Embassy of Japan in Egypt

►Arabic

Japanese Cinema Program

Archives 2012

Date

Films

December

Thursday, December 13

From 6 P.M.

Special program on Japanese food will be held after the screening.

The Chef of South Polar

Directed by: Shuichi OKITA

2009 / 125 min.

In 1997, an 8 men research team arrived at Dome Fuji Station in Antarctica . The station is 1,000km away from the Antarctic coast. No animals, and no virus can live there... Mr. Nishimura is a chef of the team. He misses his family in Japan, but he tries to make a delicious meal to make the members happy every day. The Captain of the team is addicted to ramen, the doctor tries to train to participate in a triathlon when he returns to Japan, and the young support member likes a telephone operator whom he has never met before... Various unique people have to live together for one and a half years. What will their curious lives be going in the South Pole?

November

Sunday, November 18

From 5 P.M.

Special Program: Let’s Try Japanese Costumes! will be held after the screening.

Fireworks from the Heart

Directed by: Masahiro KUNIMOTO

2010 / 119 min.

Five years ago, the Sudo family moved to this small town in northern Japan for the recuperation of their daughter Hana (16) who was suffering from some health issues.

The small town of Katakai boasts some of the biggest fireworks displays in the world. Hana is released from the hospital on the day of the annual Katakai fireworks festival following six months of treatment for acute leukemia and learns that her older brother, Taro (19), has become a social recluse.

Hana resolves to get her brother more involved in the community and forces him out of seclusion. She drags the reluctant Taro to the Youth Group Office, but they refuse to grant membership to an “outsider”.

Hana has a relapse and is hospitalized, but this time, her leukemia has advanced. When Hana tells Taro of her fond memories of Katakai’s fireworks -- they had first seen them together as a family five years ago -- Taro swallows his pride and approaches the Youth Group once again. His tenacity impresses the group leader and this time, he is accepted.

Shortly thereafter, however, Hana’s condition deteriorates. Taro and his parents rush to the hospital, but despite their desperate pleas, Hana quietly passes away.

Taro quits the Youth Group and takes on more part-time work with the intention of independently sponsoring his own fireworks display for Hana. He asks the head of the fireworks factory to help him create a special creation in memory of his sister.

Round after round of fireworks are launched at the Katakai fireworks festival, the Youth Group’s fireworks display highlighting the evening. Finally, Taro’s fireworks are announced.

October

Tuesday, October 9

From 5 P.M.

Special Program: Shodo Workshop will be held after the screening.

©NTV

SHODO GIRLS!!

Directed by: Ryuichi INOMATA

2010 / 120 min.

The story is set in Shikoku Chuo City in Ehime Prefecture, the "City of Paper" that boasts the top output of paper in Japan. However, due to the long recession, the city has lost its former prosperity.

Satoko is a senior in Shikoku Chuo High School. She is the captain of the calligraphy club and has won many awards for her works in various exhibitions. Satoko's father is a professional calligrapher, and for her calligraphy has always been something with which to win her father's approval; the need to please her father had gradually become stressful for her.

Satoko's best friend and vice-captain of the club, Kana, appeals to Satoko one day that she wants to win a team prize for the effort she has put into the club for the past 3 years. But Satoko feels that the club members should work individually and is reluctant about working as a team. Satoko also felt depressed about her friend Mio, who had quit the calligraphy club even though she had talent that rivaled Satoko's.

Then one day, Ikezawa comes to the high school as a substitute for a teacher who is on maternity leave. Ikezawa is appointed the advisor of the calligraphy club, but he apparently has no intention of instructing its members.

However, when Satoko and the club members see Ikezawa perform in front of the school by fluidly writing a large script with music in the background, the activity within the calligraphy club begins to take a new direction.

In an effort to revitalize their beloved hometown and cheer up the people living there, Satoko decides to organize a "Calligraphy Performance Contest." Her earnestness eventually touches Ikezawa, and under his guidance the calligraphy club begins training much like a group of athletes. The members of the club become a tight-knit group, and they eventually change the minds of the adults around them who had objected to their endeavor at first.

The day of the Calligraphy Performance Contest arrives, and Satoko and the club members perform together. Their sincere passion for calligraphy and their earnest love for their hometown envelop the stage, and a small miracle occurs.

September

Monday, September 17

From 5 P.M.

Sunday, September 23

From 5 P.M.

Monday, September 17

From 5 P.M.

©Makoto Shinkai/CMMMY

Children Who Chase Lost Voices

Directed by: Makoto SHINKAI

2011 / 116 min.

One day, a girl named Asuna hears a mysterious song on her crystal radio, a memento of her father. She is never able to forget it, as it sounded almost like someone’s very heart itself made into song.

On the way to her favorite mountain hideout she is attacked by a strange beast and is saved by a young man named Shun. Coming from a faraway land called “Agartha”, he tells her he came to the surface because he wanted to meet someone, and had something he wanted to see.

The two begin to open their hearts to each other, but Shun suddenly disappears and Asuna is not able to find him. It is then she hears the terrible news... Asuna refuses to accept it, and in school she learns of the mythological underworld from her new homeroom teacher, Mr. Morisaki. One of its many names is Agartha, a place where secrets of the world are hidden and any wish you have may be granted.

