4 months ago
The action of 2 restored films by Ozu Yasujiro for nan Cannes Classics conception will kick-off a six-month agelong ceremony of nan iconic Japanese auteur astir nan world.
Cannes revealed past week that it will showcase Ozu’s 1947 “Record of a Tenement Gentleman” and his 1950 image “The Muneteka Sisters.”
The screenings people nan 120th day of Ozu’s commencement and nan 60th day of his death. Ozu died successful 1963 connected nan time of his 60th birthday, conscionable a fewer months aft nan merchandise of his past movie “The Taste of Sake.”
Major studio, Shochiku, wherever Ozu spent nan mostly of profession and made his iconic movies, is readying a bid of curated retrospectives, show screenings, and typical events astir nan world that salary homage to his enduring bequest arsenic 1 of nan astir influential board successful cinema. These will past until nan extremity of 2023.
Shochiku was responsible for nan 4K integer restoration of “Tenement Gentleman.” Toho was responsible for nan restoration of “Muneteka Sisters.” Both pictures will person theatrical releases successful France done Carlotta Films.
Additional events and screenings see ‘The Complete Yasujiro Ozu,’ featuring each extant titles, from June 9 done August 13, astatine The Harvard Film Archive. New York’s Film Forum is hosting ‘OZU 120,’ a three-week Ozu retrospective, including all of nan director’s extant titles, June 9-29. Both screening bid are supported by nan Japan Foundation successful business pinch Janus Films and nan Criterion Collection. A photograph accumulation is to beryllium held astatine nan Margaret Herrick Library successful Los Angeles.
In nan U.K., nan BFI will observe Ozu with: a 16-film retrospective astatine BFI Southbank from Sept 1 done Oct 3; a U.K.-wide theatrical re-release of “Tokyo Story”’; a container group of newly-remastered titles connected BFI Blu-ray; and a postulation of films connected its BFI Player streaming platform. “Tokyo Story” is besides being adapted arsenic a shape play pinch Simon Friend (“The Father”) processing for London’s West End.
The Taiwan Film & Audiovisual Institute will coming a typical Ozu retrospective pinch 7 films from June 9 done July 16.
“It’s important to observe nan achievements of legends successful a mode that does justness to their profound and lasting impact, and we consciousness nan programme created to observe Ozu Yasujiro’s 120-year day is befitting of his legacy,” said Koyama Meri, Shochiku’s caput of sales.
“Several generations of filmmakers from each astir nan world were influenced by Ozu and done this celebration, location will beryllium opportunities to rediscover nan artistry and magic that inspired them. And for those unfamiliar pinch Ozu and his work, these will beryllium moments of delightful discovery. We’re excited to make this ceremony a reality and to footwear it disconnected successful expansive manner astatine nan Cannes Film Festival.”
Ozu Yasujiro (c) Shochiku Co. Ltd.
Ozu’s films analyse nan basal struggles of life: nan cycles of commencement and death, nan modulation from puerility to adulthood, and nan hostility betwixt contented and modernity. His titles often stress nan changing of seasons, a symbolic backdrop for nan evolving transitions of quality experience. “Seen together, Ozu’s oeuvre amounts to 1 of nan astir profound visions of family life successful nan history of cinema,” said Shochiku.
His profession falls loosely into 2 halves, pinch WWII nan dividing line. His breezier early useful are unafraid to admit nan power of Hollywood melodramas aliases to flirt pinch farce and screen a scope from noir done gangster films to comedies. His later masterpieces are much Japanese, much nostalgic, simplistic and are stripped of overmuch movie grammar.
Ozu was calved successful Tokyo successful 1903, is said to person go passionate astir cinema astatine nan property of 10 and entered Shochiku arsenic an adjunct cameraman successful 1923. There, he later became an adjunct head earlier ascending to director.
Shochiku, which straddles Kabuki (traditional Japanese unrecorded theatre) and cinema is considered 1 of Japan’s 3 ‘major’ studios.
Historically, Shochiku has produced films by Ozu, Shimizu Hiroshi, Kinoshita Keisuke, Mizoguchi Kenji, Kurosawa Akira, Oshima Nagisa, Yamada Yoji and Kitano Takeshi. Today, nan group operates arsenic movie producer, supplier and exhibitor pinch further interests successful location intermezo and TV production.
