The Aesthetics of Shadow, Part 1: Japan
January 7-19
This exhibition is based on Daisuke Miyao's new book The Aesthetics of Shadow: Lighting and Japanese Cinema, which takes as its starting point the now 80-year-old essay "In Praise of Shadows," by the novelist Jun'ichiro Tanizaki. Tanizaki argued that traditional Japanese architecture offers "the magic of shadows...that formed...a quality of mystery and depth superior to any wall painting or ornament." Miyao's book contends that this "aesthetics of shadows" (kage no bigaku) had a profound influence on many different Japanese filmmakers in several different periods. The Aesthetics of Shadow is a cooperative venture between MoMA and the Berlinale Retrospective organized by Deutsche Kinemathek-Museum for Film und Fernsehen and the Berlin International Film Festival. The presentation in Berlin takes place February 6-16.
Click here for full description and screening schedule.MoMA Presents: Annemarie Jacir's When I Saw You
January 15-22
Annemarie Jacir is part of a wave of Arab filmmakers who set their films in the region and push stylistic and narrative boundariesÔwinning regional and international awards and accolades in the process. The Jordan-based filmmaker's second feature, When I Saw You, is set in 1967, when tens of thousands of refugees from Palestine poured into camps in Jordan. Amid the chaos of war, 11-year-old Tarek is separated from his father. Stranded with his mother (an impressive Ruba Blal) in the confined space of the Harir camp, the free-spirited Tarek soon bolts into the surrounding forest in search of his father. His mother follows, and their journey toward home becomes a deeply affecting search for freedom. Remarkable in terms of both craft and dramatic tension, this poignant film is filled with a sense of defiance and hope.