For the first time in its history, the National Film Center of the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, opens its archival holdings to another FIAF institution, and presents a groundbreaking series of 52 films spanning the classic years of Japanese cinema: 1929–1970. Every print screened in the series is in 35mm and is newly struck from archival negatives; in addition, new English subtitles have been created by the National Film Center for each film. Familiar and not-so-familiar works by well-known Japanese directors will be screened, among them films by Kon Ichikawa, Keisuke Kinoshita, Teinosuke Kinugasa, Akira Kurosawa, Kenji Mizoguchi, Mikio Naruse, Nagisa Oshima, and Yasujiro Ozu. Many lesser-known but no less interesting films by such directors as Heinosuke Gosho, Ishirô Honda, Koreyoshi Kurahara, Hiroshi Shimizu, and Sadao Yamanaka will also be showcased. Taken as a whole, this series will serve as a primer in the history of Japanese film for the uninitiated, and will provide the veteran filmgoer with important new discoveries as well as the chance to see old favorites in fresh, clean prints. All films are in Japanese with English subtitles.
Organized by Mary Lea Bandy, Chief Curator, and Steven Higgins, Curator, Department of Film and Media; and Hisashi Okajima, Chief Curator, Akira Tochigi, Curator, and Hidenori Okada, Curator, National Film Center, Tokyo.