Yasujirō Ozu: An Autumn Afternoon & Late Autumn

This year, we start our screenings by welcoming autumn and by banishing the autumn blues. We set a date for “The Autumn of Yasujirō Ozu”, a small tribute to one of the most significant auteurs of the Golden Age of Japanese cinema and a great filmic philosopher. Two of his masterpieces will be screened ("An Autumn Afternoon and Late Autumn") from restored digital projection copies from the Japanese Schochiku Studios in collaboration with the BFI. The screenings will be preceded by a presentation on the filmmaker’s oeuvre.

"Late Autumn" ("Akibiyori", 1960)
Duration: 128' | In Japanese with Greek subtitles | Suitable for all ages

Three middle-aged friends take on the task of marrying off the 24-year-old daughter of the widow of an old colleague of theirs. However, the daughter does not want to abandon her still young mother. One woman has the opportunity to welcome love in her future; the other one has said her farewells to it. Three men become spectators of the familial relationship, the emotional female nature, and the powerful maternal bond. And all of us become observers of Japanese culture and the different modus operandi of the two genders, the conflict between public and private life, between the sense of duty and dreams, remorse, inhibitions, insecurities. And also, of time which runs faster than the human capacity can comprehend.

- One of critics’ favorite, but also one of the lesser known films by Yasujirō Ozu, it was the Japanese submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1961.

- It will be screened from a restored projection copy from the Schochiku Studios in collaboration with the BFI.

"An Autumn Afternoon" ("Sanma no aji", 1962)
Duration: 113' | In Japanese with Greek subtitles | Suitable for all ages

A widower, father of two boys and one girl, relies and depends on the latter for his care –according to tradition. The time comes, however, when he has to look at the future straight in the eyes; he has to let her go, take care of her own life, get married. The only thing is that for her, a contemporary, modern girl, does an arranged marriage mean the beginning of life or the end of her love for another man? The old generation, her traditional habits, everything must be left aside. The onset of time brings changes which no one can, and shouldn’t, call a halt to.

- No one knows whether Ozu knew he was dying and made the film because of that. In any case, this one is his last film and it is considered one of his masterpieces.

- It will be screened from a restored projection copy from the Schochiku Studios in collaboration with the BFI.

Arigato Panagiotis Evangelidis: All presentations, as well as an introduction to Japanese philosophy, will be delivered by director, writer and researcher of Japanese culture, Panagiotis Evangelidis.

Big in Japan: A little surprise will be waiting for you at the foyer after the screenings.

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