Spring 2012 Geddes Japanese Movie Series

The Dept. of MLCL, Boston University Center for the Study of Asia, the Boston University’s Geddes Language Center, and the Japanese House are pleased to present the Spring 2012 Japanese Film Series. Films will be screened at the Geddes Center on the fifth floor of CAS starting at 6:00 p.m on Monday evenings. All films will be subtitled. Dates and showings are as follows:

2/6 -蛍(ほたる)の墓(はか)     Grave of the Fireflies (1988)     Length: 01:28:00

In post-war Japan, just weeks before the American occupation, an act of magic resurrects a young derelict, transporting him and his little sister back to wartime and their wanderings through the countryside in search of safety and peace. Animated. Director: Takahata, Isao

3/5 -タンポポ     Tampopo (1985)      Length: 01:54:00

Tampopo follows the life of a young widow who runs a small noodle restaurant in Tokyo. She teams up with a truck driver in her quest for the perfect bowl of ramen. A satire about food & sex. Director: Itami, Juzo

3/19 -海(うみ)がきこえる　   Ocean Waves (1993)     Length: 01:12:00

Ocean Waves is a remarkable film and one of the most intriguing high school dramas of all time, anime or live-action. It’s done in a realistic style, with great attention paid to character design in the creation of its various high school seniors and their family members and to background details in the depiction of the film’s setting, the city of Kochi in western Japan. It tells a plausible, character-driven story of Rikako Muto, a girl from Tokyo who arrives at Kochi High School as a transfer student in the senior class and proceeds to upend the friendship of two boys, Taku Morisaki and Yutaka Mitsuno, both of whom get entangled in Rikako’s willful antics and one of whom falls for her immediately, while the other initially puts up powerful resistance. Director: Tomomi Mochizuki [More info]

4/2 -シャルウィーダンス     Shall We Dance?(1997)     Length: 01:59:00

A workaholic’s incredibly dull life takes a funny turn when he signs up for a ballroom dance class- just to meet the sexy dance teacher. But when he finally muscles up the nerve for lessons, he winds up with a different instructor and her colorfully eccentric class of beginners! And now he’ll have to step lightly – and do some fancy footwork – if he expects to keep his new secret passion from his family and friends. Director: Suo, Masayuki

4/16 -耳(みみ)を澄(す)ませば　Whisper of the Heart (1995)     Length:01:51:00

Shizuku lives a simple life, dominated by her love for stories and writing. One day she notices that all the library books she has have been previously checked out by the same person: ‘Seiji Amasawa’. Curious as to who he is, Shizuku meets a boy her age whom she finds infuriating, but discovers to her shock that he is her ‘Prince of Books’. As she grows closer to him, she realises that he merely read all those books to bring himself closer to her. The boy Seiji aspires to be a violin maker in Italy, and it is his dreams that make Shizuku realise that she has no clear path for her life. Director: Yoshifumi Kondô; Scripted and storyboarded by Hayao Miyazaki

4/30 -犬(いぬ)と私(わたし)の10の約束(やくそく)     10 Promises to My Dog (2008)     Length:01:57:00

One day a puppy comes to Akari’s house, who has just turned twelve, and was trying hard to act strong after her mother suddenly fell ill. She immediately falls in love with the puppy and names it “Socks” after the paws which looked like they had white socks on. Akari was together with Socks day and night. However, as Akari grows up, her feelings and interest moves away from Socks. Year by year, their distance grows, which also leads to her physical distance as she moves to a far off city, and must leave Socks behind to a childhood friend. One day Akari remembers the 10 promises that she had made with Socks and her deceased mother. Director: Motoki, Katushide

Contact: Mariko Itoh Henstock, Ph.D., Director of Outreach and Co-Curricular Activities