Located in Momochihama, the Fukuoka City Public Library’s film archive is worth talking about! There the library collects and stores valuable movies from throughout Asia with the objective of becoming a film archive for the continent. It also collects and stores Japanese films with a close connection to Fukuoka – Hakata, as well as experimental works. It is truly a repository of video culture for later generations. The museum’s film collection comes from a wide range of countries and territories, including China, Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong, as well as more obscure works from Cambodia, Turkey, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. It has well-known Asian films, classic works, and films screened at the Focus on Asia Fukuoka International Film Festival. The Cine-la theater has become an important city asset whose primary objective is to make the roughly 900 films in the collection widely accessible to the city’s residents. The theater, which has 242 seats and requires the purchase of a ticket to attend, was opened in June 1996. It shows films nearly every day in programs that are changed monthly. From Feb. 11~Mar. 2, there’s the Taiwan Film Selection (台湾映画特集), with films such as Taipei Exchanges, Bad Girl Trilogy, Seven Days in Heaven, Flying Dragon, Dancing Phoenix, The Human Comedy, No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti, The Human Comedy and more! Then, from March 5~9, catch the “Nostalgic Western Films” series with films like Casablanca, September Affair, The Secret people, Forbidden Games and Sadko (see below for more info).
• Taiwan Film Selection: 2/11 (Tue.)~3/2(Sun.); Nostalgic Western Films: 3/5 (Wed.) ~9 (Sun.)
• Adult: ¥500, University/ High school Student: ¥400, MS/ES Student: ¥300, Disability: Free
Tickets at door only. Over 65: ¥250 (must show Fukuoka City pensioner’s card)
• Fukuoka City Public Library Movie Hall Cine-La, 3 Momochihama, Sawara Ward
• www.cinela.com
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NOSTALGIC WESTERN FILMS March 5~9
CASABLANCA (1942, BW, 103min.)
American film in English with Japanese subtitles
Synopsis: In French held Morocco during World War II, a tavern owner is asked to help a leader of the resistance movement hunted by Nazi Germany seek US asylum. The leader’s wife just happens to be the woman the tavern owner still loves…
Showing: March 5 (Wed.) 14:00 and March 8 (Sat.) 14:00
SEPTEMBER AFFAIR (1950/ BW / 105 min.)
American film in English with Japanese subtitles
Synopsis: A couple meet on an airplane heading to France from Rome. The airplane makes an emergency landing in Naples. The couple tours the city together but can’t make the airplane on time. The airplane crashes and the couple are reported dead. The two then enjoy a passionate love affair by discarding their past, but this does not last…
Showing: March 6 (Thu.) 11:00 and March 8 (Sat.) 11:00
THE SECRET PEOPLE (1952/ BW / 96min.)
British film in English with Japanese subtitles
Synopsis: Two sisters lose their parents. They are raised by a tavern owner acquaintance of their parents, who secretly belongs to the resistance movement. The resistance movement then plans an assassination attempt on a military general getting one of the sisters deeply involved in the plot.
Showing: March 6 (Thu.) 14:00 and March 9 (Sun.) 11:00
FORBIDDEN GAMES (1952/ BW / 86min.)
French film dubbed in Japanese
Synopsis: A 5 year-old girl loses her parents while fleeing Paris during World War II. She then meets a little boy and ends up being raised by his family, but the scars of death and war remain with the children. Winner of many awards, including the Honorary Award of the Academy Awards and the Golden Lion Award from the Venice Film Festival.
Showing: March 7 (Fri.) 11:00 and March 9 (Sun.) 14:00
SADKO (1952/ Color / 65 min.)
Russian film dubbed in Japanese
Synopsis: Adapted from the Rimsky-Korsakov opera “Sadko”. Sadko, an adventurer, returns home to find his native land under the yoke of corrupt merchants. Seeking to turn his native land into a utopia, Sadko sets sail in search of the mythical bird of happiness. Winner of the Venice Film Festival Silver Lion Award.
Showing: March 7 (Wed.) 14:00 and March 8 (Sat.) 17:00
