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Japanese film night set for Civic Theatre

This free movie night on Wednesday, November 6 is sponsored by the Japan Foundation
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Nelson’s first ever Japanese Film Night will feature free screenings of 'Brave Story' and 'Always – Sunset on Third Street' at the Civic Theatre

The City of Nelson’s Cultural Development Committee is pleased to announce Nelson’s first ever Japanese Film Night.

This free movie night on Wednesday, November 6 is sponsored by the Japan Foundation and presented by the Consulate General of Japan, with support from the Civic Theatre and the CDC. The double feature will begin at 6 p.m. at the Civic Theatre.

“We’re excited to collaborate with the Japan Foundation and the Japanese Consulate to present a taste of Japanese contemporary culture in Nelson,” says Nelson councillor Donna Macdonald. “We’ve been working towards this presentation with the consulate for the past year, since they visited Nelson, and it’s thanks to the community’s work in revitalizing the Civic Theatre that we’re able to make this happen.”

The evening will feature two recent Japanese hit films. The first is Brave Story (animation, Japanese with English subtitles, 111 minutes) starting at 6 p.m.

In the movie, a primary school pupil, Wataru, lives with his divorced mother who slips into critical condition. His new classmate, Mitsuru says, “If you go to the other side of that door, you can change your fate.” Wataru follows his words and sets off on a journey into the world of Vision. There he searches for a hidden treasure with the power to change everything. The movie is based on a fantasy masterpiece by best-selling author Miyabe Miyuki.

The second film of the night is Always – Sunset on Third Street (Japanese with English subtitles, 142 minutes) starting at 8:05 p.m.

This movie is set in 1964, as Japan prepares to host the Olympics. Two Tokyo working-class households face a rapidly changing modern Japan and their own personal life struggles. The popularity of temperamental serial writer Chagawa is threatened by a new accomplished rival writer, and he faces pressure from his publisher while he tries to push his adolescent son toward university. Meanwhile, Mitsuko, the migrant country girl who became a mechanic at the neighbouring Suzuki auto repair shop, puts on the makeup each morning and hangs out on the corner with the hope of ‘accidentally’ bumping into a certain young doctor.

The Japan Foundation is Japan’s public institution dedicated to sharing Japanese culture and language with people throughout the world. By presenting diverse aspects of Japanese culture, the foundation creates platforms of communication and understanding between the peoples of the world and Japan.