Arts & Entertainment

Japan Cuts Continues with a Pink-ish Film and a Celebratory Screening

The Japan Society’s fifth annual film series, Japan Cuts 2011: The New York Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema, began its fortnight of 32 screenings last night. It continues tonight with two films presented in conjunction with the New York Asian Film Festival.

Love & Loathing & Lulu & Ayano

Director Hisayasu Sato weaves this tale of a lonely office worker who becomes a porn actress. Sato directs adult movies, known in Japan as “pink films,” and here he shows Lulu transforms herself from her nerd persona at work into an object of desire. How will Lulu handle herself when her façade starts to crumble? Read a review on Twitch.

Mayu Sakuma in Love & Loathing & Lulu & Ayano © 2010 “Love & Loathing & Lulu & Ayano” Production Committee

 

Sayaka Kamiya in Battle Royale © 2000 “Battle Royale” production committee

Battle Royale

The only film in Japan Cuts that isn’t a premiere of some sort, Battle Royale is hailed as a celebratory screening by Japan Society and NYAFF. This gory tale of high school students who must fight to the death stars Beat Takeshi and was director Kinji Fukasaku’s last film before his death in 2003. The violence of the film caused controversy in Japan and around the world, as Midnight Eye discusses in this article from 2001.

Tickets for each screening are $12/$9 Japan Society members, students, and seniors; and $16/$12 for the July 8 and July 15 screenings with after parties (Into the White Night‘s screening/closing party is regular price). Tickets can be purchased in person at the Japan Society at 333 East 47th Street, through the box office at 212.715.1258, or online at www.japansociety.org. Those purchasing more than five tickets for at least five different films receive $2 off each ticket, but you must call the box office or make your purchase in person.

Japan Cuts 2011 remaining schedule:

Friday, July 8

  • 7:00 – Love & Loathing & Lulu & Ayano
  • 9:15 – Battle Royale

 

Saturday, July 9

  • 12:30 – Gantz: The Movie, Part 1 (SOLD OUT)
  • 3:00 – Gantz, Part II: Perfect Answer (SOLD OUT)
  • 6:00 – Ninja Kids!!!
  • 8:15 – Yakuza Weapon with Q&A and After Party

 

Sunday, July 10

  • 12:30 – Osamu Tezuka’s Buddha: The Great Departure
  • 2:45 – Heaven’s Story
  • 8:00 – Milocrorze: A Love Story with Q&A

 

Tuesday, July 12

  • 6:30 – Sword of Desperation
  • 9:00 – The Last Ronin

 

Wednesday, July 13

  • 6:30 – Rinco’s Restaurant
  • 9:00 – Birthright (a.k.a. Umbilical Cord)

 

Thursday, July 14

  • 6:30 – Rail Truck
  • 9:00 – Yuki and Nina

 

Friday, July 15

  • 6:15 – Toilet
  • 8:30 – Three☆Points with Q&A and After Party

 

Saturday, July 16

  • 2:30 – Love Addiction
  • 4:30 – The Seaside Motel with Q&A
  • 7:15 – A Liar and a Broken Girl with Q&A
  • 10:30 – Love and Treachery

 

Sunday, July 17

  • 2:30 – The Knot
  • 4:00 – Torso
  • 6:15 – Strangers in the City
  • 9:00 – A Night in Nude: Salvation

 

Tuesday, July 19

  • 6:30 – Sketches of Kaitan City
  • 9:30 – Control Tower

 

Wednesday, July 20

  • 7:00 – Haru’s Journey with Q&A and reception

 

Thursday, July 21

  • 7:00 – Vengeance Can Wait
  • 9:00 – Wandering Home

 

Friday, July 22

  • 7:00 – Into the White Night with Closing Party (Location TBA)

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