZOGUCHI Kenji in the first half of the 1950s\, A Story from Chikamatsu (a.k.a. The Crucified Lovers) is an exquisitely moving tale of forbidden love struggling to survive in the face of persecution. Adapted from CHIKAMATSU Monzaemon’s 1715 bunraku play\, the film traces the injustices that befall a Kyoto scroll maker’s wife and his apprentice after each is unfairly accused of wrongdoing. Bound by fate in an illicit\, star-crossed romance\, they go on the run in search of refuge from the punishment prescribed them.  \nShot in gorgeous\, painterly style by master cinematographer MIYAGAWA Kazuo\, this delicately delivered indictment of societal oppression was heralded by KUROSAWA Akira as a “great masterpiece that could only have been made by Mizoguchi.” \n©Janus Films \n  \nAfter the film\, we will screen a 10-minute interview with the lead actress KAGAWA Kyoko\, directed by 2025 Japan Foundation Awards recipient Marty Gross\, who will join us for a brief conversation on his experiences working with the distributor The Criterion Collection on producing & conducting interviews with Japanese filmmakers.   \n  \nFree admission. Registration required. \nRegistration for this event is now full. If you wish to be notified when a cancelled slot becomes available\, please join the waitlist on Eventbrite (limited spots). We will also have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \nRegister here \n\n Director Profile: \nMIZOGUCHI Kenji (溝口 健二\, 1898 – 1956) is one of the most revered masters of Japanese cinema\, celebrated for his profound humanism and rigorous visual style. Active from the silent era through the postwar period\, Mizoguchi directed more than 80 films\, though fewer than half survive today. Initially seeking to become an actor\, Mizoguchi joined Nikkatsu as an assistant director\, and was later promoted to director. His early works included remakes of German Expressionist cinema\, adaptations of Eugene O’Neill and Leo Tolstoy\, and a series of left-leaning “tendency films.” While working in Kyoto\, he studied kabuki and noh theatre\, and traditional Japanese dance and music. In 1939\, Mizoguchi became president of the Directors Guild of Japan and released the film The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums\, which is regarded by many critics as his major pre-war work. \n He came to international prominence in the early 1950s\, with films The Life of Oharu (1952)\, Ugetsu (1953)\, and Sansho the Bailiff (1954) receiving major awards at the Venice Film Festival\, firmly establishing Japanese cinema on the global stage. Drawing from classical literature\, historical chronicles\, and contemporary social issues\, Mizoguchi consistently explored the moral and emotional costs of rigid social hierarchies. Mizoguchi is especially renowned for his compassionate yet unsentimental portrayals of women\, whose suffering and resilience lie at the heart of his cinema. His films are marked by long takes\, fluid camera movements\, and carefully choreographed staging that allow emotional intensity to emerge gradually rather than through overt dramatization. Together with KUROSAWA Akira and OZU Yasujirō\, Mizoguchi is seen as a representative of the “golden age” of Japanese cinema. \n\n Guest Profile: \nMarty Gross is a consulting producer for companies based in North America\, Europe and Asia\, with focus on Japanese art\, film\, theatre and crafts. His company\, Marty Gross Film Productions\, Inc. (founded in 1975)\, manages one of the most comprehensive websites devoted to films on Japanese cultural and historical subjects. Since 1974\, he has produced and directed films (including As We Are\, Potters at Work\, The Lovers’ Exile)\, restored archival films on Japanese arts and crafts (such as The Leach Pottery\, Mashiko Village Pottery\, Japan 1937)\, conducted numerous interviews\, produced documentaries and coordinated publication of books on the history of Japanese cinema and on Japanese animation. \n© photo by Grant Delin \n\n \n\nRelated programming: \n \nThe Lovers’ Exile (film screening + talk) \nSaturday\, Feb 21\, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM (ET)In-Person at JFT Event Hall | Admission Free | Registration Required \nThe Lovers’ Exile is an adaptation of MEIDO NO HIKYAKU by classic Japanese dramatist CHIKAMATSU Monzaemon (1673-1724). The story\, one of Chikamatsu’s domestic tragedies\, recounts the love between a penniless clerk and an indentured prostitute. \nThe Lovers’ Exile is performed entirely by the Bunraku Ensemble of Osaka\, widely considered the most sophisticated puppet theatre in the world. The Bunraku Theatre Ensemble\, and numerous of its players have been declared Living National Treasures of Japan. The Lovers’ Exile is the only filmed adaptation of a classic Bunraku performance. \n  \nAfter the screening\, director Marty Gross\, the recipient of 2025 Japan Foundation Awards\, will join us for a talk and Q&A. \nDetails here
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/a-story-from-chikamatsu/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260221T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260221T203000
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260115T172054Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260219T172016Z
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SUMMARY:The Lovers' Exile (film screening + talk)
DESCRIPTION:The Lovers’ Exile \n冥途の飛脚 \nSaturday\, February 21\, 6:30 PM (ET) \nDoors open 6:00 PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by Marty Gross • 1980 • 87 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles  \nBunraku combines the arts of puppetry\, joruri dramatic recitation\, and musical accompaniment of the samisen. Each puppet is manipulated by three handlers; the resulting ensemble effort of puppeteers and musicians creates not only a sense of heightened realism\, but also a dreamlike delicacy and complexity of movement. In 2003\, UNESCO proclaimed Bunraku a “masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity.” \nThe Lovers’ Exile is an adaptation of MEIDO NO HIKYAKU by classic Japanese dramatist CHIKAMATSU Monzaemon (1673-1724). The story\, one of Chikamatsu’s domestic tragedies\, recounts the love between a penniless clerk and an indentured prostitute. \nThe Lovers’ Exile is performed entirely by the Bunraku Ensemble of Osaka\, widely considered the most sophisticated puppet theatre in the world. The Bunraku Theatre Ensemble\, and numerous of its players have been declared Living National Treasures of Japan. The Lovers’ Exile is the only filmed adaptation of a classic Bunraku performance. \n©Marty Gross Film Productions Inc. \n  \nAfter the screening\, director Marty Gross\, the recipient of 2025 Japan Foundation Awards\, will join us for a talk on his filmmaking career and his work on preserving Japanese arts and cultural heritage.  \n  \nThis event is now fully booked. Due to the popularity of the event\, there will NOT be a rush line for this screening. Thank you very much for your understanding!  \n\n \nDirector Profile: \nMarty Gross is a consulting producer for companies based in North America\, Europe and Asia\, with focus on Japanese art\, film\, theatre and crafts. His company\, Marty Gross Film Productions\, Inc. (founded in 1975)\, manages one of the most comprehensive websites devoted to films on Japanese cultural and historical subjects. \nSince 1974\, he has produced and directed films (including As We Are\, Potters at Work\, The Lovers’ Exile)\, restored archival films on Japanese arts and crafts (such as The Leach Pottery\, Mashiko Village Pottery\, Japan 1937)\, conducted numerous interviews\, produced documentaries and coordinated publication of books on the history of Japanese cinema and on Japanese animation. \n  \n© photo by Grant Delin \n\nRelated programming: \n \nA Story from Chikamatsu (film screening) \nTuesday\, Feb 10\, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM (ET)In-Person at JFT Event Hall | Admission Free | Registration Required \nOne of a string of late-career masterworks made by MIZOGUCHI Kenji in the first half of the 1950s\, A Story from Chikamatsu (a.k.a. The Crucified Lovers) is an exquisitely moving tale of forbidden love struggling to survive in the face of persecution. Adapted from CHIKAMATSU Monzaemon’s 1715 bunraku play\, the film traces the injustices that befall a Kyoto scroll maker’s wife and his apprentice after each is unfairly accused of wrongdoing. Bound by fate in an illicit\, star-crossed romance\, they go on the run in search of refuge from the punishment prescribed them. \n  \nAfter the film\, we will screen a 10-minute interview with the lead actress KAGAWA Kyoko\, directed by 2025 Japan Foundation Awards recipient Marty Gross\, who will join us for a brief conversation. \nDetails here \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/the-lovers-exile/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260307T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260307T130000
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260212T221854Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260616T141423Z
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SUMMARY:Another World (KOTATSU screening)
DESCRIPTION:Another World \n半世界 \nSaturday\, March 7\, 11:00AM (ET) \nDoors open 10:30AM | Film Screening | In-Person | Innis Town Hall \nDirected by SAKAMOTO Junji • 2019 • Drama • 120 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \nInternationally recognized director SAKAMOTO Junji teams up with INAGAKI Goro to deliver an original story about three old school friends who are about to turn 40 years old. One of them returns home after a long silence and it brings the other two a moment to contemplate the days ahead in their lives. Through the perspective of men who are facing their 40s\, a point in life too late to be ambitious but too soon to give up\, Sakamoto depicts a human drama of new hope\, bonds between friends and family\, and struggle of how to live the rest of your life when you reach the half-way point. \n“A wistful\, intimate affair about friendship and fateful choices” (Screen Daily)\, Another World premiered at the 2018 Tokyo International Film Festival where it received Audience Award. It was later named one of Kinema Junpo’s Best Ten Japanese Films of the Year and received 4  Kinema Junpo Awards.  \nThis screening is a part of our annual winter film showcase\, KOTATSU 2026: Japanese Cinema at Innis Town Hall. \n  \nFree admission. Registration Required. \nRegister here \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nSAKAMOTO Junji (阪本 順治) is a Japanese filmmaker whose prolific career includes over thirty films. He started his career as an assistant director while studying\, working with filmmakers like ISHII Gakuryu\, among others. He made his directorial debut in 1989 with Knockout\, earning the Directors Guild of Japan New Directors Award\, and followed it up with another boxing film\, Tekken\, in 1990. Sakamoto became known for action films focusing on the conflicts between male characters\, such as Tokarefu (1994) and New Battles Without Honor and Humanity (2000)\, but has also made films centered on female characters such as Face (2000)\, for which he won the award for Best Director at the 24th Japan Academy Prize.  \nRecently\, his film Okiku and the World had its world premiere at the 2023 International Film Festival Rotterdam and won Kinema Junpo Award for Best Film of the Year. In 2023\, Sakamoto was honoured by New York Asian Film Festival with a Lifetime Achievement Award. \n\n  \nCommunity Partner: \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/another-world-kotatsu/
LOCATION:Innis Town Hall\, 2 Sussex Ave.\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M5S 1J5
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260307T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260307T164500
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260212T221956Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260616T141443Z
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SUMMARY:A Story of Yonosuke (KOTATSU screening)
DESCRIPTION:A Story of Yonosuke \n横道世之介 \nSaturday\, March 7\, 2:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 1:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | Innis Town Hall \nDirected by OKITA Shuichi • 2012 • Drama • 160 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \nA coming-of-age drama based on a serialized newspaper novel by YOSHIDA Shuichi (author of Kokuho)\, it nostalgically depicts the interactions between a good-natured young man and his friends\, while interweaving the past and present. \nIn 1987\, a young man named Yonosuke (played by KORA Kengo\, who won Best Actor at the Blue Ribbon Awards for his performance) who is unable to decline the requests of others leaves his hometown of Nagasaki to start university life in Tokyo. One day as he is juggling classes and extracurricular activities\, he goes to a driving school and meets Shoko (YOSHITAKA Yuriko)\, the daughter of a company president\, who takes a liking to him. \n  \nThis screening is a part of our annual winter film showcase\, KOTATSU 2026: Japanese Cinema at Innis Town Hall. \nFree admission. Registration Required. \nRegister here \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nOKITA Shuichi (沖田 修一) is one of Japan’s most distinctive contemporary filmmakers\, known for his humanistic storytelling\, understated humor\, and deep compassion for his characters. His films often focus on ordinary people navigating moments of quiet change\, blending comedy and melancholy with remarkable emotional precision. \nOkita gained recognition with The Woodsman and the Rain (2011)\, a warmhearted comedy about an unlikely friendship between a retired lumberjack and a young film director\, which won the Jury Prize at the 2011 Tokyo International Film Festival. He followed this success with A Story of Yonosuke (2013)\, winning Best Director at the 2014 Japan Film Professional Awards\, which further cemented his reputation. \nOther notable works include Mori\, The Artist’s Habitat (2018)\, a meditative portrait of artist MORI Morikazu (shown at our KOTATSU 2020)\, One Summer Story (2020)\, Ora\, Ora Be Goin’ Alone (2020)\, and The Fish Tale (2022). Across his body of work\, Okita demonstrates a rare ability to find meaning in the everyday\, portraying lives not defined by dramatic turning points\, but by the gentle accumulation of moments. \n\n  \nCommunity Partner: \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/yonosuke-kotatsu/