Just then, a boy who looks just like Shun appears before Asuna being chased by a number of suspicious men. The men are after his Clavis, the key to Agartha. Driven into a corner, the gate to Agartha finally opens up before Asuna and the boy. There, Asuna learns that the leader of the men is actually Mr. Morisaki who has been searching for Agartha in hopes of reuniting with his late wife, and the boy, Shin, is Shun’s younger brother.

With the entrance to Agartha before her eyes, Asuna makes up her mind:

“I want to see him, once again.”

Asuna, Mr. Morisaki, and Shin, each with their own feelings in their hearts, set out on a journey into a land of legends…

Sunday, September 23

From 5 P.M.

Summer Wars

Directed by: Mamoru HOSODA

2009 / 114 min.

A sci-fi animated feature film from internationally acclaimed director Hosoda Mamoru, whose previous work The Girl Who Leapt Through Time won the Special Distinction for Feature Film at France’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Sadamoto Yoshiyuki of Evangelion series fame contributes character designs while the art direction is handled by Takeshige Youji, who has worked on numerous Studio Ghibli films including Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away.

A time where the real world and a virtual community named OZ co-exist. High school math whiz Kenji (voiced by Kamiki Ryunosuke) is invited on a trip to Ueda, Nagano prefecture by senior schoolmate Natsuki (voiced by Sakuraba Nanami), whom he has a secret crush on. While spending time with Natsuki’s extended family the Jinnouchis, Kenji receives an email with a suspicious numeric code. The following day, a mysterious avatar appears in OZ, destroying its maintenance system and causing chaos throughout the real world. Under the leadership of family matriarch Granny Sakae (voiced by Fuji Sumiko), falsely accused Kenji and the Jinnouchi clan do battle with the enemy.

July & August

No film shows.

June

Tuesday, June 26

From 5 P.M.

►Broshure

NORIBEN - The Recipe for Fortune

Directed by: Akira OGATA

2009 / 107 min.

‘Gourmet’ entertainment about a heroine who is separated from her husband, who imagines that he is a writer, but can’t earn a living. She raises her daughter, who is in kindergarten, while struggling to open a shop for box lunches in working-class Tokyo.

Worthy of special mention is the theme that was chosen, “food,” which is of primary interest to everyone, everywhere. Although very simple, the appealing warmth and tastiness of Japanese traditional home cooking meal is abundant throughout the film.

May

Monday, May 21

From 5 P.M.

©"Osaka Hamlet" Production Committee

Osaka Hamlet

Directed by: Fujirou MITSUISHI

2008 / 107 min.

Middle school punk kid Yukio was confused. Soon after his father died, his clumsy uncle Takanori showed up unexpectedly at their house, and strangely, Yukio's mother Fusako welcomed him to their family as if he was her husband.

Since then, everything started getting strange... One day at school, Yukio's teacher told him that he resembles Shakespeare's Hamlet, making him wonder why. His older brother Masashi, instead of preparing for his high school entrance exam, spent all his time with his 8 year older girlfriend. His younger brother Hiroki told his classmates that he wants to be a girl, and decided to play the part of Cinderella at the school play.

With all the strange things happening around them, they start to find their answers and the preciousness of life.

April

Monday, April 16

From 5:30 P.M.

Quartet!

Directed by: Junichi MIMURA

2011 / 118 min.

Kai Nagase hopes to become a professional violinist. He lives in Urayasu with his parents and older sister.

The family used to perform classical music together, however nowadays they care less for music and for each other.

Wishing to be back together, Kai decides to form a family quartet.

Shot during the Great East Japan Earthquake, over 700 civilian volunteers including disaster victims from Urayasu-city supported the completion of the film in hopes for a quick recovery.

March

Tuesday, March 13

From 5 P.M.

©FUKUSHIMA HULA GIRLS PRODUCTION Commitee （J Cine Quanon, Yahoo! Japan, FUKUSHIMA-MINPO CO., THE FUKUSHIMA MINYU SHIMBUN, DENTSU, Asmik Ace Entertainment）

FUKUSHIMA HULA GIRLS

Directed by: Masaki KOBAYASHI

This is a documentary after the earthquake on March 11^th of 2011 in Japan. The main attacked “Iwaki City” has the beautiful resort hotel and facilities called “Spa Resort Hawaiians” which is located close to Fukushima Nuclear Power Plants. After the disaster, everyone, including hula dancers, called “Hula Girls” at Hawaiians, has tried to overcome and re-build the resort for a first step of reconstruction Fukushima. The story tells us how they faced to everyday living with the energy issues and how they struggled until re-opening of “Spa Resort Hawaiians”

Sunday, March 18

From 5 P.M.

1. Can You See Our Lights? - First Festival after the Tsunami

Japanese summer festivals serve as a time to hold memorial services for the souls of the departed. Although some of the many places devastated by the disaster of March 2011 were unable to hold their colorful and passionate centuries-old festivals, the people of Rikuzentakata, Soma, Minami Soma and some other cities decided to go ahead as usual. The program shows festival committee members busily repairing damaged floats and drums and encouraging the participation of dispersed former residents. What are the thoughts of the people holding these summer festivals? And what do they hope to express in them?

2. Setting Sail from the Ruins

Ofunato, in Iwate Prefecture, suffered devastating damage in the Great East Japan Earthquake. Kenichiro Yagi, who sells fish online, quickly rose up from the tragedy along with fellow fishermen. He took the first step toward recovery by resuming fishing from the debris-filled port where many boats had been washed away. This program documents the local fishermen’s road to recovery three months after the disaster.　

February

Wednesday, February 29

From 5 P.M.