Once Upon a Time in Japan draws to a close

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme
Once Upon a Time in Japan
1 February – 27 March 2013

On 27 March 2013, the last two screenings as part of the two-month long Japan Foundating Touring Film Programme took place at Broadway, Nottingham and mac birmingham. From it’s start on 1 February 2013, over 3,000 audiences members attended the screenings across a number of regional venues in the UK.

Below are some of the highlights of the season:

The opening night at ICA, London – the UK premiere of Izuru Narushima’s award-winning Rebirth. The screening was fully sold-out with the queue stretching outside the ICA:

Isshin Inudo introducing Zero Focus at the ICA, London on 3 February 2013. A second screening was also held on 5 February 2013, with both screenings selling out:

Isshin Inudo introducing Zero Focus through his interpreter (left) at the Showroom Workstation, Sheffield on 8 February 2013 (Image courtesy of Showroom Workstation):

Also during Inudo’s visit to the UK, he gave a special talk at the Japan Foundation, London, where he was joined by James Bell, Features Editor for Sight & Sound magazine:

…before travelling to Oxford to enlighten students at Oxford Brookes University about his filmmaking career to date. ‘A Life in Film: An Evening with Isshin Inudo’, 6 February 2013: Isshin Inudo talking to students at Oxford Brookes University, as part of the Europe Japan Research Centre Seminar Series:

The films received a great response wherever they visited. Audience members commented that this year’s selection had something for everyone with the programme featuring a variety of genres, and that the films gave an interesting and entertaining image of Japanese history.

The season was a great success and the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme will be back again in February 2014.  See you all next year!

Furthermore, some of this year’s programme will now travel to Ireland for special screenings at access>CINEMA in Dublin. Stay tuned for more details!