LOCATION:Innis Town Hall\, 2 Sussex Ave.\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M5S 1J5
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260307T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260307T205000
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260212T222033Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260616T141537Z
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SUMMARY:And Your Bird Can Sing (KOTATSU screening)
DESCRIPTION:And Your Bird Can Sing\n \nきみの鳥はうたえる \nSaturday\, March 7\, 7:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 6:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | Innis Town Hall \nDirected by MIYAKE Sho • 2018 • Romance\, Drama • 106 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \nBased on SATO Yasushi’s novel of the same title\, the film depicts a love triangle and captures the magic and melancholy of a summer. The main character\, « Me » (played by EMOTO Tasuku\, who won Best Actor at the Kinema Junpo Awards for his performance)\, works in a bookshop in Hakodate\, Hokkaido\, and shares a flat with a friend named Shizuo (SOMETANI Shota). Sachiko (ISHIBASHI Shizuka) is « Me »’ s colleague from the bookshop\, and the two starts a relationship. When Shizuo meets Sachiko\, he too starts to like her… Depicted like a breeze in the heat of Summer\, the relationship between these three young Japanese is built on a delicate balance of love and friendship.  \n  \nThis screening is a part of our annual winter film showcase\, KOTATSU 2026: Japanese Cinema at Innis Town Hall. \n  \nFree admission. Registration Required. \nRegister here \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nBorn in 1984 in Sapporo\, Hokkaido\, MIYAKE Sho (三宅 唱) is a Japanese filmmaker whose work has garnered significant international recognition\, particularly at major European film festivals. He completed the elementary fiction course at the Film School of Tokyo and began making feature films after graduating from university. \nHis breakthrough feature Playback (2012) was selected for the International Competition at the Locarno Film Festival. And Your Bird Can Sing (2018) screened in the Forum section of the Berlin International Film Festival\, where it received strong critical acclaim both internationally and in Japan\, and was named one of Kinema Junpo’s Best Ten Japanese Films of the Year. \nMiyake’s next two feature films — Small\, Slow but Steady (2022) and All the Long Nights (2024) — both premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and won Kinema Junpo Award for Best Film of the Year. Most recently\, Two Seasons\, Two Strangers (2025) won the top prize in the International Competition at the Locarno Film Festival\, further cementing Miyake’s reputation as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Japanese cinema. \n\nCommunity Partners: \n \n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/and-your-bird-can-sing-kotatsu/
LOCATION:Innis Town Hall\, 2 Sussex Ave.\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M5S 1J5
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260308T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260308T170000
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260212T222209Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260616T141556Z
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SUMMARY:Forever a Woman (KOTATSU screening)
DESCRIPTION:Forever a Woman \n乳房よ永遠なれ \nSunday\, March 8\, 3:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 2:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | Innis Town Hall \nDirected by TANAKA Kinuyo • 1955 • Drama • 106 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer\n \n4k Restoration! \nTANAKA Kinuyo’s third film as a director tells the story of  NAKAJO Fumiko\, an ill-fated female tanka poet whose life was brought to a premature end by breast cancer. Set on the plains of Hokkaido\, it features a fully-committed performance from star TSUKIOKA Yumeji\, whose character deals with the pain of being separated from her son\, then suddenly finds herself forced to confront her mortality\, yet still invests herself wholeheartedly in one last love affair. The supporting cast includes MORI Masayuki\, one of the most revered actors of Japanese cinema’s golden age\, as well as HAYAMA Ryoji in his first film role\, SUGI Yoko\, and OSAKA Shiro. The screenplay was penned by TANAKA Sumie\, further consolidating the “films for women\, by women” outlook that TANAKA Kinuyo strived to advance.  \nBefore the screening\, there will be an extended introduction by writer\, producer and filmmaker\, Kelley Dong! \n  \nThis screening is a part of our annual winter film showcase\, KOTATSU 2026: Japanese Cinema at Innis Town Hall. \nFree admission. Registration Required. \nRegister here \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nAs an actress\, TANAKA Kinuyo (田中 絹代) appeared in approximately 250 films\, including works by masters of Japanese cinema such as MIZOGUCHI Kenji\, NARUSE Mikio\, OZU Yasujiro\, etc. At the age of forty-two\, and after starring in more than two hundred films\, Tanaka chose to work behind the camera as a director. This decision constituted a milestone in the history of women in Japanese cinema. Prior to Tanaka\, only one woman had directed a Japanese feature film: SAKANE Tazuko\, whose directorial career was unfortunately cut short due to backlash from the largely male-led film industry. By the time Tanaka announced her wish to become a director\, she was one of the most celebrated actress in Japan\, and her decision was met with circumspection and even objection from some of her previous collaborators. \nA pioneering woman in a studio system that actively discouraged female directors\, TANAKA Kinuyo made six groundbreaking features over the course of a decade\, dismissing the passivity assigned to most female protagonists of the era and creating a small\, radical oeuvre of progressive heroines. These films\, which for decades were not available in North America\, and rarely screened outside of Japan\, were recently restored in 4K\, allowing audiences to (re)discover Tanaka’s achievement as a director.  \n Director Filmography\n1953 Love Letter\n1955 The Moon Has Risen\n1955 Forever a Woman \n1960 The Wandering Princess \n1961 Girls of the Night\n1962 Love Under the Crucifix  \n\nGuest Profile: \nKelley Dong is a writer\, producer and filmmaker. Their writing has appeared in MUBI Notebook\, Cinema Scope\, Film Comment\, The Village Voice\, and the Harvard Film Archive. \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n\n  \nCommunity Partners:
