Six Japanese movies written and directed by Takeshi Kitano will be screened at Broadway Cinematheque. All movies will be in Japanese with Chinese and English subtitles except “Kikujiro,” which will only have Chinese subtitles. Movie tickets can be purchased through the cinema’s official WeChat account “szblhyc” or at the cinema.
With the exception of his works as a film director, Kitano is known almost exclusively by the stage name Beat Takeshi. He was not widely accepted as an accomplished director in Japan until his “Hana-bi” won the Golden Lion in 1997.
Kitano has received critical acclaim for his idiosyncratic cinematic work, winning numerous awards with Japanese film critic Nagaharu Yodogawa having once dubbed him “the true successor” to influential filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Many of his films express a bleak world view, but are also filled with humor and affection for their characters.
‘Kikujiro’ (1999)
Plot: “Kikujiro” tells the story of a young boy searching for his mother during his summer vacation. The film is mostly divided into smaller chapters, listed as entries in the boy’s summer vacation diary. Kitano’s inspiration for the character was his own father, Kikujiro Kitano, a gambler who struggled to feed his family and pay the rent. The film’s score was composed by Joe Hisaishi and “Summer” is one of the most famous compositions by Hisaishi.
Time: 7:30 p.m., Dec. 24; 7 p.m., Dec. 28
‘Hana-bi’ (1997)
Plot: Nishi leaves the police in the face of harrowing personal and professional difficulties. Spiraling into depression, he makes questionable decisions. The film’s score was composed by Hisaishi and the unexpected international success of “Hana-bi” established Kitano as one of the foremost Japanese filmmakers of his time.
Time: 7 p.m., Dec. 25; 6:15 p.m., Dec. 29
‘A Scene at the Sea’ (1991)
Plot: The lives of a young, hearing-impaired, gloomy couple are fulfilled after the boy gains an interest in surfboarding. This film marks the first collaboration between Kitano and composer Hisaishi.
Time: 9 p.m., Dec. 25; 8:20 p.m., Dec. 29
‘Kids Return’ (1996)
Plot: The movie is about two high-school dropouts, Masaru and Shinji, who try to find a direction and meaning in their lives — one by becoming a yakuza lieutenant, the other by becoming a boxer. The music was composed by Hisaishi.
Time: 7:30 p.m., Dec. 26; 3:45 p.m., Dec. 29
‘Zatoichi’ (2003)
Plot: The blind masseur/swordsman comes to a town in control of warring gangs, and while bunking with a farming family, he meets two women with their own agenda. The film is a revival of the classic “Zatoichi” series of samurai film and television dramas. The music was composed by Keiichi Suzuki.
Time: 7:30 p.m., Dec. 27; 2 p.m., Dec. 28
‘Dolls’ (2002)
Plot: “Dolls” centers on three stories of never-ending love. A highly stylized art film, “Dolls” is part of Kitano’s non-crime film oeuvre, like 1991’s “A Scene at the Sea,” and unlike most of his other films, he does not act in it. The film has been praised for its cinematography and features costumes by Yohji Yamamoto. The music was composed by Hisaishi.
Time: 9:40 p.m., Dec. 27; 1:30 p.m., Dec. 29
Venue: Broadway Cinematheque, 5/F, MixC World, Nanshan District (南山区深圳万象天地五楼百老汇电影中心)
Metro: Line 1 to Hi-tech Park Station (高新园站), Exit A(SD News)
