Japan Society Presents Love Letters: Four Films by Shunji Iwai Next Month

Japan Society has announced Love Letters: Four Films by Shunji Iwai, a weekend series celebrating the defining early works of filmmaker Shunji Iwai. One of the most original talents to emerge from Japan in the '90s, Iwai tapped into the dreams and lives of Japan's youth with his lyrical meditations on the hardships of young adulthood, capturing pivotal and unforgettable moments of life. Balancing popular entertainment with arthouse predilection, Iwai's exhilarating takes on the youth film provided a much-needed voice for the younger generation, offering delicate portraits of adolescence, ripe with poetic yearnings of grief, friendship, and young love. Iwai's sumptuous visual style, coupled with his affecting and underground appeal, opened a world of new possibilities in the '90s cinescape-marking him as one of the most accomplished and unique filmmakers of his generation.

A primer on the director's essential works, Love Letters launches on December 9th with a screening of Iwai's breakthrough Love Letter. An international phenomenon (even becoming a cultural touchstone in South Korea with its iconic line "O-genki desu ka?" meaning "How are you?"), Iwai's achingly evocative and bittersweet debut launched the career of star Miki Sakai while cementing his trademark visual style, musical inclinations, and poetic leanings. On December 10th, following Love Letter, a double-feature pairing of two of the filmmaker's most endearing and affecting works will be screened: Fireworks, Should We See It from the Side or the Bottom? (presented in a new remaster and color grade) and April Story. Both ruminating on instances of new freedoms, independence, and innocent love, the two films offer poignant studies of adolescents facing new life changes and experiences. Concluding the program is a rare, archival 35mm screening of Iwai's most enduring work, the transformative All About Lily Chou-Chou. In addition to in-person screenings, April Story will be available to stream across the U.S. at film.japansociety.org from December 9th through December 23rd.

Tickets: $15/$12 students and seniors /$10 Japan Society members.

Purchase tickets for all films in the same transaction and receive $2 off each ticket.

Online Screening: $10 individual film rentals with a 3-day rental window go on sale December 9. Japan Society members receive a 20% discount on all tickets via coupon code.

Lineup and other details are subject to change. For complete information visit japansociety.org.