2008 Twilight Cinema Series – Rashomon (Japan)

Rashomon (Japan, 1950), Running Time: 88 Minutes Considered one of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa’s masterpieces, this Oscar-winning crime drama unfolds as four witnesses to a rape and murder report their versions of the attack. But the chain of events depicted by the bandit (Toshiro Mifune), the rape victim (Machiko Kyo), the murdered man’s ghost (Masayuki … Read more

2007 Sunset Cinema Series – Nobody Knows (Japan)

Nobody Knows (Japan, 2004) Yuya Yagira was named Best Actor at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival for his moving portrayal of the older brother trying desperately to support his three younger siblings in writer-director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s masterful work NOBODY KNOWS. Kore-eda (MABOROSI, AFTER LIFE) also produced and edited the film, which was nominated for the … Read more

2007 Twilight Cinema Series – Howl’s Moving Castle (Japan)

https://aaari.info/notes/videos/07-01-19Twilight.mp4   Howl’s Moving Castle (Japan, 2005) Academy Award -winning director Hayao Miyazaki (“Spirited Away”) takes moviegoers on an amazing new animated adventure that celebrates the power of love to transform and the resiliency of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Brimming with a blend of imagination, humor, action, and romance, “Howl’s Moving … Read more

2006 Sunset Cinema Series – Shall We Dance? (Japan)

Shall We Dance? (Japan, 1995) A salaried man (played by Koji Yakusho) finds renewed meaning to his life once he starts taking dance lessons from an elegant, remote dance teacher (played by Tamiyo Kusakari). Masayuki Suo’s crowdpleasing comedy is always surprising and genuinely touching; perhaps most surprisingly, it’s not a typical romance. Workshop Instructor: Daryl … Read more

Historical Revisionism and National Memory in Contemporary Japan

The presentation will analyze the ongoing debate in Japan over how the past should be remembered, and how this impacts on issues of national identity. Prof. Weiner is speaking on a Diversity Grant obtained by Prof. Keming Liu (Medgar Evers College, CUNY) in part to celebrate the 80th birthday of Prof. Betty Lee Sung.

Transnational Feminism and the Politics of Women’s Rights in Japan

This presentation is based on information from Prof. Joyce Gelb’s soon to be released publication, “Gender Policies in Japan and the United States.” In it, Prof. Gelb explores the similarities and differences in gender related policy making and outcomes in Japan and the U.S., concentrating the areas of equal employment, domestic violence, and reproductive rights, … Read more