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/forever-a-woman-kotatsu/
LOCATION:Innis Town Hall\, 2 Sussex Ave.\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M5S 1J5
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260308T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260308T203000
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260212T222227Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260616T141624Z
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SUMMARY:Linda Linda Linda (KOTATSU screening)
DESCRIPTION:Linda Linda Linda\nリンダ リンダ リンダ \nSunday\, March 8\, 6:30PM (ET) \nDoors open 6:00PM | Film Screening | In-Person | Innis Town Hall \nDirected by YAMASHITA Nobuhiro • 2005 • Comedy\, Drama\, Music • 114 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \n4k Restoration! \nFor Kei\, Kyoko\, and Nozomi\, their dream of playing the final high school concert together is dashed when their lead vocalist quits the band. Desperate\, they recruit the very first person they see: Korean exchange student Son (BAE Doona)\, whose comprehension of Japanese is limited at best. It’s a race against time as the group struggles to learn three songs in three days for the festival’s rock concert. \nLinda Linda Linda is an effervescent\, tenderhearted snapshot of youth about the unparalleled joy of jamming out with your friends. The soundtrack fuses bangers from iconic Japanese bands The Blue Hearts and Base Ball Bear with original music composed by James Iha of the Smashing Pumpkins. The beloved classic is acknowledged by many as one of the greatest Japanese films of the 21st century.  \n@GKIDS \nThis screening is a part of our annual winter film showcase\, KOTATSU 2026: Japanese Cinema at Innis Town Hall. \nFree admission. Registration Required. \nThis event is now fully booked. However\, additional tickets may be available on Eventbrite closer to the event if there are cancellations.  We will also have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is NOT guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \nRegister here \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nYAMASHITA Nobuhiro (山下敦弘) is a Japanese film director known for quirky\, “slacker” comedies and slice-of-life films\, often collaborating with screenwriter MUKAI Kōsuke. Yamashita emerged from Osaka’s indie scene with breakout films like Hazy Life (1999) and Linda Linda Linda (2005)\, and later directed features like A Gentle Breeze in the Village (2007)\, La La La at Rock Bottom (2015) and episodes for the popular TV show Midnight Diner\, focusing on impulsive\, unexplainable human moments. Most recently\, he directed the live-action film Let’s Go Karaoke! (2024) and animation Ghost Cat Anzu (2024). \n  \n\nCommunity Partners:
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/linda-linda-linda-kotatsu/
LOCATION:Innis Town Hall\, 2 Sussex Ave.\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M5S 1J5
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260415T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260415T200000
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260312T183503Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260407T164749Z
UID:111595-1776276000-1776283200@tr.jpf.go.jp
SUMMARY:Lost & Found (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Lost & Found \nWednesday\, April 15\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall  \nDirected by John Choi & Nicolina Lanni • 2016 • Documentary • 82 minutes • Presented in Japanese & English \nJoin us for a special National Canadian Film Day screening of the documentary Lost & Found\, in memory of the 15th anniversary of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. \nOn March 11\, 2011\, Japan was hit by the largest earthquake in its recorded history. The ensuing tsunami engulfed over 90 cities\, killing more then 18\,000 people and leaving hundreds of thousands of families homeless.  Millions of tons of debris pulled into the Pacific Ocean that day and floated towards the Pacific North West. Entire homes\, boats\, the remnants of people’s lives lost to sea.  \nThen the unimaginable happened – just under one year later\, the first of the tsunami debris started washing ashore in North America and beachcombers did not let it go unnoticed.  People all across the Pacific North West started finding items washed ashore from Japan and became determined to trace them back to their original owners. Lost & Found follows the adventures of regular citizens who leave their small towns (some for the first time) to travel to Japan in hopes to reunite people with some small piece of their past. 
 \nPeople across 3 countries\, 2 continents\, who are separated by the largest body of water on earth are coming together to share in the memories\, mourn the loses and find great joy in the reuniting of something once thought to be lost forever but has now been found.  \nPlease note: this film contains footages of the tsunami\, and deals with natural disaster\, loss\, and death. \nAfter the screening\, director Nicolina Lanni will join for a Q&A. \n  \nFree admission. Registration required. \nRegister here \nRegistration for this event is now full. If you wish to be notified when a cancelled slot becomes available\, please join the waitlist on Eventbrite (limited spots). We will also have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n*Please note that JFT staff will be taking photographs during this event for promotional and documentation purposes. If you prefer not to be photographed\, please feel free to let a staff member know. Thank you for your understanding. \n  \nSupported by:  \n \n\nDirectors Profile: \nJOHN SEONGHO CHOI is an award-winning Canadian Korean filmmaker with over 25 years of experience as a filmmaker. His work has been featured on major platforms such as Netflix Originals\, Prime\, YouTube Originals\, CBC\, NHK Japan\, SBS Australia\, and more. Throughout his career\, John has worked on a wide range of projects\, from independent films to Hollywood studio productions\, commercials\, and music videos. He is passionate about filmmaking and brings a unique\, authentic\, and meaningful perspective to every project. \nJohn’s directorial accomplishments were recognized with the 2024 Canadian Screen Award for Best Direction – Documentary Series for “DARK SIDE OF COMEDY.” His other recent projects include the A&E series “THE ELEVEN\,” CBC “BEAVERS FROM ABOVE” and feature documentaries “LOST & FOUND\,” “K-POP EVOLUTION\,” and the Netflix Original series “THE RAINCOAT KILLER.” \n  \n  \n  \nNICOLINA LANNI is a film and television producer with over 15 years of experience in the industry\, working across a wide variety of programming as both a director and producer. \nNicolina is the co-founder of Good Chemistry Films. Prior to this\, she led Unscripted Development at the Peabody and Emmy Award–winning production company Banger Films. Earlier in her career\, she co-founded Frank