Special Sneak Preview Screening: Kyoto Story (Kyoto Uzumasa Monogatari)
followed by a Q&A session with acclaimed director Yoji Yamada and co-director Tsutomu Abe
Thursday, Sept. 9, 2010 3 pm 20th floor
Please note afternoon event time.

Japan, 2010 90 minutes
Co-directed by Yoji Yamada, Tsutomu Abe
Co-written by Yoji Yamada, Tomoaki Sasae
Starring Hana Ebise, USA (Exile), Sotaro Tanaka

Film courtesy of Shochiku

In Japanese with English subtitles

This film is a love story
Between Shochiku Studios and Ritsumeikan University,
And the Kyoto Uzumasa shopping arcade
Where the history of film in the area still lives.
Created with strong hope and passion for the renaissance of film.
- Yoji Yamada

The Movie Committee is honored to have this opportunity to host the screening of this very special film by one of today's most celebrated filmmakers.

Just down the street from the defunct Uzumasa Daiei Studios, where such masterpieces as "Rashomon," "Ugetsu Monogatari" and "Gate of Hell" were created, master director Yoji Yamada collaborated closely with film students from Ritsumeikan University (where he is a visiting professor) on this love letter to Kyoto, to simpler times - and to film itself.

Kyoko (Ebise) is a librarian at Ritsumeikan who is torn between two men, the local tofu-maker’s son, Kota (USA), who lives next door and is trying to become a standup comedian, and a visiting scholar at Ritsumeikan, Daichi (Tanaka), who falls for Kyoko the moment they meet. When Daichi announces that he is leaving, Kyoko must struggle with life decisions that may take her away from the community that has defined and nurtured her.

Yoji Yamada is the director of the world's longest running film series, the "Tora-san" series. He has also created many other indelible works, including "The Yellow Handkerchief," (1977) which won him the Japanese Academy Award for Best Director as well as 5 more awards and was remade into a Hollywood production in 2009. In 2002, Yamada's "The Twilight Samurai" won all the major film awards in Japan including 15 Japanese Academy Awards, and was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award®, winning him further international acclaim. The second in the samurai trilogy, "The Hidden Blade" (2004), was presented in competition at the 55th Berlinale, and the third, "Love and Honor" (2006), was the Opening Night Film in the Berlinale Panorama Section, as well as a huge box-office success in Japan. "Kabei - Our Mother" played in competition at the 2009 Berlinale; and Yamada reteamed with Sayuri Yoshinaga earlier this year for the phenomenally popular “About Her Brother – Ototo,” which was the Closing Film at the 60th Berlinale and earned him the Berlinale Camera Award.

Co-director Tsutomu Abe joined Shochiku after graduating from Tohoku University and worked as chief assistant director for Yoji Yamada on a number of films, including the "Tora-san" series and "A Class to Remember." He directed his first feature, "Happy Family Plan," in 1999, which won the Golden Award for Best Family and Children Film at the 33rd Houston International Film Festival. His other films include "Kanon" and "Rakurai."

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