SPECIAL SNEAK PREVIEW SCREENING followed by a Q&A session
with the film's director, Aaron Woolfolk, and star, Saki Takaoka

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2009. 7:00 p.m. 20th floor

THE HARIMAYA BRIDGE. Japan. 2009. 120 minutes.

Written and directed by Aaron Woolfolk
Produced by Ko Mori and Aaron Woolfolk
Executive Producers: Danny Glover, Naoshi Yoda and John Kim
Starring Ben Guillory, Saki Takaoka, Misa Shimizu, Danny Glover

Film courtesy of Harimaya Bridge, LLP.

In Japanese and English, with English and Japanese subtitles

The Movie Committee is pleased to host this special sneak preview of The
Harimaya Bridge ahead of its nationwide opening on June 13.

The film is a drama about an African-American man, Daniel (Ben Guillory) who must journey to rural Japan to claim some important items belonging to his late son, from whom he was estranged. Daniel struggles to overcome his animosity toward the country, a result of his own father's death in a Japanese POW camp during WWII, but things get complicated when he learns that his son has left behind some secrets.

The Harimaya Bridge takes place in Kochi, Shikoku, where traditional customs remain strong and the ancient bridge of the title still exists. The bridge is a fitting metaphor for the film, which addresses the connections-and conflicts-between past and present, fathers and sons, insiders and outsiders, Japanese and Americans.

Acclaimed actor Danny Glover, best known for his leading roles in the Lethal Weapon and SAW franchises, plays Daniel's older brother Joseph. At the FCCJ last year, during an SRO press conference as filming on The Harimaya Bridge was starting, Glover had this to say about why he decided to executive produce the film: "For years, Ben (Guillory) and I have looked for projects that express certain themes about relationships among people. I was aiming to participate in a project that shows real connections among people with our surroundings in society. I felt that Aaron's script had a great potential to bring people together, no matter what cultural differences they have...It's not public officials who change the world, but the thoughts and feelings of everyone in society."

Writer-director Aaron Woolfolk won the Directors Guild of America's Best
African-American Student Filmmaker Award for his short film Rage! He then went
to Kochi, where he had worked for a year as an English teacher on the JET
program, and made two short films, Eki and Kuroi Hitsuji. Both films won awards and were invited to screen at top film showcases around the world, including the Toronto International Film Festival. The Hariyama Bridge is his first feature film.

Please make your reservations at the FCCJ Reception Desk (3211-3161) to allow for seating arrangements.

All movie screenings are private, noncommercial events restricted to FCCJ
members and their guests.

Karen Severns, Edwin Karmiol. Movie Committee.