Films\, producing feature documentaries and premium branded content. She oversaw an extensive slate of branded partnerships\, producing and directing content for major global brands including VICE White Label\, KLM\, CIBC\, Loblaws\, Toyota\, Adidas\, and Scotiabank. \nShe began her career in radio at CBC\, working on Q during its inaugural year — the network’s flagship daily arts & culture show. She subsequently moved into documentary and true crime shaping stand-out series as a producer and director. Some of her credits include: The Eleven (A+E)\, Manson (Apple TV+)\, featuring the first in-depth interview with Linda Kasabian\, and Nazi Hunters (Nat Geo)\, which gained unprecedented access to former Mossad agents responsible for hunting and capturing high-ranking Nazis. \nNicolina’s work has taken her across five continents to produce and direct powerful human stories — from filming with K-pop superstars BTS in Seoul\, to returning belongings carried across the Pacific by the 2011 Japanese tsunami. Nicolina’s work has screened at top tier festivals including Hot Docs\, Victoria International\, Portland and Hawaii\, and has reached global audiences via Netflix\, Amazon\, CBC\, Paramount+\, Discovery\, Nat Geo\, YouTube Premium\, and more. \nA passionate advocate for equity in the industry\, Nicolina co-founded Film Fatales Canada in 2015\, the national chapter of the global collective dedicated to supporting and amplifying women and non-binary directors. \n\n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/lost-and-found/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260501T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260501T194500
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260401T184146Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260416T135745Z
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SUMMARY:Mirai (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Mirai \n未来のミライ \nFriday\, May 1\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by HOSODA Mamoru • 2018 • Comedy / Drama • 98 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \nFamily-friendly screening in celebration of Children’s Day (こどもの日)! \nKun is a spoiled four-year-old struggling to cope with the arrival of his new baby sister\, Mirai (meaning “future”). Feeling neglected and overwhelmed\, he retreats into a fantasy world where past and future collide. There\, he encounters magical versions of his loved ones—including his sister as a teenager from the future—who guide him through a series of extraordinary adventures. \nBlending everyday life with whimsical time travel\, Mirai offers a heartwarming and imaginative story about family\, growing up\, and discovering one’s place in the world. \nPlease note: the film is rated PG in the US for thematic elements including some scary images. Parental guidance is advised. \n  \nFree admission. Registration required. \nRegistration for this event is now full. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nHOSODA Mamoru (細田 守) is a Japanese director and animator. Formerly employed at Toei Animation\, he first came to public attention in the early 2000s with the first two films in the Digimon Adventure series and the sixth film in the One Piece series.  \nAfter leaving Toei\, Hosoda directed The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)\, his first film since going freelance. It gained popularity through word of mouth among audiences and eventually became a hit\, with a long run of 40 weeks\, over 100 theaters in total\, more than 180\,000 people in attendance and box-office revenues of approximately 264 million yen. In 2009\, Hosoda’s first original film Summer Wars was released\, also produced by Madhouse. The film was a further hit with 127 screens\, an audience of 1.26 million and box-office revenue of 1.65 billion yen. Both films won the Japan Academy Award for Animation of the Year. \nIn 2011\, Hosoda established his own animation studio\, Studio Chizu. He directed Wolf Children (2012) and The Boy and the Beast (2015); both films became critical and box office success. He was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Animated Feature Film at the 91st Academy Awards for his seventh film Mirai (2018). It was the first time a Japanese animated film other than Studio Ghibli had been nominated for the award.
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/mirai/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Children's Event,Film,Film Screening
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260610T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260610T200000
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260520T163252Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260608T152405Z
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SUMMARY:Eye Contact (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Eye Contact  \nアイ・コンタクト　もう1つのなでしこジャパン ろう者女子サッカー \nWednesday\, June 10\, 6:30PM (ET) \nDoors open 6:00PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by NAKAMURA Kazuhiko • 2010 • Documentary • 88 minutes • Presented in Japanese\, Japanese Sign Language & Japanese Simu-Com Sign Language with English subtitles  \nJoin us for a special screening of the documentary Eye Contact before the FIFA World Cup 2026™! \nOnce every four years\, the international Deaf Olympics\, or Deaflympics\, are held for athletes who are Deaf or hard of hearing. This documentary follows Japan’s first Deaf women’s soccer team to compete in the Games\, and was screened at the 2010 Taiwan International Documentary Festival and Russia’s International Disability Film Festival\, “Breaking Down Barriers.” Japan’s Deaf women’s soccer team qualified to participate in the 2009 Summer Deaflympics held in Taipei. Hailing from different professions and age brackets\, the women banded together in preparation for the match. Making a name for themselves\, however\, was no easy task. Learning from their experiences\, they moved forward with a positive attitude. \nPromotional Support: Eastern Promises\, Disability Screen Office\, Hot Docs\, Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre\, J Athletics Canada \nIf you want to watch Team Japan’s games at the World Cup\, don’t miss JCCC’s Go Team Japan event! Admission is free for all games & there will be a variety of activities and vendors before the games. \n  \nFree admission.  \nRegistration for this event is now full. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n  \nWe will make every effort to support accessibility needs for this event. However\, please note that the venue and/or event experience may not be fully accessible for everyone. If you would like to inquire about accessibility or share any accommodation needs\, please email us at <info_jftoronto@jpf.go.jp> in advance of the event. \n*Please note that JFT staff will be taking photographs during this event for promotional and documentation purposes. If you prefer not to be photographed\, please feel free to let a staff member know. Thank you for your understanding.
