SEPTEMBER 30: 9:10 PM TUG OF WAR!

SEPTEMBER 30: 9:10 PM
TUG OF WAR!
Director: Nobuo Mizuta        Japan, 111 minutes
Starring: Yôko Asaji, Toshiki Ayata, Akiko Chûbachi

Chiaki Nishikawa (Mao Inoue), who works in the Public Relations Department of Oita City Hall, has a problem: Oita City has, in the past, been the women’s tug of war champion, and Chiaki is charged with  reviving this glory. There is little interest, as tug-of-war is not a prestigious sport; however, she hatches a plan.

When Chiaki starts to recruit members, she meets little success. Meanwhile, Chiaki’s mother, Yoko, is faced with the closure of her workplace, the school meal distribution center. In an attempt to reverse the decision, Yoko brings her workmates to City Hall to negotiate directly. Seeing this, Chiaki comes up with an idea. She makes a deal with the Mayor to recruit the school meal distribution center workers as Tug of War team members, on the promise that if the team makes it to the national finals, the decision to close the center will be revoked.

The members of the Tug of War Team are a motley cross section of Oita’s female population. Yoko’s best friend, Kazue, is always skipping practice to go on dates. Housewife Emi is struggling with a rebellious son. Reiko has a crush on a shop assistant in the pet shop. Mika has her plate full with compulsive eating and looking after her senile father. Kaoru is hooked on bicycle racing, and Saori can’t quit smoking.

While this is a comedy, it is a real glimpse at issues of personal attachment to the workplace and the pride one can find there.

THE TRAILER:

SEPTEMBER 30: 7 PM LEAVING ON THE 15TH SPRING: [Taidachi no shimauta]

SEPTEMBER 30: 7 PM
LEAVING ON THE 15TH SPRING: [Taidachi no shimauta]
Director: Yasuhiro Yoshida        Japan, 114 minutes
Starring:  Kaoru Kobayashi, Ayaka Miyoshi, Rena Tanaka


Fifteen-year-old Yuna lives on Minami-Daito, a small island located 360 km east of Okinawa. The island’s isolated population [just over 1000] can’t support a high-school, so students have to decide whether to stay at home to help their families [usually in agricultural work] or to board the ship for Okinawa.

Director Yauhiro Yoshida documents Yuna’s final year, showing the beauty of the landscape, the richness of tradition, and the closeness of community, all while maintaining a compassion for his characters. The decision that must be made is difficult, and it shows.

Yuna is lucky: she can live with her mother when she goes to school, but she worries about her father, who will be left behind when she leaves. This is a touching coming-of-age story that also serves as  a cultural introduction to the landscapes, music, custom, and heart of Japan’s southern islands.


THE TRAILER [only in Japanese, but the film will, I assure you, have English subtitles... you can see how beautiful it is, if you don't understand Japanese]

SEPTEMBER 30 – JAPANESE FILM NIGHT

Sponsored by the Japan Foundation, with the support of CINEMA CNC,
the Consulate General of Japan in Vancouver is pleased to present

JAPANESE  FILM  NIGHT
a double feature of recent Japanese films

~ LEAVING ON THE 15TH SPRING ~

&

~ TUG OF WAR! ~

Wednesday, September 30th at The Prince George Playhouse

This event is open to the public. ADMISSION IS FREE on a first-come basis

Showtimes will be 7:00 pm — LEAVING ON THE 15TH SPRING

and 9:10 — TUG OF WAR!

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