North Okanagan-Shuswap residents will have an opportunity to view, for free, two acclaimed Japanese films courtesy of The Japan Foundation and the Consulate General of Japan, at 7 p.m. Sept. 8 and 9 at the Salmar Classic Theatre.
Each year the Japan Foundation and the Consulate General of Japan support a national distribution of free showings of several Japanese films, which are sub-titled in English.
The films, which did well in the box office in Japan, offer Canadians a glimpse into Japanese culture. With it’s active sister-city exchange with Inashiki, Japan, Salmon Arm was chosen as venue for the films this year.
On Thursday, Sept. 8 see Shindo. Linda, Linda, Linda will be screened on Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.
Shindo is a captivating story about 19-year- old Kikuna Wao, who lacks talent but is passionate about playing the piano. He is determined to get into music school, a doubtful prospect as his practising at home draws only consternation from neighbours. He meets 13-year-old piano protégé Naruse Uta, an accomplished pianist, who has lost the desire to play since her father’s disappearance.
While Wao fights to escape his likely future running his father’s grocery by becoming a pianist, Uta has to deal with her father’s death, the expectations of her obsessing mother, and come to terms with her extraordinary musical gift.
In Linda, Linda, Linda, guitarist Kei, drummer Kyoko, and bassist Nozomi are forced to recruit a new lead vocalist for their band just three days before their high school festival. Though her comprehension of Japanese is a bit rough, they choose a Korean exchange student.
It’s a race against time as the group struggles to learn three tunes for the festival’s rock concert, including a classic ’80s punk-pop song by the Japanese group The Blue Hearts called Linda Linda.
Everyone is invited to enjoy this evening of Japanese film and culture.