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/eye-contact/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260708T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260708T201500
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260604T151708Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260626T174919Z
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SUMMARY:Monster (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Monster \n怪物 \nWednesday\, July 8\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by KORE-EDA Hirokazu • 2023 • Drama\, Mystery • 125 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \nA single mother\, Saori (ANDO Sakura)\, demands answers from a school teacher\, Hori (NAGAYAMA Eita)\, when her son Minato (KUROKAWA Sōya\, winner of the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Newcomer for this role) begins acting strangely. As the tension escalates\, the line between truth and misunderstanding starts to blur. \nWinner of the Best Screenplay Award at the 76th Cannes Film Festival\, Monster is a complex\, multi-layered drama that uses Rashomon effect to explore the worlds of the two young children who live under the shadows of the adults around them. In his latest work\, acclaimed director KORE-EDA Hirokazu turns a compassionate lens to those who are misunderstood and marginalized\, asking what it means to be seen as a “monster” in this world. The film is further elevated by a poignant score from the late composer SAKAMOTO Ryuichi\, which “creates a layer of nuance and meaning” (The Guardian). \n\nContent advisory: references to bullying\, abuse\, and self-harm. \n\nPart of our Contemporary Japanese Cinema Spotlight series. \n  \nFree admission. Registration required. \nRegistration for this event is now full. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nKORE-EDA Hirokazu (是枝 裕和) is a Japanese director\, producer\, screenwriter\, and editor. Before becoming a director\, Kore-eda worked as an assistant director on television documentaries. \nAt the 1995 Venice Film Festival\, Kore-eda’s first fiction feature film\, Maborosi\, won a Golden Osella for Best Cinematography. His next feature film After Life premiered at the 1998 Toronto International Film Festival and brought international recognition to Kore-eda’s work. \nOne of the most acclaimed contemporary Japanese filmmakers\, Kore-eda’s films have been selected at the Festival de Cannes multiple times\, including Distance (2001)\, Nobody Knows (Best Actor Award\, 2004)\, Air Doll (2009)\, Like Father\, Like Son (Jury Prize\, 2013)\, Our Little Sister (2015) and After the Storm (2016). In 2018\, Shoplifters won the Palme d’or at the 71st Festival de Cannes as well as being nominated for the 91st Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.  \nKore-eda then turned to international co-production for his next two features: The Truth (2019) in France\, and Broker (Best Actor Award\, Festival de Cannes 2022) in Korea. In 2023\, his feature Monster won Queer Palm and Best Screenplay at the 76th Festival de Cannes. His latest film\, Sheep in the Box\, had its world premiere at the main competition of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/monster/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260723T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260723T200000
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260626T174446Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260722T210741Z
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SUMMARY:Wife of a Spy (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Wife of a Spy \nスパイの妻 \nThursday\, July 23\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by KUROSAWA Kiyoshi • 2020 • Drama\, Thriller • 115 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \nMaster filmmaker KUROSAWA Kiyoshi won the Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival for this riveting and gorgeously crafted thriller. \nIn 1940 in Kobe\, during the World War II\, Satoko (AOI Yû) receives a visit from her childhood friend\, now a military policeman\, regarding suspicious activities of her husband\, local merchant and amateur filmmaker\, Yusaku (TAKAHASHI Issey). Satoko confronts Yusaku\, but when she discovers his true intentions\, she is torn between loyalty to her husband\, the life they have built\, and the country they call home. \nPart of our Contemporary Japanese Cinema Spotlight series. \n  \nFree admission. Registration required. \nRegistration for this event is now full. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nKUROSAWA Kiyoshi (黒沢 清) is a Japanese film director\, screenwriter\, film critic and former professor at the Tokyo University of the Arts\, best known for his contributions to the Japanese horror genre.  \nHe first began making 8mm films in university\, making his feature film directorial debut in 1983 with Kandagawa Wars. Kurosawa achieved international acclaim with his 1997 crime thriller Cure\, which he followed up with other notable works including License to Live (1998)\, Barren Illusion (1999)\, and Charisma (1999). Kurosawa’s work has been frequently recognized in festivals worldwide. Pulse (2001) was awarded the Film Critics Award in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival. Bright Future and Doppelganger were official selections at Cannes in 2003. Retribution (2006) screened at the Venice Film Festival. Tokyo Sonata won the Jury Prize at Cannes and Best Film at the 2009 Asian Film Awards.  \nHis recent work Journey to the Shore (2015) and Before We Vanish (2017) were both screened in the Un Certain Regard category at the Cannes Film Festival in their respective years\, with the latter earning Kurosawa the prize for Best Director. In his cinematic return to the horror genre\, Creepy (2016) premiered at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival and his film To the End of the Earth (2019) was screened as a closing film at the Locarno Film Festival. For Wife of a Spy\, Kurosawa won the Silver Lion for Best Director at the 77th Venice International Film Festival.  \nIn 2024\, Kurosawa released three films: Chime\, a short horror film that premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival; Serpent’s Path\, a French-language remake of Kurosawa’s 1998 film of the same name; and Cloud\, which premiered out of competition at the Venice International Film Festival. His latest film\, The Samurai and the Prisoner\, had its world premiere at the Cannes Premiere section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/wife-of-a-spy/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260805T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260805T201500
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260722T193228Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260731T184932Z
