Japanese Film Festival: Passion and Obsession
Spring is once again upon us. As the winter chill fades and the flowers bloom we are enveloped in new life and new experiences. Japan might be close to 8,000 km away from us, but thanks to the Japan Foundation Sydney we can still see the cherry blossoms fall, albeit in black and white.
The Japan Foundation Sydney has once again partnered with the Art Gallery of NSW in order to provide us with JFF Classics 2018 a Japanese Film Festival; this year displaying a program of works from the pantheon of classic Japanese cinema focusing on passion and obsession. A collection of films that have been adapted from classic novels.
The cinematic masters of the New Wave and the Japanese Golden Age have adapted and portrayed passion and obsession here in various different shades; everything from the four-way bisexual love affairs of Junichiro Tanizaki’s Manji to the melodramatic Geisha love triangles of Kyoka Izumi’s Nihonbashi. These films offer us a glimpse into the different faces of Japan across the decades – the sexual revolution of Japan’s disillusioned and privileged post-war youth to the early feminists swimming against the tide of society. This is a celebration of eroticism, passion and sexuality conveyed through classic Japanese cinema.
With that being said, this is a specialist program that is designed for mature audiences and is generally not suitable for children under the age of 15. Babes in arms are not permitted and films with and R Classification will not admit anyone under the age of 18.
The Japan Foundation Sydney is the Australian branch of the Japanese government body that is dedicated to promoting Japanese artistic, cultural and intellectual exchange to other countries.
The Japan Foundation brought us exalted art events earlier in the year such as Anime Architecture and Giant Robots and Cute Androids: The Evolution of Mechanical Bodies in Japanese Anime. These, along with other forthcoming art events can be viewed at their Australian Office at Level 4, Central Park, 28 Broadway, Chippendale. This office boasts free public access to a comprehensive library of literature, Manga, film and a gallery space dedicated to Japanese culture and art.
The Japan Foundation are consistently and continually holding events throughout the year so make sure to visit their website at the bottom of this page for all upcoming events dedicated to celebrating Japanese culture.
JFF Classics 2018 is a Japanese Film Festival Event that you can experience for free at the Domain Theatre from the 3rd to the 31st of October. A list of the film schedule and screening times are available on their website. Doors open 30 minutes prior to screening and latecomers will not be admitted. If you happen to miss a film though, don’t stress. The main program will be a ticketed event that runs from the 15th to the 25th of November at Event Cinemas George St. So even if you miss one, you will be able to experience the passion and obsession of Japanese Classic cinema all over again.
2SER is a media partner of the Japanese Film Festival 2018.
