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City Pop: Inspired Nostalgia Film Screenings

A Spotlight on Music in Cinema

October – December 2020

From October to December, immerse yourself in the nostalgia of 1980s Japan with a selection of free monthly film screenings as part of the City Pop: Inspired Nostalgia event series.

Kicking off the film series in October is No Smoking, a documentary on music legend and formative figure in the city pop genre Haruomi Hosono. Following in November and December, enjoy animated features Ocean Waves and Mirai with city pop-inspired soundtracks that will have you jamming in your seat.

No Smoking (NO SMOKING)

Dir Taketoshi Sado / 2019 / 96 mins / Cast: Haruomi Hosono, Van Dyke Parks, Keigo Oyamada / Japanese with English subtitles / UNCL  15+
October 21, 6:30pm – 8:06pm

No Smoking is a behind-the-scenes look at Haruomi Hosono, a musician respected around the world and the composer of the soundtrack for Shoplifters, a Palme d’Or winner of the Cannes Film Festival. The documentary traces Hosono’s five-decade career including his encounter with music in early childhood to his days in bands Happy End and YMO to his solo activities. The feature captures the artist’s achievements through Hosono’s reflections on life and provides in-depth coverage of his international world tour in Taiwan, London, New York and Los Angeles from 2018-2019. Hosono has inspired young artists such as Gen Hoshino and Kiko Mizuhara, who in turn inspire him in his musical evolution. This in-depth documentary about musician Haruomi Hosono, his music, and an intimate look at the man himself is not to be missed. 

Ocean Waves (海がきこえる)

Dir Tomomi Mochizuki / 1993 / 72 mins / Cast: Nobuo Tobita, Yoko Sakamoto, Toshihiko Seki / Japanese with English subtitles / PG
November 18, 6:30pm – 7:42pm 

One of Studio Ghibli’s lesser-known titles, Ocean Waves is based on author, essayist and playwright Saeko Himuro’s best-selling novel of the same name. The narrative features Kochi, an average Japanese coastal town on the sleepy, idyllic island of Shikoku, and young Taku, an average high school student. But the arrival of Rikako, a beautiful student who recently transferred from Tokyo, turns Taku’s quiet, average life upside-down. By the end of the term, Taku will have learnt a valuable lesson in love and friendship.

Ocean Waves is one of the most poignant and unsung masterpieces within Studio Ghibli’s legendary creative output. Wonderfully detailed and incredibly subtle, it masterfully captures the joys and drama of adolescence and teenage alienation.

Mirai (未来のミライ)

Dir Mamoru Hosoda / 2018 / 98 mins / Cast: Moka Kamishiraishi, Haru Kuroki, Gen Hoshino / Japanese with English subtitles / PG 
December 19, 11am-12:38pm

Four-year-old Kun’s life gets turned upside down when he meets his new baby sister Mirai (meaning “future”) for the first time. Having only known life as the apple of his parents’ eyes, Kun is very quick to become jealous of his new sister, whose arrival steals both his spotlight and his parents’ attention. One day, in the midst of a jealous rampage he runs to the backyard to sulk where he discovers a mysterious magical time-travelling gateway. Through it, he meets strangers from the past and future, including a teenage Mirai! Together, the two go on a fantasy-filled adventure to uncover their family’s history and the love that has been passed down through generations. But one question remains–why did teenage Mirai come to find Kun?

Drawing from his own personal experiences as a father, this latest feature film by Mamoru Hosoda (Wolf Children, Summer Wars, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time) is a nostalgia-evoking, touching film with gorgeous visuals, as told through the eyes of a 4-year-old.

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EVENT DETAILS

October 21, 2020 (Wednesday)
No Smoking (UNCL 15+)
6:30pm-8:06pm

Bookings Full

November 18, 2020 (Wednesday)
Ocean Waves (PG)
6:30pm-7:42pm

Bookings Full

December 19, 2020 (Saturday)
Mirai (PG)
11am-12:38pm

Bookings Full

ADMISSION
Free; Bookings required

If you are no longer able to attend your booked screening, please cancel your booking so that others may attend. This event follows government COVID-19 regulations and as a result has extremely limited capacity.
For the safety of yourself and others, please stay home if you’re feeling unwell.

VENUE
Palace Central
Level 3, Central Park
28 Broadway, Chippendale NSW 2008

ENQUIRIES
(02) 8239 0055

Header image:  ©2019 “NO SMOKING” FILM PARTNERS

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