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SUMMARY:Cloud (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Cloud \nクラウド \nWednesday\, August 5\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by KUROSAWA Kiyoshi • 2024 • Thriller • 123 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer\n \nA gripping thriller from acclaimed director KUROSAWA Kiyoshi\, Cloud explores the unsettling consequences of anonymity\, consumer culture\, and online outrage. Factory worker Yoshii (SUDA Masaki) quits his job to pursue his side business reselling goods online at outrageous markups. His profits quickly grow\, but so does his list of enemies\, and the petty grievances of his disgruntled clients and competitors soon take on a terrifying life of their own. Blending suspense with sharp social commentary\, the film offers a chilling reflection on life in the digital age. \nPart of our Contemporary Japanese Cinema Spotlight series. \nContent advisory: scenes of violence. \n  \nPresented in celebration of the master filmmaker KUROSAWA Kiyoshi\, whose latest film The Samurai and the Prisoner will be released from August 7 in Toronto.  \n  \nFree admission. Registration required. \nRegistration for this event is now full. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n*If you would like to inquire about accessibility or share any accommodation needs\, please email us at <info_jftoronto@jpf.go.jp> in advance of the event. \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nKUROSAWA Kiyoshi (黒沢 清) is a Japanese film director\, screenwriter\, film critic and former professor at the Tokyo University of the Arts\, best known for his contributions to the Japanese horror genre. \nHe first began making 8mm films in university\, making his feature film directorial debut in 1983 with Kandagawa Wars. Kurosawa achieved international acclaim with his 1997 crime thriller Cure\, which he followed up with other notable works including License to Live (1998)\, Barren Illusion (1999)\, and Charisma (1999). Kurosawa’s work has been frequently recognized in festivals worldwide. Pulse (2001) was awarded the Film Critics Award in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival. Bright Future and Doppelganger were official selections at Cannes in 2003. Retribution (2006) screened at the Venice Film Festival. Tokyo Sonata won the Jury Prize at Cannes and Best Film at the 2009 Asian Film Awards. \nHis recent work Journey to the Shore (2015) and Before We Vanish (2017) were both screened in the Un Certain Regard category at the Cannes Film Festival in their respective years\, with the latter earning Kurosawa the prize for Best Director. In his cinematic return to the horror genre\, Creepy (2016) premiered at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival and his film To the End of the Earth (2019) was screened as a closing film at the Locarno Film Festival. For Wife of a Spy\, Kurosawa won the Silver Lion for Best Director at the 77th Venice International Film Festival. \nIn 2024\, Kurosawa released three films: Chime\, a short horror film that premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival; Serpent’s Path\, a French-language remake of Kurosawa’s 1998 film of the same name; and Cloud\, which premiered out of competition at the Venice International Film Festival. His latest film\, The Samurai and the Prisoner\, had its world premiere at the Cannes Premiere section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/cloud/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260811T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260811T200000
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260626T174425Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260727T141515Z
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SUMMARY:Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy \n偶然と想像 \nTuesday\, August 11\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by HAMAGUCHI Ryusuke • 2021 • Drama • 121 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer \nAn unexpected love triangle\, a failed seduction trap and an encounter that results from a misunderstanding. Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy explores three female-centred short stories thematically linked by coincidence and imagination. \nThe film captures the unpredictability of relationships\, where conversations become turning points and small decisions cause lasting consequence. Winner of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival\, the film showcases Hamaguchi’s signature sensitivity to human connection. \nPart of our Contemporary Japanese Cinema Spotlight series. \n  \nFree admission. Registration required. \nRegistration for this event is now full. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n*If you would like to inquire about accessibility or share any accommodation needs\, please email us at <info_jftoronto@jpf.go.jp> in advance of the event. \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nHAMAGUCHI Ryusuke is one of the most acclaimed contemporary filmmakers in Japan\, known for his intimate explorations of human relationships. A graduate of Tokyo University and the Tokyo University of the Arts’ graduate film program\, Hamaguchi started gaining attention in his home country with the graduate film Passion (2008). He went on to gain international recognition with Happy Hour (2015)\, a quietly monumental five-hour portrait of four women navigating personal upheaval. \nHis breakout continued with Asako I & II (2018)\, which competed for the Palme d’Or at Cannes\, and was followed by Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (2021)\, which won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlinale. That same year\, Drive My Car premiered to widespread acclaim\, winning Best Screenplay at Cannes and the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. Drive My Car was the first Japanese film to receive a Best Picture nomination\, and Hamaguchi became the third Japanese director to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Director.  \nHe followed with Evil Does Not Exist (2023)\, which also received widespread critical acclaim\, winning the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at Venice. His latest film\, All of a Sudden\, a France-Japan co-production\, premiered at the main competition of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival\, where the actresses shared the award for Best Actress. \n\n 
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/wheel-of-fortune-and-fantasy/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260820T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260820T200000
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260626T174452Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T223826Z
UID:112948-1787248800-1787256000@tr.jpf.go.jp
SUMMARY:A Girl Missing (film screening)
DESCRIPTION:A Girl Missing \nよこがお \nThursday\, August 20*\, 6:00PM (ET) \nDoors open 5:30PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by FUKADA Koji • 2019 • Drama • 111 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer\n \nIchiko has devoted years of her life to caring for the elderly matriarch of a family she has grown close to. But when a shocking crime happens\, her life begins to unravel in ways she could never have anticipated. \nTold through a shifting narrative that blurs past and present\, A Girl Missing crafts a quietly devastating portrait of a woman caught in the ripple effects of scandal. \nPart of our Contemporary Japanese Cinema Spotlight series. \n*Please note\, this screening has been re-scheduled to Thursday\, August 20 and the registration open date has been changed too.  \n  \nFree admission. Registration required. \nRegistration for this event is now full. We will have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n*If you would like to inquire about accessibility or share any accommodation needs\, please email us at <info_jftoronto@jpf.go.jp> in advance of the event. \n\nDirector Profile: \n \nFUKADA Koji (深田 晃司) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. Born in Tokyo\, Fukada had a father who was a film aficionado and he watched many films on VHS when he was young. Fukada enrolled in a film school while attending university. In 2005\, he joined the production unit of the theater company\, “Seinen-dan\,” led by renowned playwright HIRATA Oriza. This connection has remained central to his early work\, with Fukada adapting Hirata’s play and casting the company’s actors in his films.  \nFukada began gaining recognition with early works such as Human Comedy in Tokyo (2008) and Hospitalité (2010)\, which were screened at the Osaka Asian Film Festival as part of a special program highlighting his emerging talent. His subsequent films\, Au revoir l’été (2013) and Sayonara (2015)\, were both selected for the main competition at the Tokyo International Film Festival\, further establishing his international presence. \nIn 2016\, Fukada’s film Harmonium was selected for the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival. It received critical acclaim and won the Jury Prize\, establishing him as one of Japan’s most distinctive contemporary auteurs. More recently\, his film LOVE LIFE was selected for the main competition at the Venice International Film Festival in 2022\, and Love On Trial premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2025. His latest film\, Nagi Notes\, had its world premiere at the main competition of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/a-girl-missing/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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END:VEVENT
