Japan Foundation 2017 Film Series

Japan Foundation 2017 Film Series
“Food in Japanese Cinema”

Contemporary films from Japan showcase the importance of food in Japanese culture and society.

Featuring introductory remarks by Dr. Diane Wei Lewis, Assistant Professor in Film and Media Studies


Saturday, October 21, 7pm
A Drop of the Grapevine (dir. Yukiko MISHIMA, 2014, 117 min.)
Brown Hall Auditorium (Brown Hall 100)


The Japan Foundation, New York, presents two contemporary Japanese dramas that portray food cultures in Japan.

The gentle drama A Drop of the Grapevine is the second film in director Yukiko MISHIMA’s “Hokkaido Project,” a trilogy of stories set on the northernmost island of Japan. After his music career is cut short, Ao (Yo OIZUMI) returns to Hokkaido to tend the family farm with his brother Roku (Shota SOMETANI). Roku raises wheat while Ao dreams of starting a winery and creating the perfect pinot noir. As the reunited brothers struggle to find balance, their lives are interrupted by a mysterious traveler, Erika (Yuko ANDO). Local Hokkaido products and the natural beauty of its four seasons feature prominently in this exquisite family drama.

Sunday, October 22, 5pm
There is No Lid on the Sea (dir. Keisuke TOYOSHIMA, 2015, 84 min.)
Brown Hall Auditorium (Brown Hall 100)

Keisuke TOYOSHIMA directs this sensitive adaptation of the 2006 novel by Banana Yoshimoto. After leaving her job in Tokyo, Mari (Akiko KIKUCHI) opens a shop selling shaved ice (kakigori) in her hometown on the Izu Peninsula, but she struggles to find customers in the ailing community. Unsure whether the shop will survive, Mari forms a deep bond with Hajime (Azusa MINE), a troubled teen girl. A delicate and moving character study.

Free and open to the public. This event is made possible with support from the Japan Foundation, New York.