Japanese Documentary Festival, Mar 25-28

The Japan Foundation of Toronto is hosting "an observational film festival" featuring four films by acclaimed filmmaker Kazuhiro Soda. All of the screenings are free.

The films being screened are Theatre 1, Campaign, Peace, and Theatre 2. All films will be screened in the original Japanese with English subtitles. After the screenings, discussions will take place in English.

Soda takes a verité approach and believes that "a filmmaker should minimize preconceived ideas and should simply learn from the crude reality captured on camera," encouraging the view to form their own opinions about the images they see with little interference from the filmmaker.

All screenings will take place at Innis Town Hall, University of Toronto, 2 Sussex Avenue at 7pm. RSVP Required: jftor.org/whatson/rsvp.php


Schedule

THEATRE 1
Monday, March 25, 7 pm
Director present for Q&A
2012, 172 min.

THEATRE 1 and 2 document the artistic process, dynamics and business model of Oriza Hirata's Seinendan Theatre Group (featured in Canadian Stage's Spotlight Japan). THEATRE 1 focuses on Hirata's philosophy and method. Canadian premiere
Theatre 1&2 Website

CAMPAIGN
Tuesday, March 26, 7 pm
Director present for Q&A
2007, 120 min.

Can a candidate with no political experience, no charisma, no supporters and no time to prepare win an election? CAMPAIGN closely follows a heated election campaign in Kawasaki Japan, revealing the true nature of "democracy." Peabody Award Winner, 2007
Campaign Website

PEACE
Wednesday, March 27, 7 pm
Director talk after film
2010, 75 min.

PEACE contemplates the nature of peace and co-existence by observing the daily lives of people and cats in Okayama City, Japan. Toronto premiere
Peace Website 

THEATRE 2
Thursday, March 28, 7 pm
Director present for Q&A
2012, 170 min.

THEATRE 2 explores the relationship between theatre and society, and how an artistic group can survive in a capitalistic society. Canadian premiere
Theatre 1&2 Website

http://www.jftor.org/