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260901T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260901T204500
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260818T135825Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260821T214653Z
UID:114932-1788287400-1788295500@tr.jpf.go.jp
SUMMARY:Perfect Days (JFT People's Choice Award screening)
DESCRIPTION:Perfect Days \nTuesday\, September 1\, 6:30PM (ET) \nDoors open 6:00PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by Wim Wenders • 2023 • Drama  • 124 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer  \nIn a world of fleeting moments\, find the beauty that lasts. \nA perfect song that hits at just the right moment\, the play of sunlight through leaves\, a fleeting moment of human connection in a vast metropolis: the wonders of everyday life come into breath­taking focus in this profoundly moving film by Wim Wenders.  \nIn a radiant\, Cannes-award-winning performance of few words but extraordinary expressiveness\, YAKUSHO Kōji plays a public-toilet cleaner in Tokyo whose rich inner world is gradually revealed through his small exchanges with those around him and with the city itself. Channeling his idol OZU Yasujiro\, Wenders crafts a serenely minimalist ode to the miracle that is the here and now. \nPart 1 of our JFT People’s Choice Award screenings. Pre-screening introduction from current & former JFT Film Program Officers!   \nFree admission. Registration required. \n  \nPlease note: Due to the high demand for these screenings\, we kindly ask that each person register for and attend only one of the JFT People’s Choice Award screenings. This will help ensure that as many members of our community as possible have the opportunity to attend these final screenings. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. \nRegister here \n\n\n\n \nBoth screenings are currently fully booked. If tickets become available due to cancellations or returns\, they will be released through Eventbrite. We encourage you to check the registration pages regularly for any newly available tickets. \nWe will also have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n\nDirector Profile:  \nWim Wenders (born 1945) came to international prominence as one of the pioneers of German Cinema during the 1970’s and is now considered one of the most important figures in contemporary film. In addition to his many prize-winning feature films\, his work as a scriptwriter\, director\, producer\, photographer and author also encompasses an abundance of innovative documentary films. His career as a filmmaker began in 1967 when Wenders enrolled at the newly founded University of Television and Film Munich (HFF Munich). Parallel to his studies\, he also worked as a film critic for a number of years. Upon graduating from the academy in 1971\, he founded\, together with fifteen other directors and authors\, the Filmverlag der Autoren\, a film distribution company for German auteur films\, which organized the production\, rights administration and distribution of their own independent films.  
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/perfect-days-jft-peoples-choice-award/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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GEO:43.6710659;-79.3857432
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260902T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260902T211500
DTSTAMP:20260928T105826
CREATED:20260818T135750Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260828T162711Z
UID:114936-1788373800-1788383700@tr.jpf.go.jp
SUMMARY:Tampopo (JFT People's Choice Award screening)
DESCRIPTION:Tampopo \nタンポポ \nWednesday\, September 2\, 6:30PM (ET) \nDoors open 6:00PM | Film Screening | In-Person | JFT Event Hall \nDirected by ITAMI Jūzō • 1985 • 115 minutes • Presented in Japanese with English subtitles • Trailer  \nA self-proclaimed “ramen Western\,” Tampopo is a playful and delicious satire on food\, desire\, and Japanese culture. The story follows truck driver Goro (YAMAZAKI Tsutomu) and his sidekick Gun (WATANABE Ken) as they help Tampopo (MIYAMOTO Nobuko)\, a widowed noodle shop owner\, perfect her ramen recipe and transform her small eatery into a local legend. Through a series of eccentric vignettes—from a gangster’s sensual food rituals to an etiquette lesson gone wrong—ITAMI Jūzō serves up a loving and absurd meditation on the art of eating and living. Both hilarious and heartfelt\, Tampopo celebrates the pursuit of perfection and the joy found in a simple bowl of ramen. \n©Janus Films \nContent Warning: This film contains brief scenes of animal violence. Viewer discretion is advised.   \n  \nPart 2 of our JFT People’s Choice Award screenings. The current and former JFT Film Program Officers will join for a post-screening chat. \n  \nFree admission. Registration required. \nPlease note: Due to the high demand for these screenings\, we kindly ask that each person register for and attend only one of the JFT People’s Choice Award screenings. This will help ensure that as many members of our community as possible have the opportunity to attend these final screenings. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. \nRegister here \nBoth screenings are currently fully booked. If tickets become available due to cancellations or returns\, they will be released through Eventbrite. We encourage you to check the registration pages regularly for any newly available tickets. \nWe will also have a rush line before the event to release available seats on a first-come\, first-served basis. Admission is not guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding. \n\n Director Profile: \nITAMI Jūzō (伊丹 十三\, 1933-1997) was a Japanese actor\, essayist\, screenwriter and film director. One of Japan’s most distinctive satirists\, Itami began his career as an actor\, where he used the stage name ITAMI Ichizō (伊丹 一三). He appeared in foreign-language films such as 55 Days at Peking (1963) and Lord Jim (1965). In 1965\, he published a book called Diary of Boredom in Europe\, an essay collection of his thoughts and reflections on his time in Europe.  In 1967\, when working with director ŌSHIMA Nagisa on the set of Sing a Song of Sex\, he met actress MIYAMOTO Nobuko; they got married in 1969 and Miyamoto would later star in all his films. Itami turned to filmmaking in the 1980s. His directorial debut\, The Funeral (1984)\, was a critical and commercial success in Japan and won many awards\, including Japanese Academy Awards for Best Picture\, Best Director\, and Best Screenplay. With Tampopo (1985)\, he reached international acclaim\, cementing his reputation for subversive wit and inventive storytelling. His following film A Taxing Woman (1987) was again highly successful. It won six major Japanese Academy awards and spawned a sequel A Taxing Woman’s Return in 1988.  Itami’s films often tackled contemporary Japanese life\, from consumerism and bureaucracy to gender roles\, with his signature blend of sharp social observation and wry humor.
URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/tampopo-jft-peoples-choice-award/
LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, Toronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Film,Film Screening
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ORGANIZER;CN="The Japan Foundation%2C Toronto":MAILTO:info_jftoronto@jpf.go.jp
GEO:43.6710659;-79.3857432
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