Japan Society Presents Family Portrait: Japanese Family in Flux

this post is sponsored by Japan Society

Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan and Japan Society are proud to announce the eighth installment of the ACA Cinema Project film series, Family Portrait: Japanese Family in Flux. The series examines the shifting dynamics and struggles of the Japanese household in contemporary cinema. Showcasing 10 features, including premieres and revivals, Family Portrait celebrates the complexities of familial bonds in the face of adversity—bringing to question what truly defines a family and its values in the modern world.

Series highlights include the U.S. Premiere of Kazuyoshi Kumakiri’s Yoko, with international star Rinko Kikuchi in a bravura performance as a woman hitchhiking over 400 miles to her father’s funeral; the U.S. Premiere of Keiko Tsuruoka’s Tsugaru Lacquer Girl, the story of a family lacquerware business on the brink of collapse run by Seishiro (Kaoru Kobayashi, Midnight Diner) and his daughter, who strives to carry on his legacy despite deeply held traditional gender beliefs; and a Classics slate featuring a rare 35mm presentation of Yasujiro Ozu’s Tokyo Twilight. A special spotlight will shine on director Ryota Nakano, whose latest film, The Asadas, centers on the power of family in the aftermath of the Fukushima tragedy and is presented along with his previous works A Long Goodbye and Her Love Boils Bathwater. Nakano will be a guest speaker at select screenings in the Family Portrait series.