Schedules + Synopsis

There are 16 films in the festival, so you're going to want a guide. There are two
animated features, a great many tearjerkers, and almost all of them are inspirational,
The Japan Foundation should hand out a box of facial tissues to wipe your tears with at
the door.Yes, one full box. Each.
In this year's lineup are films that chronicle personal growth and stories based on or
inspired by the recent tragedies that the Japanese people endured together. From
satirizing xenophobia to documenting life after a devastating calamity, Eiga Sai 2014 is
a film festival that shouldn't dismissed or missed.
The festival runs from July 3 to July 13 at Shang Cineplex Cinema 2. Here's a rundown
what you can catch.
Homeland
Synopsis: A family of farmers are forced out of their home (and land) because of the
Fukushima nuclear disaster. The film received praise for director Nao Kubota's success
in creating a film that is relevant to anyone, not just a narrow look at the tragedy
that took place in Fukushima.
Schedule:
July 3 - Thursday - 7 p.m.
July 12 - Saturday - 7:30 p.m.
Hospitalit
Synopsis: Foreign people! Quick, hide! Koji Fukada finds humor in the xenophobia of a
small town as its residents suddenly find themselves facing a gaijin-invasion.
Schedule:
July 4 - Friday - 1:30 p.m.
July 10 - Thursday - 7:30 p.m.
Tamako in Moratorium
Synopsis: A comically witty, thinly veiled, coming-of-age story of Tamako, whose road to
adolescence is in tune with the season. The movie poetically starts in fall and ends in
spring, providing a beautiful backdrop for Tamako's journey from self-hate to
self-I-don't-not-like. Yes, it's a double negative.
Schedule:
July 4 - Friday - 4:30 p.m.
July 8 - Tuesday - 7:30 p.m.
July 12 - Saturday - 1:30 p.m.
Momoiro sora o
Synopsis: Shot in black and white, the film follows a teenage girl, Izumi,who finds a
wallet full of cash. She tries to enjoy the money at first but external factors (her
friends) pressure her to return the property to the rightful ownerwho isn't too
enthused about Izumi spending some of his money. It leads him to both reward and punish
her creatively.
Schedule:
July 4 - Friday - 7:30 p.m.
July 8 - Tuesday - 4:30 p.m.
Until the Break of Dawn
Synopsis: The film follows the life of a "spiritual medium" in training. Ayumi has
"inherited" his grandmother's abilities to summon souls from the supernatural plane. His
family has used this ability for generations to bring comfort to those left behind. Now
that Ayumi is learning to use the gift, he wishes to use it to talk to his parents, who
passed away under mysterious circumstances. Ghosts are much less spooky when you're
related to them.
Schedule:
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Schedules + Synopsis
July 5 - Saturday - 1:30 p.m.
July 13 - Sunday - 7:30 p.m.
Wolf Children
Synopsis: From Summer Wars and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time director Mamoru Hosoda
comes another beautifully rendered tale with a touch of strangeness. This movie gives a
glimpse of what could have happened had Team Jacob won. Two cute werewolf children (Ame
and Yukirain and snow, how adorable!) face the challenges of being different by
genetics, and must make a decision between the call of the wild...and the call of, um,
college life, which is a different kind of wilderness all together.
Schedule:
July 5 - Saturday - 4:30 p.m.
July 13 - Sunday - 1:30 p.m.
Like Father, Like Son
Synopsis: Garnering various awards and with a talk of a Hollywood remake in the mix,
Like Father, Like Son is without a doubt a well-crafted story from a seemingly trite
plot: two children, switched at birth! It's a not-so-subtle exploration on the "blood is
thicker than water" proverbstretching the thought to the full quote, "the blood of the
covenant is thicker than the water from the womb." The kids in question are six years
old. How does one part with a child you've been raising that long?
Schedule:
July 5 - Saturday - 7:30 p.m.
July 11 - Friday - 7:30 p.m.
July 13 - Sunday - 4:30 p.m.
The Kirishima Thing
Synopsis: The star of the school's volleyball team disappears and the absence serves as
the glue that binds the narrative together. A period of five days is repeated from five
different anglesBreakfast Club meets Groundhog Day. The strength of the film lies in
the deft handling of the script by the director and the cast, who map out the volatile
terrain of high school clubs and cliques with astonishing clarity.
Schedule:
July 6 - Sunday - 1:30 p.m.
July 11 - Friday - 4:30 p.m.
A Story of Yonosuke
Synopsis: It's essentially a fish-out-of-water story, but the fish is a cute boy with
wild hair. He's goofy, offbeat, and more than a little happy. This is the story of how
he touches others, in a way that doesn't involve potential lawsuits.
Schedule:
July 6 - Sunday - 7:30 p.m.
July 9 - Wednesday - 7:30 p.m.
Kokoro o hitotsuni
Synopsis: Bob James and Seiko Matsuda perform in a charitiy concert for the benefit of
those devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.
Schedule:
July 7 - Monday - 1:30 p.m.
Casting Blossoms to the Sky
Synopsis: Endo Reiko, a local reporter (and more importantly, a Nagasaki baby), meets up
with her former lover upon his invitation. They meet up in Nagaoka, an area devastated
by 2004 Chuetsu earthquake, and the trip becomes a meditative travelogue for Reiko. The
title is a play on the Japanese word for "fireworks," which combines the character for
flower and fire. Suffice to say that an event which involves fireworks (and war) plays a
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Schedules + Synopsis
significant role in the film. Lots of themes to absorb, but in the hands of veteran
director Nobuhiko Obayashi, everything is tied together neatly. (P.S. The musical score
is done by Joe Hisaishi of Studio Ghibli fame)
Schedule:
July 7 - Monday - 4:30 p.m.
July 10 - Thursday - 4:30 p.m.
Symphony in August
Synopsis: This animated film is based on singer/songwriter Ai Kawashima's struggle to be
a recording artist in Japan, a country known to churn out popstars like popcorn in
theaters. It's filled with a "never give up" spirit and is perfect for people in the
thick of self-doubt.
Schedule:
July 7 - Monday - 7:30 p.m.
July 9 - Wednesday - 1:30 p.m.
Things Left Behind
Synopsis: Things Left Behind is documentary about Ishiuchi Miyako's photo exhibit in
Vancouver, which features 48 prints of mundane artifacts left behind by those who
perished in the Hiroshima bombing. The film highlights the intention of the artist to
preserve a connection with the past and the reaction of the audience as they get a
glimpse of a more personal history.
Schedule:
July 8 - Tuesday - 1:30 p.m.
Tug of War!
Synopsis: In the tradition of Swing Girls and Water Boys comes Tug of War, a story about
six oddball types who form a team and literally pull together. The films is inspired by
true events and like most feel-good films, is a little predictable...but screw that, we
want some happy endings! Yeah!
Schedule:
July 9 - Wednesday - 4:30 p.m.
July 11 - Friday - 1:30 p.m.
REUNION
Synopsis: The film is based on a non-fiction book (The Bodies at the End of the
Earthquake and Tsunami) by Kota Ishii about a retired funeral-home employee, Aiba, who
volunteers his services after the 2011 Touhoku Tsunami. Aiba is tasked to prepare the
bodies brought to a school gymnasium set-up as a morgue. It is our official guess that
this movie will break your heart but something in the story will also piece it back
togetherwith renewed enthusiasm to help humanity.
Schedule:
July 12 - Saturday - 4:30 p.m.
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